Lloyd POV: The others were off processing everything, but not me. I had to check on Kai because that was the only thing I could think of to do. I was too upset to do anything but reassure myself that he was okay. Even though there's no way that he is. I walked up to the door and gently knocked, but he didn't answer. That really didn't help my already frayed nerves. I slowly opened the door and saw that he was asleep.
But he was curled to the wall, which isn't how he usually sleeps. I walked over to him and I noticed the tear stains on his face, and that made the pit in my stomach grow even bigger. In all of the time I've known him I've never seen Kai cry. I always thought that he just didn't cry, but now I wondered if he just cried in secret.
I was about to walk out and leave him be, but he groaned a little. He rolled and saw me, and that made him sit up fast.
"Lloyd? What's wrong?" he asked, the concern was clear in his voice.
"Um… I'm fine. Are you okay?" I responded. I hated how nervous I sounded.
"I'm… fine." he hesitated, and back again. He wasn't meeting my eyes. Meaning that he wasn't fine in any way.
I sat down next to him and said, "Right, I'm sure you are."
He didn't even give me a look, he just laid there. Another thing that was really out of character for him. And he just sounded really tired, but that wasn't surprising at all. All of this must be exhausting and I couldn't imagine how hard all of this can be. But I didn't say anything, I just wanted to be here with him. Even if we just sat quietly in the dim room.
"So… I'm guessing Nya talked with you." he said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, she did." I responded. I wanted to say more, but what could I say? This was an extremely difficult topic.
"Right. And you have questions?" he asked, sitting up a little. But he still wasn't meeting my eyes.
"Maybe, but not right now. I guess I'm in a bit of shock." I responded, laughing awkwardly. And he nodded slightly.
He brought his knees to his chest and said, "And here I thought I would get badgered with questions."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not happening." I said, and sighed a little.
A slightly awkward silence followed and it made us both uncomfortable. He wasn't wrong that I wanted to ask more questions despite the earlier agreement we all made. I wanted to know more, and I wanted to know what I could do to help him. At the same time, though, I can see that he wasn't ready to cross that bridge yet. I respect that and I won't push that. I just hope that I can help him sooner rather than later. But there was something I could talk to him about.
"Kai, Zane mentioned something about doing more tests earlier." I started, and that made him sink into his pillow a little.
"Of course he would want to do more tests." He mumbled. I think that was to himself so I didn't respond.
Instead I said, "It might do you some good, if you ask me. Plus it's just a precaution. I'm sure that nothing's wrong and everything will be fine."
He thought about it and said, "Maybe…"
At least he was stubborn in a way. That was a good sign if you ask me. I got up and held out my hand to him.
"Come on. You need some fresh air. And it'll help you make a decision." I suggested. He definitely needed it.
At first he seemed hesitant, but he took my hand and let me help him up. He said, "Alright. I suppose it couldn't hurt."
We walked out and I felt really good about it. I was finally feeling like I was doing something good. It wasn't much, but it was better than before. I just hope this will put him in the right direction.
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Cole POV: As soon as I learned that Master Wu was back I headed to his room. Nya and Jay needed some alone time while Zane went back to Borg Tower to set up some medical equipment. I don't know exactly where Lloyd went, but I needed to talk with Sensei. I wanted to get his opinion on Kai's situation as soon as possible. I was already shocked by what happened in the labyrinth, but this really changed everything I ever thought. All of this has really made me relook at everything I know about Kai. Of course I don't think that he's weak or anything like that, but it just feels like I never really knew him. He's, at the very least, a lot more than I thought he was mentally. And that was scary to me. Plus, I was wondering if everything I do know is real. Or just a mask that he created to protect himself.
I shook that thought out of my head as I walked up to Master Wu's room. He had a mask, but I know in my heart that he didn't hide himself. There's just no way that everything I know is fake. I know that he's a genuine person and I'm going to believe that. No matter what.
I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Come in." Wu said almost immediately.
When I walked in I saw that he was sitting on his mat, sipping tea like he usually does.
I sat down in front of him and asked, "Is it okay if I talk with you about… things?" Why am I so nervous about this?
He looked into my eyes, set his cup down, and said, "Is it about Kai?"
Surprised, I asked, "How did you know?"
"Just a feeling. Along with the recent events that have happened lead me to believe that one of you would want answers." he explained, and he wasn't wrong.
"Well, yeah it's about Kai. But it wanted to ask more where he was mostly. We're all really confused at the moment." I said, still a little nervous.
He nodded and waited for me to continue. Which I did and asked, "Do you remember the place that I described before?"
"I do." he answered, but I think I saw a shift in his position.
"We were wondering about it because it doesn't sound like any place that we've heard about. Not even Kai knew where he was, so we thought that maybe you knew something." I said, but with how he thought as I talked made me think that does know something.
It took him a while before sighed and said, "I do know of a place similar to that. Which is something I have been worried about."
I was a little confused by that. But before I could ask anything he got up and went over to his bookshelf. After moving a couple of books around he grabbed one.
He brought it over and opened it to a certain page before asking me, "Is this the person you saw before?"
I looked and was shocked. On the page there was a hand drawn picture that looked almost exactly like the woman that I saw strangling Kai in the labyrinth.
"Yeah, they could be twins." I said and looked up at him.
But he didn't seem pleased with that and stroked his beard. "Then it seems that I was right."
"What do you mean? Do you know where he was?" I had to ask, and he sighed a little.
"It is a place that was never given a proper name. It is simply known as the Dreadrealm, a realm with dangerous monsters and a horrible environment that is barely livable." he said, and that alone gave me shivers.
"Have you been there before?" I asked, rubbing my arm to get rid of the goosebumps.
"No, I have not. But the fact that Kai has, and managed to return, is… remarkable." he said, and that gave me a pit in my stomach.
"What?" I asked, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to hear the answer.
He stroked his beard before saying, "This book… it was made only with what others thought the monsters looked like."
"Seriously? Why couldn't they just ask someone that's been there?" I asked, really confused.
Sensei looked down at his cup and said, "They couldn't. Because no one has ever gone to that realm and returned alive. Not until Kai."
Oh.