Hell Hits Back

Ziren groaned as he opened his eyes. He was on his back looking up at the hole that used to be the floor of the amphitheater. He guessed it was about forty feet up. He then started guessing at why he was still alive. He had used every fall buffering technique he could to slow down. But still he should have at least broken a bone. He sat up and felt the ground. It was incredibly spongy. There was dirt, as well as other decaying bio-matter. It had cushioned his fall. Ziren got to his feet and checked himself over for other wounds. He was remarkably intact.

"Sound off!" Ziren shouted.

"Here!" Kō shouted.

"Here, got Shinobu too!" Anko shouted. The only light in the area came from the hole overhead. Ziren pulled out a small fuuinjutsu seal and activated it. It began to glow and filled the immediate area with light. Two other lights winked on and Ziren moved towards them. They converged and Ziren was relieved to see everyone was relatively unhurt. "Where are we?" Anko asked.

"This whole lab seems to be carved from a natural cavern. This is probably the lowest point. I hope. The question…is how our X-ray machine didn't see it. That floor couldn't have been that thick if it collapsed so easily." Kō looked between the team fidgeting and sweating a bit. "Well?"

"I was focused on the battle. And wasn't looking around…and…and…it wasn't there! This cave wasn't there. As far as I could see the stone continued on and on. I've had trouble with my Byakugan the whole time we've been in here. But nothing like this." Kō would have continued getting more and more worked up and Shinobu tapped him on the shoulder. He looked at her then recentered himself. "I didn't see it. I have no excuses."

"That may not be true," Ziren said. Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention when Kō was speaking. He crouched in front a chunk of stone that had once been the floor of the room above. It was half-buried in the spongy ground. On one side the faux-tile design from the floor above, but on the other side. "If I'm not mistaken that looks like-"

"Fuuinjutsu," Anko finished.

"I'm no expert, but judging by the curves this looks like a big seal. Kō, look at what's left of the ceiling. See if there's anything left." Kō activated his Byakugan and looked up at the ceiling.

"It's gone. The interference that's been surrounding this whole place is gone. I can see clearly. And yes, there is a seal drawn on the ceiling up there."

"A seal that can block the Byakugan," Ziren said meeting Anko's eye.

"Yeah," she responded looking up at the darkness.

"I have never heard of such a thing," Shinobu said.

"Such a thing shouldn't be possible," Kō said scanning the ceiling.

"Hate to break it to you, but seems the Byakugan has a weakness. Can you see the rest of our forces? How's the battle progressing?" Ziren asked

"According to Sir Nara's plan."

"Good I'll let him know of we have full the Byakugan back. And maybe ask for an evac." When Ziren activated his radio, he was treated to an earful of static. "Yeah…we don't have radio contact down here."

"Typical," Anko said. "What about Mr. Monster? Did he survive?"

"Yeah, he's alive, over here." Ziren nonchalantly walked over to a pile of rubble and kicked it. The stones shifted and Thijs rose from beneath the stones sending smaller, and larger, rocks tumbling away. His body was smashed and twisted. Being in the center of the collapse he took the worst of the falling debris. Sickening cracks and snaps filled the air as Thijs' bones set and healed. Thijs got to his feet while his bones snapped back in place. He roared in Ziren's face while the rest of the Konoha shinobi rushed forward to protect him. Ziren raised one hand to stop his team, while with the other hand he waved away Thijs' bad breath.

Shinobu, Anko, and Kō looked between the two wooriedly, wondering what their captain was up to. Then they noticed how heavily the transformed man was breathing. His skin color faded back to its original color and the thorns receded back into the curse mark. Ziren stepped aside as the giant man collapsed to the ground. "He's on the edge of death from chakra exhaustion. That took a lot out of him." To prove his point Ziren kicked the unconscious man, no reaction. "Well, all's well that ends well. Kō, find us a way ou-on guard we're not alone down here!"

The four shinobi put their backs together, weapons drawn. "I felt something, Kō take a look."

