That night dreams were not pleasant in Kai's sleep. He tossed and turned, as if trying to escape something.

There were knives, whips, chains and rooms so dark and small it felt like you'd been buried alive.

"No" yelled a younger Kai. He was being shoved into one of those rooms. He fell hard onto the cold floor, tasting blood in his mouth.

He forced himself up, running to the door. It closed with a loud clunk. Sealing him in the darkness. He battered at the freezing metal with his fists. He was afraid of what might be in the room with him. There were rumours.

"Let me out, I won't lose again, I promise I won't lose again".

And from behind the door came a rumberling voice.

"I'm sure you won't, not after being in there a while."

"Kai, Kai wake up".

"Won't lose...." Kai murmured, shaking his head.

"Kai, are you ok?"

"Wha..." Kai's grey eyes opened slowly. Max was looking down at him, he seemed worried. How much had he heard?

"You were having a nightmare, Kai." Max settled down back in his makeshift bed.

"Hmph" He had had nightmares before, just none bad enough to wake up the others. At least only Max had been woken up though.

"It sounded like a really bad one too" Max said sympathetic.

"What was it about?"

"Don't remember" Kai lied; he turned so his back was facing Max. Closing his eyes, on the pretence of going back to sleep.

"My dad says that it always helps talking over your nightmares with others." Max frowned when the only answer he got was shallow breathing. He must have already gone back to sleep. Either that or he just didn't want to answer.

Max fell back to sleep immediately. Kai lay awake for a long time before sleep drew him back into that dark room again.

The rusty sound of the door opening hurt his ears. Still it wasn't as much as the light blinded his eyes. For a moment he couldn't see, and remained huddled against the cold bricks. Had the door really opened, how long had he been in here? Surely it had only been an hour, much shorter than usual punishments. They had known to last for days.

Then he saw her, the girl he last lost against. Her hair was long and black. Her blue green eyes gleamed with fear as she beckoned him to come quietly.

"I can't let you stay in there because of me."

The younger Kai nodded, staring in awe as he stepped into the light.

"Come on" she said taking his hand. "We must leave now".

"Where?" Kai asked confused, they were just kids and Boris was powerful. Where would they go? How would they get out?

"Somewhere very far from here, where there are no dark rooms. Or people who would hurt us."

Kai gave a small smile, he would like that. He would like that very much.

It was her who first heard the footsteps. "Run" she yelled, before doing so herself.

Kai ran hesitantly, their follower was catching up fast. There was a small clunk of metal as the girl dropped something. She stopped, as did Kai.

It was her blade; she dashed to get it but was too late. It had been Boris who had been chasing them. He bent down with a smirk and picked it up. He held it roughly, squeezing it in his hand.

She froze, her face screwed up in agony. She was shaking.

"Come on" Kai yelled in her ear, trying to get her to snap out of it. Why wouldn't she move? Didn't she know what would happen if Boris caught them.

He panicked when Boris was standing right in front of them. He ran, only to be pulled roughly back by his shirt.

"You are going back where you belong" Boris snarled in his ear.

"And as for you my dear" he shoved the girl into the waiting hands of a guard that had just shown up.

"Take her to Bathos Schild, I'm sure he'll love to know what his step-daughters been up to."

The frozen girl gave a whimper of dismay.

"Give him this as well" Boris said tossing the guard the blade. "Don't give it to the girl, but make sure it and the girl don't get separated. Ok?"

Then the girl was gone, and Kai was back in the room. Left to ponder Boris's farewell to him.

"You'll be lucky if you're ever allowed out of there."