Note: If you've read Sweet Melody, specifically the note in first chapter, then you'll know that Sweet Melody will only have three or so chapters. Well, this is supposed to be it's second chapter, but I changed my mind. Purgatory's Hymn will be a separate story that is connected to Sweet Melody, which will have more chapters to come. I'm warning you, Sweet Melody will be slow (I forgot to tell you that in its second chapter XD).
Excuse me if you ever find any mistakes. And if you do, kindly inform me. Thanks!
Please enjoy!
It was one of the nights of 35000 B.C.E. when the full moon was peculiarly bloody red. It was believed that when the moon turned red it meant that the Lord was thirsty and His servant would offer a sacrificial lamb's blood and drenched His person on it. It was only a fictional epic story, though. But, on this particular eve someone was bathing on blood.
A mountain that could have been the highest peak and longest in range was almost covered by thick fog. It appeared creepy with its looming and dark appearance under the bloody moon. However, unbeknownst to many, an average village was behind the mountain being protected by obscuring the place from the watchful eyes of those who saught powers in greed.
The village was called Konoha.
In Konoha lived people of two kinds. One was the human race, and the other one was the vampire race. Both were different, but they managed to live together in harmony with one single purpose in life that bound them together.
To praise the Great Creator who had bestowed Konoha one of his nine children and the youngest one to be their protector. Throughout three generations, Konoha had been prosperous and all were satisfied with their life. However, on the fourth generation came changes. It had started with a gigantic nine-tailed fox that had obliterated half of Konoha on its rampage. No one knew where the said fox had came from, or why on its rage it had settled upon their village. But, one thing was certain.
The villagers loathed the gigantic nine-tailed fox, and by default they ridiculed the one who had kept it from doing more damage, believing the vessel was only a disguise of the creature.
Little did the entire Konoha know, the gigantic nine-tailed fox, or kyuubi as it was known, was the said child their Great Creator had blessed them.
It had been nine years since the incident, but no one had forgotten that darkest night. Since then, rumours ensued and blamed the vampires for unleashing the fearful creature. Humans believed that vampires wanted to monopolize Konoha, because they, the humans, could not for they lack special abilities like vampires had. Unlike humans, vampires had special eye ability. They can see movements before hand, can cause varieties of illusions, and each individual had unique powers. Long before, vampires still feed on human's blood, which was voluntarily given to them every seven days in minimum amount in exchange of helping build the illusion that obscured the village from others. But, things drastically changed on the night of bloody moon.
A boy, a fourteen-year old, stood by the closed sliding door made of bamboo and paper in a dark and moonlit room. He wore the family's traditional black hooded coat that protected their eyes from the brightness of mornings. With the hood over his head, only strands of black hair, a pair of shining, red eyes, and the lower half of his face can be seen.
"Why?" the boy asked; his voice was so low, yet it seemed to be loud enough in the silence. "Did you know?"
"Yes, son." the boy heard a man's voice replied. It was his father.
"Can...can you t-tell me...be-before...before..." the boy faltered. If he could, he would have withered on his spot.
"The kyuubi..." started another voice. This time, it was gentle, soft, and feminine. It was his mother. "...the kyuubi is the Great Creator's youngest child."
"Why did he attack?" asked the boy.
"We do not know, but...after the investigation..." the man paused. "We learned that one of our kin had caused the attack. That man, he was thought to have died on his hunting, but then came back from the grave. We informed the now reinstated Third Hokage and the council, but the latter insists that we planned it when the truth was not."
"It was a sacred secret that no one must know, son." the woman continued. "Only the Hokage, the vampire's head and partner, and the vessel knew of this."
"Vessel?" inquired the boy.
