Darkness from Within #6: A Team Divided (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 22

As soon as Kai blinked open his eyes, pain rushed from his head and in through his body. Groaning, he rubbed his forehead, feeling a large bruise across one side of his face. His whole body throbbed and he winced. What happened?

With a grunt, he heaved himself upward. Blinking to adjust to the dim light, he gazed around and suddenly recognized the hospital room. Surprised, he looked down and found himself on a hospital bed, and he quickly began to feel around himself, but he didn't find any sort of restraint keeping him down. He raised one eyebrow. Risky move, he thought.

He glimpsed around again and his gaze fell on the hospital bed beside him, where he could just make out the limp figure of Jay. For a moment, panic rushed through Kai and he peered closer, relieved when he saw the rise and fall of the blue ninja's chest. Then he noticed Jay wasn't chained down, either. Another risky move.

He gazed over Jay and set his gaze on the bed next to the blue ninja, expecting to find Lloyd on it, but it was empty. Furrowing his eyebrows, Kai swept his surroundings and found that Lloyd wasn't in the room at all. Where is he?

Another throb of pain hit him and he groaned, rubbing his head. Everything shifted and he closed his eyes, waiting the pain out. Maybe this is why they didn't care to hold us in place, he thought dryly. I couldn't get that far if I wanted to.

Suddenly, he felt a hand rest on his arm. "Kai," a voice breathed.

Alarmed, Kai jerked his arm away and felt the hand disappear. Tensing, he blinked open his eyes again and found Garmadon beside him.

Immediately, anger boiled inside of him and he shot upward again, sitting up to face the sensei. "Where's Lloyd?" he demanded, eyes blazing. "Where is he?"

Garmadon took a wary step back, seeing the wildness in Kai's gaze. "Just calm down, and I'll explain," he murmured.

Growling, Kai leaped off the bed and onto his feet. "What have you done with him?" he screeched.

Fear flashed in Garmadon's eyes as he saw Kai get up and he took another step back. "Kai, this isn't right," he said. "You know it's not right."

Kai wanted to release the fury inside him, he wanted to attack the person who had hurt him the most, but his head began to throb again and his reflexes seemed to slow down. Suppressing a groan, he rubbed his forehead and turned his head away from the sensei.

Seeming more comfortable now, Garmadon took one step closer to the ninja. "Kai, you can't follow Lloyd," he breathed. "I know he's my son, but he's not someone I want to influence you."

Kai gritted his teeth, still refusing to look at the sensei. "Why all of a sudden you care?" he choked out.

"I know you don't like me, but I still love you," Garmadon went on. "And I know my son, and he's only using you, Kai. He's just using you to get what he wants."

"No, he's not," Kai protested, forcing his voice not to shake. "He really wants me. He really cares. He's my best friend."

Garmadon shook his head softly. "That night on the rooftop?"

Kai tensed.

"He tried to kill you, didn't he?" the sensei pressed quietly.

Kai finally met his gaze. "Oh, so now you believe me?" he challenged. "Why? Because you don't want to lose me?" As soon as the words were out, Kai felt a part of himself break.

"Yes, Kai," Garmadon said, taking another step closer. "I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose you like I lost Lloyd. I don't want you to be trapped in the darkness of the world."