"We arrived yesterday morning and have set camp. Our provisions are still plentiful and the men are healthy and able. All is well."

-Captain Kakashi Hatake, the Missing Reports

~The Horror: Chapter One~

What is the most horrifying story that you've ever heard? Think about it now and commit it to memory. I heard a story once, one that would keep me up for nights on end in absolute fear. I was told many monster and horror stories throughout my childhood, but there was always some security in the fact that they were based entirely in fiction. But this particular tale, the one of the Euphul Rescue Expedition, was no made up story used to scare children.

Two decades ago, a few years after I was born, a military expedition was sent up to the Northern Continent to map and chart what was then known as the uninhabitable region, an area within the Northern Continent that was particularly uninhabitable for humans. Average temperatures had been recorded at negative thirty degrees Fahrenheit (or negative thirty-four degrees Celsius), and with no human settlements nearby only trained specialists were permitted entry.

The research expedition remained active in their duties for nearly a year; however, after failing to return several weeks after the agreed upon return date, the higher-ups became concerned. With winter just having begun, everyone assumed that the expedition had merely been snowed in and forced to hunker down just to survive. Therefore, a search party was sent up to assist and retrieve them.

A young military officer on the up and up, newly promoted Captain Naruto Uzumaki was given charge of the search party of forty men. I've studied him extensively, I've researched his past, his military career and all of his commendations, including those awarded to him after his presumed death. I became obsessed with him in my quest to discover the truth, so much so that I felt as if he was a distant friend of mine.

Nobody knew what happened to the Euphul Rescue Expedition, and the mystery had sparked a plethora of rumors attempting to explain what happened. Some stories said that the search party had gotten stuck in the mountains and resorted to cannibalism and all other manner of barbarism. Other's said that they were murdered by violent natives. There were even some that said they had been stalked and killed by some kind of carnivorous beasts, such as a polar bear or a pack of wolves.

The leading theory held by experts is that the expedition had simply lost themselves to the environment; hypothermia and tuberculosis were the most likely causes. However, I always found it hard to believe that a group of highly trained soldiers, stocked with all the resources they would need for their journey would merely succumb to the elements.

No, it had to be something more, something beyond our understanding. Something more horrifying than any of the stories could hope to replicate.

~Break~

(Twenty Years Earlier)

"What is he saying?" Naruto asked, his arms crossed as he and another soldier stood in a large tent. They were granted a meeting with an elder of the Ewhait tribe, a people native to the area.

Alongside them was a young tribe member who spoke their tongue and volunteered to serve as a translator, "He tells me that he has seen the man of which you speak. He recalls meeting him almost a year ago."

The elder continued, speaking in a language that Naruto found to be utterly incomprehensible. These native types were a complete mystery to him. He found their culture to be incredibly bizarre and primitive but decided to reserve any unwarranted judgment. He needed their help if he was going to locate his missing comrades, after all.

"He mentions a man with grey hair and a mask covering the bottom of his face, just as you described," the translator explains after the elder finished. "He says that the man was dressed in a manner very similar to you. He vividly recalls the blue color of the visitor's uniform."

The standard garb of their military was made from navy-blue wool. Soldiers wore military frock coats along with pants of the same color and a pair of black leather riding boots that nearly reached the knees. Officers also had their ranks displayed by patches on their shoulders, as well as peaked caps atop their heads. The Winter variation of this attire included a navy-blue overcoat with dark fur-lining in the interior and around the wrists and the neck, all along with a pair of thick woolen gloves; all of which was what Naruto and his second-in-command, First Lieutenant Sasuke Uchiha, were wearing now.

Naruto nodded before turning to Sasuke, "Kakashi was definitely here," he said. "We were correct. It seems that this was the route they used to make it toward the mountains."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "How do we know that we can trust these people?" he asked, quietly enough for the translator not to hear. "True, most native tribes we've met in the past have been relatively peaceful, but this particular tribe is one we've never encountered before. It's...possible that they're responsible somehow."

Naruto nodded before turning toward the translator, "Boy, are there any violent tribes in this area?" he asked.

