Gǔjiàn Hé Gǔqín

In the vastness of the crumbling world there was a man and a sword. He spoke little and knew no smile. He was burdened with the will of a higher power and the actions of the past that lay beyond his reach and redemption. A pain was set upon him on the nights of the waning moon that no word or reason would diminish.

He was bound to the last by a fate unwanted.

我有同志？

The door in the side of the mountain stood taller than any of them. It was made of something that seemed very much like glass. Mist and fog swirled with a controlled ferocity. Where the doors met there was a small coffin shaped piece of metal that kept it sealed. There was a vast sea of crimson within it.

"This is not reassuring," Naruto commented.

No one argued. They stared simply with wide, disbelieving eyes and mouths that hung open. Some later shuffled their feet. The fear that had plagued their captivity had returned and almost all was caught within it.

"This is a place of danger," Orochimaru declared gravely. "We should all be alert."

"Yea," Naruto glowered. "The door with smoke swirling inside it didn't give me that impression in the slightest. Neither did the masses of demons murdered on our way here."

Sasuke ignored them. He stepped towards it despite his instincts rebelling. The sound of a throat being cleared stopped him. He peered over his shoulder.

Otokaze was wringing his hands pitifully. "Young sir, I would like to thank you for all of your efforts. Please, if you don't return, what is your name?"

A burst of anger flared within. He fought against the strange haze of absolute fury that boiled within his mind.

He turned back to the door. "Sasuke,"

"Wait," Orochimaru stepped towards his servant. "There are few in this realm* who understand powers as my companion does. She, no doubt, has sound words to offer you."

All eyes turned to her but no sound was uttered in response. She stood, hunched forward, hands clasped. Her eyes peered sightlessly ahead. Her lips were curved firmly downwards as if in severe disapproval.

"Speaking of names," Naruto broke the silence with a touch of caution. "Who is your servant?"

Orochimaru replied at once. The tiny touch of reluctance was barely perceptible. "Her name is Tsuki*,"

"There is great power within that place. I would urge you to turn away if I could," she wheezed. "As I cannot, I offer you this instead – ensure that no worry lies in your heart. If you go within with fear or anxiety I dare not consider the consequences. Know only this: if you do not heed me the danger of that place it will become far greater. You would require the speed of thought for escape."

Naruto looked at him and then to the door. The power inside seemed as if it were waiting to burst out. He shuddered.

Sasuke inclined his head out of politeness. "I understand,"

He stepped towards it without any hesitation. The soft crunch of earth beneath his boots seemed loud and yet near silent. He felt no change within himself or in the others as he came to a stop before it. He brought the item out and held it on his palm before the little crimson lock.

The swirling within the door changed in an imperceptible way. The crimson of the lock flared and began to slowly fade away. He watched it intently. The doors groaned loudly. They drew slightly inwards before swinging outwards.

"Wait," Tsuki called. "Are you truly understanding of your own heart? There are many who would enter bravely but not return."

"Don't worry," Naruto grinned. "I can go in with him. I don't mind. I need to do something, after all. The prison can make you really tired. I should do something that really needs me at my best from now on."

"That is foolish," Orochimaru reproached. "However, I do understand what you intend. I know also that there can be no word to change your intentions. If it does not go against your wishes, Sasuke, I shall join you two. I believe that Tsuki will have told me enough over the course of our time that I could be of use without being as a hindrance."

Sasuke turned back to the door. "Your company is welcome,"

Orochimaru approached slowly. His hands were clasped, hidden beneath the folds of his sleeves. His elbow nudged Naruto as if to discourage him from the path. It didn't. They joined Sasuke at the open door and peered in with caution and curiosity. There was nothing to be seen but the darkness. There was no draft of air going in or coming out. No sound could penetrate it.

"That is only a fraction of what you face," Tsuki warned. "As I have warned you before, this is a place where you must not feel fear. If you have even the slightest worry you could suffer the direst of consequences."

She lowered her head as they entered. Her eyes, however, followed Orochimaru with unrestrained anxiety. She clasped her hands together and they vanished beneath her sleeves. A strange little bracelet had been sewn into the coarse fabric. She ran her fingers along it, mouthing words and prayers of old for his safe return.

"Don't worry," Otokaze urged, unable to conceal his own worry from his voice. "Your master will come back. That Sasuke will make sure of it."

She glanced at him wearily. "I do not worry for my lord,"

Glances were exchanged and questions were raised in the ensuing silence. Tsuki said no more.

"No…"

Naruto's whine echoed in the vast chamber. It had been hewn from the mountain without much detail given to precision. The floor was uneven and somewhat treacherous in places. The walls folded inwards in strange curves only to disappear behind its walls. The ceiling was little better than the walls and floor. It too lurched downward in a clumsy manner that gave a terrifying sensation of imminent collapse.

There were jagged pillars that rose up into shadows. The few that there short enough revealed tips sharp enough to make anyone intruder immediately look away. They were bound by thick chains. The chains were tied in unforgiving knots that no human hand could break and no mortal sword could damage. Each pillar was bound by its chain that eventually stretched away towards the ceiling.

