Taijo struggled to protect Miki and Shine as they dragged Aryn’s body to the safety of the group. The only problem was that as he was fighting off the shadows he was starting to be surrounded by them.  By the time the others were at a safe distance to the group, Taijo was fully immersed in a battle he could not win.  As he fought off one shadow, another made its way in. He felt himself get multiple hits, but he just kept on. It was then he spotted an opening, a weak spot where not so many shadows had gathered. It was his only change. He bolted through, but not without an unpleasant scratch to his side. He ignored it and ran.<br/><br/>Taijo was lucky he was a runner. After all the fighting he had been doing a normal person wouldn’t have been able to run, but he did and he was fast. Taijo wasn’t sure how long he ran or for how far, but when he finally found a deserted spot stopped and breathed. Looking around it became apparent that he was lost. For all his training and practicing he was useless in the end. He had completely abandoned the others and what was worse was now he was alone in this realm. If there was ever a moment he was going to cry. It would be now. How could he leave his classmates like that? He had completely forgotten about them as he tried to save his own life. He had to make it back. How he was going to do this was beyond him as he wasn’t even sure where he was. The city was still new to him. Well, he wasn’t going to find his way back without moving.<br/><br/>Taijo began to circle around. He could feel the stinging pain of his wounds and there was certainly a great deal of fatigue, but he pushed onward. He had to find the dorms. He had to make sure the others were okay and he had to get to safety himself. He searched for a familiar street and as he noticed the shadows around him moving. He was being hunted. He picked up the pace, but his fatigue was catching up to him. He tripped into a puddle of blood and moaned as he hit the ground hard. He was beginning to feel it. All of the bruises and cuts were finally registering. He looked at the ground before him. There was a ball point pen right in front of him. It seemed strange and out of place. He reached for it and gripped it as if it were the last thing he could hold onto before he died.<br/><br/>He knew the monsters were closing in on him. He could feel their presence growing stronger. Their desire to feed on him was well understood. Taijo was almost ready to let them have him. The pen in his hand began to move of its own free will. It scribbled, “You are supposed to be a warrior, why are you lying down?” on an exposed piece of Taijo’s arm.<br/><br/>“Warriors die too.” Taijo mumbled.<br/><br/>The ink on his arm changed shape and spelled out something else. “Yes, but they don’t give up. There is a beast within you Taijo, release him!”<br/><br/>Taijo saw the words and felt himself rise up. It was almost like he was possessed. He knew he was doing it, but he couldn’t believe he was doing it. He ran, he ran full blast as if there was no pain in his body. He ran as if it were his early morning run, but he was faster. He was sprinting, no flying. His legs were moving, but he didn’t feel it. I want to live. I want to help the others. I want to be useful! Taijo  moved full blast and found himself at the dorms before he new it. His instincts seemed to know where he was the whole time.<br/><br/>There was no one there, but the dorm door was closed and the lights were still on. Taijo raced to the door and struggled to open it, but it was locked. He reached in his pocket, grabbed his key and unlocked it. Throwing the door open he staggered inside and looked at the group wildly. If there was ever a moment that the prim and proper Taijo looked like a beast, it was now. His clothes were torn and bloodstained from head to toe. Multiple bruises covered his exposed skin. Cuts and scratches still bled along his body. It was obvious that Taijo got the shit beat out of him. He had a wild look in his eyes as he scanned the room. Everyone looked like crap, but they were ok.<br/><br/>He closed the door and feel back against it. He slid down against it into a seated position and left a lovely bloodstain behind as he did. “I’m sorry.” He managed to cry out as he hit the ground. “I didn’t mean to run.” He managed. He was trying his hardest to apologize for not being there when they needed him, but all his fighting and running had caught up to him again. He failed to realize that he was still holding the pen he found.<br/>