Ryuu winced as Shadow and Mist eased him onto his bed. The ordeal of connecting with the hive mind had drained him completely, leaving him weak and shaken.
SunBow, upon hearing of Ryuu's return, arrived swiftly, his face etched with concern.
"Senior," Ryuu rasped, his voice barely above a whisper as he acknowledged SunBow's presence.
The older man frowned as he took in Ryuu's weakened state. "You have been through much."
Ryuu offered a faint smile from behind his mask. "It is a hive mind... and the creature behind it is powerful."
SunBow's expression darkened. "I see. Do you have any plan to deal with it?"
"Not at the moment. The encounter took a heavy toll on me, and I need time to recover."
"I understand. Rest well, then."
Ryuu gave a curt nod as SunBow left. Mist locked the door when he was out of sight, and Shadow activated the protective and privacy arrays. Without wasting a second, she reached out to their family.
