Those Who Are Lost
Chapter 23
Five Minutes to Midnight
Hello there my fellow fanfictioners!
A much more recent update than my last one :)
I must say that this chapter was certainly a work out for my large scale battle writing. I wanted to show a little bit more of the OP Sasuke here that we all know and love. I tried to mix in a bit of the anime awesomeness that we adore with some of my own more realistic tendencies. Hopefully it balanced out to something that you can all enjoy.
The writing didn't feel up to my usual standard but hopefully you guys enjoy it. Let me know what you think.
Also want to give a huge shout out to... well all of you really. From the people that have taken the time to review this fic to those who simply support me with a Fav and Follow. It means more than I can say.
Thank you to all of you for being such a wonderful community (even my critics ;))
Disclaimer: I do not in any way claim ownership of Naruto, Naruto Shippuden (the best) or Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (of which the old guard mostly do not speak). These are all the fantastic creations of Masashi Kishimoto (the true God of Shinobi).
Now then, enough of my senseless blathering and let's just jump straight into it shall we?
THE VALLEY OF THE END
The seething tide of shinobi spread across the plains, surging across the terrain like a tidal wave.
The Uchiha watched the foe close in on him with a calmness that belied the storm raging overhead. He took a few steps forward and then came to a stop. Sasuke took a deep breath before raising his hands and readying himself. He sent a bolt of violent chakra from Susanoo's bow before morphing it into a blow. The chakra arrow collided with a portion of the enemy army, sending bodies and limbs flying into the air but it did not slow the Sound nin down in the slightest. So Sasuke and Susanoo braced for the inevitable clash.
And then it happened.
Chaos.
Complete and utter chaos. The tide of ninja hit Susanoo with the force of a typhoon. It was so unexpected that it forced Susanoo back a step, Sasuke with it, before the construct regained its footing.
Sasuke watched in morbid fascination as the shinobi clambered over themselves stabbing ineffectually with their blades into Susanoo's ribcage. Calmly, Sasuke commanded the construct and Susanoo shook off the tide with a simple shrug before sweeping the area before it with its blade. Instantaneously, an entire swathe of the enemy fell to pieces before his eyes, creating a brief gap in their lines.
He only managed to advance a step before the black clad horde overwhelmed him once more. Sasuke gritted his teeth as the sheer force of numbers forced the purple construct, and himself, back a step.
Sending another mental command, Susanoo swung again, bisecting whole ranks of the enemy, creating yet another gap in the horde. This time he did not hesitate and the Uchiha pushed forward.
Mangekyou swirling violently, he set the ground and his foes ablaze with Amaterasu as he went, the cocoon of Susanoo protecting him from the ebony flames. The Silent Step recoiled around the black fire, clambering over one another in their efforts to skirt or leap over the flames. Their zealotry was admirable in a way as many of them attempted to leap over Amaterasu and their own burning comrades in order to try and reach him.
Those that reached him, whether lit alight or not, began striking and stabbing at the shell of Susanoo with a ferocity that Sasuke found impressive. Focusing his chakra, Sasuke enhanced Susanoo and felt himself begin to lift into the air as the construct's legs began to form. His concentration was so absolute that he failed to notice the danger until it was too late.
The sky lit up and, at first Sasuke thought it merely another flash of lightning. He realized too late that it was something far worse. The press of bodies actually forced him and his Susanoo back a step as the construct continued to ascend… just in time to see the oncoming threat.
For a brief moment it seemed as if the horizon had been set ablaze, only for the image to resolve itself. Sasuke's eyes widened as the glow resolved itself into hundreds of fireballs streaking across the night sky.
They'll burn their own men alive!
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke urged Susanoo to leap into the air, giving the construct the precious extra second, it needed to materialize its wings. It would've been an adept strategy, if the Silent Step didn't also redouble their efforts to stop him. The sheer mass of bodies swarmed over Susanoo, uncaring of the losses they took as the construct's chakra shell burned them. Uncaring of the black flames of Amaterasu devouring their comrades.
They had their own mission.
To stop him at all costs.
Let them try.
That was when the first wave of jutsu artillery hit him. Sasuke could feel the force of the techniques crashing against Susanoo as if they had hit him directly. Even within his cocoon he could feel the roaring heat of the flames as they washed over Susanoo's purple armour, devouring swathes of the shinobi clambering over Susanoo.
