Summary: In an era of monsters, magic and mayhem, Darkness builds like a storm and spreads like wildfire. In this world, betrayal is second nature and heroes are in short supply...Can light be brought to a forsaken land, desperately in need of saving?
A/N: Pairings include Sasu/Saku,Naru/Hina, TenTen/Neji, Sui/Karin, Shika/Temari, Sai/Ino, Kiba/Oc, Gaara/Matsuri, Kankuro/Sari, Kakashi/Anko, Obito/Rin, Genma/Shizune, Tsunade/Jiraiya, Itachi/Hana, Kurenai/Asuma, Pain/Konan and Oc/Oc...If there is a problem with the pairings than I'm sorry, but those are what I have chosen and I cant please everyone.
Warnings: This is obviously a fantasy AU using the Naruto characters and certain things from the Naruto anime/manga...Certain things will change (like there's no ninja) and personalities may come across as OoC...I will try my best to keep things as normal as possible, but like I said, it's fantasy and many things are bound to happen differently. ONLY constructive criticism or advice please.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape or form. Standard disclaimer applies for every chapter.
Crimson Sunrise
Prologue: The Tears of War...
...There was once a time when the world was at peace, and the seven kingdoms that stretched all over the land, managed to exist together in perfect harmony.
Konoha, Suna, Kiri, Iwa, Kumo, Ame and Oto...
Each land unique and vastly different in its own way, yet ruled fairly and wisely by each of their High Lord's...
However, peace is a fleeting concept, with discord and greed, spreading like a plague that consumes all within its path...
Like ashes in the wind, change can occur in mere seconds and in that moment, an era once based on peace, becomes one of destruction, war and a struggle for power...
On it's own, power alone is simply power, but in the hands of the ambitious, it becomes something new...
It becomes something dangerous...
A blazing fireball hit a wall and it collapsed, while screams were lost in the thunder of the massive explosion that followed. More fiery balls streaked through the air and showers of flaming arrows fizzed overhead. The earth shook and buildings crumbled.
'I have a mission for you, little Sakura...'
Alone and afraid, one young girl ran through the desolate remains of what used to be her home, desperately searching for any other survivors even though her task at this point, seemed rather hopeless. The long white robe she had once worn as a symbol of her apprenticeship, was now streaked with dirt and blood not of her own. It was torn and tattered beyond repair, while numerous cuts and bruises adorned her pale skin. Even her beige leather boots, though resilient, had not come out unscathed.
'It's our greatest treasure Sakura. The Elders of this Tower have been protecting it for many years, but now it is time for us to pass that responsibility on. Though still young, you are the only one advanced enough to shoulder this burden.'
What had begun as a seemingly normal day, had now become a dreaded nightmare, as hoards of heavily armoured soldiers slipped easily past the magical barrier and penetrated their outer wall, ripping through the small village that surrounded the sacred, Tower of Light. A tower that trained gifted children in the ancient art of healing...A tower that was now being overrun by the dark forces of Oto.
The box she had been given was so small, no bigger than a grown man's fist and made of pure silver...The object hidden inside; a small jewel the size of a coin, with rough edges and the colour of a crimson red rose.
The small girl stumbled through the ruins of the Tower; a place where she had been accepted and loved, only to find even more devastation and death wherever she turned. Corpses of people she used to know lay scattered like hollow shells, left forgotten by the monsters that had ended their existence. Glass pierced the earth like splinters of diamond and previously green foliage was now charred black.
Flames continued to lick at the broken structures and shattered timber of the former sanctuary, while thick, acrid smoke shrouded the air around her like a dark veil. She watched as buildings disintegrated suddenly, amid the distant shouts and echoing moans of the wounded or dying, the clash of steel and the shiver of arrows let loose upon defenceless victims.
Already, many bodies littered the bloodstained ground-a lone testament to the sheer brutality of the siege-while wood groaned as it slowly succumbed to the burning, bright orange flames. Her jade green eyes widened at the need to cry, yet her tears had long since dried up and therefore, did not fall...This place of life had become nothing more than a graveyard...
'Whatever happens, no one must ever find it...'
A nearby shriek made the girl flinch, and it was closely followed by the sound of metal sinking through flesh. She turned and fled in the opposite direction, not wanting to be found. She slipped through the shadows, careful to avoid any main walkways or paths...The battle was slowly ending, but the soldiers of Oto still lingered.
'Keep it secret...Keep it safe...'
Having seen so much horror already, the young girl scarcely noticed the body of a woman that lay broken upon the courtyard or a small girl, hardly any older than she was, lying against a damaged stairwell. Her need to find survivors was gone and all she could think of was escaping this tomb and fulfilling her vows.
'It is your mission now Sakura...'
Her hand clenched tightly around a small object wrapped in faded cloth. That memory still burned clearly in her mind, as if had happened only yesterday and not two months ago, when the Tower's Elder, Lady Chiyo, had entrusted her with their most closely guarded secret...