"Yes. Vessel. As our eldest and next in line, you must know this... The kyuubi had been residing in a human called jinchuuriki in order to continue protecting us. The first jinchuuriki was Queen Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage. She was from another village, and a distant relative of Senju Clan; the Uzumaki Clan. On earlier days, the first Uchiha, Indra, and the first Senju, Ashura, were brothers. However, Ashura, the youngest did not inherit the abilities Indra possessed that originated from their father, but still lived as long as the eldest. It also applies to us now. Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki. The Hyuuga is also our relative, but doesn't have a long lifespan." the woman took a moment to breath. "For two generations, Queen Mito housed the kyuubi until she passed it on her grand niece, Princess Kushina Uzumaki, for the third generation. And now on the fourth generation her and the Fourth's son became our present jinchuuriki. But, the mass was ignorant of these information. They could not decipher the host from the kyuubi."
"Because of the incident nine years ago, humans has lost their trust on us. They no longer give us their blood, and we will not resort on forcing them. It's against our Great Creator's wishes. Our elders though wanted to prove humans wrong through coup 'd etat(?), but I won't let it." the man said.
"Do not fret, my beloved son. This is for the good of our people as one of Konoha's pillars." the woman assured the boy. A smile could be heard in her voice. "As a pillar, we must banish the fear in people's heart."
"By eliminating our whole clan?" asked the boy, who in turn received two nods from his parents that were sitting in front of him with their backs facing the child. The couple were illuminated by red moon.
"You do understand, right?" asked the man, before going on without waiting for his son's answer. "Just...just take care of Sasuke. Take care of him...please."
"I will."
Silent tears streamed down the boy's cheek and dropped on the wooden floor, leaving a wet trail on its wake as the said boy inched closer to his parents. He then raised his right hand that revealed a short sword. And in a flash, blood splattered almost the entired wall and floor. For a few moments, the boy mourned for his parents. It pained him so much it almost suffocated him, but he had to be strong for his younger brother. He did not want to kill his huge family, but it had to be done by someone who was capable of rational thinking and selflessness. And, it was no other than him. He knew his younger brother will hate him and wish for his death. But, then again, it must be done.
"Mom... Dad... Don't worry, okay? Sasuke will grow up strong and rebuild our clan anew." the boy sniffled.
A new pressence was felt, and the boy hid in the shadows again until the door slid open.
"Mom! Dad!" the newly arrive one, a nine-year old boy with short black hair, big dark eyes, and pale skin in black high-collar shirt, screamed upon seeing his parents lying on the floor in the bloody mess of a room. The little one kneeled and shook the bodies whilst crying and calling out.
"Hello, little brother."
The young one stopped abruptly when he heard his brother's voice. He looked up and saw a figure stepped out of the shadows, taking the hood off his head. "Itachi-nii." he whispered. "Wh-what happened here!? Who killed them!?"
"I did." was the monotone reply from Itachi, whose face was now void of any emotions.
"What? You're lying! Tell me who did this!" Sasuke insisted.
"I told you, it's I, who killed them." Itachi repeated as he walked toward his younger brother and crouched down, staring down on Sasuke with his red eyes. "Look at me and I shall show you."
And Sasuke did.
Itachi showed Sasuke how he massacred the whole clan using his illusion. Sasuke begged for his brother to stop but was sadly ignored. "Nii-san! Nii-san! Stop it! Please! Nii-san!" he would yell.
"See my eyes? If you achieved this, come to me with so much hate, the only way to get stronger, and kill me."
"No! Please! Nii-san!"
Itachi, however, only turned his back to hide a single tear from his brother. A single tear, which would be the last of his tears. And then, he took off and disappeared into the night under the watchful bloody moon with one thought lingering in his mind.
I hope with this, you will awaken your sharingan and kill me...so I could be with mom and dad, too.
"Sasuke!" a high pitch tone of a young male called out through the woods. At the middle of a small clearing was a blonde haired boy in dirty rags. The said boy was a healthy twelve years old one with tanned skin, round cornflower blue eyes, and three whiskers-like scars on each cheek. He cupped his hands around his lips and called again. "Saaasukeeee!" And then, run off for a good twenty five meters before screaching to a stop near a riverbank. On the river bank was a black hooded figure, drinking water from the running river. "Sasuke." called the blonde yet again.
Hearing his name, the hooded figure stood and turned around to face the other. He was a little taller than the blonde.
"Sasuke..." a small frown on the blonde's marred face was visible.
"Why are you still following me, Naruto?"
