Survivor

"Kyle!" Cole stormed into Cyrus' study, slamming the door behind him. "What in the name of all things evil and ugly were you doing to Vara?"

Kyle and Cyrus looked up from a pile of papers, startled.

"I don't know what you mean," Kyle said, that ever-present smile affixed to his face.

"I think you do," Cole said. He grabbed Kyle's shirt and pulled him down so they could see eye-to-eye. "My Vara comes into our room at five in the morning, looking and smelling like you made her roll in an alley. She falls asleep without answering any of my questions. Why?"

Kyle regarded Cole without a twinge of fear. "She did fall down in an alley," he said. "It was dark and-"

"If you touched her," Cole snarled, "I'll make you pay."

"Well, I helped her to her feet, if that's what you mean," Kyle said. "There's-"

"After what? Taking advantage of her-"

"Cole," Cyrus said. "If you would allow him to form a proper sentence, he could explain himself. Let go of his shirt."

Cole shoved Kyle away, then crossed his arms. "What did you do with her? Stargazing doesn't take nine hours."

"No, no. You're right," Kyle said. "It doesn't. But we weren't just stargazing."

"Then what were you doing?"

"Something evil and ugly," Kyle said, winking.

"Do I look amused?"

"Haven't you heard about his job?" Cyrus asked, face hard as stone. "Kyle distributes my antidote to different towns and villages here in the North. Varasach was helping. Show him, Kyle."

"Right." Kyle pulled a vial of the yellowish antidote from his pocket. "Just ask her," he said. "She slipped on a patch of ice in an alley while we were helping some homeless folk. Slipped in some refuse from the bakery next door."

Cole rubbed his forehead, sighing. "Why didn't you ask me if you could take Vara to do that?"

"I did. Kind of. You know, when I asked if she wanted to go stargazing. Sorry...I assumed you guys already knew about my night job and would get the joke."

"Joke? What joke? When I..." Cole groaned. "Oh, forget it. You're hopeless."

"She had fun," Kyle said. "I could tell. She enjoys helping people a lot. I'd never seen her smile so much before."

Cole swung a punch, which Kyle ducked. "Only I make her smile. You got that, punk?"

Kyle straightened and caught another oncoming blow with both hands. "Why?" he asked. "Can people only have one friend?"

"Don't act smart with me," Cole said, letting go. "You know what I meant."

Kyle put some distance between them. "I'm...well, I actually don't. Am I encroaching on some custom? Can people only have one friend?"

"Yes! Or...no. I-I don't know." Cole brushed a some flyaway hairs from his face. "Depends. In this case, there's a higher authority, which is me. Varasach is in my care, which means that you have to come to me before doing anything with her."

Cyrus turned to his papers and started scribbling notes. "Good, Cole," he said. "Good. I'll add that to their programming."

Kyle stroked his clean-shaven chin, thoughtful. "Hmm. I guess that makes sense. Thank you, friend." He then offered his hand for Cole to shake, a new and strangely normal smile on his face. "And I'm sorry. The same mistake will not be made again."

Cole pushed the hand away, lip curling. "Just stay away from her. Got it?" He turned on his heel and made for the door.

"Ah, Cole," Kyle said.

"What?"

"I almost forgot." Kyle pulled a large notebook out of his cloak pocket. "Here. I saw this and thought of you."

Cole snatched it up and flipped through the pages. "Staff paper? What makes you think I'd want that?"

Kyle shrugged. "Call it a sixth sense, I guess. You just seem like the kind of person who'd use it."

Cole looked at the many parallel lines in the paper, and his frown began to fade.

This was the paper that graced Father's desk, every page filled to the brim with beautiful notes that Mother would play on her cello, or Cole on the piano, or Viola on her precious violin.

At least...he thought that Viola played. Everything after her baby years seemed to...fluctuate. He distinctly remembered seeing her as a baby. That was concrete. But one day he'd remember her, twelve winters old, playing a difficult song of Father's, and the next he'd remember her giving up halfway through and never picking it up again. Nothing was constant in his mind when it came to Via's past.

"Do you...like it?" Kyle asked.

Cole realized that his fingers were trembling, and he inhaled. "I...might use this stuff."

Kyle looked pleased. "I'm glad," he said. "Uh, you can go back to storming out the door if you want now. Goodnight."

Cole closed the notebook and sighed inwardly. "Right. Yes. Ah, goodnight." He left, staff paper held close to his chest.

Kai dismounted his horse in front of a small, homely country dwelling. "This is it?" he asked.

"Yes," Kyle replied, dropping into the snow beside his own mount. "This village was lucky. It's so remote, the disease only found a few hosts. There's one in this house, and two in another."