'We believe in you...'
The young girl shook her head as she ran, tucking the small object safely within one of her boots.
...But that was long before any of this happened, before the war had finally reached their hallowed gates. Could the Elder have known that this massacre would occur? Had she been preparing for this moment when Oto invaded their home and destroyed everything they held sacred and dear? Up until now, the darkness of Sound had never affected their society and the war that existed outside, had been nothing but terrible stories that hung in the air like ghostly warnings. They had lived a simple life of peace and comfort...That was all over now...
In the sky, black clouds gather, the lightning flashes and thunder rumbles as heavy raindrops begin to fall, but she pressed forward despite the icy chill of the liquid soaking through her ragged clothes.
Rounding a corner, the young girl fell backwards as she came upon a lone figure wiping their bloodied blade upon the limp body of a small child. Sakura knew she had to keep moving, that she had to hide, but that sight kept her frozen in place.
The black-armoured figure started to turn and her breath hitched as the man's grey eyes locked on hers.
There was a moment of silence until the soldier shifted and chuckled softly.
"Seems like we missed one." He murmured.
She did not move an inch as he casually walked towards her, blade still in hand and it slowly rose. When he was only a metre away, the blade went higher.
"It's such a pity that we were ordered to kill you all...There was such potential and now it's all gone to waste..." His steel-coloured eyes travelled over her body suggestively as he spoke. "Then again, watching you all beg for your lives is so much more amusing."
The girl's emerald eyes narrowed as a sudden rage grew within her.
This was her home, a place that solely existed to heal and give life to those who needed it, a sanctuary that these wretches had no right to violate with their filthy presence. She had watched as they slaughtered her friends and fellow healers and had seen the destruction they had inflicted upon anything lying in their path...
Sakura glared up at the man defiantly and her hands clenched together tightly as energy slowly built up.
The Elder had given her a sacred task and she wasn't about to give up or let herself be hacked to death mercilessly like so many others had...She had managed to survive thus far and there was no way she would let herself become another notch in this man's list of victims...
"Any last words?" He inquired mockingly and then his sword descended. Reacting quickly, Sakura dodged the fatal strike and rolled away from the soldier. As he turned in surprise to try again, her softly glowing hands rose to meet his arms, where there were a few small scratches visible.
"What the-!" His words cut off as the glow grew brighter and then suddenly he screamed in agony. A small ripple of satisfaction rolled through her as the heated energy normally used to heal the wounded, shortly burned and destroyed all his vital organs.
It was over in mere seconds and soon his lifeless body fell to the ground. Sakura stared impassively down at the soldiers limp form and then glanced at her now blood-soaked hands. The satisfaction was fleeting and now all she felt was emptiness. She had just taken a persons life, even if he had been the enemy, it still made her feel sick.
The sound of raised voices shook her from her thoughts and she ran without glancing back once. Others had obviously heard the scream and were heading over to investigate, or maybe some of the soldiers could sense or use magic, and therefore had felt her energy spike. Whatever the case, she needed to leave and leave as fast as she could.
High above, lightning still flashed brightly while the storm shook the sky. She soon found herself near the east gate of the village, where she knew there was a hole in the outer wall since she had used it regularly in the past to escape housework and other tedious chores, before becoming more mature and understanding of her responsibilities.
Locating the hole, Sakura managed to squeeze through and sighed in relief at the sight of the large forest that stretched out before her. Despite the ominous presence the gnarled trees gave off, she felt safe than ever as her freedom lay within. Glancing back briefly at the smoking remains of her village, she sighed and closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer for the fallen before turning her back on the chaos and entering the forests shadows.
Her feet splashed through the mud, heedless of the downpour, as she brushed aside branches. Though exhausted, the object hidden within her boot, reminded her of her duty and helped keep her going as it pressed against her skin while she ran. Hours passed and soon the Tower was far behind her, along with the smell of smoke and blood. Finally, her aching muscles gave in and she fell to the ground, underneath a large tree. Her glazed eyes fixed upon the leaves while the rainwater dripped down on to her face.
The faces of the dead, haunted her vision along with one of the last things that Elder Chiyo had said, before their magical defences had fallen and the Tower Of Light's, fate had been sealed.
'We were betrayed...'
One of their own had allowed this dark tragedy to occur...A traitor. Her green eyes slowly drifted shut and the world around her started to turn black.
'We were betrayed…'
She was barely aware of the slight pressure upon her leg or the bitter wind that tugged at her loose pink hair. Her body was numb and her mind fractured with despair.
"It's all gone…" She found herself whispering aloud.
The war that had never been a part of her life was now the very reason why it had ended. For how could she possibly have a life when everything she ever knew or cared about, was gone? What purpose was there for someone like her, in a world slowly corrupted by shadows?
A/N: Please review.
Edited: 21/03/2012