Naruto, the blonde in rags, can not see Sasuke's obscured face, but could feel the scowl he had on. "I need to stop you from killing your brother." he stated, which Sasuke only snorted at. "Please. Let it go now."
"Let it go? He killed my entire clan, and left me alone, Naruto!"
"I know-"
"No, you don't!" Sasuke's posture became stiff. "What do you know!? You have no family, not a single one, to loose and feel the grief! You're alone from the very beginning! While I lost everyone on a single night! And to make it worse, it was my own brother's doing!"
"Listen 'ere, you prick! There could've been a reason. I know Itachi. He's a good guy! You're his brother. You should know that he loves you!"
"He didn't! He only wanted power! What evidence do you have anyway?"
"...I... I don't have any..." Naruto faltered.
"See?" the hooded boy mocked, gesturing his hand as though to present something. "He had been distant to me a few days before he killed everyone. I also heard from the others about our kin causing the kyuubi attack. I'm sure it was Itachi that had caused it."
"But...it's not enough to prove he was the one behind it."
"Keep insisting, Naruto. Just accept the fact that your friend, Itachi, was the cause of your misfortune in life. I'm only doing you a favour by killing him."
It was certain in Sasuke's voice that he could not be deterred, but Naruto kept on giving excuses like saying Itachi must have been ordered to impliment the massacre. However, Sasuke countered by stating the fact that Itachi was branded traitor for both the kyuubi attack and Uchiha massacre. The boys bickered still, and then threw punches until Sasuke, being a vampire and stronger than the other, had the upper hand by pinning Naruto beneath him.
"Keep resisting and I'll end your life." Sasuke growled.
"I will if that's what could stop you from murdering your last relative!" Naruto retorted back.
It happened so fast, no one knew how it ended, but Sasuke could somehow feel he would regret his decision for the rest of his life.
"To see someone close to you in danger or died would awaken your Sharingan, or the Mangekyou Shaeingan." Sasuke remembered his father had once told him.
Even though worn out, Naruto kept brawling against Sasuke, who was holding his true strength back. The blonde leaped back to avoid the kick the hooded one brought down that cracked the ground. Without sparing a second, Sasuke moved forward, bringing his left hook and hitting Naruto on his right cheek. And then, the boy clad in dark coat followed up a right hook to the blonde's kidney area. Naruto flew to his right after the heavy blows he had recieved. The blonde's right shoulder collided with a tree's trunk so hard the boy could hear his shoulder joint dislocated, before dropping limp on the ground.
Dried leaves that scattered the forest floor crunched under Sasuke's weight as he stepped on it, walking to his friend. He stopped before the still form of the blonde.
The river made some splashing noise as it ran through a small potruding rock, birds that nestled above the trees made chirping noise, and the morning atmosphere felt so calm. The tranquility masked the danger that was between the boys. No one would suspect anything amiss if none would look around.
"Stop going after me, dumbass." Sasuke spoke as he pulled his hood closer to his face. He heard a groan from the blonde, who then grunted as he pushed his person off the ground to sit.
"Sasuke..." Naruto spat blood, sighed, and looked up. "You're strong. Stronger than me. You're smart, yes. But, don't you see or feel it? I may know nothing of the kyuubi attack and your clan's massacre, but I just know... Itachi did it with a purpose and that he loves you."
"Think whatever you want. He could be manipulating me, and you could say I'm being childish. But, know one thing, Naruto. He killed my family and I will kill him for that!" Sasuke snarled. Turning on his heel, he leaped up and disappeared into the canopy of leaves. He left the blonde who was saddened by his choice in life.
Almost, if not all, everyone who knew Naruto thought he was a naive person, but if one would understand more he could say the blonde was only being fair. No one really knew the truth behind Itachi's actions, he was certain and aware that the higher ups knew the real thing. He could not judge a person by its actions without knowing the reasons behind it. Until then, Naruto wanted Sasuke to remain in the village and then seek for the truth, not kill out of rage. The blonde would admit he would do the same thing in the beginning, but once he had calmed down he could think rationally and realize it would be not good to let his heart be devoured like what was happening to his friend.