"What the heck are they? We're surrounded." Crawling into the light came a four-foot long centipede the width of Ziren's arm.

"Shinobu, what is that thing?"

"A giant centipede."

"Really?"

"What exactly did you think I was going to say. After I dissect it I will tell you more about it. Please do not destroy it utterly."

"Don't worry Shinobu, there's a lot more." The air filled with clicking as more centipedes crawled into the light. Some were small, only a foot long, while others were nearly six feet in length. "Shinobu, what can you tell me about centipedes?" Ziren asked trying to keep as many of the creatures in sight as he could.

"They have a thick chitinous shell, debilitating venom, and are extremely fast."

A keening filled the air as one of the six-foot creatures charged Ziren. It was faster than he thought an animal like that could move, good thing for Shinobu's warning. Ziren ducked, barely avoiding the centipede's poisonous fangs. He was not, however, able to avoid its second pair of legs as the claw tipped appendage ripped through his sleeve cutting his skin. Gritting his teeth Ziren brought his sword up and decapitated the beast. That shell was a lot thicker than it looked, he'd have to be careful not to dull his blade.

With the scent of blood in the air the centipedes surged forward. The Konoha shinobi quickly found themselves overwhelmed as the creatures pressed the attack. Ziren swung his sword at one of the four-footers but the creature closed its mouth around the blade. It was about to try to rip the weapon from his hand when Kō moved in and slammed his palm against its head. His chakra discharged and the centipede's soft underbelly exploded. "Anko, Shinobu, they're bugs, scare them off with fire!"

"They are actually myriapods."

"I don't care, just do it!" Anko and Shinobu both exhaled flames scattering the attacking myriapods.

"That won't keep them away long. Centipede's are notoriously aggressive animals. They will be back. Also avoid the blood. Until I determine what species they are based on, assume their blood is poisonous."

"Wait, centipede's have poisonous blood?" Anko asked.

"Some do, yes. Some species even have glowing blood."

"We're still talking about animals, right? That sounds like something from a movie."

"You'd be amazed at what the natural world can produce," Shinobu said adjusting her glasses.

"Enough of the biology lesson. Kō, find us a way out." The Hyῡga scanned the darkness that threatened to envelop them.

"There is a door, but it's blocked. It looks like they sealed it. There's a chute extending from the ceiling to what looks like a janitor's closet. It's too narrow to climb up."

"That chute was probably a trash dump. But one of their experiments wasn't as dead as they thought. And they blocked the door to save themselves. I hate shoddy planning." Ziren said sighing.

"The centipedes are coming back," Kō informed them. "What options does that leave us?"

"That we take as many of these multi-limbed horrors with us as we can?" Anko said with a shrug.

"I'd rather not die yet," Ziren said looking around trying to get an idea. He gazed up at the hole in the ceiling as he sensed the myriapods closing in. He wracked his brain for an idea when his eyes moved across the ceiling and he saw "Stalactites…"

"What?"

"Stalactites, that's it! Kō, is there a column connecting the floor and the ceiling?"

"Yes, there is."

"Good. Conserve your chakra. We're going to climb the pillar to the ceiling and make our way to the hole Thijs so graciously made."

"That means climbing across the ceiling…upside down," Anko said.

"That's why I told you to conserve your chakra. Kō take point, I'll take up the rear. We're going to have to cut our way to the pillar. Quickly, before the creatures get their nerve back." The team ran across the spongy ground as the centipedes closed in. Kō palms wove a web of chakra clearing the teams path while Ziren, Shinobu, and Anko ran closely behind. The group came upon the stone column rising into the air and nearly swore out loud. Dozens of the smaller centipedes were climbing along its surface. "Those things can climb!?" Ziren shouted in place of the numerous swears on the cusp of his tongue.

"Yes, centipedes are proficient climbers," Shinobu answered.

"Why didn't you mention that before?" Ziren asked as he turned and cut through a pair of clicking mandibles.

"Because I did not have an alternative to your plan. And the larger centipedes should be too heavy to climb after us."