The young teen shook his head, "No sir. We are the only tribe around for many miles, and we do not desire conflict with anyone. We are not strong warriors."

Seeming satisfied with the answer, Naruto switched his attention back to the elder, "Which way did they take to the mountains?" he asked, making an effort to enunciate his words perfectly and with high volume.

Despite the language barrier, at the mention of the mountains the elder's eyes widened and he began spouting off in his language. The translator seemed to struggle following the man's words, and Naruto and Sasuke could only stand in wait.

"He says that...he warned your friend not to go there...and he issues the same warning to you as well," the translator explained in a grave tone. "He says that the mountains of Euphul are not meant to be occupied by people. There is only death there."

Naruto frowned, "Euphul...what does that mean?"

"There is no exact translation for it in your language," the translator responded with a grim look. "But the meaning of the word in our culture is similar to what you refer to as...hell."

A particularly powerful gust of wind caused the flaps of the tent to flutter about chaotically. The elder then rose to his feet and slowly approached Naruto directly. Sasuke made to stop him, but a look from Naruto told him that it was okay. Once within arms reach, the elder grabbed Naruto's shoulders in a vice grip.

"Please..." he begged in broken English before continuing on in his own language.

Without needing to be prompted the speak, the translator explained, "He begs you not to go. He says that the ancestors of our ancestors attempted to explore the mountains and that stories are still told of how none returned. He does not wish for you to die in such a place."

Naruto removed himself from the elder's grip and gently placed a hand on the man's shoulder, "I must save an old friend," he explained with a smile. "I appreciate your concern, but I cannot turn back now."

The translator repeated his words to the elder, and the man's shoulder's sagged in defeat. He then sat back on the ground and closed his eyes, as if sleeping, but he continued to speak quietly to himself. Naruto merely watched him with a raised brow, whereas Sasuke shook his head at the display.

"What is he doing?" Naruto asked without looking away.

The translator seemed as if he didn't want to answer, but a stern look from Sasuke forced him to do so.

"He...he is praying," the boy stuttered, struggling to make out the elder's soft words. "He prays that your deaths will be swift, that you'll die from the cold or sickness or become wise enough to...t-take your own lives…For once you begin your journey to the Mountains of Euphul, there is no turning back...only death awaits you all...only death."

No words could describe the feeling that briefly flooded through the two soldier's chests at that moment. Though, if one were tasked with choosing the correct words to describe the sensation flooding the two men, they would need only one.

Trepidation.

~Break~

(The Following Morning)

The seemingly endless sea of snow was rather daunting as the search party began their long trek through the arctic tundra. From above, they likely appeared like little blue ants exploring the landscape, and quite honestly, many felt that way. Despite the warnings from the elder tribesman, the search party had begun their journey at dawn.

While walking through the snow-covered tundra, it was difficult not to notice the eerie absence of any plant or animal life. Only in the distance, at the base of the mountains were they able to see thick woodlands which would hopefully serve as a suitable location to avoid some of the wind chill, as well as a place to hunt in case they ran out of food.

"So he was like, what, a shaman or something?" one of the soldiers asked, a rugged looking man named Kiba Inuzuka.

At his side in the line of soldiers was Second Lieutenant Shikamaru Nara, the de facto third in command of the expedition. He graduated in the same class as Naruto and Sasuke, and the three had served together many times throughout their young careers.

"He was simply the tribe's leader. There's no evidence to support the idea of him being a shaman, or any other sort of 'magical' figure for that matter," Shikamaru explained, his voice dull as if he were speaking to a child.

Kiba, who was lugging his equipment on his back and his musket in his hands seemed unconvinced, "Yeah, but how do you know that he's not a wizard or something like that?"

"Because there's no such thing as magic, moron."

Kiba glared due to the insult but quickly got over it as they continued on. How could someone focus on staying mad in such weather? He had never been so cold in his life, and the further they marched it seemed that the temperature only decreased even further. Sure, he and the others had grown used to serving in subzero temperatures, but this wind was like nothing they had ever experienced before.

