Phoenix

Overlord awakened in his chambers with a throbbing headache. Grunting, he sat upright and tried to straighten out his memories. What had happened? He'd been about to kill his Dark Knight when...

He rubbed the back of his head ruefully. Letting his guard down like that had been foolish.

"Tryunje phoch!" he said, voice reverberating through his large stone bedroom.

A moment later, the door opened and a woman entered. In a soft voice, she asked him what he desired.

Scarred from fire, this slave was by no means a beautiful woman. Some areas of her skin were pale as eggshell, and others were pink as a rash. Her auburn hair fell around her shoulders in neatly combed locks, and her blue eyes flitted around the room nervously.

Overlord ordered her to come to the bed and massage his shoulders.

She shut the door and crossed to the large bed, sitting down behind him. With her fingers, scarred in varying of shades of pink and white, she kneaded the tight spots in his shoulders.

Overlord slowly relaxed enough to start asking questions. "The Dark Knight got away?"

"Yes," she said in the Dark Tongue.

"I see. And Sanguine Knight?"

"Yes."

"Besai? Those other men?"

"Yes."

"That's good." Overlord closed his eyes and breathed deeply as her hands rubbed the glands beneath his ears.

He wondered if the Dark Knight had survived the poison. It would seem impossible.

But then, those blades are impossible, he thought, and spent a moment thinking about those five Blades.

Stormstrider, wielded by Nen the Just.

Duskweaver; Beun the Gallant.

Moonsong; Lei the Chivalrous.

Morningbloom; Ara the... Overlord had forgotten the details. Only that a woman had wielded it, unlike the other four.

And then there had been Raindancer.

"Lower," Overlord said to the slave.

Raindancer had been the weapon of Mena the Redeemer. A powerful man. But now powerful enough to defeat me, of course. His pride was his own undoing.

"That's enough," Overlord said. "Sit there until I need you."

He stood, then began to pace slowly. "Hagar is gone, too?" he asked.

"Yes."

Overlord stamped his foot and swore. Unlike Kai and Besai, he had needed Hagar here.

He stopped pacing and stared at the slave on the bed. She sat- as all slaves did when waiting for an order- on her knees with her hands folded.

It's time to go to the next, Overlord thought as he took a couple steps in her direction. Cole was powerful, yes. But John Keith...

He grabbed the girl's chin and lifted it, forcing her to look into his eyes. "I have an incentive for him to come back," he said. "Would you like that, Hrymerv? Would you like it if he came back for you?"

The woman was trembling so hard that the mattress shook. She looked away for a moment, then back into his eyes. "He no chom," she said in her mother tongue. "John...he ees smart. Sees trap."

Why was she using that language? To be defiant?

Right now, Overlord was too excited to mind her rebellion. "John thinks you're dead, Merv," he said. "When he finds otherwise..." He smiled. "He'll be back."

It had been two days since Cole awakened from his coma. They were on day six of their journey. Almost home.

Home... Kai closed his eyes and breathed in the sharp, salty scent of the wind as he looked over the edge of the ship. It had been over a month since he had last seen Mother or Father. He couldn't wait to tell them of his adventures- but not about his time in the prison camp, of course- and show them Besai.

His face flushed as he thought of her. There was no doubt left in his mind about whether or not she was the one. She was so kind and loyal that it was hard to not fall in love with her. All he had to do was convince Father.

Brilliant, he thought sarcastically. Yeah, I'll just go up to Father and say, 'Hey, dad. Meet the Overlord's prostitute. Now that I've saved her, I want to get married.'

Nope. It would never work.

But then, Kai could make his own decisions. Kaytake would understand, eventually.

Arms encompassed him from behind, followed by a giggle. "Hey, Kai," Nya said.

"Hey," Kai answered. "What's up?"

"Us," Nya joked. After a moment of silence, she continued. "You know, since we're on a flying ship."

"I got it," Kai said.

Nya let him go with a small sigh. "You've changed," she said.