"Sure hope you're right Shinobu. You and I will go up first. Once we have a foot-hold Shinobu will give Anko and Kō some covering fire." Without waiting for an answer Ziren jumped up the pillar and cut down one of the creatures. Shinobu was right next to him and kicked a centipede off the pillar. The pair quickly got to work clearing the pillar of beasts while Kō and Anko fought on the ground. Anko saw a some of the creatures grouped up and coming her way. She drew an explosive kunai and threw it at them. Kō must have seen the group too because he sent a vacuum palm their way.

The centipedes and the explosive went twirling off into the darkness where it exploded. "Sorry," Kō muttered before turning to another creature. Anko didn't have time to be angry and brought her attention back to staying alive. Ziren had managed to clear out a wide circle on the pillar and stepped aside to let Shinobu use her fire ninjutsu. "Fire Style: Grand Fir-"

A rumble shook the entire cavern causing Anko and Kō to fall to their knees. Shinobu managed to cling to the pillar but Ziren wasn't so lucky. The tremor shook him from the column and sent him tumbling to the ground. He rolled with the impact and leapt to his feet ready to fight the horde of bugs, but he needn't have bothered. The creatures had all turned and fled away from them. Some burrowed into the ground, others ran. But they all ran in the same direction, away from where Anko's explosive landed.

The sound of dirt and rock moving filled the cave. A lot of dirt and rock. "W-what the hell is that thing?" Kō whispered backing up against the column.

"We need to run, now!" Ziren said trying to get Kō's attention. Whatever it was wasn't their fight. Then it entered his sensory range. Ziren gulped audibly. "Move ou-" He was interrupted by what sounded like two steel I-beams slamming together. The shinobi team stood transfixed as the creature entered the area of light.

"Holy Shit!" Anko exclaimed. The monster towered over them. It's mandibles easily longer then a human was tall clashed together in a deafening clash. Its head was lifted halfway to the ceiling as it looked down upon the Konoha-nin. Its massive antennae waved back and forth in a most disquieting manner. It's compound eyes seemed to stare blankly out into space, but Ziren had no doubt it was watching every one of their movements.

"Kō, how long is this thing?" Ziren asked.

"Fifty, maybe sixty feet long."

"Why do I ask questions I don't want answers to?" A keening rent the air as the giant centipede charged. The team scattered as the centipede stampeded past. It wrapped around the pillar to make a second run at them. Ziren ducked and wove as leg after giant leg came down at him. He swung his sword at a leg, but the blade bounced off the thick carapace. Spinning around another leg Ziren leapt up attacked at the joint where leg met body. His sword cut through the flesh and Ziren only narrowly avoided the blood that spurted out.

Despite his best efforts Ziren had only managed to partially sever the long limb. "Anko!" Ziren shouted pointing out the damaged leg. Thinking quickly Anko tied ninja wire to a kunai and threw it. The wire wrapped around the wounded leg, moving fast she tied the other end of the wire to a stalagmite and jumped back as the wire was pulled taunt. The wire loop closed and severed the leg. The centipede continued its relentless charge unhindered. "We just cut off a leg and it didn't even notice," Ziren said once the centipede had run past them. It was already turning around for another go.

"It does have a lot of them," Anko replied.

"Shinobu any way to kill this thing?" Ziren asked.

"Normally the most efficient method to kill a centipede would be to step on it."

"Don't think we have a boot big enough," Kō said scanning the area. At that moment the centipede reared up and lunged at the group. They managed to dodge to the side as the centipede tried burrowing under the mossy ground. But the creature was too big and quickly hit stone. The impact was so hard that the shinobi could hear cracks form in the cave floor and the pillar. The centipede began moving half-submerged in the ground, breaking the floor and sending the Konoha shinobi tumbling.

"Move up!" Ziren shouted jumping onto the pillar. Seeing movement, the centipede shot out of the ground at Ziren like a striking snake. Ziren gathered his chakra in his legs and jumped at the centipede's head, sword first. The metal met the beasts carapace with a shower of sparks. Ziren felt his sword wrenched from his grasp as the centipede smashed into the stone column, fracturing it more.