"Do not let the child murder his sibling." Naruto heard someone spoke. Its voice was thick and gruff. The boy knew who it was; the one that must be respected above all and next to the Great Creator. "That child...do not let him..."
"M'lord-" Naruto began.
"Halt, my kit. Call me Kurama."
"Right. Kurama, how can I stop him, when he's so hell bent on his goal."
"I shall tell you what I know, so listen good, kit."
"Okay."
Twenty one years had passed, yet Sasuke appeared to be no older than sixteen. Benefits of being a vampire. He thought with a smirk. Since he had left Konoha, Sasuke had been training, honing his vampire skills beyonds its limits. His darkened heart blocked every thing that would humble him. He even went as far as feeding on humans and draining them of their blood that would kill them. There was no remorse as he killed in order to maintain his youth and increase his strength. No words could describe precisely how he had gotten stronger, but one could say Sasuke had been to hell and back. Naruto had stopped chasing after him. And now, he was ready to face his estranged brother, Itachi.
But, he lack a thing Itachi has.
The Mangekyou Sharingan.
How could I acquire it? Itachi gained his through hardships.
"When you see someone close to you in danger, or you being in a bind, you would awaken your sharingan. And then, the Mangekyou should they die." Sasuke remembered his father had once told him.
Rolling on his side on his bed in the room he rented for three hours, Sasuke glared at the wall with grim thoughts. If it's the only way to aquire it in order to surpass him, then I shall do it. He told his self.
For four months, Sasuke spent his time seeking Itachi, and finally he knew where to face the man. But, at dusk on the outskirts of a small island Naruto appeared before him. The blonde was now thirty three years old, but seemed to be at least five years younger than his age. The man wore a mamoth's fur, protecting his person against the cold wind that brought big waves of ocean to the rocky side of land.
"Are you here to stop me?" asked the raven haired man; his hood was down, revealing his pale and flawless facial features, and dark sharp eyes. His face and tone of voice were both void of any emotion.
Naruto narrowed his blue eyes that sparked with determination and defiance. "No." he answered, surprising the other.
"Oh?" Sasuke snickered. "Why the change of heart, Naruto? What is the purpose of you being here?"
"To tell you the lies that they fabricated to hide the truth behind until forgotten."
"Do you not think it matters not to me? I desire to aquire Mangekyou Sharingan, but I have to kill Itachi first. He was the person I used to love and look up to, so taking his life would certainly awaken my powers. And then, once I did I shall take his eyes to achieve the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. Is it not wonderful? I will get my revenge and reward!" Sasuke gave a maniacal grin.
The blonde shook his head. "You are a tad bit unhinged, I see. But, allow me to inform you that Itachi did not wish to kill your entire family."
"Save that petty excuse of an explanation of yours, and stop defending that fiend." Sasuke snarled.
Naruto knew words would not reach Sasuke, thus he resorted to battle.
In a flash, Naruto disappeared on his spot and reappeared behind Sasuke, who then leaped to his right in time to avoid a fatal punch from the blonde man. The punch could have fracture a bone as it was capable of pulverizing five inches in diameter and two inches deep of soil. Not wasting a second, Naruto followed Sasuke, giving a round house kick that hit the dark haired man on his chin and sending him to direction of body of water where he skidded three times, before sinking down. Naruto knew it was not enough, so he prepared for the other's first move. And, as the blonde anticipated, Sasuke rose up with a burst and flew straight to Naruto, who had crossed his arms to block the oncoming punch. However, it never landed as Sasuke manouvered behind Naruto and kicked his back. The blonde was astounded by the sudden disappearance of his opponent, and the agonizing pain on his back that sent him down. Not minding the pain, Naruto pushed his person away as he felt danger. The blonde crouched, and looked up to see a sword stuck on the ground where he supposed his heart should have been.
"So, you're dead set on taking my life." Naruto commented.
Pulling his sword out and flicking the dirt away, Sasuke said, "You are a hindrance that I need to eliminate."
"Heh." the blonde snickered and attacked once again.
