Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing 'Scroll'!

You should check out my Ghost Hunt Fanfic "Key," YssaLovesOrange ^ v ^ It reached 80 chapters (excluding the sneak peak for its sequel and the other things). Anyway, my apologies. I understand where you're coming from. I'm just so used to writing novels. And there are two other reasons:

One: I'm terribly conscious of how my chapters look when online – like if it looks too text-heavy, and too boring to read and stuff. (notice the number of one-liner paragraphs, hehehehe! ) I always watch out for the word count of my updates. Another reason as to why 'Scroll' hasn't "climaxed" yet is because it hasn't really been supposed to ^ v ^. Like I've said in the previous ANs, I don't answer or unfold answers to questions that quickly because there are facts and clues that need to be laid down. So all those dragging chapters, like Sasuke's dream about Sakura when he rode that ship to Nanashi village, Haru-chan and Sakura's chakra inside her, Houren's friendship with Jirotaiku, Jirotaiku's claims that he could save Sakura (now I'm giving hints. Damn!) – They all mean something in the story and play important roles to 'Scroll's ending. * v *

I upload , at least, every week moonfairy014. As for my country of origin, you're going to have to give me guess. ^ v ^

Here's this week's chapter, everyone - the big 50! ^ v ^ Tell me what you think about it!


Yoake gazed at the pile of wood Akio and his men were making in the town square from the window of the jail house that overlooked the square.

The light in the village had grown dimmer. The sun was setting, and Sakura's death was dawning.

He turned around to look at Sakura, who was at that moment dangling from the ceiling – chains holding her arms and keeping her feet from touching the floor.

Yoake walked closer to her.

"How does it feel," he asked, brushing a stray lock of pale pink hair away from her face. "To be sentenced to death? To know that you will be burned at the stake?"

He looked into her pale green eyes.

They were blank, just as he expected them to be.

"Oops," he said smiling. "You don't know you're going to be executed today, do you?" He then burst into a maniacal laughter. "Aw, Sakura-san. At least you're with Uchiha Sasuke now, aren't you? The enraged Uchiha Sasuke you love so much?"

He suddenly heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said.

The door opened and let Akio in. "The pile is ready," he said. "We've also secured the pole."

"And the fuel?"

"Ready," Akio proudly said. "She's the only one who isn't in the party yet."

Yoake smiled. "Good," he said. "Let's not keep her guests waiting." He looked at Sakura again. "Release her," he said. The chains unwound themselves from her wrists. Sakura's body crashed on the ground.

Akio pulled her up.

Yoake placed his hand on her chest – a white light bursting from the tips of his fingers. Sakura's legs suddenly stretched firmly, supporting her weight against the floor.

Akio sighed in amazement as he stepped away from Sakura. She looked like she was really conscious. "I'm still amazed at this technique of yours," he said. "It's like she's your puppet."

"She is," Yoake said. He then twirled his finger.

A chain dangling from the ceiling stretched down and held Sakura's wrists tightly behind her back. After looping three times around her wrists a part of the chain dissipated – cutting it from the ceiling. The loose end of the chain melted itself to one of the chain parts holding her wrists.

Yoake peeked out the window. The villagers were already around the pile of wood.

"Time to start the party," he said, excitement painting a smile on his face.

Akio led Sakura out of the room.

"Wait!" Yoake said, gliding out to the hall.

Akio and Sakura stopped.

Yoake looked into Sakura's pale eyes. He pointed his finger on one of them. A light shone from its tip.

Akio watched Sakura's pale green eyes turn a whiter shade of grey.

Yoake did the same with the other eye.

"You blinded her?" Akio asked.

"Just in case she finds the loophole in her dream," Yoake said. "Now go, and make sure no one else approaches her – not even the guards."

Akio nodded and led Sakura away.


Keiko sat staring at little Haru. They were in the living room of Choko's house. Haru was busy nibbling her big toe while Nae, daughter of one of Kaitaro's allies busied herself with folding Haru's clean clothes.