"Try to walk my path and see if it doesn't change you," Kai said. "But...just out of curiosity, is it a bad change?"

Nya thought for a moment. "No," she said. "You're more mature. More patient. And a lot more caring. I mean, I've seen the way you are around Cole. Even though he's been really snappy since he woke up, you've continued to care for him like a brother." She flashed a cheeky smile. "Just try not to kiss him again."

Kai grimaced. "Thank you," he said. "I had almost completely blocked that from my mind."

Nya kissed his cheek. "No problem, bro." She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the railing. "Jay told me to come and get you. It's your turn to deliver Cole's plate."

Kai reluctantly allowed her to pull him across the deck and into the dining room.

Varasach immediately handed him two plates of sliced fish and fresh fruit. "Try to make him eat at least half of his plate," she said. "Nya, come on. I need your help in the kitchen."

"Okay," Nya ran to catch up. She turned at the kitchen door and winked at Kai. "Don't let him drink any wine this time."

Kai nodded and left the room. Why do the women think that I'm incapable? He wondered as he descended the stairs. Every time, it's the same instructions. As if they don't expect me to remember or something. He knocked on Cole's door once before opening it. They don't ever nag Lloyd or Zane...

As usual, Cole was sitting upright in the bed, eyes staring blankly at his hands. He hardly ever moved, except to use the latrine. And although he clearly needed to, he never cried.

"Hey," Kai said with his best impersonation of an enthusiastic smile. "Your favorite subordinate is here to...umm...be subordinate." He set one plate on Cole's lap and dropped into the chair.

Cole looked at the plate distastefully, then at the wall again.

Kai took a bite of his fish and chewed as he examined Cole's bandaged body. There was not an ounce of fat to hide his bones, and his muscles were atrophying far too rapidly. Kai remembered how hate and spite used to glow in his eyes, but now there was nothing. Cold void. Cole's eyes belonged to a dead man.

Kai sat back in his chair, feeling sick in the pit of his stomach, and ate the seeds out of an orange slice. His job was to sit here until Cole ate half of his meal. It usually took at least an hour.

"I can't see," Cole whispered, eyes unmoving.

"You're not blind," Kai said.

"Yes, I am." Cole moved to pick up a slice of lime. "What color is this?"

"Green," Kai answered, confused.

"It looks like a pale yellow," Cole observed. "Your hair...it looks blue."

"...What?"

"I can see blue and yellow with amazing clarity," Cole continued as if he hadn't heard Kai. He set the lime down and held up an orange. "I remember what my walls are supposed to look like. But they're the same color as your eyes."

"Brown?"

"Purple." Cole closed his eyes, breathed deeply, then opened them again. "My ears are ringing. I can hardly hear anything over the noise. And my heart," he pressed a hand over his wrapped ribs. "It hurts. Like someone stabbed it with a knife, then twisted and pulled it out, leaving me to bleed."

Cole had never spoken like this before. He always insisted that he was fine, and that he just wanted to be left alone. They had all assumed it was depression- a sickness that was not to be taken lightly, of course- but the way Cole was speaking... It sounded more like insanity.

"We'll be home soon," Kai said. "I'm not that great of a healer yet, but I know a few Southern doctors that might be able to help you."

"Home," Cole said distantly. "Who's home? Not mine. I don't have a home."

"What about your family's home?"

"We never had one. We traveled. Stayed at inns every night."

"So stay with us," Kai offered. "In my family's mansion."

"Your father will have me executed."

It was the truth. Above all other criminals, the Dark Knight was the most despised. The King was offering a reward large enough to feed a family for a lifetime to any man who killed the Dark Knight.

"But you have been chosen," Kai insisted. "No one- not even the King- will be able to execute you."

"This isn't about the King's will," Cole said. "This is about politics. If Garmadon lets me live as a free citizen, the public will revolt. Don't you see? In order for peace to continue, I must die." A ghost of a smile lit up his pale, cracked lips. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Kai clenched his hand to keep from out slapping Cole's face. "Stop it!" he shouted, drawing a mildly surprised look from Cole. "Cole, can you hear yourself? You're not going to die. We worship the First King, who left a prophesy with you in it hundreds of ears ago! The people cannot go against the First King's wishes. There will be no revolt. No death. Understood?"