There were strips of crimson material - large enough for sails - that clung to the chains. The material was nearer to the pillars than the centre. If it had been stretched all along the steam from the giant metal pot would have destroyed it in little time. As it was the pot was steaming a wispy grey smoke that rose and slithered to the floor.

Beneath the pot was a hole in the ground. It was deep – though the pot was on elevated ground – and in it burned fierce flames. The heat penetrated deep into the mountain and swallowed all who entered. It would have been enough to light the chamber even through the haze of smoke. The little candles dotted about were - if anything - a hindrance to its strength.

Sasuke strode forward. There was no true echo. The ghostly call of his steps was mimicked but the sound seemed far away and almost as if by someone else. The fire crackled and hissed to itself. He ignored its sounds that could have been mistaken for the echo of his steps. He refused to believe it was something so simple as that. His instincts were telling him to pay heed.

Sasuke stopped and turned to look back at his companions, knowing full well the danger that he invited by doing so. Orochimaru's eyes flickered gradually from place to place as if he wanted to memorise every detail of it. His solemn expression betrayed no emotion at all.

Naruto was horrified yet again by the sight of a corpse.

"He was not someone that could be saved," Orochimaru said simply. "It should not be your place to mourn. There are other matters for us to attend to."

"No," he snapped, suddenly wrathful. "This man died. Do you see anyone else? How can I not mourn? If I don't then who will? No one knows that he's dead. I can't be heartless like you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped. There was a strange air about the chamber that he was only beginning to notice. He looked to the centre of the room. The pot was unchanged.

Naruto kneeled down by the body.

Sasuke barked. "Stop,"

He too approached the corpse and knelt down. His eyes flickered about the body. The clothes were intact and there were no blood stains to be seen. He didn't seem to possess any bruises or cuts either.

"Do you believe it was a demon?" Orochimaru enquired. "I sense no presences but our own."

Naruto muttered to himself. "Probably because they were all murdered,"

Sasuke nodded slowly. "Don't touch it,"

The blond shot him a glare but said nothing. He lowered his head as if embarrassed to say any more than he had already. His misgivings were as palpable as ever.

"What about his soul?" he asked quietly. "If he isn't buried his soul won't be able to rest. If anyone passes through here after a long enough time…"

Orochimaru glowered. "Would you like me to carry him out? Would you like me to leave you both here to the mercy of this place?"

"No!" he snapped. "I don't. That's not what I-"

"This could be the work of demonic forces," Sasuke said simply. "He has no injuries. It could be poison. It could be a curse. If we take him from this place they too might be consumed. We should leave him here. If you care that much you can offer him a prayer on our way out."

He sighed. "I know…"

However, no sooner were the words out of his mouth than there was a slight shift. There were no eyes upon it. However, as Naruto rose, there was the briefest of contact made. He leaped to his feet with a sudden shriek.

"That!" he exclaimed. "The body just… just… moved!"

They looked over. Sure enough, though just by a fraction, the man's fingers twitched. The rustle of his clothes soon revealed other slight shifts in his positioning.

"Ah," Orochimaru was the first to speak: the first to regain his clarity. "This must be because of the chamber's power. Do not fret, Naruto. The man must have been alive all this time. There is no power here that can revive the dead."

Naruto nodded, encouraged by the elder's words. Sasuke wasn't as convinced. He rose gradually to his feet. His eyes didn't stray in even the slightest from the unconscious man.

He spoke lowly, his suspicions returning. "There is no power here?"

Orochimaru offered a wise smile and spoke as if for the first time. "There is no power, Sasuke. However, there is a remedy to restore life to the dead. It can be forged. It would take great skill and many years to gather the necessary ingredients. Perhaps I could gift it to you for aiding us in ridding the world of this Special Jade,"

Naruto stepped back. "No, you can't. Orochimaru, you can't! You can't bring the dead back to life. You can't destroy the cycle of being,"

Neither gave him a response. It was quite clear, however, that Sasuke had been tempted. His eyes grew distant as he stared into what remained of his terrible past. The faces of his people, of Rin, of his mother and of his caring, guiding elder flickered through his mind.

Orochimaru answered before he could ask. "I can only forge one. I have not the years or strength for more, nor do I possess the inclination to search for them,"

The unconscious man made a low groaning sound in the back of his throat. His shoulders hunched. His eyes burst open and he stared up with dark eyes that saw nothing.

"Well," Orochimaru struggled not to give himself away. "What do you think, Sasuke? Do we have a deal?"

Author's Note: I do hate falling behind with things. This is absolutely no exception. However, I do suppose that I should be apologising. I am sorry. I apologise if my change of username has caused you any inconvenience. I do believe that this is the one and only time that I will do such a thing. As such, this issue should not arise again. Thank you for reading.

*I can see this translation being misinterpreted terribly.

*Realm – this is the Jiānghú. That translates to 'Rivers and Lakes'.

*Tsuki – this is not her name. She is a highly recognisable character. As such, I had to change her name until the grand revelation.