"LELANI!" he screamed.

"AKIRA! Where are you? Help me!" a voice cried back. "I'm trapped!"

He desperately searched everywhere but he could not find her. Wherever he looked, he found fog twisted with obscurity. He whirled around and was stunned to discover a huge shadow looming over him. He fell back and narrowed his eyes. It was a woman with six arms, each of them wielding a deadly blade. Her eyes had no pupils, yet the whiteness itself was so frigid, so hostile, and her smile was just pure evil.

A blade pierced his arm, ripping upward, and he gasped as he felt that entire limb go numb. Then another slash, this time on his chest, then another, and another, and another, all over his body...

He crashed onto the ground, blood seeping through his clothes and creating a crimson pool underneath his body. The woman giggled viciously and an even larger shadow towered behind her, a shadow wearing a demon mask that was red and menacing, white hair spilling from the dark helmet.

"L-Lelani," he whispered hoarsely as the woman and the demon laughed, then a blinding white light washed over him.

~*~

Kaijin dropped the metallic goblet he was drinking from. He looked down and watched as it clattered onto the ground and the wine spill all over the carpet. The Shadowlings all crowded around him, worried.

"Kaijin-sama! What is the matter?"

"Kaijin-sama, are you ill?"

"Shall we take you somewhere to rest?"

He shook his head and walked away from them, a hand over the golden mask he wore. It felt warm to the touch, throbbing steadily, as if it were alive. Kaijin slowly drew his hand away from the mask and fixed his eyes upon his hand, watching it as it trembled slightly.

What was that? he thought to himself. He couldn't help but notice a small cut along the side of his arm. There was immense pain but all of a sudden, it vanished.

Akira... Lelani...

He made his trembling hand into a fist and snarled. I have no time for this. I must concentrate on making Sachiriku-sama proud by getting those nine armors! And not to mention spilling a little blood. Those brats will pay for ruining my plans!

~*~

She watched in utter fascination as the blood trickled down from her open wound and down her finger. She had been tossing her blades in the air, seeing which ones would pierce her eye out first, when one of them fell and cut her finger. She was now sitting on her throne with her long, muscular legs crossed and with all but of her arms folded across her chest.

"So much blood," she murmured softly. Suddenly she heard a voice. His voice.

Hideous freak of nature.

"Arago."

You thought you could be of any use to me? What was I thinking?! Look at you! You're nothing but a sick, demented creature. Your thoughts and insanity rule your heart. I had no use for the likes of you. You are a very sick little girl.

She lifted her head and held it between two of her hands. "Be quiet! BE QUIET!"

Ha! It's true, my dear. You disgusted me... It is no wonder I did away with you the way I did. You shall forever rot in your pain and misery.

Sobs escaped her lips and she slid from the throne onto the frigid marble floors. She shook her head violently and screamed. Suddenly a strange sensation filled her. Through closed eyes, she envisioned the Samurai Troopers. Yes, they were the cause of her pain! Through them and their armors, Arago was still able to torment her. Yes! They must die... A horrible, agonizing death. Slow, painful-yes this was what she wanted!

"They... will pay for this," she whimpered as she opened her eyes in which flared with hatred.

~*~

Chibi Ryo threw a glance over a shoulder. Smiling inward, he turned back around and scrambled over to the couch. He carefully climbed on top of it and without hesitation, he started jumping. He laughed happily as he bounced up and down the cushion. He even stuck his arms out and flapped them as he jumped.

However, Nasuti came into the room and caught him. "Ryo!" she admonished. "Stop jumping on the couch! You're going to break it!"

The little boy scowled but stopped. "Aw, come on, Nasuti-san!"

She placed her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look. Immediately Chibi Ryo jumped off the couch and raced out of the room.

Meanwhile Chibi Touma and Chibi Shu were at the dining table, munching happily on some pumpkin pie in which Nasuti kindly offered to make for them. Chibi Seiji was offered some of it but he boldly told her that he was going to keep a steady diet and work on his spiritual self... Whatever that was. Chibi Shin was curled up on the ground before the TV, hugging a giant stuffed whale. A shounen anime was on TV but Nasuti went over and turned it off. She told him to prepare for mealtime and that was what he did.

"I wonder if the enemy is going to attack soon," Chibi Touma wondered. He chomped on his piece of pie and swallowed, licking his lips and smiling to himself. He really enjoyed Nasuti's cooking.

Chibi Shu, who was on his third helping, replied, "I don't know. But if they do come back, we'll show them what the power of the armors is all about!"

"It's been a week since they last attacked us. But we'll be ready for them if they come."

