Touma adjusted his grip on his bow as he, Ryo, Shuu and Shin prepared for battle. The mission: save Seiji. Even after the war with Arago dynasty threats would crop up out of nowhere. Most attempts were laughable. A little no name warlord trying to succeed where Arago had failed only to meet the same fate. But this time the stakes were different. This new warlord, who called himself Lord Hast, had managed to capture Seiji.

Closing his eyes Touma imagined the blonde�s face. He prayed Seiji was alright. He wanted to see Seiji again so he could finally tell the swordsman how he felt. Being in love with Seiji was hard. Until more recently Seiji and Ryo had often shared a bed. It hurt his heart so much to think of the two together but lately the couple has seemed to drift apart. He hoped that meant he would have a chance with Seiji.

�Touma?�

Shuu�s voice brought him back from his thoughts. He looked up at the others. �I�m ready.�

Shuu reached out and squeezed Touma�s shoulder. The archer smiled briefly before turning to follow Ryo. They would make a run at saving Seiji while Shin and Shuu would take the soldiers tearing the city to pieces.

::Be careful Touma �:: he heard Shuu whisper in his mind.

Touma trailed behind Ryo keeping an eye out for soldiers. The silence around them was deafening. They tried to keep up idle chitchat as they approached the temple where Lord Hast was keeping Seiji.

Touma cleared his throat softly and shot a sideways glance at Ryo. �So um are you and Seiji still a � couple?�

Ryo looked at him with mild surprise. He shrugged and looked straight ahead again. �Not really. We weren�t really a couple to begin with. More like friends � with privileges. Why?�

Touma felt himself redden behind Tenku�s faceplate. �Just curious.� He looked out into the mist they had wandered into. �I �� he stopped suddenly losing his nerve. He almost laughed. Talking to Ryo was scaring him more than the warlord lurking out there in the mist.

�You what?�

Touma turned his head away from Ryo. Ryo rolled his eyes. �Just spit it out Touma.�

�I love Seiji,� Touma said quickly. He paused. There he had said it. �I really do. I wanted to tell him if � ~when~ he get him back. But it couldn�t do that to you if you two were still a couple you know? I wouldn�t want to mess that up in any way.�

Touma looked at Ryo. Rekka just stood there and said nothing. Touma opened his mouth to say something else when Ryo cut him off. �We�re here,� he said shortly. �Pay attention.�

Following Ryo�s eyes he saw a tall figure surrounded by soldiers emerging from the mist. Behind them there was a large temple where Seiji was probably being kept. Ryo crossed his blades in front of him.

�I�ll take the soldiers. You get the warlord.�

Touma�s jaw dropped. Ryo wanted him to attack the warlord? That was crazy. Close range fighting was not what Tenku was made for. Picking off soldiers from a distance he could do, but firing off an arrow from point blank range was insane.

�Ryo-� he was cut off by Ryo�s battle cry as Rekka ran into the fray. Things seemed to move in slow motion. Ryo started cutting his way through the foot soldiers. Touma caught movement from the warlord and saw him retreating in the temple. �Shit!� Touma said as he ran after Lord Hast.

Following the warlord through the large temple doors, Touma saw Seiji chained to the wall. With a burst of speed Touma tackled the warlord from behind. They rolled on the ground. Touma felt his bow slip from his fingers. He quickly rolled off and made a grab for his weapon.

Lord Hast stood up quickly and turned to face his opponent. �You�ll pay for that boy.�

Touma wrapped his fingers around his bow and looked up to see the advancing warlord. He reached behind himself to grab an arrow. Fingers grasped at nothing as Touma realized that his quiver had broken off during their scuffle. He rolled to the left as Lord Hast brought his sword down trying to impale him.

�You�re pretty quick boy. But I don�t think that�s going to save you.�

A noise from outside caught Lord Hast�s attention. He turned his head to the side. �Sounds like your friend is almost here. I wonder if he�ll be this easy to kill?�

As the warlord turned his head Touma saw his only opening. Soft pale flesh of Hast�s neck had been exposed. Leaping to his feet he drove the end of his bow into the column of Lord Hast�s throat. Touma gritted his teeth as the warlord thrashed about. Pressing in deeper, blood coursed his way down Tenku�s bow onto the floor. Finally Lord Hast collapsed to the floor not moving.

Touma sat down hard exhausted. His bow clattered to the ground in front of him. He looked up as Ryo came bursting into the temple. Glancing once at Touma and the warlord Ryo ran up to Seiji and cut him down. The blonde collapsed into his arms. Seiji stirred and opened his eyes.

�Ryo?� he slurred.

�It�s okay Seiji. You�re safe now.�

Touma stood up shakily and folded his bow onto his back. He picked up his quiver and started to walk towards Seiji.

�You came for me,� Seiji said taking Ryo�s helmet off.

�Of course I did.� Ryo said. He looked over Seiji�s shoulder at Touma. Turning back to Seiji, Ryo leaned in and kissed the blonde passionately. �Let�s go,� he said huskily after breaking the kiss.

Touma felt the quiver slip from his fingers as he stood there in shock. Ryo and Seiji walked out the temple, leaning heavily on each other. Tears sprang to his eyes as he looked at the couple until they disappeared from sight.

�They left you all alone with me boy,� a voice rasped in his ear.

Touma gasped as an arm hooked around his neck choking him. He clawed frantically at the arm as it pulled him flush against Lord Hast�s body. The warlord grabbed his chin with his other hand and turned his head to the side. A hot foul smelling mouth clamped over his, strangling the breath from him.

Panting Touma struggled to suck in air after the warlord broke the kiss. Touma wanted to scream. His first kiss stolen by someone else. He had been saving himself in case he ever had a chance with Seiji.

�You may have killed me boy,� the warlord said quietly. �But I�m taking you with me.�

A flash of metal caught Touma�s eye. He saw a short, broad blade in the warlord�s hand second before it was plunged into his side. The blade effortlessly broke through the metal armor of Tenku and pierced him.

The arms of the warlord finally gave way as he dropped lifelessly to the ground. Touma stumbled away from the body. Grasping the knife with both hands he jerked it out and let it clatter to the floor. Dismissing Tenku he knelt on the ground. Looking down he saw a gaping wound that would indeed be fatal if he didn�t get help soon.

Standing up again he clutched his hand to his side and walked out of the temple. The lifeless shells that were once soldiers littered the area around the temple. Not a living soul could be seen anywhere. Slowly Touma made his way down the nearest street.

::Shuu �:: he cried out weakly before collapsing to the ground.

to be continued �

*uragiri = betrayal