Elemental
Book 1
Chapter 1
In the Village Hidden in the Leafs, a mist had gathered around. The mist clung to surfaces as if it had a mind of its own. It writhed and wriggled like so fine a serpent. Its very touch was the touch of ice. It gave off a persona of chill and ill meaning. Never before had mist so thickly engulf the Village. Neither the mist nor the four strangers, who stood at the edge of the Village, felt welcome from the Village. The only thing strange than the mist or ill intent it gave of, were the four men that stood and looked at the entrance to the Village Hidden in the Leafs.
Naruto had just returned from another training session from Purvey Sage Jiraya. He was pumped at the news of Sasuke he received on his way back. Sooner or later Naruto would face off again against his greatest foe and friend, and he would not lose. When wandering through the streets he noticed no one was out and about, shopping or working. It felt odd.
Another thing he noticed was all this chilly fog. It didn't feel right. Something about it kept his nerves and adrenaline pumped up. Maybe it was the fact he couldn't even see the four Hokage heads up on the mountainside. Naruto took this as a bad sign. He yearned for the eyes of the past Hokages to watch down on him. He would feel safe and proud to be a shinobi. All he felt now, however, was a creeping chill coming up his spine.
He went to his favorite Ramon shop, but to no avail. It was closed for reasons unspecified."Damn old man, just doesn't want to work in this weather," grunted Naruto. He suddenly heard an eerie sort of, what could only be described as music. Except it just didn't flow like music. What really perplexed Naruto was that it seemed to be coming out of the chilling mist. Naruto would hear it right behind him, then in front of him, then to the right and left. It didn't make any sense.
Izaki and Kuijo had been out on guard duty all night long and were about to be relieved when four strangers materialized from the mist. Izaki and Kuijo immediately went to attack position. They both took out kunai and aimed in the general direction of the strangers. One came forward, closer than the others. Izaki and Kuijo realized this to be the smallest member of the party, but the seemed to be the biggest due to his bulky apparatus on his back.
It looked to the two of them that is was three scrolls tied together. Upon looking closer the realized that they were water containers shaped like scrolls. The water within acted like liquid contained within a lava lamp. The bubbles slowly reaching the top while its companions slowly reached the bottom. Also on inspection, the both realized that the nearest stranger had a mask on. It was dark navy blue with a face on it, and what looked to be a teardrop dropping from its left eye.
Izaki and Kuijo stared at one another and looked back to the stranger." Better report this in to Hokage Tsunade right away." Whispered Izaki to Kuijo. Kuijo turned and ran to the little hut that stood as a guard shack behind them. As soon as Kuijo returned the masked stranger sat down and started to say something. It was soft at first, then gradually became louder. It sounded just like music.
Izaki turned his head to look at the stranger. He was not uttering a word, or even moving, but none the less there was a strange sound like music coming from all around him. He didn't feel safe. The mist started to weave its way around him. Such as a snake would a deer or bird. Izaki tried to raise his kunai but his muscles weren't responding. He couldn't move. He felt terror as he looked into the cold hard mask of the stranger. He felt the mist envelop him. It completely engulfed him. Then after what seemed like an eternity, the stranger moved. He did not get up but raised his arm. He raised exactly ninety degrees with his hand out stretched and silently closed his hand into a fist.
Kuijo had just finished the phone call when he heard screaming. He turned to see Izaki's body ripped to pieces of hardy meat right in front of his eyes. Izaki's head rolled to Kuijo's feet. His cold dead eyes permanently trapped in a gaze of horror. Kuijo was filled with an awesome anger. Izaki and him had lived life together. They were best friends. They had graduated the Academy together. Now he saw his best friend's head at his feet.
Kuijo with out a sound ripped out a kunai and ran straight towards the stranger who had taken his best friend's life away. The stranger didn't move safe for opening his hand. Kuijo was ten feet from him when the weird eerie music stopped. Kuijo stopped and looked around mystified. Then the stranger closed his fist. The mist that seemed so gentle ripped through the air like tiny thread needles. The pierced Kuijo's every organ. They also went through his head.
This surprise attack happened so fast, there was no bleeding. Kuijo simply fell to his knees and slowly toppled to the ground face down. He had died within a heartbeat. There was no struggle or mess as the with the death of Izaki. Kuijo had served the purpose of the strangers well. He had alerted the authorities of this Village. The others didn't know it, but the man under the navy blue mask was smiling.