He had expected the onslaught to halt after a few seconds but was grimly disappointed when the barrage failed to dissipate. Wave after wave of fire jutsu crashed against Susanoo's form even as the Uchiha watched with faint alarm as a small crack began to spiderweb its way across Susanoo's front. The damage was minor and Susanoo could last for quite some time but the fact that they were able to damage it at all…
With the full force of his will, Sasuke gritted his teeth and commanded Susanoo to advance. The progress was slow with the weight of the nin clambering all over Susanoo's legs and back. With the constant curtain of fire blocking his vision, Sasuke was uncertain whether he had taken ten steps or simply one.
Under normal circumstances none of this would mean anything. There were only a handful of ninja who could withstand the power of his Mangekyou Sharingan and none of them were here in this place. Under normal circumstances this wouldn't be a battle so much as it would be a training exercise for him.
But these weren't normal circumstances.
They're doing exactly what they set out to do… I'm running out of time.
Himawari couldn't believe what she was seeing. From her crucified position she had seen the hordes of enemy ninja swarm through the gate below out onto the plains.
She watched between the lightning flashes as Sasuke strode across the plains like a god of war. The huge purple… thing protecting him from the Silent Step's attacks.
"So, the legends of the Uchiha are true." Batou breathed, every word accentuated with that mechanical rasp. He stood, his back to her, transfixed at the sight of the purple chakra.
As much as her eye remained glued to the spectacle, Himawari took the opportunity to test her restraints once more. She pulled herself up the manacles to the hook by which she had been hung and began to tug. Annoyingly the hook refused to so much as quiver in the face of her efforts.
You've got to try something!
Taking as deep a breath as she could, she tried again. With a great heave of effort, the young Hyuuga pulled herself up her chains. Her arms shook with the effort and her muscles screamed in agonized protest but she kept going.
Whatever spell that had imbued her shackles remained as strong as ever.
If I could only break the chain somehow...
"Impressive." Batou growled before turning back towards her. He scowled at her efforts to free herself.
"It's useless little lamb. There is no escape for you this night except death."
From behind her gag, Himawari could do little than snarl at the man. Spite flooded her being and she channelled her chakra in an effort to prove the Note wrong.
Almost immediately she felt the now too familiar agony of the chain's seal forcibly draining her chakra. Himawari let out a muffled gasp as the pain shot up her spine and into her brain. Her body betrayed her and her arms gave out.
Batou eyed her up and down before letting out a snort of contempt.
"Pathetic little creature." Batou threw at her before turning back to the slaughter on the plains.
The blazing agony faded as she hung there like a limp doll. Hot tears filled her eye before tracking their way down her cheeks.
Nothing.
There was nothing she could do.
She could then hear the clock strike above her head, a dolorous tone of doom.
"Five minutes until you die little lamb." Batou called over his shoulder. "It is time to begin."
The Note of Oto never took his eyes off of Sasuke's advance even as he began to chant something. At first, Himawari thought that perhaps he was simply speaking too softly for her to make out the words but that wasn't it.
Whatever Batou was chanting it was in no tongue she had ever heard before. The words were drawn out and harsh, each syllable leaving her colder and colder until it felt as if her heart had been encased in ice.
Every line of the chant was interspersed with lines of dialogue which she could understand but which made no sense.
"Child of the Nine Tails, Daughter of the Moon." More of the foreign tongue.
"The Doom of the Hyuuga, a prophecy given physical form."
Doom of the Hyuuga? Nine Tails?
Lifting her head, Himawari focused on the only thing that mattered anymore.
It truly was a magnificent sight to behold. The enemy ninja swarmed over the purple giant, growing ever larger, in an effort to get to the man inside. Every time they did so the giant would sweep the plains with its burning blade, like a farmer scything wheat.
He will save me.
The thought made her eye narrow. She kept repeating the thought, pouring all of her faith, all of her will into it. To make the thought a reality, even when the storm of fire streaked across the night sky to wash over Sasuke.
Even when Batou commanded for one of the shinobi to bring him his bow and quiver with a wave of his hand, chanting all the while.
I believe in you Sasuke.
This is taking too long.
Sasuke blinked and his left eye transitioned from burning crimson to malevolent purple. The Uchiha set his mouth in a grim line before raising his real arm, outstretched, palm facing toward the flames.
