From the corner of his eye, Lloyd could see people fight. Lots of people. Ninja and soldiers, side by side against the Dark Horde. He heard the sound of swords clanking and muffled battle cries. His opponent was strong. The leader used every opportunity to attack him. Lloyd’s arms began to hurt, but he fought on, strong and steady.

He moved backwards another step. His arms ached as he tried to parry another strike from the huge, black sword. When it crashed down on his blade, a sharp pain vibrated through his arms, all the way up to his shoulders. He tried to concentrate. If only he had a moment to gather his wits and thrust a ball of green energy at his faceless opponent.

He managed to duck and roll to the side, barely avoiding the next strike. He jumped up and turned, slid his sword into the sheath on his back and took a deep breath. He felt the green power deep within him rise through his veins. Rotating his hands, he formed a sphere of energy between them and thrust it at his opponent, just as he turned around to attack again. The blast hit his enemy square in the chest and pushed him back a few yards, which gave Lloyd the chance to form another ball of energy.

His opponent was irritated for a few seconds only, then got back up and raced toward him. Lloyd released another blast, then he heard a piercing scream that made his insides freeze.

He turned his head and saw Kai, one knee on the ground, holding his sword arm. He had been hit and had a dent in his shoulder. The opponent he had been fending off was approaching him, his sword risen high above his hooded head, which was stained with a splash of bright yellow marker paint. Lloyd began to run, then realised that he would never make it in time to save his friend. Without hesitation, he drew his sword and threw it at the enemy with all the power he could muster. Lloyd’s foot slipped on the wet earth, just as he released his grip from his sword. With an ugly, smacking sound, Lloyd fell to the ground. Cursing loudly, he pushed himself up again, wiped the dirt from his eyes with his sleeve and squinted in Kai‘s direction. His sword had missed its mark. It had, however, hit the warrior’s sword with such force that the black figure had to let go of the weapon and it had sailed away by a few yards. Lloyd’s sword dropped to the ground after impact, its tip buried in the brown earth, handle in the air.

– – –

Kai cried out in pain. His sword arm had been injured. His opponent’s blade had probably cut through the tendons or muscle in his right shoulder. He had lost his sword when the dark figure had hit him, could not find it anywhere in the brown mud beneath him.

The faceless warrior raised his sword again for a fatal strike.

Kai lifted up his good arm in a desperate attempt to defend himself.

Then, suddenly, he heard a whirring sound and saw something hit the warrior’s blade. It flew from his gloved hand, out of reach. Lloyd’s sword stuck out from the ground.

His friend had tried to save him, Kai realised, but had obviously missed. Unfortunately, Lloyd’s sword was closer to his enemy than it was to him.

But Kai was not ready to give up just yet. Ninja never quit.

Suddenly, he remembed the water from the Fountain of Time. He would use his Spinjitzu to bring some distance between the black warrior and Lloyd’s sword. Maybe he could reach it first and use it with his left arm to keep on fighting.

He opened the bottle and held it against his lips to drink while standing up. Four and a half sips, he reminded himself. His injury had made him dizzy, however and he swayed a little while standing up. Tripping over a rock, he fell backwards and landed hard on the ground. His mouth filled with the golden liquid. Kai tried to spit it out, but it was already too late. He had ingested more than the four and a half sips. A lot more.

Kai felt a sharp pain in the back of his skull. He had probably hit his head on a rock. He lay on the cold, wet earth, rendered immobile for a moment. A stone pierced uncomfortably into his back. He looked up at the grey sky. The icy raindrops seemed to fall into his face in slow motion. A shadow loomed over him. Kai squinted, then he realised that the faceless warrior had approached him. The black giant held Lloyd’s sword in his gloved hand. The glowing, red eyes fixed on him and seemed to sneer at him. Kai wanted to lift his arms, but could not move fast enough. His body reacted agonizigly slowly, like he was under water, trying to move against a strong current. Kai looked at his red sleeve, as his arm slowly moved upwards. It was torn to shreds.

The warrior raised Lloyd’s sword.

This was the end, Kai realised.

Out of moves.

Imprisoned in time.

He closed his eyes.

– – –

Helen stopped dead in her tracks.

She had almost reached the spot where Lloyd and Kai were fighting against the two leaders of the Dark Horde’s division.

Then everything happened incredibly fast.

Helen saw Kai miss his chance to parry the black warrior’s hit and had to watch the large, black blade cut a deep dent into Kai’s right shoulder.

Kai cried out in pain and lost his sword. It got hurled away and drowned in a pit of brown mud to his right.

Before she could react, she saw Lloyd throw his own sword at leader number two’s back. To her horror, she saw Lloyd slip and fall into the mud.

She followed his sword with her eyes and watched it smash the warrior’s weapon out of his hand.

Kai got up and apparently wanted to use the golden water from the Fountain of Time against his opponent, but he tripped and fell to the ground. Helen saw him hit his head on a stone. When Kai lifted his hand, she could see that he was moving in slow motion.

Oh no.

Her thoughts flashed back to the vision she had had in the Northern Mountains, when she had touched the spot above Kai‘s heart, after he had saved her from the avalanche.

How she had seen through his eyes, Lloyd’s sword moving straight for his chest.

Now she knew what it meant. Finally, it all made sense.

Terrified, Helen forced herself to focus on the present. She watched the black warrior pick up Lloyd’s sword and move slowly towards Kai.

She had to act fast.

Just as she was about to race towards him, she saw another movement which alarmed her. Helen turned her head and her eyes locked with Lloyd’s.

He frowned as he watched her gaze shift to the side, then she pointed behind him and tried to scream a warning.

Lloyd turned around. The black warrior had closed the distance between them and raised his weapon. Lloyd had no sword. No time to gather his energy.

Helen wanted to scream again, but her voice died in her throat.

The faceless giant raised his large sword with both gloved hands to swing it down on Lloyd.

Within the fracture of a second, Helen had to make a decision.

Which way to go?

Both of her friends’ lives were in danger.

She could only save one of them.