Let Me Sleep

Time spent with Yuki was never enough. Whenever they parted, Senzo felt an ache in his gut; he did not feel safe without her near.

"Are they treating you well?" Senzo asked, his arms around her in a tight embrace.

Yuki nodded. "Well enough. I have food and private chambers. None of the stone warriors are allowed to come near me."

Senzo knew this already. But hearing her say it again offered him a small sliver of comfort.

"Your chest. Does it still hurt?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah," Senzo admitted. "I wonder if it will ever stop burning. The blisters are going away, though."

"Good." Yuki nestled her face in the crook between his neck and shoulder. "I'm sorry about all this."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"The things he makes you do, Sen..."

"I'd do worse, if only to keep you out of harm's way."

"That's why I feel guilty."

Senzo loosened his arms and encouraged her to look into his eyes. She was taller than him by several inches. "I love you, sis," he said. "Just be patient, okay? I'll get us both out of this. Promise."

A shout from the hall turned their heads. A stone warrior was calling him out.

"I've gotta go," Senzo said, taking her hand. "Overlord wants me to go back to Ninjago. I'll see you soon, okay?" He smiled at her. Not that he felt like smiling, but the First King knew she could use some reassurance.

Tears spilled down Yuki's cheeks. She nodded, smiling with him. "Love you, Sen. Stay safe."

"You too." Senzo lingered a moment longer, feeling the warmth of her fingers against his own. Then, at the impatient shout of the stone warrior, he let go and rushed from the room.

"Yes, I come," Senzo said haltingly in the Dark Tongue. It was a difficult language to learn, but he forced himself to study and practice in all his spare time. If he didn't know how to communicate with his soldiers, how would he ever complete his tasks and free himself and his sister?

The stone warrior regarded him with blank, yellowish-red eyes.

Its face was human, but only just. It was like one of his mother's porcelain dolls. They had the eyes, the nose, the mouth, everything that makes a face. But the spark of life was gone. Their very souls were void.

The stone warrior prodded Senzo with a hard finger, guiding him deeper into the tunnel.

"Hey, aren't we supposed to be on surface?" Senzo asked. "I need provisions for journey. Who knows how long of wait I have for Cole to show himself."

The soldier did not answer.

Eventually they stopped in front of Kai's cell. Before the door stood Overlord, shirtless, mopping his sweaty face with his tunic. He noticed Senzo and smiled.

"That was fast," he said. His voice had lost its harsh, gravelly tone. Instead it was tired; soft. Almost...human?

"Could you take care of Sanguine for me?" Overlord asked. "I'd ask one of my servants, but they're occupied."

"But I'm supposed to be preparing for the mission, Master," Senzo said.

"Forget that," Overlord said. "I can wait a few more hours for my Dark Knight. Right now, we must focus on Sanguine. Take care of him, do whatever he asks. Just don't let him out of the chains."

"Yes, Master."

Satisfied, Overlord beckoned for the stone warrior to follow him, leaving Senzo alone.

Senzo nervously fingered the door latch. No doubt Kai had been punished- he was an escaped slave, after all. But how? Would Senzo enter and find a bloody mess? Broken bones? I don't know how to take care of that... I can't just ask one of the women to help me?

No, he needed to do this himself, like Overlord had told him. With a deep breath, steeling himself for the worst, he opened the door.

Kai was his back, limbs limp and thrown in random directions. His eyes met Senzo's as the boy stepped into the room, but most immediately flitted away.

Senzo had thought Overlord's body had been sweaty. That his own hands had been shaky. Truth be told, Kai was doing both on a much more intense level. He didn't seem able to catch his breath, either.

A chill crept along Senzo's scalp, making his hair stand on end. He stepped forward tentatively. "Kai," he said. "Are you all right? What...can I do to help?"

"M-My..." Kai stuttered, then tried to wipe his face with a sloppy hand. "O-Over there. My earring."

He hadn't pointed, so Senzo chose a corner at random and started searching the floor. "It's gold, right? I saw it earlier. You're married?"

Kai didn't answer. He rolled stiffly onto his belly, cringing, and lowered his forehead to the stones.

"Aha!" Senzo said it triumphantly, causing Kai, startled, to jerk his head back up.

Senzo bent and picked up the cold, shiny piece of jewelry. "Do you want me to put it in?"

"N-No. Just g-give it here." Kai relaxed his hand enough to open his fingers.

Senzo placed it in Kai's palm and stepped back. "Why did Overlord take it out?"

Kai fisted his hand and pulled it close. Again, he did not answer.

"So...you want some water?" Senzo untied a flask from his belt and held it out. "I have a bit left."

Kai accepted it and made a clumsy attempt to pull the stopper out.

"Here. I've got it." Senzo popped it off, and Kai lifted it to his cracked lips, drinking deeply.

When the flask was empty, Senzo took it back. He'd have to refill it in the well above ground when he was done here.

Senzo unclasped his cloak and let it fall over Kai's body. Kai flinched but did not push it away.

"What did he do to you?" Senzo asked. "I kinda expected to find a mess. But instead you're..." Kai gave him a quizzical look, and he let his sentence taper off.

"You...really don't have any clue, do you?" Kai said.

"No."

Kai's brow pinched with pity and regret. "You're too young for this, kid. This whole mess... Us Knights should be doing a better job of keeping people like you safe."

Senzo shook his head. "I doubt you could have done anything to keep Genesan from burning. It happened so fast." A picture of Mother came into his head. Her smile, wrinkling prematurely aging skin around her eyes. Her blonde hair, just beginning to gray at the roots. Her laughter, still vivid and joyful as a child's.

"I'm sorry," Kai said. "I called you a fool. But you're not. You are...strong. Strong enough to smile, even when you're stuck in the depths of a living hell like this. And you're so...so innocent."

Senzo chuckled a bit. "Thanks, I guess." He pushed a lock of dripping-wet hair from Kai's face. "I'd take you to get a bath, but I'm not supposed to let you out of the chains."

"I guess it's useless to ask you to let me out, then?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"No, i-it's fine." Kai pulled the edges of the cloak tight around him and closed his eyes. "I...I need to sleep, anyways. Overlord...r-really took it out of me."

When the word 'nobleman' popped into Senzo's head, he'd always pictured a sturdy, regal character. One who controlled his surroundings with an immovable- but gentle- hand. Who stood bravely, no matter what.

Senzo struggled to believe that this was really Kai, son of the renowned Lord Kaytake. Kai's reputation made him out to be a hero of sorts; a wise young man who was just as skilled with a surgeon's scalpel as he was a sword.

To think that Overlord enslaved him just as easily as he did me...

"I'm sorry about your sister," Senzo said. "I heard the news just a few hours before I was taken."

Beads of sweat slipped to the floor from Kai's face. Or were there tears as well?

"Let me sleep," he whispered. "Let me die."