"Almighty Push."
A wave of force erupted from his fingertips before spreading outwards, enveloping him and Susanoo with little more than a caress as the jutsu's chakra recognized its own. Those outside of Susanoo were not so lucky. The force of the Push formed a dome of pure kinetic energy around Sasuke in half a heartbeat before pulsing outwards. The wave of energy instantly snuffed out the flames licking away at Susanoo' shell as well as those still streaking through the sky in close proximity towards Sasuke. The Silent Step swarming over Susanoo suffered a far worse fate. Those caught between the press of their comrades' bodies and the burning shell of Susanoo were killed instantly. Their bones ground to powder and their organs liquefied by the sheer power of the Push. Those behind them went flying into the air, landing harshly upon the ground, some dead, others alive.
Many of the shinobi would not rise again, their fighting done.
Sasuke used the gap he had created to his fullest advantage and sprinted forward before those who could still fight, recovered. Above him the storm clouds lit up as a fresh wave of fireballs brushed up beneath them, arcing towards him with death as their intent.
I'm too big of a target at this range.
Sharingan and Rinnegan blazing, Sasuke dropped Susanoo, allowing the construct to dissipate into nothingness. Using his agility to its fullest and ignoring the protestations of his muscles, the Uchiha weaved in and around the bodies of the Sound's victims on their stakes, dodging the fiery barrage at every turn.
As the distance was still so great, he had no trouble avoiding the worst of the artillery even as he heard the footfalls of the Silent Step remnants behind him, trying to reach him whilst avoiding friendly fire.
He was moving faster than before but time was running out. He could feel it in his bones. As he ran, Sasuke reached into his side pouch.
Only three kunai left.
Sliding to a halt in front of one of the staked innocents, Sasuke used his momentum to leap into the air and rebound off the stake just in time to avoid a fireball that had gotten too close for comfort.
Unfortunately, it landed him right in front of a trio of ninja, their weapons drawn and keen to use them.
Hearing another fireball incoming, Sasuke wasted no time. With a flicker, one of the kunai appeared in his hand even as his bandaged arm crackled with lightning. The shinobi tried to swing first but the Uchiha moved faster than their eyes could track. His kunai slit the throat of the closest shinobi even as his Chidori swung out, then through the second one. The lightning spat as it arced from the first victim into the third ninja behind, frying him to a crisp.
He heard the footfalls behind him a moment too late.
Turning at breakneck speed, Sasuke was only just able to lift his kunai to block the overhead strike from a fourth ninja he hadn't seen. The woman, if her figure was any indication, narrowed her eyes before raising another kunai wielding hand to strike down at him.
Spitting out a curse, Sasuke managed to use his free hand to grip the kunoichi's second weapon wielding hand, inches before the blade sunk into his skull.
Mangekyou flashing, he set her face ablaze with Amaterasu before kicking her away from him. He could the whistling of another fireball about to land even as a second team of four Silent Step bounded over their writhing, burning comrade to get at him.
As one they leapt to engage him, eyes fixed upon his with murderous intent.
His Sharingan flashed once more and as one they all crashed to ground comatose at his feet.
Never look an Uchiha in the eyes.
Sasuke turned and fled even as the fireball landed, incinerating the shinobi team where they lay.
All along the wall Sasuke could see Silent Step nin. They were lined up in rows on their makeshift ramparts, stiff as boards with short bows in hand.
Waiting for him to get in range for them to fire. Above the main gate's ramparts stood a ninja different to the rest.
An old, wrinkled man in robes with his arms outstretched towards Sasuke. Every time Sasuke moved, the old man's fingers would move, and another wave of fireballs would shoot up into the air from behind the walls.
As the Uchiha weaved in and between the stakes as he stalked closer to the main gate, he kept his Sharingan trained on the elderly ninja. As he drew closer, he could see the faint strands of chakra threading from the man's fingertips to each and every shinobi on the walls and trailing back to where, presumably, the ranks of fire-breathing nin were stationed.
The puppet-master.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun as he observed the elderly man, considering every detail. The twitches of his hands and body and the corresponding effect it had on the Silent Step forces. The angle of the fireballs declining as he drew closer to the walls and the length and build of the enemy's bows. His eyes drank it in, collecting the information, processing it, and making calculations of distance.
Time to cut the strings.