Cole turned to Kai and gave him an even stare. He said nothing.

Kai set his plate on the floor and grabbed Cole's hand. "We aren't going to give up," he said. "I don't care if we have to hide in the Caves of Despair. You will be safe. Okay?"

Cole jerked his hand away as if he had been stung. "Don't make a promise you can't keep," he said. "I know from experience that peer pressure is a powerful thing."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Cole hesitated, hand fluttering down to his lap. "It's nothing."

That only told Kai that it was anything but nothing.

"Kai?" Cole said. He held a rag to his mouth and coughed up a mouthful of frothy blood.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you save me?"

Kai did not answer.

"I want to die," Cole said as he wiped his mouth. "You realize that, don't you? More than anything, I just want to be freed of this burden. But you won't let me go."

"I can't say that I'm sorry," Kai said. "I hate death. That's why I'm training to be a surgeon back home. None of us wanted you to die. Even Nya had this sad look on her face as she sat next to Vara and cared for you."

Cole shuddered. "I hate your sympathy," he said. "And I am not grateful for the second chance. But...I will tolerate it. For now."

Kai felt something in his chest grow tight. He had prepared himself for a variety of responses, including everything from an unbelievable smile and chipper speech of gratitude to the more realistic grunt and begrudging thanks. But blatantly saying that he was not happy to be back?

"I can't explain it," Cole said. "But...I was given a choice. I could either go to my family and stay dead forever, or come back here and help you. Help Hagar. I hate that I came back and now..." His face twisted. "And now she's gone. Forever." Pain, hate, bitterness, and confusion animated his face as tears wetted his eyes.

"It hurts," Cole said in a soft whisper, gripping his scarred wrists. "Like depression, but thicker and darker. It's like all the people I've hurt are...are rising up from the grave to torment me."

"Cole..."

"And the voices." Cole was nearly in hysterics. His hands shook, and his pupils dilated. "Their screams. Their pleas for mercy...their..." His eyes searched Kai's eagerly. Desperately. "I want to die, Kai."

Cole was not a weak man. But he was not strong, either. He was not hateful, but he had no idea how to love. He was terrified of death, and yet did not want to live. He lived a life in balance between the two worlds of fear and hope.

Before Kai was aware of what he was doing, he threw his arms around Cole and embraced him tightly. "I get that you don't want to be here," he said. "But I'm still not sorry that I saved you."

Cole's chin rested on Kai's shoulder, and he breathed deeply. He wasn't crying, but he was close. "You're right in having no reason to be sorry," he said shakily. "If I were in your boots, I would be trying to save me, too. You're so... I don't know. I don't know why you thought I was worth saving, but..." He took a deep breath. "I'm glad you got out of there, Kai. Overlord would have destroyed everything that makes you good."

Life has a way of dealing out bad cards to people who don't deserve them. Kai had the perfect life. A family, high social status, and respect from everyone around him.

But Cole had nothing. He was a detested criminal with no family.

What had Kai done to deserve so much happiness while others around him had so little?

Share it, a little voice in Kai's heart spoke up. It was soft and gentle, unlike the other voice that had spoken to him in the torture chambers. That's what you were meant to do, Kai. Show him that you care. Teach him what it means to love truly. Like brothers.

This new purpose gave Kai hope. He hugged Cole a little tighter. "I care," he said. "About you. About your hurt. And if you want, I'll help you get better."

"How are you going to do that?" Cole asked. His eyes were closed, and his breathing had leveled out. He was, for the first time since his coma, relatively relaxed. "How do you plan to approach me without hurting yourself?"

Kai smiled as a single tear fell from his chin onto Cole's shoulder. The Dark Knight seemed so frail and fragile when stripped of his armor. Kai recalled what he had said to Zane weeks ago: A slug wearing a snail's shell...

