8.Gone

His eyes flew open.

The ceiling spun, the walls wobbled as if they would spill in on top of him. He could tell this was a natural cave, stalagmites and stalactites protruded from surfaces throughout the cavern. Bolin had taught Kai that this was a dead giveaway, he kept expecting to hear his voice, hear her voice, to hear any voice. He knew for certain that this was not the temple, or within a reasonable distance, and if it was, he had never ventured there before.

His arm throbbed lightly, he peered down as if to check there wasn't a gnarly, bloody stump left behind. He was relieved to see his entire arm was still attached, there was an ugly, thick bandage wrapped tightly over where Suyin had landed her cable on his flesh. The mystery healer had done a terrible job, there was two long streaks of dried blood that still ran down over his fingers, and the edge of the bandage was strained red with blood of an unknown age. Kai groaned loudly as he tried to sit up, there was two long, thick rope-like vines wrapped around his chest and his knees, holding him to the table, he brought his hand up quickly, blasting air in a sharp swipe. The ropes fell from his body and he rolled from the table, he hit the ground hard and groaned again. He struggled to his feet, sighing as he caught the wall for support.

The black tunnels stretched out in all directions, he grumbled an 'eeny-meeny-miney-mo' and shuffled towards one that he hoped would have the exit at the other end. The wall acted as a guide, Kai remembered Jinora once telling him that if the left hand is placed on a wall, it will inevitably lead to an exit. He hobbled for a long period of time, in that time, he had fallen over twice and cut the back of his hand and his shoulder. He was worried when he had realised that he was topless, but didn't even consider why. He just wanted to get out of here, he wished he knew how to make a spiritual connection with someone over a long distance. He could contact Korra and Jinora, having them come to his rescue.

This is exactly why I should listen to Tenzin. This was probably all talked about in one of his lectures… His fingers where getting small scratches from being pressed to the wall and dragging along. He wasn't sure if it was his eyes playing tricks on him, or if the seemingly dim light at the end of the tunnel was actually real. The light was a yellow-ish, Kai felt his heart race, the sun must be rising, or setting, or… He was rushing towards it, eager to feel the fresh air on his skin. That was when he realised, it is a room… A FULL ROOM! He stumbled out into the room, there was close to fifty men facing the front of the room, Kai paused. He didn't recognise the clothes they were wearing, or the room they were in. There were hand-drawn plans around the chamber, seeming to depict mining equipment much bigger than anything Kai had seen Asami work on. There were also mapped out landscapes of the Northern Temple's surrounding ground, Kai recognised the mountain ranges from Tenzin's geography lesson.

He panicked, backing towards the way he had entered, he had almost disappear from sight. He spun on his heels and came face to face with a spirit, this was not like any spirit he had ever seen. Its sharp-toothed grin was cruel, its pointed ears twitched and its monobrow was lowered into a nasty scowl. Behind the spirit stood an elderly man, he managed to have the same expression despite being human. "Hello Kaiiiiiiiiii." The spirit snarled, Kai backed up slightly. Acted quickly, swinging his uninjured arm around, thrusting it in their direction. He grunted loudly as the air knocked the old man backwards and sent the spirit through the wall, disappearing into the stone.

He ran, praying to whoever would listen that he wouldn't trip. He rounded a corner, keeping his shoulder adjacent to one wall, he tripped, stumbled and slammed into the opposite wall, losing his balance. He rumbled as he writhed to his feet, taking off in the direction he was facing. He couldn't believe his luck as he saw the greyish-blue light of an early morning. He ran fast, surprised that he could even stand, collapse when you get away from here- "Arrgh!" he was at the entrance of the cave, something was stopping him from exiting, the pain that had become all too familiar had taken over his body as he was forced back into the cave by an invisible force. He groaned against the intrusion, his desperation had never been at this point, "NO-"

…

He wasn't sure where he was, but he recognised how he was strung up. His feet and hands chained as he was suspended in mid-air, he recognised it from a sketch he caught Korra doing a year ago. He had not announced himself and when Korra heard a sudden noise, her eyes had lit up, fury building in them as she spun with the intent to defend herself. Fortunately for Kai, Asami was there, able to bring her back with an embrace and a few whispered words of comfort. He didn't want to open his eyes, he didn't want visual confirmation. He could hear whispers.

"I thought you said you had control of him!" someone growled, "All of him!"

"I did, master! I don't know how the word managed to slip out!" a timid voice replied, "It was barely a word, everything will be fine!"

"Barely a word?" the slithery voice of the spirit said, "If our little vessel can fight against intrusion, than the entire massacre is at risk. Hesitation of even the most marginal could result in the Avatar removing him before he makes a notable dent in the population!"