Ziren tumbled down the monsters back before he managed to adhere himself to the exoskeleton. His sword was stuck six inches deep into the myriapods head. He didn't have a lot of option without his weapon. He jumped back as a piece of the pillar fell on top of the centipede. That gave Ziren an idea. The type of idea he'd yell at Naruto for coming up with. But a bad idea was better than no idea. The giant creature was rearing back and about to attack the rest of his team on the pillar. Moving fast Ziren ran up the beast's body and jumped in front of its eye.

"Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!" Ziren shot a ball of water right into the creature's eye, blinding it. This gave the other shinobi time to dodge as the centipede smashed once more into the stone pillar. "Team! On me!" Ziren shouted as he leapt to the ground. The other shinobi gathered around him as the centipede flailed, giving Ziren enough time to relay his plan to the others.

"Will that even work?" Kō asked incredulously.

"You got anything better, Hyῡga?" Anko asked. He had no reply.

"I hope it does, Kō. I really do. But if it doesn't? Make for the hole in the ceiling. I'll stay back and keep that thing busy."

"Ziren, you can't be serious," Anko said.

"I'm very serious. ONe: it's better if only one of us dies, then all of us. Two: I'm not leaving without my sword. And three: I already volunteered. But I don't want to die, so let's make sure this works."

"KREEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The centipede turned back towards the shinobi. Blood dribbled from its ruined eye as it continued its ear-piercing wail. "I think I got its attention," Ziren said as he reached into his pocket. "Let's go!" Ziren shouted throwing a smoke bomb on the ground.

Ziren dashed out of the smoke and shot a water bullet at the centipede before running as fast as he could in the other direction. The Centipede charged forward continuing its incessant cry. Despite His best efforts Ziren could not outrun the beast. The centipede bit down on Ziren only for him to explode in a cloud of smoke. The centipede started back in surprise and used its antennae to find where the human went.

A blast went off on its carapace and the beast turned around to find the human who had taken its eye standing there. Ziren threw a kunai at the creature and it exploded dealing no damage. Keening once more the centipede charged forward. Ziren crouched down as he gathered his chakra in his legs. As the centipede moved closer Ziren jumped into the air as Anko popped out of the ground. "Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!" The centipede was blinded by the flames as it hurtled into the stone pillar.

Ziren landed on the creatures back and held on through the impact before making his way towards its head. Meanwhile Shinobu and Kō were fulfilling their part of the plan. Shinobu just finished running through hand signs before plunging her hands into the pillar. "Raaaaahhh!" With a crack and a shudder, she pulled a massive boulder from pillar and threw it into the air.

Kō jumped from the pillar onto the boulder in the air and focused what chakra he had left into his palms. Using his Byakugan he waited until the centipede began raising its head. "Eight Trigrams: Mountain Crusher!" He slammed his palms into the stone and shot it towards the centipede. The giant was raising its head just as the boulder smashed into it, sending its head slamming into the ground. Kō's aim had been true and Ziren's sword was imbedded up to its hilt.

"Water Style:-" Ziren said performing hand signs as he ran toward the head. He planted his feet and grabbed the hilt of his sword. "-Cutting River Jutsu!" Ziren felt his chakra infuse the creatures blood as it fought against his control. There he sat, between two seconds as he fought a battle of wills with a giant bug. Heaving with all his might and putting every ounce of mental power behind it, Ziren pulled his sword from the centipedes head with an explosion of blood as the pressurized wave tore through the chitinous flesh.

"KREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The giant animal flailed around screaming in pain. Fleeing for the lives the Konoha shinobi ran from the thrashing beast as it slammed into the stone tower for the last time. Unable to handle the punishment, the stone tower crumbled. Rocks and debris fell from the caverns ceiling. Dust filled the cavern as the avalanche finally came to an end.

Anko picked herself up and dusted herself down. She took stock of the situation and saw a giant leg sticking out of the ground. It twitched, but it was the movement of a dead body. When the ringing in her ears finally stopped the cavern was deathly silent. "Sound off!" She shouted.