"Gotcha. Let's go, then. It's cold out here."

As Kyle and Kai were tying up their horses at the gate, a middle-aged man opened the door and rushed to them. "Are you the ones with the medicine?" he asked earnestly.

"Indeed we are," Kyle said. "Heard from one of your neighbors that your daughter needed a shot?"

"Y-yes, yes," the man said. Tears of relief filled his eyes. "I'll give you whatever you ask for. Can you really heal her?"

"No promises, sir. But we have a good chance. How far along is she?"

The man led them into his house and shut the door. "Josi's only been in bed for a day. She's got chills right now, but a few hours ago it was a fever," he said, gesturing to a bed in another room.

Kyle pulled his pack off and selected two disposable gloves. "What's Josi's age?"

"Six."

Kyle went to his tiny patient and examined her. "All right. Five milliliters, Kai."

As Kai filled the needle, Kyle sanitized a spot on the girl's arm.

"Your name is Josi, eh?" he said, flashing a smile.

The girl, skin pale and cold as ice, nodded.

"Oh, what a lovely name. One of my sisters is called Josi too. Did you know that?"

Josi shook her head once.

"She's really nice. But she's quiet. Would rather read in a dark corner than play games at a party. Can you imagine?" He shook his head, tsking. "It's shameful. Sitting there and staring at paper instead of talking to people."

Josi managed a small giggle. "She's silly," she said.

"Yeah, that's right." Kyle accepted a loaded needle from Kai. "Now. I'm gonna give you some medicine. It might hurt a bit, but you're strong."

Josi pointed to another bed, which was empty. "Can you heal mamma too?"

Kyle looked up and Josi's father, who's grief-stricken eyes told him all he needed to know.

"No. I'm sorry. I didn't get here soon enough to save her. But you're going to be just fine. You ready? Here we go." He pushed the needle into her tiny wrist. "That's it. Just stay still, all right?"

Josi shuddered, fighting the temptation to jerk her arm away. "It hurts," she said, and coughed.

"Hey, hey, easy." Empty, Kyle pulled the needle from her arm and disposed it in a large bag he kept for just that purpose. He'd throw all the used needles away when he got back to Cyrus' fortress. "You did great. Now just let the medicine do its work." He held her head to his chest and stroked her hair.

Josi looked confused for a moment, then her eyes rolled back in her skull and she fell asleep.

"That happened fast," Kyle remarked quietly. He turned to the man of the house, setting Josi's head on the pillow. "But that's good. Her body took the drug. She'll heal just fine. Just make sure that, if she gets a fever again, you get it down fast. Too much heat could cook the potency out of the medicine."

The man looked relieved. "How do you want me to pay you?" he asked. "Money? I'd give you my house, even. I just...thank you so much. If I'd lost my whole family to this plague, I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Kyle nodded to the pantry. "Do you have any rice? Borg needs more to care for his own sick people."

"Of course," the man said, flustered by the small request. "I'll get you, say, ten pounds."

"Thank you." Kyle's smile took on a different form as he nodded to the man, who then rushed to collect the payment.

"There's nothing more satisfying," Kyle said.

"What do you mean?" Kai asked.

"Healing people, then watching their confused, relieved faces when they aren't forced to pay an enormous debt. You know what I mean?" Kyle peeled off his gloves and kissed Josi's forehead.

"This is true service, Kai. Just like Cyrus taught us. Not making a profit from helping others; instead, we treat community service as a blessing and a joy."

Kai had no answer. It just seemed too...good. The life of a politician was one of money and fame. You pushed your power-hungry ideas on the people, and you collected revenue from it. People slaved for you.

Cyrus' life was the opposite. He slaved for his people, helping strangers as though they were his own family. Tirelessly, day after day.

I want to be like him, Kai decided. Being like my father isn't something I'm good at. And he rarely shows this much passion in his work. Cyrus, however...

"Ah. Thank you," Kyle said, accepting the sack of rice, which he slung over his shoulder. "Your service is appreciated. Although...this bag feels heavier than ten pounds."

The man shook Kyle's hand, smiling sheepishly. "Yes. That's because I have one more request."

"I'm listening."

The man looked at Kai's knapsack. "Can I have a bottle of that antidote? You know, just in case someone else in this village gets sick, and-"

"Of course," Kyle said. He nodded to Kai, who fished out a bottle with maybe three milliliters left in it. "But be careful, please. Garmadon's guards may confiscate it if they know you have it."

The man took the bottle, nodding. "I'll make sure it goes to a good cause. Thank you."

"Anytime." Kyle winked, then made for the door. "C'mon, Kai. If we're gonna save the country, we'll have to pick up the pace."