Keiko woke up in Choko's house, with Nae, looking after her.

"They're just in the town square for a meeting," Nae said, noticing the sad expression on Keiko's face. "You know how Lord Houren is."

Keiko nodded, eyes still fixed at Haru. "This is a terrible day," she mumbled.

Nae stiffened. Daiki and Kaitaro said Keiko had been asleep when Houren arrested Sakura. She had been asleep since her sentence was passed.

Could she be talking about Sakura's execution?

Haru-chan began to cry.

Nae gasped and quickly took the infant in her arms. "What is it, Haru-chan? Are you hungry?"

The infant wailed painfully, as if it was hurt.

Nae quickly checked her for any wounds.

"It's her chest," Keiko said. "It's throbbing."

Nae stared confused at Keiko. "How…do you know?"

Keiko just looked blankly at Haru-chan.

Haru-chan wailed louder.

"I-is there something I can do to help her?" Nae asked.

"Otou-san's ointment might help," Keiko said.

Nae nodded. "Najiko-san said she kept one in the medicine cabinet. Take care of Haru-chan for me while I get it, okay?"

Keiko nodded.

Nae handed Keiko the infant and quickly ran further into the house to get the medicine.

Keiko placed her hand on Haru-chan's chest. "Shh," she whispered as Haru-chan wailed in pain. "It's going to be alright." White light burst through Keiko's palm. A green light glowed in Haru's chest.

The infant started to calm down – her brown teary eyes tugging Keiko's heartstrings.

Keiko smiled and kissed Haru's forehead.


Sasuke opened his eyes.

This time, he saw the snowy ground, several huge tree roots, and a glistening sword made of ice. His skin gradually acknowledged the chill that came with the icy woods.

He looked up and saw Houren holding the sword against his throat.

Sasuke didn't speak. He just watched the grim expression on Houren's face.

Then the sword burst into smoke.

Sasuke raised a brow at him.

Houren only turned away.

Sasuke sat himself up, dark eyes fixed at Houren's retrieting form. "You'll just leave?"

"No point in killing you," Houren said. "If you destroy Konoha, at least Sakura gets to be with her love ones on the other side."

Sasuke didn't reply. He turned his head and noticed the open journal on the snow.

It was turned to a page…with a familiar handwriting.

"If you're so hell-bent on stopping Yoake, why didn't you just stop him yourself?" he asked. "Kill him."

Houren paused – grey eyes staring at the snowy ground. "Two things," he said. "None of my kin can die by my hand. When I kill them or try to kill them is the only time their immortality manifests."

"What's the other thing?" Sasuke asked.

Houren looked up at the dark sky. "Each one of them, no matter how different, good or evil they appear, proves to me that my memories of Keiko were real," he said. "That I did meet the perfect woman in the course of my existence and that I was lucky enough to make her love me, even if it was but a moment in my lifespan."

Houren began to walk away again.

Sasuke sighed. "Don't you get tired?" he asked.

"I do," Houren answered. "But when you love people because you do, you just can't get tired. You believe you do. But in reality, you can't."

Sasuke smirked. "I'm not going back," he said.

"I didn't expect you to," Houren said. "If you were Jirotaiku, I'd be surprised. But you're Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke scowled and glared coldly at the open journal.

"If you head east, you'll reach Konoha in a day and half," Houren said before he disappeared.

Sasuke sat on the snow for a moment, ignoring the numbness that the chill of the snow was giving his legs.

"If you destroy Konoha, at least Sakura gets to be with her love ones on the other side."

Sasuke stood and picked the journal up from the snow. He tucked it in the inside of his belt and started to walk away.


Akio secured Sakura to the pole in the middle of the wood pile.

The villagers eagerly watched him as he stepped away from the pile.

"Any last words?" Yoake asked Sakura.

She remained silent and staring at the wood pile on her feet.

"Justice be done," Yoake said, closing his eyes in prayer…in false prayer.

A soldier poured oil on the pile. Another soldier set the pile a blaze.