"Here," Kō said limping over.

"H-Here," Shinobu responded climbing up on a pile of rubble.

"Ziren? Ziren!?" Anko shouted. But only her echoes responded. "Kō, find him!" Kō reactivated his Byakugan and began peering through the rubble. Without a word he ran off, with Anko and Shinobu hot on his heels.

"He's under here. Help me get him out!" Kō shouted pointing towards a nondescript pile of rubble. Working together the team moved the debris until they uncovered their leader.

"He's not breathing!" Anko shouted pulling him out of the rubble. She immediately began performing CPR trying to revive him. After the second round, as she was pumping his chest, Ziren coughed and he regained consciousness.

"Wha…ow…huh?" Ziren sputtered as his eyes fluttered open.

"You didn't jump off the Centipede when it careened into the column," Kō said looking over Ziren's body.

"Too much…chakra in…feet. Couldn't…get off." Ziren wheezed as Kō prodded his body looking for wounds. He found them when Ziren flinched away, painfully drawing breath through his teeth.

"What's the damage Kō?" Anko asked.

"His spine's intact, thank god. His left arm is broken, he has multiple fractured ribs, a punctured lung, and a concussion. He's able to form coherent sentences, which is a very good sign. I'll do what I can now, but we need to get him to a real medic. Anko can you make sure he stays awake?"

"I can. Shinobu, keep a look-out. Make sure those other centipedes don't try to start anything." Nodding Shinobu jumped onto a boulder and scanned the area. Purple chakra began emanating from Anko's fingertips as she placed them on Ziren's temples.

"Weird…whas…that?" Ziren coughed out.

"A technique we use in the T&I Department. Keeps the prisoners awake during interrogation. Go ahead Kō." Nodding, the Hyῡga's hands began to glow as he began moving them across Ziren's body. He ground his teeth together as he felt his bones move around. Multiple times the pain was too great for him to bear, but his body could not fall unconscious.

"Wait, quiet!" Shinobu shouted as her hand shot to her ear. "This is black team! Come in! Can you hear me!? Come in! Damn." Shinobu jumped as high into the air as her exhausted body could bear. "Come in!"

"What's going on, Shinobu?" Anko asked once the Aburame landed.

"The radio came alive for a moment. I was hoping to contact those on the outside."

"…hello…" A voice echoed from above them, emanating from the hole in the ceiling.

"Here! Down here! Man down! Need evac!" Anko shouted back up. They felt elation as they saw a rope fall from the ceiling and Konoha shinobi repel down.


Anko and Kō gingerly lowered Ziren onto a stretcher located in a room on the first floor of the lab that had been converted into an emergency hospital. Around them others lay either unconscious, dying, or dead. "We'll get a medic over to you as quickly as possible," Anko said.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure others here need help more than I do."

"You were slammed into a mountain by a fifty-foot bug. You are not fine."

"Meh, I call that a Tuesday," Ziren said trying, and failing to smile without showing pain.

"It's Thursday."

"…"

"..."

"Okay maybe I do need to see a medic."

"Black Team, a few words." The team turned to see the newcomer, at least those who could move their neck. Shikaku had walked up to the group a clipboard in hand and aides milling behind him.

"How is the battle, Lord Shikaku?" Shinobu asked.

"Done. The laboratory is ours. I wanted to thank you for the warning about hidden explosives. We managed to deactivate the self-destruct before it could be used. I also wanted to ask your team a few questions about what happened. Mainly, what happened?"

"After-" Ziren started but stopped as a hiss pain escaped his lips.

"I'll answer, you rest," Anko interjected. She explained their encounter with Itaro and Thijs. The cavern beneath the laboratory, the Byakugan blocking seal and the giant centipedes.

"I recommend that we move to quickly eradicate the surviving centipedes underground. If they escape they could cause irreparable damage to the local ecosystem and nearby settlements," Shinobu put in once Anko was done.