"HA! That's right! I will show them to not mess with us! We'll find Sachiriku and make her change us back or my name isn't Kongo no Shu! Which... it is, heh!"

All the while, Chibi Ryo watched in delight as Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh sparred outside of the house. Both of them were in their subarmors and had been training since dawn. The child peeked through the balcony rails and was squatting so he could get a closer view of the pair.

Light and darkness. Black and white. Fire and ice. Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh were two halves of a whole. The two of them were now equal in power. One knew what the other was thinking, as if they shared the same mind. By training together, they would be the ultimate power against those who would fight against them.

Byakuen blocked a fist from Kokuen-Oh and ducked. He tripped Kokuen-Oh and drove a fist towards the ground. However Kokuen-Oh flipped backwards and landed on his feet with cat-like grace. The two remained silent, simply gazing at one another. Finally Kokuen-Oh relaxed his stance and smirked.

"Not bad," he commented. "Not bad. Let's rest, okay?"

Byakuen nodded but a cold, prickly feeling was felt at the back of his neck. Wordlessly he spun around and jabbed his elbow at the presence that stood behind him. After he made a complete circle, he stood there in surprise as he realized that his elbow had gone through Seoul as if she were made of air.

"Seoul-san!" he gasped. "Forgive me, I didn't think you'd be here!"

Kokuen-Oh frowned and said, "What do you want?"

The uncanny being known as Seoul offered the two a ghost of a smile. "Seoul realized now that time draws near to a great battle."

"Great battle?" Both man-tigers said this at the same time, their voice melting into one.

Seoul nodded. Floating just a few inches off the ground, she hovered past them and in a soft voice, said, "Come. Let Seoul tell everyone what Seoul has to say." Yet before she could make it to the house, a wave of queasiness hit her and her vision blackened.

~*~

"Akira, the youja... they are coming," she moaned before coughing violently. "They are coming. You must leave."

He shook his head and held the woman he loved in his arms. "I can't. I won't leave you!"

"Akira!" she screamed hysterically. "They're coming to kill us all! We can't let them get us both!"

Carefully, he cupped her face in his hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Lelani," he whispered softly, "I won't let them separate us. No matter what, we'll always be together. No matter what."

~*~

"Seoul-san!" Chibi Ryo's voice called her back from the scene. Moaning, Seoul opened her eyes and discovered Chibi Ryo, along with the other Chibi Troopers, hovering over her. She was lying on the couch with a wet cloth over her forehead. Standing behind the Chibi Troopers were Byakuen, Kokuen-Oh, and Nasuti.

"What has happened?" she asked softly. "Seoul was heading for the house when suddenly Seoul felt ill at ease."

Byakuen, who stood behind the children, nodded and said, "You mentioned a great battle coming our way. Could it possibly be against Sachiriku?"

"Yes." She kept silent for a few moments before speaking once more. "Seoul must tell you now. Please do not harm Sachiriku."

Kokuen-Oh narrowed his dark eyes in disdain. "Is that so?"

Chibi Ryo sat straight up as Seoul gradually sat up from the couch. He watched as she lifted a hand and placed it over her forehead, as if she were checking herself for a fever.

"But in order for the Chibi Troopers to return to normal, shouldn't they fight against her?" Nasuti asked softly as she peered over at the strange woman, intent on knowing what exactly was happening.

"Sachiriku and Seoul... are of one body and one soul."

"You already mentioned that earlier," Byakuen commented.

The woman fixed an eerie stare at Byakuen and at the others before whispering, "Sachiriku is Seoul's sister. We share the same soul... Or we once did long ago. Sachiriku and Seoul must be..."

Within the forest, birds flew out of the treetops and into the horizon. The Chibi Troopers and company were indeed shocked by this discovery. Yet before any explanations could be made, a sharp laughter penetrated the house.

Seoul trailed off from her sentence. "She is here."

Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh glanced at one another before nodding. They knew what they had to do. The Chibi Troopers were left in a state of bewilderment as the two man-tigers made quick haste outside of the house.

"Kids, stay inside!" Nasuti instructed. "Seoul-san, are you--?"

"Seoul is all right," the other female replied softly as she opened her eyes. "But be warned. Something wicked comes this way."

Nasuti frowned. It already has.

Dark clouds rolled into the atmosphere and more animals escaped the forest with their lives, immediately sensing trouble. A few feet away from the house, Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh were in their subarmors, ready to defend against whatever threatened them.

A giant, semi-transparent form of Sachiriku from the waist up appeared in the sky above them, like a mighty tyrant prepared to feast upon its prey. She smiled viciously. "So," she said casually, "you think you can escape me, you little insects?"