Overlord examined Kozu's dead body, a scowl affixed to his face. According to his lieutenant, they had left the body of the other stone warrior there since he was of no consequence. But Kozu...

Overlord swore, kicking Kozu's stiff stone leg. "What went wrong?" he asked in the Dark Tongue.

His lieutenant, trembling with fear of his master's wrath, explained that there had been a third man who took a sword in the stomach, pretended to have passed out, and then stabbed General Kozu with a Blade.

"A third man?" Overlord's fingers went to his belt, where Morningbloom hung in its sheath. "Who?"

The lieutenant eyed the Blade nervously, insisting that he did not know.

A robot, Morningbloom said. Like your White Knight. One of Cyrus' bondservants.

Cursed mortal. Cyrus was more trouble than he was worth.

"And what of Besai's child? You killed her, right?"

"N-nanesh."

Overlord threw a candlestick across the room, where it clattered, snuffing out the flame. One candle remained on the shelf; not enough to chase away the dense shadows that crouched in the corners of the room.

"She was supposed to be leverage so Sanguine would give us the Blades! Now what can we do?" He cursed again. "And Cole is still not dead. I need him dead!" His voice rose to a thundering crescendo, and the lieutenant cowered against the wall, muttering apologies.

"Don't apologize! Just tell me you at least got the second part of my instructions right. Do you have the prisoners?"

The stone warrior nodded, saying that they were in the branding room across the hall, awaiting his inspection.

"Good. They had better be more promising than the rest of the news I've received today. Dispose of Kozu's body." Shoving the lieutenant aside, he stormed into the dark hall and into the other room.

What he saw pleased him enough to alleviate his wrath. For the time being.

"Oh," he said, smiling as he pulled on the male's oily blond hair, examining his face. "Oh, perfect. What is your name, boy?"

The young man could not meet Overlord's eyes. "Senzo," he said, voice full of fear.

"Senzo. Hmm. And how old are you? Fifteen winters?"

"Sixteen."

"Sixteen. Still a boy. And a skinny one, at that. And who's this?" He turned to the female who was bound beside him.

When Senzo did not answer, the female said, "Yuki. I am Yuki."

"Older sister by...three winters?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. What's your story then, Senzo? What happened that night when my men attacked?"

Senzo let his head sag between his shoulders again. It was a pitiful sight, with him on his knees, his twig-like wrists tied behind him with thick, bloody ropes.

"We were sitting by the fire," Senzo said. "Mother was tidying up."

"And your father?" Overlord asked.

"Been dead since I was a child. Went off to King Garmadon's army, never returned."

"I see. So you've been forced to grow up before your time, become the man of the house."

"...Yes."

"Very good, then. Continue. You were sitting by the fire, just you and Yuki?"

"Yes. Then..." Senzo swallowed, licked his cracked and bleeding lips. "A stone warrior entered, took Mother's life with a spear. She didn't even have time to scream."

"Fast, deadly, efficient. That's how my men work. What next?" Overlord said.

"I stood between him and Yuki, tried to fight him with my father's sword," Senzo said. "The battle lasted but a few seconds before the sword was knocked from my hands. I then fought with my fists. But instead of fighting back, he took me and Yuki out of the house and left me with some other soldiers who were just leaving another, dragging flaming, thrashing bodies behind them."

"They left the bodies in front of the houses?" Overlord nearly laughed. What a beast Kozu was. Pity that was his last project.

Senzo breathed deeply to keep his emotions from getting the better of him. "All across Genesan, there was silence. No screams. Just the sounds of the wood as houses began to burn. I knew then that Yuki and I were the only ones still alive. And it only took a minute. Thousands, dead. Men, and women, and children. Families massacred. No witnesses left on the island."

This was better than Overlord could have ever planned. So, so perfect.

"I will tell you why you are still alive," he said. "You see, I gave this command to my men: they were to capture the families of those who dared fight back, and bring them to me. That would be you. The brave One among a thousand."

He cut their bonds with his knife, then lifted Yuki to her feet. "You are by no means as fair as those two whore sisters I lost recently. But you'll have to do. I've been terribly bored without them. Resorted to-"

Senzo lunged at Overlord, snarling like a wild dog. "If you dare touch her, you monster, I'll kill you!"

Overlord caught Senzo's body like a rag doll, tossed by invisible hands. "Can't my prisoners be a little more original with their attacks? It's always lunging. Every time. You must understand, it gets a bit boring- Ah!"

He pulled his hand from Senzo's mouth. "You bit me!"

Senzo bared his teeth. "Wasn't that what you wanted? A more original attack?"

"What- no. Yes. Absolutely not." For the first time in many years, Overlord found himself at a loss for words. Stuttering like a mortal.

