Extended Summary

The disappearance of his only family member has urged him into an all out panic. And though the police don't believe him, Sasuke relies on the old fairytale stories his older brother told him. But as he follows the strange path Sasuke finds himself stepping across the threshold between the modern world and into a place just above insanity.

With the chance meeting of a feisty blond who agrees to help him, Sasuke finds Itachi's journal and learns the truth that he is living his own brothers' work.

Battling against The Snake of Corpses, he'll wade through fields of the dead. Keeping his new friend and lover from the clutches of Akatsuki, Sasuke rises as the foretold Hero in the many volumes his mysterious brother created.

With all the quests and missions weighing down on the boys shoulders; like the responsibility to bring the Hyuuga and Sabaku Kingdoms from fighting, as well as the Prophecy of DeathWalker -Necromancer of the Nine Immortal Demons, will Sasuke be able to find his brother before the Gate between these two realms close? Or will the existence of these treasured documents pitch them towards the fated ending of Itachi's writings?

Prologue

He stumbled, breathing hoarse in the blackness engulfing him. Falling to his knees he knew that the white stained statue was near. Adrenaline his cracked voice chocked out, calling for the partner that had been with him through this hellish nightmare.

A yip responded to him over the sound of splashes from the waterfall just close by. Peering up the waning moon hidden, only the stars muffled light coated upon the small ledge. He eyed the area.

Kneeling at the rocky drop off the bare spot is elevated slightly in the air, tree line at the side climbing higher towards the mountain peek. The statue there, just above him towering the empty shadows across his form. Water sprinkled down and he sat back on his haunches. Face blank, just looking at the figure torn between amazement and longing.

The flash of movement, a little creature pounced out from behind the pearl sculpture to yap happily at its master. A tail whipped to the side and the beady blue orbs blinked, head cocking to its shoulders giving the human male a look at in expectance.

A laugh escaped his lips a current of fondness setting through his being from the previous distressed state. Fighting to push himself from the muddy ground he pulled forth a diary log, wrapped in plastic, from his back pouch. The smell of earth dirtying his pants, the last of his torn clothing. Feet blistered and stinging, torso riddled with the slashes of a fresh fight he stepped forward clutching at his ribcage. A mirthful breeze blew freezing air past, wracking through his long messy hair. He whipped his head to the side clearing his vision as he approached the awaiting friend watching him, jittering muscles in clear anticipation to leave this place with him.

He sunk to his kneecaps slower then before, reaching out under the frozen figure to claw at the dank mud. A purr left the occupants mouth who moved to sniff about his working hand nudging at the digits and mewing. Black booted paws began digging at the earth along with him stopping every now and then to snort and scan the woods behind the human who set in the plastic journal, packing the dirt back on top.

"You've done good my friend." A rub between the ears on the soft orange fur and the beast purred louder its large ears twitching. Blue eyes swirled, a growl shuddering through its body as the long tail puffed.

A shriek roared, breaking the cool night. A flock of birds took flight in frightened acknowledgement, though the ten or so birds only exited the tops of the forest before they stilled, falling down dead. Their beady eyes having had spotted the undead creature slashing through the undergrowth to reach the company of the two on the ledge. The risen deformed corpse carrying the foul stench of poisonous miasma of death like a cloak strangling the life from them.

The human male rose to his feet unsteadily, whipping the long blade from his leather holster. It was the only weapon he had, but efficient enough. Markings burned to life in a faint blue onto the silver blade. He made a glance at them making sure all the characters were alive and ready for another fight. Looking to his side he tensed his shoulders seeing the demon fox equipping itself for battle. The feral grow, teeth elongated. Deep in the back of the creatures throat he could see the illuminating white light searing in power. A thin trickle of smoke drifted from its muzzle. Slitted irises, red invading the blue with a swirl as they narrowed on the advancing beast.

Coughing, the back of his own mouth could not handle the effects of the intense demon magic spewing into the atmosphere. He sucked in a breath as another howl bellowed through the vicinity. They were trapped on the ledge. To go up was nothing but the airborne spray of water, and down the icy waters slicing at the gorging riverbanks.

A grunting call rising louder, the dead fetcher knew it was hot on its trail, victims up ahead. With a final ravage at a thorny bush, it thrashed through the underbrush to leap onto the outcrop.