"We-I… Surely there is another way if the boy does not achieve-"

"We," the master said, "Are not getting involved in the deaths, if Kai does not achieve the desirable outcome, we will have to possess again. We can be linked to the deaths, that is why, if one of their own is responsible, there is no reason that we can't take that land-"

There were footsteps on the solid ground, a man cleared his throat, "Master, our spies tell us that the Avatar, her girlfriend, the male detective and the lavabender have left the temple to search for this one." He took a breath, "The spies are still currently seeking confirmation that none of the airbenders have left with them."

"Thank-you, Shau. It is vital that all the air nomads be there for the extraction." The voice of the apparent master said, there was a period of silence as two sets of footsteps left the room. The master spoke gently, his tone contrasted from only a few moments ago, "Bú Yi," he seemed to be hesitant, "I have not gotten a chance to discuss the terms of our agreement. I know you wanted the girl, but obviously circumstances prevented that…"

"It has only made me want that permanent tenure more." The spirits voice was the worst thing Kai had ever heard, until it clicked that they were talking about Jinora. Jinora was supposed to be here?! They were aiming for her?! He felt sick at the thought of what could have happened if they had gotten her, what they could have done to them. He had never been more relieved for terrified at the realisation that they hadn't gotten her, but they want her… I have to get out of here. Kai let one of his eyes open slightly, his heart almost pained with the shock of seeing the spirit's face was less than a few inches from his own, its eyes were glowering into Kai's. He averted his gaze, squeezing his eyelids closed, hoping that if he ignored it, it-

Kai's eyes were opened by the possession, the pain circled him, he never though it could be worse than what it had always been, but it was. The spirit had a tiny cluster of antenna like spines on it forehead, Kai saw them quivering, and ceasing so when the spirit let Kai have his body back. It… It is who has been doing this to me… "I don't think we have been officially introduced…" The spirit smiled, its teeth were horrible, sharp, "I am Bú Yi, spirit of disloyalty and betrayal. You are Kai, weakling and doomed lover." Kai didn't want to speak, he held the spirit's gape, the spirit grew tired of this. He flexed his control over him, not taking command of the young nomad's body, just allowing the pain to tear through him like wild fire. Kai threw his head bad and cried out against the pain, the spirit intensified the pain before ceasing.

"W-what do you want fr-from m-me?" he sobbed loudly, he was sure the pain was more intense with the spirit near, if the spirit is the one possessing, why aren't I dead? Why can't I be dead?

"We will start with the basics…" the master said, still on the ground. Kai assumed he was being held high from the ground, but he realised he was only approximately a foot or two. The man walked towards Kai, he had a strange tool in his hand. It was long and thin, one end had a large wooden ball, the other broken apart into three needle-like prongs. "What is the Avatar's weakness?"

"Wh-what?" Kai said, Bú Yi smiled, his antenna vibrated and Kai knew the pain was coming before he felt it. He thrashed and shouted, it did him no good.

"Let's try again." The master whispered condescendingly, this time, he put the three thin prongs against Kai's cheek, "What. Is. Her. Weakness?" on the final word, he had whipped the spines down his cheek, there was immediate throbbing. The weapon was so fine, that Kai didn't feel it cut his cheek, but the throbbing was growing increasingly more painful.

This went on for hours, it could have been days for all Kai knew.

Kai would be possessed, scratched and hit with the solid end of the weapon. He was covered in sweat, dust, blood and bruises, he just wanted to die. There were very short intervals where the master would be interrupted, Kai would let himself slip away and spend as long as he could wrapped in the arms of Jinora. Eating grapes on the balcony, kissing her in front of the fire, playing with Lefty and Pepper, letting her read to him- and suddenly they would be back. But Kai refused to talk about Korra, he would never do that to the one person who gave him a chance when the odds were stacked against him.

"Okay!" he cried, "I-I-…"

Kai had passed out, the master sighed, Bú Yi brought him back into consciousness. Kai groaned against the chains, it could have been her they were doing this too… The only thought that kept him going was preventing them getting to her. But, there was only so much a human body could take. "Speak, Kai." The spirit smirked, "The sooner you speak, the sooner we can move onto the next question…"

Kai could feel tears filling his eyes as he thought of Korra, as he thought of Asami. How they supported each other through the darkness, and retrieved each other when they were lost, Kai sighed. "I was hoping that I wouldn't be the one… To have to tell you…" he sniffed, the master moved closer, so did Bú Yi.

"What is it?" they both whispered.

"Korra… Avatar Korra…" he took a deep breath, lifting his gaze to meet the masters, the tears spilt from his eyes, and he smiled, "Korra has no weakness. She only has strengths." Bú Yi snarled with annoyance and took over Kai, he thrashed and laughed, trying to fight the pain, worth it, he thought. The master, however, didn't react to Kai, he even smiled slightly.

