Sanguine

The night was cold and dark. Stars shined brightly through gaps in the thick trees, and the snow beneath Kaytake's feet glowed from the light of the full moon.

His heart was pounding heavily as he ran across the icy stone path. His breaths, which rose in puffy tendrils into the sky, were labored from his sudden sprint. This wasn't supposed to happen, he repeated for the thousandth time that night. No, no, no...

"...Unfortunately," Cyrus had said. "The Dark Knight wanted something in return for the services he lent me on the night he kidnapped your son and Zane. There was only one thing that would appease him."

Kaytake looked behind him trepidatiously. Don't worry, he told himself. It'll be a while yet before he finds out what happened.

But regardless of this fact, he still ran.

"What's that?" Kaytake had asked as he examined the bright green pill in Cyrus' aged palm.

"Poison," the dark-haired man replied. "Sir Cole told me to put this in Lord Julien's drink. Supposedly, it manipulates the mind, making its victim easy to control."

Kaytake came to a stop and dropped to his knees in the snow next to a small bush. Fingers shaking, he reached in and found a small black radio that Cyrus used for communication. Why, why, why? He asked himself as he flipped a switch, turning on the power. My first task and I've already messed up.

"Why Julien?" Kaytake had asked as he accepted the tiny pill. "Why does Sir Cole want him poisoned?"

"I don't know," Cyrus had confessed. "But it's a pity. I liked the man."

After looked up and down the path to make sure he was alone, Kaytake pressed the button on the communicator and inhaled a deep breath. "Master Mechanic, are you there?" He asked in a breathless whisper.

'Master Mechanic' was Cyrus' code name, so that in that improbable scenario that someone might happen to be listening in, he would remain anonymous.

A long, silent pause. He held the microphone to his lips and spoke again. "Master Mechanic, this is Southern Bogey. Are you there?"

Another pause, then a static-filled voice came through the line. "Southern Bogey, this is Master Mechanic. What's the temperature out there?"

Kaytake wracked his brain for the second part of the code. This is silly, he thought. I feel like a child when I do stuff like this. "Cold," he replied finally. "Humid, too. My fingers are stiff."

"What kind of poison is this?" Kaytake had asked. "The green liquid inside of it seems unnatural."

"He never did specify," Cyrus had replied. "The only thing he ever told me was that it came from the fangs of a powerful Serpentine many, many years ago."

"What's your status?" Cyrus asked. "Is it done?"

Kaytake fumbled with his words for a moment. "N-no," he said finally. "No, it isn't done."

"Any idea when it will be done?" Cyrus asked impatiently. "We're running out of time. It's already been a week since I gave you the pill. Tonight was the perfect time to do it since you were already going to that meeting in the North."

The Southern nobleman took a deep breath before replying. "I made...a mistake," he said. "Like...an irreversible, really bad mistake."

Kaytake counted three of Cyrus' loud breaths on the other end of the line before he finally spoke. "What did you do, Bogey?" Any levity he had retained in his voice before was gone.

"I'm sorry," Kaytake blurted. "I-I dropped the venom into the wrong cup."

...And then came the inevitable question...

"Who's cup was it?" Cyrus asked.

Silence. Kaytake's tongue was glued to the roof of his mouth. His throat was almost too tight to breathe. He looked over his shoulder nervously before finally speaking. "G-Garmadon," he said. "I...poisoned Garmadon."

He heard Cyrus sigh heavily. "Okay," he said. "It takes twenty-four hours for the venom to fully kick in. He won't know that it was you... Unless you did something conspicuous?"

"I don't think so," Kaytake said. "He didn't seem suspicious, at least." He shivered, fully comprehending for the first time just how chilly it was out here. "What should I do?"

"Nothing," Cyrus said. "There's no antidote. All we can do is...well, I'll need to contact the Overlord and tell him what happened. I don't know anything beyond that. For now, just go back and pretend that nothing ever happened."

"Yes sir," Kaytake said through chattering teeth. "If anything comes up, tell me as soon as you can."

"Of course," Cyrus replied. "Master Mechanic, out."

Kaytake set down the receiver and flicked the switch, turning off the strange device. He was relieved by how calm Cyrus had been about this whole ordeal. His mistake was not going to slip by Sir Cole and the Overlord without notice or kickback, but Cyrus was still maintaining a calm composure, making the situation sound more manageable than it really was.

And Kaytake admired him for it.

I am a fool, he repeated yet again. Such a big, blundering fool...

Some would say that Kai was in a difficult position, standing before the most powerful man in the world. Others, however, would say that he was in an ultimately fatal position.

The latter was, unfortunately, much closer to the truth.

The room was lit by two blazing torches; one on each side of the door, flickering as the eery light illuminated every inch of stone. Two sets of shackles were chained to the walls, and various weapons and tools were affixed random walls with no order.

The Overlord walked to the center of this room and stood with his feet spread at shoulders width, hands clasped behind his back. The deep black cloak- similar to Cole's, Kai noted- rippled as the hem curled dramatically around his legs. "Where are the others?" The possessed man spoke in a casual tone. "Has my kitten only caught one canary when I asked for two?"