"Fuck!" Kiba shouted, the vapor from his mouth condensing into a fog-like cloud in front of his mouth. "This wind chill is fucking ridiculous. It could rip the flesh away from your bones!"

Shikamaru could only nod in agreement. He'd much rather be at home, playing chess with his father or taking a nap under the tree in his family's garden. He had never really wanted to be a soldier, but it was a job that ran in his family, so he felt like he had little choice in the matter. An adverse effect of choosing such a path was the fact that he could get roped into shit like this.

~Break~

A bit further behind in the line, there was an incredibly pale man with inky black hair sketching the surrounding environment with tremendous detail. He expertise included detailed drawings and cartography. His role on this expedition was to draw images of the surrounding area as well as make detailed maps.

"How can you keep your hands steady enough to draw in this shit?" a voice behind him asked.

He looked over his shoulder and saw a grouchy looking man with straight-white hair and almond-shaped purple eyes.

"It is difficult," he confessed. "But it takes your mind off of the cold a great deal."

The man smirked, revealing oddly sharp teeth, "You're Sai, right? The name's Suigetsu."

Sai nodded in acknowledgment before going back to his drawing. Frankly, there wasn't much TO draw, other than what appeared to be a snowy, desolate wasteland. The fact that the government had any interest at all in exploring this place was beyond him.

"So," Suigetsu said, speaking up again; he was clearly someone that talked a lot when bored. "What do you think happened to the first sorry saps that came here?"

Without hesitation, Sai responded, his voice lacking any real emotion, "It's highly likely that they ventured too far into the woods or mountains and either starved to death or died from hypothermia."

Suigetsu hoisted his musket up to carry it over his shoulder rather than against his chest and hummed in contemplation. Truthfully, they all probably had their own little theories for what happened to the research expedition, and none likely had any happy endings.

"Can't help but agree," Suigetsu replied with a grin. "But let's keep that to ourselves. The last thing we want is for the Captain to find out we've been talking like this."

Sai tilted his head in confusion. His pale cheeks were reddening against the ferocity of the wind, and he actually had to adjust the fur lining on his overcoat a bit to further protect his face. The paper was nearly dropped from his hands, and he wisely decided that it could be finished later and put it into one of the pockets of his overcoat.

"Why is that?" Sai finally responded after putting his work away.

Suigetsu scoffed, "Our Captain is a big softie when it comes to Colonel Hatake; turns out they go way back. So I doubt he'd appreciate us talking about how all of them are probably dead. You know?"

Upon hearing him mentioned, Sai looked up toward the front of the line to see Captain Naruto leading the group. He was their superior officer, and they all respected him a great deal. At only age twenty-six, Captain Naruto had achieved far more in the military than most his age; achievements which included several medals and awards commending his bravery and valor as an explorer and a soldier.

"I hope that Colonel Hatake is alive, for Captain Naruto's sake," Sai confessed. Such kind words seemed foreign in his mouth, his voice belaying nothing.

Suigetsu cupped his hands over his mouth and breathed into them to stimulate some heat. It likely didn't achieve much, but it was more of a way of convincing your body that it wasn't so cold. Half the battle in environments like this was mental, all for the sake of preserving one's sanity.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up," Suigetsu eventually responded. "You said it yourself, those sorry bastards are probably dead as can be."

Sai hoped not.

~Break~

At the front of the line, Naruto and Sasuke were walking side-by-side. The thirty-eight men behind them were relying on their direction and guidance along this journey, and Sasuke was continually checking his compass to make sure they were on course.

Out of everyone in the group, they both seemed to be handling the weather best. They were both some of the most experienced of their countrymen when it came to time spent in the Northern Continent. They had been a part of and led several expeditions north, but they had yet to ever go THIS far north; frankly, no one had until Colonel Hatake was sent on his expedition. Nevertheless, it was due to this level experience that they were chosen to lead the mission in the first place.

"Have you thought at all about what that tribe elder said?" Sasuke asked after quickly confirming that they were still on track. "You know, about how the place we're going to is called 'hell' in their tongue? About how there is no doubt that we'll die?"