That couldn't be further from the truth. Cole was not a slug. He was a caterpillar forced into his cocoon far too early. Then, as his thin silk clung to that branch, the wind tried to pry him away.

"I'm going to create something new," Kai said. "We'll leave all your baggage behind. It's worthless now. We can move on."

Cole seemed to be almost asleep in Kai's secure arms. "You are...a good man," he said finally. "I wish you luck as you try to resurrect Cole's soul from the ashes of the Dark Knight's pyre."

Cole was an unusually poetic person. His way of looking at life was strange. But...maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

With Kai's help, the caterpillar's cocoon would weather the storm.

The phoenix would rise from the ashes and become something beautiful once again.

Kai sat in the bridge that night, rubbing his eyes to keep the sleepiness at bay. Zane estimated that they would be able to see land by dawn, so he had volunteered to stay up and watch the Eastern horizon for signs of land.

The women were asleep in their bedroom; Zane and Lloyd slept in separate quarters. It was Jay's turn to stay with Cole, just to make sure he didn't try to hurt himself; his arms bore some fresh cuts alongside his old scars. Though they'd scoured his room and confiscated all the objects he could harm himself with, everyone- particularly Varasach and Kai- were still paranoid that he'd find a way to continue his afflicted pain.

"Kai?" a soft voice spoke up at the open door.

Kai turned and saw Besai in her borrowed tunic and trousers. Since they had left the island, she had begun to gain weight. Her once gaunt, pale face had taken on a light tan and filled out a little bit, rounding her cheeks. He could no longer count her ribs through her clothes. Her breasts had begun to grow to a more healthy size, too. Not like he had noticed or anything.

"Hey," Kai smiled and beckoned to her to take a seat beside him. "Why are you awake?"

She sat down and shrugged. "I wanted to be with you." While her Western accent still made her words sound guttural, she was improving. Her Eastern vocabulary had gotten much better. Like Kai had suspected, the language was still locked inside her head somewhere, since she'd been a citizen of Ninjago before becoming a slave. It was just taking some time to uncover it.

"Well, thanks," Kai said. "I could use some company."

Besai grunted. She looked confused.

"What's wrong?" Kai asked.

Besai grabbed a strand of her long hair- it probably had not been cut once in her entire life- and twirled it between her fingers. "I...I am scared."

"Of what?"

"I do not know," Besai said. "Of the East, maybe?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Kai rested a hand on her knee. "Lloyd, Zane and I all have important parents. I'll be able to take care of you."

Besai began to braid the strand. She had learned how to do this from Nya. "Your King has slaves?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And...he has the power to kill?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Under some circumstances, yes."

Besai looked up momentarily before returning to her new nervous habit. "Then he ees just like my king. He can hurt me. He will take me and Varasach away since we are slaves."

"He's not that kind of king," Kai said. "He has the power to be like Overlord, but he's a good man."

Besai sniffed. "But what eef he dosunt like us?" Her old accent always resurfaced when she was stressed. "What eef he sends us bach?"

"Send you back?" Kai wanted to laugh. "Besai, why he would he do that?"

"I doo not know," Besai flushed, embarrassed. "Und your father. What eef he separates us?"

Kai lowered himself to his knees next to her chair. "He won't," he said, stroking her cheek. "You need to calm down. There's no need for all this worry." He kissed her cheek. "When we get home, you can meet my mother. I'm sure she'll love you."

Besai smiled timidly. Her eyes darted to his lips, then up to his eyes again. "I...feel bettur now," she said. "Thank you."

Kai kissed her firmly on the lips, then pulled away and stroked her hair. "That's good," he said. "Keep being brave, okay? You're doing great so far."

Besai continued braiding the strand of hair, face flushing deeper. "I..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Kai micha to poshiki."

Kai pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her middle. "I love you too, Besai."

He would never stop loving her. It was impossible. Through all that they had endured, their relationship had only grown. And he knew that was all it would ever do for as long as they both lived.