Eyes narrowed in concentration, Sasuke skidded to a stop. Almost immediately the rain of fire stopped only to be replaced with a hail of arrows as the elderly ninja's hands bobbed and weaved in a different style to bend the will of his men.
Sasuke tracked the flight of each and every arrow with his kekkei genkei before taking single step back. The arrows fell inches short and, despite repeated attempts at the behest of their commander, the Silent Step were unable to find the range with their weapons.
Lightning flashed overhead once more, illuminating the outrage on the elderly nin's face. Cognizant of the fact that there were still several ninja racing to flank him from behind, the Uchiha performed a series of hand signs then lifted a palm to the heavens.
The world lit up once more but this time the lightning did not strike the earth. Instead, it leapt into Sasuke's waiting hand.
The whole world stilled for a moment as a deep roar cracked the air.
Then Sasuke clenched his fist.
It was the same as before. The whole world lit up from the flare of the lightning.
Only this time the light stayed on. Sasuke could see the look of horror and disbelief on the old ninja's face and Sasuke knew what he was witnessing.
What hung in the air above his own head, waiting for Sasuke's command.
Kirin.
A dragon made of pure living lightning.
Sasuke could also see the exact moment when the old man realized the danger that he was in. He fled from the walls even before Sasuke dropped his palm in the direction of the tower.
"Be gone with the thunderclap."
With a mighty roar, Kirin dove for the ramparts. The thunderclap as the creature struck the ground behind the ramparts, where the fire spewing ninja had to have been located, was of such intensity that it caused the archers to drop their weapons and clutch their ears. Some were unluckier than others and fell off the ramparts to break their necks on the hard ground below. With the disappearance of Kirin, the darkness of the battlefield abated as well. The usage of Kirin caused the storm clouds to evaporate and now the entire battlefield was illuminated by the soft blue glow of the full moon in the sky.
Sasuke's eyes adjusted to the light instantly and then he was off again. This time he made straight for the main gate. What was left of the Silent Step vanguard pursued him but the barrage of arrows and fireballs had ceased entirely.
Kirin was always so effective when it came to obliterating everything.
Sasuke winced as he summoned Susanoo once more.
The pill is wearing off. I've used too much chakra too soon.
He could hear the footfalls behind him as the remnants of the army drew close.
"Almighty Pull" Sasuke growled, gesturing towards the main gates with a hand as he ran before viciously pulling his hand back and behind him. With a squeal of tortured metal, the great gate was ripped from its hinges, the pieces flying past Susanoo to impact on his pursuers with a sickening squelch of wood and metal on bone.
Susanoo had just reached its full height by the time he made it to the gate. The shinobi on the walls who managed to recover from the effects of Kirin were taking shots at him, most of which went wide or clattered uselessly against Susanoo.
With a mental command, Susanoo leapt into the air in order clear the main gate entirely and land on the other side. From there it would be a simple matter to use the construct's wings to fly up to the uppermost platform of the tower and rescue Himawari.
Glancing upwards, Sasuke could see the giant clock at the tower's peak. It's hands were dangerously close to midnight.
Only two minutes left?!
He was directly over the main gate ramparts when he saw Himawari. Bound and gagged, hung up like a doll on strings. Sasuke clenched his teeth so hard he was surprised they didn't crack from the pressure.
No one deserves to die like that.
That's when he noticed the glint of metal at the platform's edge. The glint from an overly large arrowhead.
It was that monstrous shinobi with his bow again. The sight of it made Sasuke's guts clench in pained remembrance of the damage those arrows were capable of inflicting.
And then the giant released his string and let the bolt fly.
Shit!
His instincts screaming at him, Sasuke twisted his body in the air to avoid the shot in spite of the fact that logic told him the projectile would simply bounce off of Susanoo.
My logic can go to hell
The thought crossed his mind viciously even as he watched in shock as the arrow passed straight through the protective purple cocoon.
No, 'passed through' was far too simple a term to describe what happened. The arrow hit Susanoo, slowed fractionally, then pierced through the purple skin like a hot knife through butter. The arrowhead glowing white hot as it did so.
As for Susanoo… if it was possible for a purple chakra construct to be alive, then it acted now as though it were a dying animal. Its jump arrested by the blow Susanoo began falling to earth, taking Sasuke with it.
