See... there was a reason why I never gave the Protagonist's name away. But I won't lie, once you here it it'll be like opening a Christmas present to only realize all you got were socks. And just so you know I took 4 years of kendo, so the moves and stances said in this chapter are Japanese sword style moves.

Chapter 5

His style of fighting was unfamiliar to them. They were use to their Leader's graceful slices and pierces. She had the style of a fencer. While this opponent, this Shino, had a style of his own. He would strike with a forced cuts, always pushing back after a combo, rolling out of the way of attacks like a gunner and using his wing arm as a shield for the ones he couldn't dodge. But he would always revert to a one arm high o-gossome threat with his winged arm held out as if to keep them back and to cover himself.

"Why don't you just give up. You can't beat me."

"Says you!" Kota fired back. "We'll take you down, sooner or later!"

Blocking the shots with his wing, Shino got down on one knee.

"Fools. Try as you might your attempts are..." He then shoved his winged fist into the ground. "In vain." Circling around Shino, with him in the center, shot out tar whips as strong as steal that tried to break through the others defenses. Sakuya and Kota had to hide behind Lindow and Soma's shield as the whips behaved with a will of their own, pushing them back.

Once the whips returned from where they came and his arm came out of the ground, Shio charged at him.

"Fight!" She said as she tried to get a jump slice in. But he curled up into himself, only to release a burst of dark oracles pushing Shio back. "Ahh!" She cried out as she was flung back.

"Shio!" Soma cried out.

"I'm okay"

"Leader, this isn't you. Please wake up!" Sakuya pleaded.

"Mother sleeps, you cannot reach her."

"If we can't reach her with words!" Shino turned to the side where Alisa's voice was coming from. Kicking himself for getting distracted so as to let her get so close. "Then we'll reach her with our thoughts!"

She grabbed his winged arm, resonating with him.

She was falling into endless darkness. Behind her was a light that shined like light on water's surface. Ahead of her she fell further into darkness.

She was terrified by the nothingness. Afraid that she would fall in the darkness forever.

Suddenly a small glimmer of light came into view, getting larger as she approached it. She gasped as she realized it was her Leader, looking like her normal self with her hair down, wrapped in a gentle sphere of light as she floated in a peaceful slumber. The sphere gave off a vibe of a warming embrace, protecting her from the cold never ending darkness outside her shield.

So Shino did preserve her... he really did care for her. But that wasn't important now, she had to reach her Leader. She had to bring her back no matter what, even if she had to drag her. How else could she atone for causing her Leader so much suffering.

"Leader, Leader! It's me, Alisa!" She reached her arm out to her. "You have to wake up! Please, wake up!"

She's so close, almost there, just a little more and she would be able to push through the light barrier and reach her.

"Leader," she called out happily as she almost had her in her grasp. When suddenly a giant pair of Shino's eyes open in the darkness slanting down at Alisa.

"You're not welcomed here. Leave."

With that a great force pushed her back in the direction she came no matter how much she struggled. The Leader came further and further out of reach.

"No!" Cried out Alisa as she realized her struggles were in vain. Then Shino's giant boyish lower arms and hands faded out of the darkness to gently hold the Leader in her sphere, cutting off any view Alisa had of the Leader. "Leadeerrr!"

Alisa was pushed out of Shino's/Leader's mind. The force thrusting her back.

"Too close." Shino said gently touching his heart then looked toward Alisa with hatred. "You came too close."

He flew up into the air. Holding up the human arm he gathered Oracle Cells into his hand to create a ball of dark energy that began to grow and grow. Until that thing was bigger than all of them.

"I'll make sure you never get that close again. None of you!" Taking that as a cue, the Aragami in the area ran off.

"Holy crap! That thing could take out the whole terrain in a ten meter radius!" Kota cried out.

"Everyone, shields up! Sakuya, Kota, get behind us!." Lindow ordered as everyone braced themselves.

"Die! (Gasp)" Shino began to lose composure and the energy ball faded away. "Oh no... she's waking up."

Everyone slowly lowered their guard as he slowly came back to the ground. Slightly shaking in panic as he pressed a hand to his heart.

"Not good, this is bad. No!" His shadow expanded covering the ground under them. "I won't allow it, she can't see you!"

Suddenly they all began to sink into his shadow like quicksand. As they struggled he spoke to them.

"Be grateful for your luck that mother has woken up at this time. Return to your Den and never come back to this place again. If you do, I will kill you."

Finally the shadow was about to consume them. But as Soma was about to fully sink in he heard Shino's true voice that was far gentler than when he spoke to them.

"It's nothing mother... Go back to sleep."

When they finally were released from the darkness they found themselves outside the Fenrir base. They may have come back empty handed but they felt like they were carrying a heavy weight on their chest.