Chapter 5:

Reaching the upstairs, the two boys ran straight for Ryo's room where the scream had initiated from. Upon entering, Touma stared wide-eyed at the scene in front of him. Seiji was against the far wall and Shu appeared to be blocking the blond from the wraithlike mist that was hanging over the room. The black mist swatted angrily at the warrior of Kongo, but could not get past him to the blond. Turning away, Shin had the impression that it was smiling. Soon, Shin knew the reason.

Doubling over in pain, he felt Ryo's presence rip free from his mind. Shin couldn't help but scream as Seiji echoed his sentiments. The blond was barely conscious as he felt an intense pressure build up behind his closed eyes and then everything steadily swam back into view.

The Wyverns had Ryo and there was nothing that they could do about it. Looking up, Shin saw Ryo's eyes were glowing with an inner light. It was eerie to behold and the aquatic trooper had a very uneasy feeling, as he felt his energy rip from his body and slam into Ryo's.

Ryo screamed as the white armor of Kikouten encircled his body, but there was one major difference, black wings were attached to the back of the armor. He grinned ferally at his four companions before calling up his sure kill. It was not one that he had used previously, but then again Ryo was being controlled by a Wyvern, even more fully than Seiji had ever been. Aiming the sure-kill at the one person that Ryo knew could free him from the Wyvern's grasp, he let loose with a snarl. "Midnight Fire Annihilation!!!!"

Shin watched frozen, as his leader turned on him and prepared to blast him with the surekill. He knew that it wasn't really Ryo, but the Wyvern that was controlling him. However, that knowledge did little to alleviate Shin's worry. Calling Suiko to him, he made an unconscious effort to protect himself from the inevitable blast. His sea green eyes widened when Ryo's sure kill just barely missed him, ripping a hole in the side of the house, instead. Shin glanced at the damage ruefully, briefly thinking that Nasutei was going to kill them all, if Ryo didn't do it first.

Pausing, Shin watched Ryo's movements. The raven-haired young man seemed intent on destroying him and Shin wondered why he was being targeted. It couldn't be because of earlier, when he had helped to save Seiji, could it? But that was the only thing that made sense. The Wyvern that was controlling Ryo wanted revenge on Shin. He gasped as the reality of the situation set in. The only way to save Ryo was to make him feel loved, but none of them had established a connection to the dark-haired teen. Swallowing hard, Shin stared at the fevered look in Ryo's eyes and thought 'first things first. We have to get Ryo out of the Kikouten armor but how?'

It was then that Shin remembered that Shu and he should have a whole new attack to use, if they could only get close enough together to use it. Shin watched as Ryo took aim and was grateful that Nasutei had stayed downstairs. It would break her heart to see him this way. Timing it just right, Shin leapt out of the way of the attack and landed next to Shu. Seiji and Touma were behind Shu, conversing quietly and Shin knew automatically what they were planning. "No!!! Don't! Ryo's still in there, and we have to try and rescue him before you guys turn him into a crispy critter."

Touma turned wide eyes onto Shin. "I don't even want to know how you knew what we were planning, but I am open to suggestions." They ducked another Annihilation as it shot over their heads.

Shin grabbed Shu and headed to the opposite wall. "Come on, we can do this."

"Do what?"

Shin sighed. Of course, Shu wouldn't know what he had in mind. "Come on Shu. Let's do our combined attack that we gained this morning."

Suddenly, Shu grinned as he realized what his love was up to. "Let's do this."

Shin nodded as he braced his feet against Shu's. Shu securely wrapped his arms about Suiko's waist and he could feel the power reverberating into his arms. Their combined attack was more water based than anything, but Shin did not want to kill Ryo, just incapacitate him long enough to force the Wyvern out. Shu braced Shin's arms, knowing the force of this attack was going to push Shin off balance. Shin's fingers started to glow a light blue with a hint of orange mixed within. The glow traveled down Shin's arms and encircled the two boys before coalescing into a glowing ball of soothing energy at the tip of Shin's Yari. Pointing the Yari at Ryo, Shin let loose with a scream, Shu's voice mingling with his. "Titanic Wave Crusher!!!"

A pure column of water shot out of the Yari with such force that Shin barely managed to hang onto the weapon. Even braced as he was against Shu's solid mass, Shin felt the intensity pouring out of the weapon. Ryo's surekill met it halfway, but it faded under the onslaught of the tidal wave. Ryo was thrown back against the far wall, his head slamming hard against the night stand. Falling limp, he slid into unconsciousness and the white armor disappeared leaving Ryo clad only in his jeans and red t-shirt from that morning. A light mist hung in the room covering everything in its serenity. The darkness dissipated as if it never were.

Shin sighed as he gradually stood, with Shu's help. Walking carefully over to Ryo, he could see the Wyvern that was pulsing just beneath Ryo's aura. He grimaced as he fell next to the unconscious man. "Oh Ryo. Why didn't I listen to Byakuen? If I had, then I would have known that the Wyverns were playing with us this afternoon in order to get at you."

Touma walked over to Shin. "Is there anything that we can do?"

Shin bit his lip. "I don't know Touma. I just don't know."

Seiji cleared his throat. He was still a bit unsteady, but he could feel a power beginning to course through him. "Shin? If I may make a suggestion?"

Shin looked at the blond-haired boy with interest. "Yes, what is it?"

"Well, it appears as though, you and Shu have a new sure-kill and so does Touma and I, though I can't remember how exactly we acquired that new technique. Anyhow, our relationships with one another enabled the new sure kills, correct?" At Shin's nod, Seiji continued. "At the same time, it has strengthened our bonds to one another. I can hear Touma and he can hear me, and I bet you and Shu can hear each other as well. Ryo is our connection to making us all hear each other. I think he needs to know that we all love him, and that at least one from our respective groups need to show him how much he is loved."

Shin blinked innocently at the blond swordsman before slowly turning to Byakuen. "What do you think Byakuen?"

Byakuen stopped his pawing at the darkness around Ryo and smiled. "It may work Shin. I can tell the Wyvern is already scared of you, and you all know that Ryo loves each of you. He was just the most easily targeted, since he did not have any current male attachments."

Shin nodded. "Fine. Seiji since this is your idea, you will be the one from your team, and I will be the one from ours, if that is all right with you love" he said as he looked at Shu.

Shu shrugged his shoulders. "Anything, as long as we get him back."

Shin grinned. "Okay, then let's get started."

Seiji held up his hand. "Wait Shin. I don't think it should be me. I think Touma should do it."

"Me? Why me?" Touma squeaked.

"Love, because you and he are closer together for one. For two, I have seen the looks you pass his way, when you think no one is looking and for three, I think that the Wyvern will simply latch onto my psyche if I try to help Ryo. So please, Touma do this for me and bring Ryo back."

Touma nodded. "Just as long as you know it's you that I love implicitly."

"Yes, I am aware of that Touma. Now go. Help Shin."

Touma nodded as he scooted around the wrecked room to kneel beside Ryo. "How are we going to do this, Shin?"

Shin looked up at the charismatic Trooper, who was looking at Ryo with warmth evident in his eyes. "I am not sure. We can't just start this with him unconscious but if he is conscious, then the Wyvern will likely have more control over him."

"No, it won't."

Shin glanced up in astonishment at Seiji who was glowing a soft white color. "Close your mouth Shin, before you swallow a bug." Seiji had to smile slightly at Shin's surprise. Being an empath, himself, Shin should have felt Seiji's power increasing. Just shows how much Shin really cares for their leader, not to have noticed the barriers being torn away from Seiji's mind. Everything came crashing down in around him the second Ryo's presence was ripped from their minds.