Am I the kitten or the canary? Kai wondered, transfixed by the way the Overlord's black mustache moved with his lips. I hate it when people get all proverbial. If they want good answers, I need a question that makes more sense than Cole's brain.

"I think that your pillow went for a hike, and the three scrolls are fluttering in the breeze," Kai said. "The canary loves your pillow, by the way."

Overlord waved his hand, and the two stone men holding Kai's arms let go and backed away with reverent bows.

"Do you want me to cut out your tongue?" The Overlord asked. "I am your master, and you will treat me with respect."

"Sure," Kai sighed. "What do you want, mustachio?"

"Your loyalty," Overlord replied. His green eyes bored into Kai's skull as he took a step forward, then planted his feet again. "I can break you easily, or I can break you through force."

"Is there any other way to break me?" Kai asked. "You can't ask something to break. It takes force. Kind of a no-brainer."

Overlord gave Kai a barbarous grin. "So much potential," he said. "So much raw power. Strength. Stubbornness."

"Great job," Kai said. He would have applauded sarcastically if his hands weren't tied. "You just classified most men in the country. Be more specific."

Overlord took another long step forward. He was now close enough to reach out and touch Kai's face, should he choose to do so. "The stupidity to come before me and stand tall instead of falling to your knees and begging for mercy. Is that specific enough?"

Kai rolled his eyes. "Come on," he said. "That's the best you can do? Name one person who's ever dropped to his knees before you and begged for mercy the moment he saw your face."

"Cole," Overlord replied. "That dancer from the North was on his knees almost before he even saw the face of the Western guardsman I used to inhabit before I took Cole's father."

"Huh," Kai grunted. "Cole on his knees? I'd really love to see that. His ego could use a little deflation."

Without any indication of what he was about to do, Overlord cleared the distance between them and kicked the inside of Kai's left leg, making the nobleman fall to his knees awkwardly. "Do you see this?" The evil spirit asked, speaking thought the lips of the dark-haired man he had possessed. "This is the hard way. Cole was easy; he promised to do whatever I asked, just as long as I kept his family out of this." He grabbed a fistful of Kai's hair and turned his head upward. "But once I had him in my net, breaking that promise was about as easy as snapping a finger."

He slowly traced a hand down Kai's face, then his shoulder, then his arm. His actions seemed almost lustful. "Do you realize how easy it is to break a finger?" He asked as his hand grasped the rope around his prisoner's wrists. The ropes broke, unable to remain intact under the intense pressure of the Overlord's iron grasp. "How immensely satisfying the bone sounds when it snaps in two?" His voice lowered a touch. "How wonderful the screams of pain can be as the victim's hand begins to swell?"

Kai stared up at the Overlord's smile. "Your mustache..." He began to chuckle as his arms, now free, fell to his sides. "Tell me, is that something that Cole's dad sported, or was it your idea?" His chuckle bloomed into a laugh, which echoed loudly off the walls and bounced back to his own ears. "That thing is so incredibly distracting, I can't even hear what you're saying. All I see is that black sausage hanging above your lips. You said something about popping fingers?"

Before Overlord had a chance to react to this random outburst, Kai leapt to his feet and wrapped his hands around the elder man's throat. Lunging with all his strength, he threw the stunned Overlord against the wall and held him there.

Kai's laughter, obviously fake, faded out as he scowled down at his shorter captor. "How about I break your fingers?" He hissed. "I am not making any deals with you. I won't tell you anything. And I'd rather kill myself than I let you harm my family." He tightened his grip on the Overlord's throat, completely blocking off his air. "Now are you going to let me go, or should I rip out your voice box?"

After a moment, the Overlord recovered from the shock of having his victim attack him. He retaliated immediately afterward, using his iron grip to reach up and squeeze Kai's wrists. "You fool," he gasped. "Get on your knees and apologize before I beat you."

Kai did his best to fight the Overlord's grip on his wrists, but he eventually faltered and let go. The pain was too great. "Never," he spat as the shorter (yet significantly stronger) man twisted his wrist, forcing Kai to his knees again. "I should make you apologize. After all the-"

Smack!

The Overlord wound up and punched Kai's jaw. "I do not apologize!" He shouted, voice echoing off the walls. "I am Overlord; I am supreme. You are nothing."

The force of the Overlord's blow to the left side of his face threw Kai backward. The side of his head hit the stone floor with a crack that sounded like thunder to his ears. He gasped as his world went black for a moment before returning again. What should I do? He thought frantically. I used this tactic on Cole, and it worked just fine. This Overlord is a madman!

"Get up," Overlord ordered. "I am not done with you."

Though Kai's head felt like a chunk of Northern machinery had fallen on it, he managed to roll onto his belly and shove himself dizzily to his knees. I don't know what to do, he thought. If I continue this snarky charade, I'll likely be killed. But if I give up, well...I'd be giving up.

"Where are Cole and Zane?" The Overlord ruefully rubbed his neck where red welts were beginning to show in the areas that Kai's fingers had squeezed. "Speak, Kai!"

Kai flinched at the ferocity of the man's words. "I...we..." He felt dizzy. The floor rippled and flexed, and he shook his head to try and realign it. "Zane is dead."