Naruto looked at him in his peripheral, "Of course I have," he confessed. "But I was never of the belief that what we were walking into was going to be pretty anyway. So needless to say, my expectations were already quite low."

"Still, these people are the experts of these lands," Sasuke pressed. "They've lived here for thousands of years, and even they stay away from here."

Naruto finally turned fully in Sasuke's direction, still maintaining his pace, "What is this about?" he asked. "Was it not you who questioned the validity of their statements in the first place, saying that we couldn't fully trust them?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and remained pointed forward as they continued on. It was clear that something was eating at him, which was decidedly odd. Sasuke was always the type to stay utterly calm under pressure, so seeing him worry made Naruto very uncomfortable.

"I had an odd dream after we spoke with that old man," Sasuke confessed, apparently angry at his own perceived weakness.

"Of what kind?"

"A nightmare," Sasuke clarified. "But it was no ordinary nightmare. It was vivid and clear as the ground before me."

The idea of Sasuke Uchiha getting rattled by a nightmare would usually make Naruto laugh and tease him. But right now, seeing Sasuke's eyes and body language, he knew that it was no laughing matter.

"What happened in this dream?" he asked in a reassuring voice.

Sasuke seemed reluctant to continued, but eventually did so, "I was standing out here, staring at the mountains," he explained. "I could feel the wind on my face and the snow crunching under my boots, same as I do now. Only it was evening, and I could see the stars in the night sky as clear as I ever had. Then, just as I began getting more comfortable in the environment, a tall, thin, shadow of a man appeared before me and engulfed my vision completely. It was….frightening."

"It was just a dream, my friend," Naruto assured with a pat on the shoulder. "I'll admit that I share your worry, but I continue to remind myself of why we're here. Kakashi is missing somewhere out there, and it's our job to bring him back. We can't afford to turn back now, not when we owe him so much."

Sasuke glared in his direction and hissed, "I would never propose going back. Do you take me for a coward?"

Naruto remained silent for several moments, not affected or offended at all by Sasuke's burst of frustration. It was understandable for him to feel such a way, especially if he was suffering from bad dreams. It was also clear that his pride was wounded as well, and that he was ashamed of his anxiety.

"Hey," Naruto said after a few minutes, having a good idea to alleviate the tension. "When we find Kakashi do you think we'll finally get a chance to look under his mask?"

The question made Sasuke smirk despite himself. It was a bit of an inside joke between the two of them that carried on from their younger days. They had known Kakashi since they were twelve-years-old; so over fourteen years. And yet, despite having such a long-lasting friendship, they had never seen him without his iconic mask.

"Maybe," Sasuke proposed, his spirits lifted significantly. "Either way, we'll have to report our findings to Sakura after we bring him home."

Naruto smiled even further, "I'll have Sai draw a picture of Kakashi's face once we find him. Then, you can show it to your lovely wife. Does that work for you?"

"Yes. I'm sure Sakura will be happy."

~Break~

It was now evening, too cold and dark for the expedition to continue onward. They had yet to reach the woods, so they set up camp in the middle of the tundra. The snow was frozen to the point where it was hard as ice, so they were able to set up their tents easily enough. They had a roaring fire set up, and while most were sleeping there was a group of the men sitting fireside late into the night.

Seated down were four men, one of which was Genma Shiranui, one of the many soldiers assigned to the group due to his expertise in tracking and hunting. Alongside him were two longtime friends, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, both snipers that served in the War of the Rock Lands. And finally, the last member of their little group was Omoi, unique for being the only black man on the entire expedition.

"I gotta say, Omoi," Genma said after chewing on some dried meat. "No offense, but you look even darker now that we're surrounded by all this snow."

Everyone chuckled at the joke, including Omoi. The expedition had been comprised of individuals that the higher ups knew would be able to work together, so anyone harboring racist sentiments wouldn't have been allowed on anyway. Therefore, Omoi was pretty much treated the same as everyone else, despite the times they lived in.

"I wish I could say the same for you, but you're pasty as ever," Omoi countered, earning uproarious laughter from Izumo and Kotetsu, as well as a smirk from Genma himself.

