Try to Wake, Try to Escape

Chapter 5: Light the Fire

Ken didn't wake up until after he hit the floor, and for a moment he had forgotten where he was. "Ken!" Someone slipped their arms under his, lifting him upright. "Ken, are you okay?"

The canine Blader startled slightly, realizing he was awake now. He looked over his shoulder, meeting Daigo's dark eyes. "Y-Yeah, I'm okay..." Daigo helped him to his feet, and Ken wiped some of the goo from his jacket, pausing when he realized it was no longer stained with blood. "Just a bit disoriented, I think."

"Not surprising. That was a long mission..."

"But you did great!" Valt suddenly cheered, appearing beside Daigo. "And we're so much closer to saving Shu!"

"If this will even work." Ashtem replied, and in return he received eight harsh glares.

Ken wobbled slightly on his feet, and it didn't escape Daigo's notice. "You should probably sit back down, you're really out of it."

The canine Blader nodded, not resisting when he was made to sit down by Rantaro, or when the blond-haired Blader wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Instead, he gave him a weary smile.

"Suspension does have different effects on different Bladers. I imagine at least one of you will come out feeling more than a little sick." Ashtem spoke again with a smug smirk. Xander elbowed him harshly to get him to stop.

Valt shook his head a bit, looking between Wakiya- who had swapped places with Daigo and now watched the lab assistants- and Daigo himself. "Who's going next?"

Daigo opened his mouth to speak, but Wakiya interrupted. "I will. He's going to need me specifically, I'm sure of it."

Valt looked back to Daigo, who shrugged. "If that's what you want, Wakiya."

"Of course it is. Now come back here so I can get set up."

The black-haired Blader nodded, returning to the other side of the desk. Once he was in position, Wakiya and the female lab assistant went to the device, and soon Wakiya was in suspension.

For a moment he felt nauseous, and wondered if he would be the one sick by the end of this. Then he internally shook his head and scolded himself. Of course I won't get sick! I'm Wakiya Murasaki, I don't just get sick! And even if I did, I wouldn't let that slimy snake know about it.

He took a few deep breaths as best as he could in the green liquid, steadying his heartbeat. I have to stay calm... He looked to the others then closed his eyes. Soon he fell asleep and was plunged into Shu's mind.

"HYAH! HAH! TAKE THIS!" Shu's ax cut through several dogs like they were nothing, unafraid of their nasty hides because he had been blinded to them.

After Ken had healed him and woke up, Shu had to move on to the next area. He was surprised to find everything swallowed by the dark. No lights, no anything. As it had when he first arrived to the twisted world of his mind, the sea of black growled and  grumbled like it was alive, and of course it was alive- with dragons and gnarly dogs.

Instead of being afraid, though, the red-eyed Blader actually felt bolstered by the cloak of shadows. With Kerbeus' tactics up his sleeve, he found it easier to take on the dogs and dragons alike. Of course, it was less advantageous when he kept slamming into walls because he couldn't see them.

He cut through the final dragon, swinging his ax and flicking the blood off. "You're getting better, Shu. You were barely hurt in that scuffle."

Only because I was taught some new tricks. Shu started to walk through the halls, bumping into a wall every once in a while. If another fountain pops up, I won't even be able to see it!