Overlord struck Kai again, this time hitting his right cheek. "Liar!" He screamed. "You are trying my patience, worm! Do you want to die?"

Maybe, Kai thought as he tried to absorb the blow without showing his pain. "Death would be better than slavery," he said out loud. "That much is a given."

This gave Overlord pause. He backed up a single step and sighed as he clasped his hands behind his back again. "Perhaps I am going about this all wrong," he said. "You will not crumble under pain, like Cole did. It will take careful planning to break your mind." He bent at the waist and brushed Kai's cheek with a cold hand. He smiled. "I'll need to use more...intimate...methods, yes? My canary does love the pillow, after all."

Kai felt his heartbeat quicken. Not with excitement or arousal, but with dread. He found himself shying away from the pale hand of his captor. "N...no," he stuttered quietly. "Please, don't." He grimaced. He hated giving up. He despised showing weakness, especially when it could be used against him.

The Overlord straightened. "Now we're getting somewhere," he said. "Listen to me, prisoner. Your name is no longer Kai. You are the Sanguine Knight."

Kai dared speak again. "Sanguine?" He repeated. "I...don't really see myself as an optimist."

Overlord raised a fist, making Kai flinch. "The other definition, you imbecile," he snapped. "It means bloodthirsty. My Dark Knight had failed me. The Sanguine Knight, however, will remain loyal to me, and only me, forever." He lowered his hand. "I'll keep you here for a few weeks, just to break you in. Then, I'll send you back to Ninjago, to finish the job my inside man failed to complete."

Kai closed his eyes to fight off a wave of nausea. He smelled blood but could not tell if it where it was coming from, or if it was even his. "What job would that be?" He asked. For some reason, his nose felt congested, making his voice nasally.

"Your country is in chaos," Overlord explained. "The king is fighting off a deadly poison in his veins, your father is living a life of lies, trying to hide his guilt. And that has left poor Julien to try and fix everything on his own."

"Why aren't you answering my question?" Kai snarled. "What job?"

"I need Julien eliminated," Overlord continued, pretending not to hear Kai's angry words. "The poison was supposed to infect Julien, not Garmadon. I blame Kaytake for that one, since he was delegated the task of offing the old man in the first place."

Kai gasped. "No," he said. "My..my father wouldn't-"

"But that is not the point," Overlord interrupted. "Stand up, Sanguine Knight."

Kai hesitated. Dare he obey? Dare he take another step toward servitude?

Reluctantly, Kai rose to his feet. "My father would never hurt Garmadon or Julien," he said, more to convince himself than anything else. "And neither will I."

The Overlord's fist made contact with Kai's gut without warning. "You will if I tell you to," he said firmly. "You are mine. Or should I take out the whip to convince you?"

Kai stepped backward with a grimace. "No," he answered. "No, I think I'm good."

"Bad," the Overlord corrected. "You are no longer good. You are mine, and you are evil. You will obey me."

How many times does he need to say that I belong to him? Kai asked himself.

Another part of his brain- the small, whispery voice that only showed itself during moments of great internal conflict- spoke next. Until he breaks you, Kai. It said softly. Fighting him...it is a futile effort. You will only delay the inevitable.

But delaying it is good, he argued back. It gives Cole time to rescue me.

Rescue? The voice laughed. Cole is probably back in his cave drinking wine to celebrate your capture. He doesn't care...

...Nobody cares about you, Kai.

Kai trembled. Why was everything against him? Why did every good act, every noble deed, every sacrifice he made, only bring him down?

...Because nobody cares, Kai...

Kai gritted his teeth. Nobody cares, he repeated. My father never sent anyone to rescue me. Zane, my guardian, died during the storm. Cole ran away... He just...ran. Like a coward.

Cowardice can be good, the voice said. It kept Cole alive, it can keep you alive, too.

That's not living, Kai insisted. That's just...existing...

...right?

"You are mine," the Overlord repeated again. "Your life is in my hands, I control you. Resistance will only bring harm to you and your family."

Say yes! The voice was longer a whisper. It screamed, only adding to the chaos of nausea and throbbing and stars in his vision. Accept! Give up now!

"No," Kai whispered. "No...I can't..." He hung his head as tears- tears!- began to stream down his cheeks. "I won't..." He was so confused. Why was that voice in his head so loud all of a sudden? Why was he actually considering saying yes? Why did he hurt so much?

...Why did everything have to be so difficult?

The Overlord growled his frustration and shouted in a foreign language to the two stone warriors who stood at attention next to the door. "Agrach na'aklit, shakk," he said. Then at Kai, "maybe some time in Chamber Four will convince you." He turned his back and waved his hand dismissively. "Calek Kozu turit'azi."

The stone men came forward and grabbed Kai's arms roughly, then pushed him toward the door.

He felt so sick. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt now that his head was bleeding. He could feel the sticky wetness as it trickled down his face, seeping into his open mouth and flooding his tastebuds with the sick, metallic flavor of death.

It was then, with the two stone men dragging his limp body between them down the emery stone hall, that he finally embraced the darkness and fell into unconsciousness.