"What is it you want, Kai?" he said softly as Kai was back in control of himself, the master picked a strange pendant from the table and twirled it around in his fingers.

Kai was trying to catch his breath, he was sure that Bú Yi had winded him, it took him a while to answer, "I want to die."

"No you don't." the master said, "I am no idiot, Kai. I know that what you want is the young airbending master. You want Jinora." Kai scowled as her name passed through his lips, "We men are not that hard to understand, all you think about is whomever we currently had feelings for. Now, tell me the truth, what do you want? What do I have to do to make you more willing to help?"

"I will never help you!" he spat.

"Don't be so quick to say that." The master said, "I am willing to forgive you for wasting our time, and I want to make a deal with you…"

"You what?" both Kai and Bú Yi mumbled.

"I remember a little conversation you and the beautiful Jinora had, about doing more together."

"Don't say her name." Kai growled, Bú Yi shocked him, he groaned.

"Go to her. Be with her, for an entire night, we promise we will not possess you, if you abide by a set of rules..." The master clicked his fingers and Bú Yi reluctantly spun himself into the gateway through Kai's eyes, the pain crashed over Kai as the master placed his thumb on the pendant. He made Kai watch Bú Yi, "We will, of course, be watching. The second you even whimper about where you have been, or what is happening, you will be brought back and whomever heard will be slain by your hands." Kai couldn't take his eyes off the spinning body of the spirit, he could see himself watching the spirit, and see that self watching, and so on. He noticed that the sounds echoing from Bú Yi were getting gradually softer, and the visual aspect was dimmer with each projection. It made sense to him, that he would see it brightly, and they would see it darker than if they were there with him. "We will, however, not ogle you and she, regardless of how you are with each other. Whether it be to make love, to kiss, or she reads to you."

"No." Kai snarled, she is safe as long as I am here-

"No?" the master smiled, "In that case, Bú Yi, now is your chance."

Kai flew like the blood had drained from his body at those words, w-what…

"The Avatar and her little group are gone, according to our spies, she will not see anyone, she wants to be alone. She is friendly to spirits, she won't expect you." The master smiled as he turned to leave, Bú Yi nodded at his words and began to drift from the room.

"N-no!" Kai yelled, "No, please! Let me see her!" he ignored his screams, Kai didn't know his name, but he knew his title. "Master!" the words were like acid, burning his mouth.

"Hmm?" the master said condescendingly, Kai knew that he had heard what he said, he just wanted the satisfaction of having him repeat it. "Did you say something, Kai?"

"Let me. I accept your deal, just, let me. Please, master." He whispered.

"I am sorry, Kai. But that ship has sailed…" the master said coldly, beginning to turn away again.

"Please!" Kai tried again, the idea of Bú Yi touching her, "I will do anything."

"Excellent." He smiled.

Bú Yi rolled its eyes in annoyance, how much longer do I have to be handle like this… I hope the old bastard remembers what I am capable of.

…

Kai could see the temple, all he wanted to do was run through the halls and scream for help. He wanted to find Jinora, pull her in for an embrace, and never let go. He wanted Lin to capture him and beat sense into him, contain him long enough for the spirit to loss it's hold. He wanted to know how he broke its hold earlier, and how to do it again. He held his side as he hobbled towards the temple, he could see her room, a candle let a faint glow escape the window.

Kai's injured arm held his ribs, his good arm swirled in small circles, back and forth, from behind to in front. Suddenly, he blast all the strength he could muster through his palm and sent himself flying through the air. He knew it would hurt, but he slammed into a window sill two floors down from Jinora's room. It was past the normal curfew, and he knew the chance of being caught was small, but he was still on alert.

He pulled himself through the window and grunted as his back it the hard ground, he moved to a sitting position and fought through the pain of the impact. He regained what little strength he had started with and sighed, struggling to his feet, he moved towards the stairs that would take him to her. Each step was a fight, he was quiet as he stumbled past the other rooms of sleeping acolytes and nomads. After what felt like an hour, he reached her room, the candlelight glowed under the door. He sighed as he lifted his hand, his palm rested against the wood. His nails dragged down the grains, emitting a soft scratching sound.

Not a moment had passed before the door was ripped open. Kai felt his eyes adjusting to the dim light, she was beautiful, even more so than his reminiscants during torture. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open, he wanted to say something, but knew words came with a risk. He pressed his lips into a tight lip, Jinora, I am sorry.

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This was what happened when Kai was missing, the next chapter will pick off where the pair was left at the end of Chapter 7.

The next chapter is only Kai and Jinora.