The crowd began to cheer as the flames crept up to Sakura's feet.

Black smoke quickly filled the air.

Daiki cursed and covered his nose as the scent of burning flesh touched his senses.

Choko and the others looked away. They couldn't get out of the crowd without alerting the soldiers securing the square, and telling everyone they were insurgents.

Kaitaro watched the flames devour Sakura with a blank expression on his face.

Perhaps Houren will take care of Keiko. Perhaps he could take her to wherever his heirs were supposed to go.

"Daiki," Kaitaro whispered.

Daiki glanced at him.

"Get Choko and the others out of the square."

Daiki stared confused at him. "Why?"

"Just get them out," Kaitaro whispered, his eyes fixed at Sakura.

"You're not doing this alone," Daiki hissed. "I want to help her too."

Kaitaro didn't look at him. He just kept his eyes at Sakura. "There's nothing else we can do to save her," he said. "We can only save the villagers who wish to be saved from all this mess."

Daiki stiffened. "Dr. Kayuki…"

"SAKURA IS INNOCENT!" the doctor shouted, calling the attention of Yoake, Akio, the soldiers and the celebrating crowd. "SHE DIDN'T MAKE THE DISEASE! HOUREN DID! Or rather, YOAKE – THE HEIR OF THE CHIEF THAT YOU ALL DESPISE SO MUCH! THE ONE YOU CALL, 'LORD HOUREN'!"

Yoake's eyes narrowed.

"Dr. Kayuki," a woman in the crowd said, staring frightenedly at him. "It's true then! You have been bewitched!"

"The doctor is defending the murderer!" shouted a wood cutter from the group. "He's committing treason!"

The rest of the crowd only stared baffled at the doctor. They couldn't believe that the man who had been helping them was a villain.

"What if he slipped poison into those medicines he gave us?" whispered one of them.

"Hey, I remember feeling sick after drinking one of his medicines," whispered another. "I vomited a lot on my way home."

Daiki glared at the merchant. "You got yourself overly drunk after you took the medicine he gave you! Of course you'll end up vomiting on your way home! I WAS THERE! I HAD TO DRAG YOUR FILTHY ASS TO YOUR HOUSE!"

"But I don't vomit that much before," the merchant defended. "The doctor made me sick!"

"His medicines don't work!" hissed the others.

"He was planning to kill us, infect us with the disease just like Sakura did," whispered the others.

"I can't believe we trusted him!"

"SHUT UP!" Daiki shouted. "ENOUGH! You're judging the doctor because of false claims!"

"Choko," Kaitaro hissed.

Choko looked at him.

"Grab everyone you can and run," Kaitaro said, eyes still fixed at Sakura.

Choko shakiliy nodded.

"If that's what you want to belive," the doctor shouted. "THEN I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" Kaitaro charged the crowd, causing the villagers to panic, the soldiers to attack, and Choko to pull their allies out of the square.

Daiki stayed with Kaitaro, hurling punches and kicks on the soldiers and the villagers who tried to hit the doctor.

Kaitaro pushed himself through the crowd, ignoring the kicks and hits he was receiving.

He kept his eyes on Sakura, thinking of how he could free her corpse from the bonfire.

Akio was in front of him in no time, glaring at him and raising his fist to hit Kaitaro square on the face.

Kaitaro took the hit, focusing on gripping Akio by the waist, sucking enough chakra from Akio to strengthen his limbs, and-

High-pitched sounds of screaming cranes echoed in the square. Blinding sparks of lightning burst into the entrance of the square, hurling soldiers into the commotion...toward the bon fire.

Yoake swiftly waved his hand, throwing the soldiers away before they fell on Sakura, toppling Kaitaro, Daiki, Akio and the others on the ground.

He glared at where the soldiers flew from.

There stood Sasuke, eyes wide and burning red at the sight of Sakura burning at the stake.

"SAKURA!"

Kaitaro gasped, recognizing the voice.

"Sasuke-san?" Daiki asked, pulling himself from the scrambling people on the ground.