Things happened so fast, both of them had no clear idea how it even happened. But, one thing was certain.
Sasuke would regret his decisions.
Blood dripped down onto the water. The current made the red liquid swirl and disappeared. Up above was Naruto held by Sasuke with his left hand wound around the neck tightly. Sasuke had his sword pierced through Naruto's liver.
"Any last words?" inquired the dark haired man. Bright yellow full moon illuminated the two men.
Naruto loosened his gripped on the other's wrist, smirked, and opened his mouth, saying his last three words as his final breath left his lungs.
Not hearing what was being said and deeming it nonsense, Sasuke opened his palm and watch his once friend's body sunk in the water and drifted by the current away.
"Farewell... Naruto."
Sasuke closed his eyes as though mourning his friend's death by his hands, and when he opened them Mangekyou Sharingan swirled to life in his eyes. With a lopsided smirk, he spoke. "Thank you for the farewell gift, dumbass."
Had it not been for the last fight, Sasuke would have battled against Itachi. He regret none though as he finally possessed the Mangekyou.
While hunting for blood under the watching new moon, Sasuke heared something. It was a sort of hum. It had no significance to him and was about to continue on his trek, but he felt compelled. His feet moved as though it had its own mind, and lead him to where the hummning came from. Listening well, he noted how it felt like eulogy, but sounded hopeful.
For he hath careth and loveth so much
Thou sins shall be forgiven but
Forgot not deed for he still ache
Thine ignorance hath made thee fall.
At the middle of the meadow sat a man on a boulder. The person had waist-length fierce red hair and wore red and gold robes like no other. It was that person who sang, but then stopped when he sensed someone.
"You are lost." the red headed man stated.
Lingering between woods and meadow was Sasuke, staring at the back of the man. "No, I'm not." he said, eliciting a humourless chuckle from the red headed one.
"I know. You are seeking blood."
Silence followed after the red headed's statement. To anyone the atmosphere would have been uncomfortable, but to these two people they never care. A sigh escaped the stranger. He then stood, and hopped down, before turning to face Sasuke. The raven noted the man's vibrant and sharp eyes that resembled a beast, scarred cheeks like someone he knew only it was more profound, elongated ears, and, looking down, he saw a fox tail's tip under those robes.
"What are you?" demanded Sasuke.
"A sacred beast." was the direct answer the vampire recieved. "Tell me. You are lost, are you not? Your soul, I mean. Your heart is so dark, blinded by grief and rage." as the sacred beast spoke, he walked toward the vampire, rounding him like a predator would. "You wanted the pain to go by killing. You murdered your only real friend, because you thought of him a nuisance, your weakness. By elliminating him you believe you got stronger. And now you seek revenge. You are an avenger." Stopping in front of Sasuke, he said, "But, the sad truth is no matter what you are alone and in pain."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the man. "What do you want?"
"I want what you want." the man smiled lopsisedly, showing his sharp fang.
"I want to kill him."
The red headed shook his head. "That is not what your heart desires." he said. Fishing something out, he added, "Here. Take this."
Sasuke eyed the small box on the other's palm, wondering what it was. But, he took it nonetheless.
"After knowing what is inside, you shall know what your heart truly desires. In order to attain that desire, sing the Purgatory's Hymn."
"Purgatory's Hymn?"
"Yes. It's in the box."
Sasuke averted his eyes from the enchanted being to the small black box that was resting on his palm. He eyed it, scrutinizing the thing as he did not know what to expect from. For a moment he felt the world around him stopped its movements altogether. He could not feel the tint breeze, could not hear the lightlest sway of leaves, he could only feel everything stopped. And then, he felt small warm in his cold world and he saw a tiny speck of light in his dark space. The longer he stared at the box, the bigger the light and the warm he was feeling.
"Go home."
The vampire heard a foreign yet familiar voice of a boy, snapping him back to reality.
"What...on earth is this...?" Sasuke whispered in the air upon looking up and not seeing the red headed man. "What was that illusion just now? And, where did he go?" he looked around. Not finding the man, he shrugged his shoulders, tucked the box in his back pocket, and went off.