Kokuen-Oh snarled. He hadn't forgotten what Sachiriku did to him and for that she was going to pay dearly. Oh yes, he would make sure to it. Crazy or not.

Byakuen narrowed his eyes and yelled, "Stop this now! You won't gain anything from taking the armors or killing the Troopers! Arago is dead!"

"Liar!" Sachiriku's eyes burned like fire and she drew up one of her hands. A blast of energy was discharged from her palm and sent crashing down upon the two warriors. Luckily both Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh were more than ready for this assault and moved aside. The ground in which the energy blast struck was now just a deep, dark, bottomless hole.

"SO EN ZAN!"

A vertical beam of energy flew into Sachiriku's image and distorted it momentarily. Byakuen and Kokuen-Oh turned and discovered the Chibi Troopers rushing over to them, all of them in their armors.

"Oh hell," Kokuen-Oh cursed. "We don't have time to take care of the brats now!"

"Ryo! What are you doing?!" Byakuen exclaimed as the boys joined their sides.

Chibi Rekka disconnected the ends of his Chibi Rekka Ken and replied, "We came here to help you! Nasuti-san is taking care of Seoul-san so we figured--!"

"Get back in the house now!" Kokuen-Oh barked. "Don't make me take you all back yourself!"

Both Chibi Kongo and Chibi Suiko threw raspberries at him and shouted, "NYAH NYAH! Nuts to you!"

Kokuen-Oh raised his fist and sweatdropped. "It's no wonder I hate children," he hissed under his breath.

Sachiriku's insane laughter interrupted their moment. Her form appeared in the sky once more, unscathed. By that time, Nasuti and Seoul were outside trying to catch up with the Chibi Troopers. Both were startled by the image they witnessed covering the sky above them.

"Oh, I see we have more rats to slaughter!" Sachiriku scoffed. She closed her eyes and held up two pairs of her arms, laughing. "Oh my! Such adorable little playmates! I grow anxious to see how nice your blood will stain on my swords!"

Suddenly the Chibi Troopers cried out in pain as each of them became trapped inside a pillar of light. Nasuti screamed for Sachiriku to let them go but her plea went unheard. Both Byakuen and Kokuen-oh tried to free the children but no matter how many times they've kicked and punched the pillars, the Chibi Troopers remained inside, their energy being drained thanks to the demon amazon.

"Time for me to feast!" Sachiriku said after she had finished her laugh. Her eyes glowed and she bore a sinister, half-crazed smile.

The pillars of light shot all the way into the atmosphere to where the image of Sachiriku was. Slowly the Chibi Troopers were being drawn to her and there was nothing anybody can do.

"Stop!" Seoul cried. "Seoul begs of you to stop! SISTER!"

As if answering the call for help, a golden streak of light shot through the beams just above the Chibi Troopers' heads. Each boy was curled into a tight ball and transformed into tiny glowing orbs. Sachiriku was indeed angry and shocked by this.

"What was that light?" she exclaimed. "What... What is happening?!"

Down below, Byakuen yelled, "Ryo! Samurai Troopers!"

Moments later, the five glowing orbs shot straight into the night skies and flew off in opposite directions. It was just like the time when the Samurai Troopers fought against Arago for the first time. He had used his powers to separate the five warriors. Everyone there was in complete shock, all except Seoul.

Turning her head to the side, she whispered, "That energy... could it be... Kaosu-Kayura?"

Byakuen dashed over to the bases of the pillars. Just as he had reached them, they vanished along with the image of Sachiriku. He fell to his knees and slammed his fist against the earth.

"Damn!" he cursed through clenched teeth. "I can't... believe I allowed this to happen!"

Standing silently behind him, Kokuen-Oh gazed up at the dark, starry skies with his arms folded casually across his chest. He narrowed his eyes as a shooting star streamed across the sky. Give us strength in finding those brats and in stopping that freak woman, he thought in his mind. Hang on, Samurai Troopers. Just hang on.

In the background, Nasuti and Seoul stood side by side with their heads lowered in shame. They too, felt as if they had failed in saving their friends. They had no idea where the Troopers have gone, only that they were to find them quickly before Sachiriku did.

Seoul gazed up at the skies and smiled faintly as she saw a vision of Chibi Ryo's cheerful face before her very eyes. "Ryo..."

~*~

Chibi Touma: Hey everyone! This is Chibi Touma here. Wow, look at the mess we've gotten ourselves into! We've been separated by some strange power and we have no way in contacting each other. But it looks like Ryo and Shin got themselves into more trouble than they can handle! A ginger bread house? Suzunagi?! What is going on? See you in the next episode of Choroiden-Chamurai Troopers: "Rekka and Suiko's Conflict! Their Mysterious Future Awakens!"