The awful smell of decay and puss met their noses. He wrinkled his brow crouching, knife out at his side. It had once been human itself. Though after the rotting years it had been called forth from the dead to do a necromancers bidding. The empty body having not been buried properly was slim pickings to the sorcerer who created a vassal soul from the earths life-force mixing it with the humans soul, forcing it back into the body and giving it a single task. Given on the task, the power would mold its form to however suitable it would be for the mission. This was forbidden magic.

Slinking before them was the result. The humanoid monster hunched forward. Its back heels had been remodeled as a dogs, bending opposite of the knees. A much faster means for it to run digging its nails and flailing like a mad animal. Flesh and meat was missing from its hunt and prior battles with him and other things of the forest. Its arms were longer, hanging loosely in front of itself with cracked wrists and bone-hard claws curling four inches out. Those nasty things having slashed countless times at his body. The head was intact, all for the bottom jaw which he, himself had ripped out. Only its tongue lolled sickly, gurgling sticky blood to the grass. It had once been a man, a large robust man. The naked form lethal and unnaturally strong. Now the skin was deathly white, paper-thin and easy to tear through. Though that wouldn't matter. This thing would keep going and going. If the bones and the magic controlling them were in place it would go until its mission was completed.

Its eyes were missing as well, the raw muscles moving as if they were still there, a chin rising as it sized them up. Their position, stature and the ground they stood upon. It seemed pleased with itself and it screeched again raising the hair on the males arms. This creature had a name, its mission and form, to the way it hunted and howled. A hound.

It attacked.

He dodged to the side, tumbling out of the way form a swinging arm. It skidded and reared back dancing madly away from the fox who tore a chuck of meat from its back leg. Lunging before the human could stand back up they collided to the earth. Hound and human.

The male launched the blade deep into its cold gut whispering an incantation. Through the stomach he could feel the pulse of the marks dancing into a inward attack. A shattering cry echoed off the rocks giving him the notice his spell was working, the blade burning hotter and brighter suddenly shooting into a fiery sword impaling the creature. He could see the flaming blade over its shoulders.

The undead took no time in the teen's victory though. Its orders firmly set, the capture and return of its masters most precious slave. It had been given the means to such encounters. A curdling growl it took hold of both shoulders of the young male. Forbidden power coursed through its form the capture inevitable. It had been three long days of the hunt and finally the prey was too tired to fight back properly.

Red eyes the tiny fox yipped, its tail stiffing straight behind itself and the small mouth opened spitting fire onto the things back. The hound withered once, ignoring the attacking flames eating away at it's flesh. The fox became panicked, not old enough for more powerful magic to send the spirit back through the gates of death. It was not wise enough to know the abilities to battle earth life-force and forbidden melded together. Stalking around the side, it watched mewling as the pinned human floundered pulling out the knife to stab again in frantic jerks.

Necromancer magic exploded from the hound in a wave knocking the fox back almost over the edge. Looking back the vulpus watched in startled fascination as the dead mans ribs opened. Intestines, stomach, heart, liver, lungs and among other things spilled out discarded not needing them. The bones shifted reaching and clasping around the shouting human pulling the male in and hugging the human, closing the ribcage closed again.

Unable to do anything the fox cried calling for the struggling boy.

"N-Naruto! Go to the Outer Lands! Wait for him there! He'll show up I know he will!"

Wailing in laughter the undead sunk his claws into the ground before hunkering away in a lopsided trot, human dangling in its insides screaming in damned curses towards his capturer.

Huffing air a whimper the kits ears flattened as it scrambled to the tree line staring under the faint light seeing the tottering thing gleaming disgustingly climbed over logs, jumped stealthily and disappeared from view. Another moment passed alone, but the fox knew they would not kill the human. He's the SilverPen. Lord Orochimaru would never let anyone own SilverPen other then himself. So at least the child was safe, for now. Though living as the slave in the inner chambers and guarded like a jewel it was not a favored life for someone with that males zest.

The twitch of a tail, the fox looked at the standing statue. This particular one had not existed at all in this world until the young boy had found who Orochimaru really was. After writing the unknown journal the stone pearl had came into creation of its own accord. It had been a matter of finding it and burying the diary before being captured. That had been number one priority these passed three days of traveling and searching, staying alive and out of the hound's clutches till now.

Orochimaru, the Snake of Corpses had won for now, but so had they.

wal'la! the first piece of the story. right now i have not chosen any other pairings besides SasuNaru. -shrugs- go ahead and give me a suggestion. we should start a pole.