Senzo put himself between Overlord and Yuki. "Don't touch her," he hissed.

Overlord went to the fireplace and selected his branding tool, placing it in the hot coals. "If you had payed attention," he said, stepping back, "you would have known that I was using a fear tactic. A threat. Much like Garmadon's society, mine thrives on obedience, order, and carefully controlled fear. I cannot have insubordination."

With a swift kick behind the knee, Senzo was on the ground.

"I didn't call you here to gloat, though. No, I have a better reason."

"What is that?" Senzo looked like a cat, ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble.

"I have a job for you. Well, not a job. A collection of jobs. If you complete each task swiftly and obediently, I will let you and your sister go free."

"Do you have a list?" Senzo asked. "Not like I'd ever work for you, but I'm curious."

"A list? No. But I promise, it will be easy enough, and you won't have to work for more than a year. Two, if you need a second chance after, say, an incident."

"No," Yuki said. "Never. We cannot work for you."

"Hold your tongue, woman," Overlord said. "It is not up to you. Your dear little brother gets to make the decisions here."

Yuki turned her wide, amber-colored eyes to her brother.

Senzo looked like he might have sweated from the stress, had there been any moisture left in his body to do so. He closed his eyes, then reopened them with a groan. "You won't touch my sister?"

"Well, that really all depends on how well you perform. If you behave, things go well for her. You step out of line, well..."

Senzo's glare grew so dangerous that Overlord almost considered backing up a few steps for safety.

"All right," Senzo said. "I'll obey. One year."

"Excellent." Overlord steepled his fingers, then nodded to a stone warrior by the door. "You'll be marked, and then-"

"Marked?"

"Do not interrupt me again," Overlord said lowly. "Everyone has a category that they fit in. You will be branded. Your beautiful Yuki here, she'll be tattooed. Oh, don't be alarmed. It's a safety thing around here. If you don't have it, my men will kill you on sight."

He went to the fire pit. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What is it, Overlord?"

"No, wretch. Call me master."

Senzo spent a moment swallowing his pride, then said, "what is it, master?"

It was moments like this that made Overlord feel most happy. To conquer a man; break him of his will to fight, strip him of his dignity.

"Don't worry about the moral boundaries you might cross while working for me, Senzo. I won't ask you to kill. As a matter of fact, your first and task won't even break any laws."

Senzo looked doubtful.

"I want you I retrieve some of my property. It seems to have...misplaced itself. It's in Ninjago right now."

"Was it stolen?"

"That's one way of saying it. He is mine by right; Garmadon would not argue with me."

"So...an escaped slave, then?"

"Yes, exactly. He is currently hiding in the North. I want you to bring him and any of his companions here."

"Does he have a name?"

"Oh, don't get too excited, Senzo. I probably won't send you out for a couple days yet. But yes, he has a few different names. The one that you will use, though, is Cole."

"Cole..?"

"I believe his current alias is Reddington. Cole Reddington." Overlord plucked the red-hot iron from the fire.

"I will have a room and proper clothing prepared for you and your sister. But first, take off your shirt."

Senzo's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. "But-"

"Now! Obey me, wretch, or worse things will come!"

Yuki began to cry as Senzo pulled his soiled shirt over his head and set it on the floor. The stone warrior came forward and pressed Senzo's back to the floor. The boy struggled, but was too weak to resist much.

Overlord drank in the fear as the branding iron hovered above his victim's chest, glowing red like a demon's gaze.

"I don't get to do this often enough," he said, licking his teeth. "It's so much fun."

He pressed the iron to Senzo's skin, which sizzled and smoked on impact.

Senzo screamed. The pure, raw, animalistic sound came not from only the throat, but the entire body: a sound no human should ever be able to make.

And Overlord loved it. He pushed harder, breathing in the scent of searing flesh, and set a boot on Senzo's groin to keep his lower body from wiggling too much.

Finally, after prolonging it much longer than was necessary- what could he say? It had been a stressful week- he eased the pressure from his boot and dropped the iron.

"Sen," Yuki took Senzo's shuddering body in her arms, careful to avoid the fresh wound, oozing blood around the blackened, blistering ring. "Sen. Oh, Sen."

Senzo was in shock, eyes darting like a rabbit's as he panted, choking on his own saliva. Wouldn't be too much time before he fainted from the pain.

Overlord stroked Morninbloom, who shared his sadistic thrill, thrumming wildly on his hip. More. More, master.

Not now, pet. We have other things to deal with. Overlord signaled to the stone warrior. "Take her to be marked, he said. "And...oh, why not? Might as well give our new guests something to eat. Go on, we don't have all day. Still have to finish breaking them in."