The villagers stared shocked at Sasuke – his red eyes glaring icily at Yoake. Bright sparks of lightning danced around him.

Yoake smirked. "Well hello, Uchiha-sama," he said. "I didn't know you'd be here to watch Sakura die."

"DAMN YOU," Sasuke hissed, before he vanished - a furious gust of wind blazing toward the flames.

Yoake waved his hand, the flames devouring Sakura suddenly attacking the wind and revealing Sasuke who had already released several shurikens toward Yoake.

Yoake raised his hand – a barrier of ice bursting up from the snowy ground just before the shurikens hit his face. The barrier absorbed the shurikens and burst into snow crystals.

Sasuke landed beside the pile of people that included Daiki, Kaitaro and Akio who were staring in amazement at the battle of magic.

"Daiki!" Kaitaro shouted. "FREE HER!"

Daiki nodded and quickly ran to Sakura.

Akio, still on the ground, swiftly grabbed Daiki's ankle.

Yoake sent icicles on Sasuke's way.

Sasuke swiftly unsheathed his katana and sliced the icicles. He noticed Daiki's attempt to free himself from Akio's iron grip and swiftly threw three kunais to help him.

The kunais plunged themselves on Akio's hand, making him scream in pain.

Daiki pulled his ankle away and continued to run toward Sakura, only to be blocked by Yoake.

Sasuke was suddeny beside Daiki, slashing Yoake with his katana.

Yoake glared at Sasuke as the blade slashed his kimono. "Idiot," he hissed.

"Liar," Sasuke hissed back.

The snow on Yoake's feet quickly stretched out like a wave, attacking Sasuke and sending him back up in the air.

Daiki ran to Sakura while Yoake was busy watching for Sasuke's next move. He jumped into the blazing fire, pushing Sakura to the snow.

Sasuke flipped in the air and firmly landed his feet on the ground.

Six soldiers attacked him, their weapons all poised to slice him.

Sasuke vanished again.

The soldiers stiffened. They frantically looked around, swords raised to defend themselves.

Sasuke reappeared in a flash, swiftly taking the soldiers down in one slash. Another group of soldiers attacked him.

Yoake decided to ignore Daiki's attempts to save Sakura.

She was going to die anyway.

He instead raised his arms to the side, forming another, but this time, giant wave of snow behind him. He clapped his hands together and as the other group of soldiers fell on the ground, the wave of snow attacked Sasuke like an enraged avalanche.

The avalanche covered even Akio and Kaitaro on the ground, suffocating the other villagers and soldiers that were with them.

The people around the square screamed and ran for their lives. The remaining soldiers kept them from escaping – hitting them with the sheath of their swords, hurling punches and kicks even on the women, the children and the aged villagers.

Kaitaro struggled to free himself from the clutches of the thick snow – concentrating his energy in his limbs and thrashing his way through the hardened ice, gasping for air.

Akio did the same, breaking the ice with his fists and crawling out of the frost. He saw Kaitaro crawl to reach Sakura.

Akio quickly grasped the doctor's wrist – the black of his eyes swallowing its whites.

Kaitaro snapped his head to face him, sending him a glare Akio didn't think the timid doctor could give.

"Don't you even dare," Kaitaro hissed.

But Akio didn't let him go.

Kaitaro clenched his fists, oddly making Akio cry out in pain.

Akio released him, stumbling on the ice as he tried to contain the burning pain that surged in his chest. He looked up, his vision slightly blurred.

Kaitaro had rushed to Daiki, who already had his fair share of second degree burns.

Akio cursed. How could the doctor know such technique?

Yoake scoffed as Kaitaro covered the blazing fire with snow. Daiki was already busy trying to unchain Sakura's bleeding arms.

Much of her legs were reddish and swollen. Some patches of skin were charred to a brown hue.

"You can't save her," Yoake said.

Kaitaro glared up at him. "Then I'll kill you."

Yoake snorted. "Really doctor..? Isn't your job supposed to keep people alive?"