Despite his best efforts Sasuke had already calculated the arrow's flight path and grimaced when he realized that it would still clip his leg.
In a last-ditch effort, he drew his kunai and raised it to intercept the shot. When the arrow hit the kunai's blade, Sasuke cried out in agony.
The impact was so great that the arm he used to block the blow was wrenched from its socket.
But he had succeeded as the arrow was deflected off course and went whistling off into the night. His kunai was destroyed in the effort, melted to slag from contact with the arrowhead. Sasuke had no time to enjoy his success though as he was dragged down with Susanoo.
He had only enough time to raise one hand to protect himself and squeeze his eyes shut before Susanoo and he crashed into the ground, smashing through the remnants of the main gate building.
Susanoo collapsed, the purple chakra dissipating once more, and the rubble of the gatehouse crashed down over him.
It took a few heartbeats for Sasuke to realize that he wasn't dead or unconscious. The blinding pain from his dislocated shoulder was evidence enough of that. Opening his eyes to total darkness, the Uchiha gave his eyes a moment to adjust. Sharingan and Rinnegan emitting a faint glow as they worked in tandem to allow him to make sense of his surroundings.
He was reminded of when he had regained consciousness at the Fire Temple. His back was resting against a wooden pillar.
Around him it seemed as if a hurricane had swept through the area before an earthquake struck to finish the job. Broken timber and chunks of stone were strewn everywhere, over and around him to form a makeshift cave. A small cavity into which he had fallen.
Sasuke shifted, hissing as the movement caused a fresh wave of agony to rip up his arm. He reached out to grab his arm only to freeze as the movement made him brush against a nearby broken log. It was little more than a caress but the whole 'cave' groaned and shifted slightly.
One minute.
The thought made him blink in disbelief. He'd forgotten how little time there was.
"You have a daughter Daddy. Not by blood but by choice." The words of his phantom daughter echoed in his mind and Sasuke grimaced as he recalled how Himawari had looked. Tied to that cross, awaiting her execution.
Fourty-five seconds
It always came down to time.
He was always too late or too early.
Not this time. Just hold on, I'm coming Himawari.
Gripping his shoulder, Sasuke clenched his teeth and popped it back into place. The sound of his scream was muffled by his effort as was the sound of the enemy already working to clear the rubble away. The last Uchiha glanced upwards as, with every distant sound above him, the cave would shudder, and dust would shake down to coat him.
They're trying to make sure I'm dead.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Sasuke raised his hands shakily to the rubble above him. He was low on chakra and his body was on the verge of giving in as well. He blinked, both eyes now glowing with the purple aura of the Rinnegan. He ran the risk of killing himself if he pushed himself much further.
But it didn't matter.
Only one thing mattered anymore.
In his mind's eye he could see her.
Himawari.
Crying and hugging him when he carved her name next to his own at the Uchiha Temple.
"Almighty Push."
The rubble erupted like a volcano. Exploding outwards, instantly killing those shinobi who had clambered on top of it in an effort to get to the man below.
One of the survivors got to his feet in time to see a figure race towards him at blinding speed before he died.
Sasuke made straight for the nearest intact rampart. One of the walls leading to the side, running parallel to the tower and bordering the water of the lake.
If there was to be any chance of success, then he needed every inch of distance that he could get. He leapt over the head of the first Silent Step, turning over in mid-air to grab the man's head and twist sharply. The shinobi's head turned backwards with an unnatural crack of broken bone.
Sasuke was already moving on before the ninja realized he was dead.
Twenty seconds
Fortunately, the Uchiha encountered no more resistance as he sped to the wall. He flickered past the burned and blackened remains of the Silent Step Shinobi who had harried him with their fireball techniques, his feet crunching on ground that had turned to glass from the impact of Kirin.
With a leap he made it onto the rampart and began running down the wall, closer to the tower. His eyes flicked upwards to the clock and he cursed.
Ten seconds.
Above him, as mad as it may have seemed, the moon began to glow brighter in the evening sky. From its usual pale blue to a blinding white.
"Uchiha!" A voice screamed from up ahead. Sasuke focused his attention back on the path ahead of him, violet eyes narrowing as he took in his latest obstacle even as he kept moving forward. He had no intention of stopping.
The Note of Oto, Motoko, stood in his path.
"Move!" He commanded, each step bringing him closer and closer.