"Funny, funny," Genma admitted before taking another bite of meat. "Serious question though, did you guys get messed up by the sun today too? It reflects off of the snow like mad and burned the hell out of my face."

Izumo shook his head, "I was more focused on the harsh wind trying to rip my skin off."

Omoi and Kotetsu nodded in agreement. Out of everyone in the expedition, they were some of the less experienced when it came to serving in below zero temperatures, hence the reason they were huddled by the fire, seemingly for dear life while the others slept comfortably.

"Captain Naruto said that we'll quickly become used to the environment," Omoi explained. "The first few days are always apparently the worst."

Genma spat into the air and watched it land onto the snow.

"Never thought the day would come when I took orders from someone nearly twenty years my junior," he admitted. "Figured I would have advanced up a bit more by now."

Kotetsu frowned, "Then maybe you should have gone through Officer's School like Captain Naruto did, then maybe you'd be calling the shots?"

Genma didn't seem to take the jab too personally and merely shrugged his shoulders before leaning forward and rubbing his hands in front of the fire.

"You're not wrong there," he admitted. "Still, I can't say things are all bad. I mean, how often do you get to explore the only uncharted region on the globe? I'll sure as hell have some stories to bring back home after this."

The others nodded in agreement. Most of then men on this expedition had no ties to any of the missing men, so they viewed this more as an adventure to a mysterious land. Sure, the cold was unbearable at times, but this was the kind of mission where legends were made. They'd be talked about for decades after this. The men who conquered the uninhabitable region.

"You think we'll get any credit for the rescue?" Omoi asked.

Genma shook his head, "Nah, Captain Naruto and Lieutenant Uchiha will likely get all of the credit. People like us don't get medals or awards."

Izumo inclined his head in agreement, "Usually it's the ones who lead expeditions like this that get remembered forever. Those that went along are often forgotten to history."

Omoi prepared to speak again, "That's not-" but he was interrupted.

A bone-chilling sound echoed throughout the snowy landscape, loud enough to where everyone could hear. It sounded like an odd mix between a moaning human and a wounded animal, but it was a sound far louder than any person or beast was capable of making. The sound itself penetrated their flesh and rattled their bones, leading them to stand up on shaky legs.

"What...what the fuck?" Genma managed to get out.

Soon, everyone was awake, having cleared their tents in a commotion. Captain Naruto exited his quarters and stared off into the distance of the sound. His overcoat had been removed, and he was dressed only in his standard military garb. Nevertheless, the cold seemed to affect him very little, and he walked forward to the edge of the camp, his eyes now narrowed.

In his hand was a revolver, and it was clear that he was prepared to use it. Lieutenants Uchiha and Nara exited their tents soon after and made to stand at their friend's side. Everyone in the encampment was silent as the harrowing sound continued.

Most had their muskets gripped tightly in their hands, and a couple could even be seen praying. Much to his shame, a bespectacled young man by the name of Chojuro was finding it difficult to remain standing. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a locket from around his neck and gripped it in his hands tightly.

"Miss Mei..." was all he said as he prepared for the worst.

At the edge of the camp, Naruto and his fellow officers had yet to speak. It was clear that they were attempting to gain an understanding of the situation before taking action. As experienced as they were, they had never heard such a sound before in their entire lives.

"That's no animal I've ever heard," Sasuke commented calmly as the three men stood there, baffled.

Shikamaru was quick to offer up a theory, "Nobody has ever ventured to these mountains and came back to tell the tale. Perhaps it is the sound of an animal unique only to this area?"

Naruto's expression remained grim. With all things considered, things had been going reasonably well thus far on their journey. Yet, as of this moment, they were thrown their first curveball. It was moments like this in which he often wondered how his father would do. Upon mulling it over in his mind, he made a decision.

"We'll keep pushing forward in the morning. For now, we remain calm and focus on the objective," Naruto stated resolutely before turning back and walking to his tent.

Sasuke and Shikamaru exchanged a brief, grave, glance before doing the same. Nobody slept well that night, or any night after, for that matter.

~End~

….What is the most horrifying story that you've ever heard?