Sasuke's jet black hair was stained red as he lifted her up, searching ravenously for her eyes. But Sakura's eyes would not open, despite his arms supporting her which always seemed to light her eyes up like a pair of stars hanging in the sky.
"He's coming, sir," said a mist Jonin. The red clouds were culminating around the destroyed battlefield.
It almost made Sasuke laugh when he realized that he originally told the Mizukage's three mist Jonin that he did not need their help. But try as he might, he could not laugh when he realized that Sakura was so worried about his safety that she came as well.
Damn it, Naruto. What is taking you so long?
The sage of six paths should have given him both halves of six paths chakra. The other half would spare him the agony of watching his cherry blossom fade before his eyes.
Finally, they opened - her eyes.
"Hey, sleepyhead," Sasuke cajoled, trying to put on a brave face.
"Sasuke… We… Won?" she said. She smiled sweetly and grazed his face with the back of her hand. He loved it when she did that.
"We won." He kept targeting her, afraid that if he broke eye contact he would lose her again. "Naruto will be here soon. When he comes you'll…"
"We…?" she manage to say.
She's right. It was the first time he used that silly pronoun. He just did not want to put the burden of performance on her. It seemed easier to say, "I'll protect you." or "I'll complete the mission." than ask the same of her or anyone else.
He grasped her hand firmly.
Sasuke truly believed in his friend in that moment. He had to. But, life is never that simple. One of the Jonin approached with a wilted head and said, "Sir… Sir… He's not coming. Naruto, sir."
Sasuke's heart pulsed and in that second he felt every ounce of strength drain from his body. This was not the world he once knew. It was far too evil, too demonic.
"Hey," said Sakura sweetly, "Don't be mad… Don't be mad… Okay?"
The frailty of her breath opened Sasuke up further to her next words.
"I taught you… Better… Than that…"
She was gone.
The glossiness of her lips and the softness of her face betrayed her condition, but she was gone.
He lay her down slowly, propping her up against a nearby rock.
Sasuke did not blame Naruto. It was thanks to Naruto that he was able to have a relationship with Sakura in the first place. He promised Sakura he would never blame Naruto for anything ever again.
It was just… If he had the power. If he could give life as well as take it - things would have been different.
His eyes drifted toward the swirling clouds.
This was not the world he knew.
XXX
Sasuke was fervently running through the trees. His destination? Kirigakure.
A wandering monk informed him that the village of Kirigakure had a towering mountain, and atop the mountain there was a sword with powerful life-giving properties. His power would be complete at last. He would never have to see another one of his loved ones die before his eyes.
He approached a small village where a rickety old man was giving him the eye.
"What's a ninja like you doing here?" said the old man.
"Show me where the life-giving blade is, old man." said Sasuke.
Suddenly, Sasuke was interrupted by a younger man with a fire in his eyes. "Sword? You search for the Sword of Komorebi!?"
"Where is this... Sword of Komorebi?" said Sasuke, pleased to finally put a name to it.
"The sword has long been lost…" said the boy crossing his arms. "It's wielder was one who once protected this village, and when he left the sword stayed." The boy looked uncomfortable, but finally he pointed to a pointy mountain about ten miles to the east. "It sits atop there if you truly seek it but… it only appears once a year. But…! Every man from this village that has tried to obtain it has never come back including… including my father…" The boy sighed. "If you still want to go, today is the day."
"Thank you," said Sasuke. He smirked at the thought that any danger would get the best of him. It was beyond his imagination with all that he had achieved. All the power he had obtained.
He climbed the tallest building he could find, and from there he looked for a rock at the top of the pointed mountain.
"That one will do," said Sasuke.
In an instant he was atop the mountain. Transported by the overwhelming power of his eyes.
He faltered.
The first thing he noticed was how hard to breathe it suddenly became. It was not the change in elevation that was to blame but the figure standing right in front of him.
This "guardian" was much more monster than man.