Motoko ran forward ready to engage him, a pair of wicked looking shinobi kamas at the ready.
"Get out of my way!" He roared, drawing his second kunai and sprinting forward to engage the kunoichi. Motoko leapt into the air, her sickles slashing downwards in an attempt to eviscerate him.
"Die Uchiha scum!" Motoko screamed, her voice positively feral with rage and panic and her eyes wild.
Sasuke twisted out of the way of the strike like water around a rock before slamming his kunai deep into her side, releasing his grip on the blade as he did so.
Only one kunai left.
He didn't wait to see the results of his strike, though he could hear the sound of a body falling from the ramparts. By the time Motoko hit the floor he was already far ahead, his lungs bursting with the effort to keep moving as fast as he could.
Five seconds.
With a roar, Sasuke leapt into the air. With one hand he withdrew his last kunai whilst the other reached out, aimed directly beneath him. His right eye blinked into the Mangekyou as he prepared to do the necessary calculations. He would only get one shot at this.
"Almighty Push!" He directed the flow of the Sage chakra down through his free hand and Sasuke felt himself buffeted by the kinetic force of the jutsu, lifting him up far higher into the air than he could've achieved on his own. The section of the ramparts beneath him were completely obliterated by the destructive power of the Push, water from the lake rushing into the breach.
Four seconds.
Sasuke was raised high, just high enough to be able to see the top platform of the tower. Or at least what he needed to be able to see. His Sharingan blazing, he zeroed in on his target even as he reached the peak of his lift.
Three seconds.
Drawing back his arm and imbuing the kunai with as much chakra as he could, Sasuke let the weapon fly even as he began to drop.
One shot.
That's all he had.
One chance to save Himawari, all his hopes and fears contained within a single kunai.
Two seconds.
"HIMAWARI!"
"Immortality." Batou intoned gravely. As he said the word, prolonging its consonants, he took the proffered blade from the Silent Step Shinobi serving as an attendant, exchanging his great horned bow for the serrated weapon. As soon as he grasped the blade, the ninja withdrew, making their way to the bottom of the tower to join in the efforts to find Sasuke's body.
Himawari looked on, cold and numb to all sensation, as Batou stepped forward.
"Immortality to whomsoever drinks the blood." The large ninja chanted, mixing in the words with that same strange language she had never heard before but which scraped against her nerves like sandpaper on skin. He levelled the sword at her, the tip grazing the side of her neck.
"Immortality to whomsoever consumes the heart." Batou rasped, before drawing the blade back to grip the handle with both hands.
One second.
A large chime sounded from just above her and Himawari realized with dread what it meant.
Time's up.
"The hour has come upon us little lamb." Batou told her. "I will take your head from your shoulders and your heart from your chest and at last your suffering will be over."
Himawari wanted to close her eye, but she found herself frozen in place, watching events as if separate from her body. The most she could do was let her head hang, taking in the sacrificial bowl into which her head, heart and life's blood would fill.
I… I'm going to die…
"HIMAWARI!"
Her head whipped up in shock at hearing Sasuke's faint voice.
In a single instant, the Hyuuga thawed and hope blossomed within her breast.
Where is he?! I can't see him!
Batou swung the blade and Himawari watched in horrified fascination as the razor-sharp edge of the sword drew nearer. Time seemed to slow in that one second and she could take in every horrid detail of it. The silver sheen of the sword that would kill her. The sickly yellow tinge to Batou's skin. The mechanical pumping of the device that made up his throat. The almost unnatural tinge of the moon above, like a giant eye watching her.
And then she noticed something else in that one moment. A kunai wreathed in brilliant blue chakra. Himawari could only look on as the knife rocketed towards her. The blade caught Batou as his body turned to swing the sword. It hit the side of his neck, severing several of the pistons and mechanical parts that kept his breathing apparatus functioning. The kunai passed through his neck uninterrupted, making its way towards her.
Azure eye widening, Himawari observed the kunai slice through the links of her chains before imbedding itself into the wood of the cross at its very apex.
Instantly, gravity took hold of her, and she began to fall. For a moment she hung in the air, suspended like some angel of myth, long hair trailing above her, before crashing to the ground. She could feel Batou's blade follow close behind Sasuke's kunai as he completed his swing despite his injury.
She could feel the razor-sharp serrated edge of the weapon as it grazed over the top of her head, where her neck had just been, shearing a good length of her hair in the process.