"You're not exactly human, are you?" Kaitaro hissed, Daiki pounding stones on the sizzling chains charring Sakura's wrist.

"You can't defeat me," Yoake said proudly. "I'm Houren's heir."

Before Kaitaro could retort, a massive wave of snow exploded from the square, stunning him and Yoake.

Luckily Akio had already stood up - yelling and hitting the blocks of snow flying their way. The blocks crumbled to pieces before it could hit Yoake and Kaitaro.

"Let's get her away from here," Kaitaro hissed at Daiki.

Daiki breathily nodded, trying to ignore the burns on his cheeks, arms and legs.

They lifted Sakura's body away with the wood pole that kept her in place. They stopped at a corner, too weak to take her far.

Akio glared at the massive ball of black flames that seemed to have thrown the ice on their way.

Yoake frowned.

The flames slowly ebbed away, revealing an angry...furious Sasuke – lightning dancing frantically around his katana.

Akio smirked. "So you play with lights," he said. "That doesn't mean you stand a chance against me. In case you haven't been informed, I'm also part of family."

Sasuke smirked back. "Yeah," he replied. "You were the family mutt."

Akio growled – his eyes pitch black and glaring coldly at Sasuke. He hunched, poised to pounce on Sasuke.

"Aww," Sasuke crooned. "Did I offened the brainless poodle?"

Akio snarled leaping to the air – his robes exploding into shreds. In his place was a black being with limbs as long as a lamp post, a snout that resembled a dog's, and eyes that resembled a void.

Sasuke met the attack, his chidori-enforced katana poised to chop the beast to pieces.

Kaitaro shakily examined the sizzling chains that had grown slightly cold with the snow.

It was just as he feared – they were Chains of Agony – steel-looking chains that fed on its captive's blood and suffering.

"Can…you…free her?" Daiki asked, gasping for air. He covered his burns with snow to numb the pain.

"No," Kaitaro breathed. "I…I can't."

"But I can," said a familiar voice from behind them.

Daiki froze as Yoake's twin - well he had white hair but he looked just like Yoake - walked to Sakura.

"Houren," Kaitaro greeted him, sighing in relief.

"Houren..?" Daiki asked, confused. "Is he on our side?"

"Of course not," Houren answered, glaring at him. "I'm here to kill you and chop all of you to pieces." He then turned to look at Kaitaro. "Patch that idiot, up will you, son?"

"Y-yes," Kaitaro said smiling at his grand father. He rushed to Daiki, and for the first time did what Houren had taught him to do – heal using the light from his hands.

Houren knelt down to examine the chains.

A massive explosion swallowed the square, earning shrieks of terror from the villagers.

Daiki and Kaitaro crouched down on the ground, prepared to be hit by smoke and debris from the explosion.

But none of it reached them.

They slowly looked up and stiffened at the dark clouds that swallowed the square. Houren was on his feet, holding the shiled that had protected them from the explosion.

This was the point where he hoped Sasuke was as strong as Sakura told him he was.

Loud growls echoed in the darkness.

Yoake was smiling.

This was killing two birds, with one stone.


This is just to clarify on the AN for YssaLovesOrange because the things I said there might have came out wrong.

Mentioning "Key" on my AN earlier is just supposed to tell you all that I've experienced writing quite a long fanfic here on the site. But I wasn't bragging about the number of reviews I had from that story. And it shouldn't mean that I'm happy about writing that much chapters in a story. Some of my ANs in "Key" should prove it.

I just wanted to let you know that I'm not trying to drag this story this long to get attention. I'm just writing it based on the two things I discussed earlier.

I understand if it's getting too boring to read. I don't think I have to the right to tell you it isn't boring, just because I wrote it. I just wanted you all to know why this story has reached this length.

I can't promise that my way of writing this story will change after this discussion on the length and how boring it's becoming is through. But I really appreciate the time that you all have spent in reading the updates to this story. I really learned a lot from your reviews.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AGAIN! * v * And I'm really sorry for not meeting all the standards you've set. I really learned a lot from them though.