(Kai's POV)

I wake, right next to the anchored Bounty. I sit up, rubbing my neck. I won't tell them. I won't tell anyone, not now, not ever.

(Zane's POV)

I can sense someone's presence. He doesn't even bother looking up, already knowing who it was.

"Wakie wakie droid."

Morro.

Slowly, I tilted my head up. Morro was kneeling in front of me, grinning. I met his gaze with my own.

"What do you want, Morro..."

I asked groggily. Morro laughed.

"You know what I want, Droid."

I sighed. He wanted my strength.

"I had a little run-in with one of your friends. Last I saw him, he seemed pretty...sick."

That got my attention. I stared at Morro, who's grin widened. He waved a hand in my face, holding a piece of red cloth in it.

Kai.

I glared at him, but he just smiled evilly.

"I'll be taking your strength now, thanks."

Before I could respond, he grasped the back of my neck. Immediately, I started to feel weakened. Wisps of dark green smoke surrounded me. Then, although I couldn't see it, I knew that white smoke was being absorbed into Morro's hand. I started to feel weaker and weaker, and my body went completely limp. Finally, Morro took his hand off. Most of the green smoke disappeared, but small wisps of it still clung to my body. My head sagged.

I felt devoid of all my strength. His eyelids started to close. I...needed...to...sleep...

With that, his eyes shut fully, and he drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

(No POV)

Morro stood up and walked over to Soul Archer and Bansha.

"Well?"

Morro asked, folding his arms.

"The Ninja haven't made any moves yet. It seems, that in threatening the FireSpitter, and in placing a rune of Control on him, that he has influenced them not to move on."

Bansha informed Morro. Morro smirked.

"Excellent."

Morro said. His eyes glowed green. Soul Archer floated forward slightly.

"What do you plan to do, Morro?"

Morro glanced at Soul Archer.

"We wait. Eventually, they will come to us to try and save their so called, 'brother'."

Bansha drifted forward.

"You do understand,"

"That in draining his strength, you also are slowly draining his soul, as well?"

Soul Archer nodded his ghostly head, crossing his arms.

"If you completely drain the boy's soul, then that would leave him-"

"I know, I know!"

Morro motioned his hands in a agitated manner as he spoke.

"If I completely drain his soul, then that would leave him-"

"Void. Empty. Emotionless."

Morro growled at Soul Archer's words.

"Come up with as many words as you want, then, to describe what he'll be like if I fully drain his soul."

"Unemotional. Unfeeling. Lifeless. Glazed. Fixed, Mindless, Listless, Hollow, Vacant, Vacuous, Deprived-"

"OK! That's enough!"

Morro snarled at Soul Archer.

"I don't care if I deplete him of every last bit of his strength, it will be worth it. Because, I'll have the strength, and I'll enjoy seeing the anguish on the Ninja's faces when they see their 'brother' in that state."

The ghosts laughed.

"True. Then, if it would bring you so much pleasure, how about we speed up the process?"

Morro grinned widely. Bansha floated forward.

"I will contact the FireSpitter tonight. He will make sure that they launch a 'rescue team' to try and rescue their 'brother'. Who do you want to be in the rescue, Morro, if I can put that in?"

Morro smiled, then mockingly put a hand on his chin as if thinking.

"Hmm, let me see...the Tempest, the Earthshaker, and the FireSpitter himself."

(Tempest means Storm, storm=lightning. Earthshaker, duh, Earth. FireSpitter: I've heard eet b4, or it jut randomly popped in2 ma head. Probably da first one. :P)

Bansha made a hissing noise and glided off, most likely to send a message (*cough*control Kai*cough cough*) to Kai. Morro walked over to a passed out Zane, Soul Archer trailing behind him.

"Forgive me, Morro."

"But you seemed to have obtained some sort of a….obsession with the Droid."

(Neow gew bak 2 da previous chapters n' look 4 specific examples of Morro 'obsessing' ovah Zane.)

Morro growled and spun to face him, a look of agitation on his face.

"I'm not obsessed! I just want to capture those Ninjas, and get the Sword so we can find the Tomb and release the Preeminent."

Morro whispered harshly. He glared at Soul Archer before turning his attention back to Zane.(btw I'm NOT shipping dem. EV-ER.)

Soul Archer circled the wind Master, giving off his ghostly aura.

"Then why, every time you drain his strength, do you seem to be enjoying yourself tremendously?"

Morro growled, but otherwise ignored him. He placed a hand under Zane's chin, lifting the unconscious droid's head up. Zane's eyes were closed, but everything about him showed weariness. His body was limp, his breathing slow. He looked utterly defeated.

"Besides, once the ninja come, I won't be needing to drain his strength for much longer, if at all."

Morro grinned evilly, then took his hand off from under Zane's chin, letting the Nindroid's head drop. Morro stood up and strolled over to the throne.

"So, what is your plan, then, Morro?"

Soul Archer queried, drifting over to him. Morro smirked.

"Let's just say, the Ninja are going to find their ice brother quiet.…unresponsive."

Morro laughed. Just then, Bansha came through a wall and floated over to Morro.

"I've sent the FireSpitter a message. If he manages to convince them, the Ninja will be here by tomorrow night."

"Perfect."

-Kai's motafuking dream-

I'm floating above Stiix. The sky is a dark, navy blue, dotted with gleaming stars. My vision seems to glitch, and suddenly I'm in Ronin's shop again, like in my last dream. But everything seems...blurry. Watery. There's a hissing sound, and I see Zane, chained up to a wall, looking beaten and tired.

"Tomorrow night..."

I hear Bansha's hissing voice. I can't move though, I'm frozen.

"Come…tomorrow night...bring the Sword..."

There's a blurry image of the Sword of Sanctuary, then it's gone. Suddenly, there's a flash of color. Ghostly black and solid blue.

"Bring the Earthshaker and the Tempest..."

"Tomorrow night...bring them...if you ever want to see your beloved Ice Wielder once more..."

I saw Zane again, and I wanted to cry out, to go and free him. But I was unable to move.

"Come...Or..."

Suddenly, Bansha's horrific, piercing scream torn through the gloom-

I woke up, drenched in cold sweat, Bansha's blood curling scream still ringing in my ears. The mark on the back in my neck was burning red hot.(no, NOT Harry Potter) My hand grasped the back of my neck. I was breathing heavily, my chest heaving. My hair was slick with sweat, the taste of bile in my mouth.

His mind felt foggy, disconnected. His eyes stung, and he felt clammy and hot. He swung his legs off the bed, the springs creaking with the movement. He looked around his room. The floor was make of redwood planks, while the walls were painted dark red with black paintings on them. His bed stood on the corner of his room, and at the end of his bed was a mirror.

Slowly, he got up, shirtless and sweating, and moved to look in the mirror. I stopped, directly in front of the reflective glass. If I didn't know better, I wouldn't recognize the person staring back at me.

He wore red workout shorts, but beside that he was unclothed, except for his underwear. His skin was pale and shiny with sweat, his body scarred in many places. But, there was a recent addition. A black fire dragon design was marked over his heart, and on his right side were symbols going down. He finally stared at his face.

His face was pale, weary, bleak. There was a scar over his left eye. But his eyes...

I looked into the mirror, staring at my eyes, but it was like nothing was their to behold. An endless depth of ink, sorrow, and pain. I could not see whites of my eyes nor the vessels that flowed through them. They were depths of Tatarus holding a thousand souls yet there were none to be seen.

Tomorrow night...

Tomorrow night...I...

I...would...bring..Jay and Cole with me...to...Stiix...with the Sword...to...lead them into a trap...

Tomorrow night...

Tomorrow night.