The blade bit so deep into the timber of the sacrificial cross that it nearly lopped off the cross's apex.
Himawari hit the ground hard, jolts of agony shooting up her knees and elbows as she landed on them. The bronze bowl was inches from her face, such that she could see her own pale, terrified expression reflected in the metal.
She could hear gurgling from above her even as a spray of some strange, foul-smelling liquid spattered into the bowl beneath her. Looking up Himawari saw Batou had let go of the sword, leaving it embedded in the cross. The large shinobi was stumbling away from her, his movements unsteady, and his hands clamped against the side of his throat. More of the vile liquid was spurting from the injury and running between his fingers as the shinobi tried to stem the bleeding.
I have a promise to keep.
Filled with resolve, the young girl shakily got to her feet, ignoring the pins and needles sensation in her limbs as blood began to circulate properly once more. She ignored the aches and pains in her body which seemed to be a constant these days. Reaching up, Himawari ripped the gag away and drew in a deep breath before fixing her gaze upon her would-be executioner.
Ahead of her Batou continued to stumble drunkenly back and forth across the platform, swinging wildly to and fro, his eyes glazed with panic.
He's looking for help. But there's no one left to help him.
Gritting her teeth, Himawari stepped into and over the bowl before advancing on her opponent. At this point, Batou had made his way to the edge of platform before falling to his knees, swaying like a drunkard.
"Batou!" Himawari screamed as she broke into a run. Hearing his name out loud, the Note of Oto got to his feet and spun around. Doing so caused another geyser of black fluid to erupt from his wound and the shinobi promptly fell to one knee.
As Himawari drew near to the archer she let out a roar and threw herself at him with all her might. Batou answered her with a roar of his own as he struggled to his feet, hands leaving his injury to meet her head on.
Himawari crashed into the man with such force that the impact sent him stumbling backwards until they were both teetering on the platform's precipice. Batou's arms came up around her and with a strangled snarl he began squeezing her in a bear hug, trying to crush the life from her bones with his monstrous strength.
Himawari summoned up her hatred of the man and spat in his face. Then, reaching up with both hands, she jammed them deep into his neck wound. Batou's yellowed eyes widened in shock and Himawari ignored the crushing pressure on her ribs from Batou's embrace.
She winced as a small piston like mechanism jammed up against her fingers. Snarling at the shinobi, Himawari grabbed hold of what she could and ripped it out.
The shriek that emanated from the thing that had been Batou's throat was inhuman and so loud that Himawari could feel the blood running out of one of her ears as the drum ruptured. Batou took another step back… into nothingness.
Keeping his death grip on Himawari, the large shinobi tumbled off the platform. The world spun end over end as Himawari fought to free herself from Batou's imprisoning limbs. They had fallen clear of the tower completely, the great lake beneath them and Himawari could only watch in horror as the dark waters rushed up to meet them.
Then they hit the water and Himawari's whole world went black.
Well there you go guys. I hope it was somewhat enjoyable. Now I know that it was quite a short chapter and I do apologize for that but as I have said before, fighting scenes are not my forte.
It was also quite difficult to figure out how I wanted to approach this. As many of you have already pointed out, Sasuke is OP to the nth degree. Until now I've had him hold back for various reasons (some apparent, others not) but I recognized that now would be the time to have him throw off the shackles a bit.
That being said, it would've been boring for everyone if he just showed up, snapped his fingers, and won so I had to get creative. (I mean I do love OP Sasuke too, but I wanted this fic to be more on the emotions and relationships than just straight up murder)
That's why I decided that Sasuke's biggest threats were in fact time and energy more than the enemy.
I also realize that I could've explained the ritual site better. I picture it similar in layout to the ritual tower and fortifications from Sword of the Stranger but the tower itself and edge of the camp was built bordering over the water of the Lake where the other half extends onto actual ground. That's why the lake seeped in when the last rampart was destroyed.
So my deepest apologies if the action was cringeworthy but I think I wanted to power through this in order to get to work on the next chapter which I am super excited for. I reckon I have only 2 or 3 chapters left to go!
Thanks as always for the fantastic support for this fic of mine. If you enjoyed it at all (or even hated it), let me know with a review.
I'll see you guys next time
Those Who Are Lost
Chapter 24
The Fated Choice