"How troublesome. I'll put it on the to-do list. Speaking of troublesome." Shikaku motioned with his hand and a shinobi dumped an unconscious Itaro at his feet. "According to Konoha law all traitors are to be given to their clan for punishment and execution. As the only Aburame for miles, Itaro falls under your jurisdiction."

Shinobu looked down at Itaro, contemplating him. Her face turned into a sneer of disgust. It was the look a non-Aburame would give a slimy insect. "He is no Aburame. Give him to the Torture and Interrogation Department. I'm sure Anko will take good care of him." Shinobu turned away from the traitor to compose herself. Kō moved to comfort her while Shikaku told his aides to put Itaro with the others.

"You okay?" Ziren asked Anko.

"I don't want to be asked that by the guy on the stretcher."

"Broken bones, concussions? Those heal cleanly. Injuries like that though," Ziren said looking at Itaro being dragged away. "Those scars never go away."

"Speaking from experience."

"Can't say I've ever been nearly murdered by an ex. But I have been around the block a few times. Seen my fair share of heart ache. Physical injury feels like a walk in the park in comparison."

"It's hard to take your point seriously when you have blood dribbling from your mouth."

"That explains the taste."

"I appreciate what your trying to do, but stop. I'll be fine. I've survived before, I'll survive this, and I'll keep on surviving."

"Well said, well said. When we get back to Konoha wanna get drunk?"

"Now you're speaking my language," Anko said hitting Ziren in the shoulder. Before immediately apologizing when he yelped in pain.


Satori stumbled through the woods. Her foot caught on a tree root and she collapsed to the ground. She was looking for the Shrouded Heralds hidden monastery. She had only barely managed to escape the deserts deadly heat. She stole food and water where she could but those opportunities became fewer and fewer. She was feverish and dehydrated, and only stood back up again thanks to sheer willpower. She leaned against a tree and tried to catch her breath. "I will make it, I will return."

"No, you won't," Loew said looking down on her.

"Shut up!" Satori's vision became clouded, but she shook off her light-headedness. Yelling took too much effort, and it was pointless anyway. "You're not Loew, he would never say that."

"I am not Loew. I am Satori. You will not make it."

"I will find the entrance. I will return with the artifact. I will prove you wrong." She pulled the Saviors artifact from her pocket and stared into the black metal. "I will see our salvation. No matter what," Satori said looking up, but Loew was gone. Standing straight once more Satori continued deeper into the woods.

The monastery was hidden to avoid the Usurpers minions. Satori had only entered and left with Loews help. She was unsure of the entrances exact location, and the fever wasn't helping. Steel pressed against her neck as her arms were held behind her back. She caught a glimpse of the arm of her attacker and felt relief when she saw a black robe with white swirls. "I found the hidden thread."

Satori felt her captor stiffen up at her words. They were a passphrase given to the adepts of the Heralds that when spoken would take them directly to Father, no matter what. Satori wasn't supposed to know that phrase, but Loew gave it to her in case something happened to him. She hoped she'd have never had to use it. "How do you kn-"

"I need to see Father now!" Silence fell over the forest and for a tense moment Satori was afraid that the Herald wouldn't believe her. But then she felt the knife move from her neck and the herald step back.

"Follow me." Satori managed to shuffle forward and stay on the heels of the Herald as he led her to a cliff face. He pushed a rock and a hidden door swung silently open on oiled hinges. She followed him down hallways and around corners, past curious onlookers and other adepts watching the progression.

Finally, they came to the great doorway, the entrance to the Room of Remembrance. She had been inside a few times as Loew explained the groups history to her. From the Battle of Sundering between the Usurper and the Savior to the present day. She didn't spare any attention to the numerous carvings lining the wall or the miracle of engineering above her that kept the chamber perpetually lit. She had eyes only for the raised platform and the man who sat on it.

"Father I found this woman outside and she spoke the emergency phrase."

"Thank you, son. She is known to me, let her approach." Satori move forward, she needed to rest and eat, but had to finish her mission first. For Loew. Satori ascended the steps to the top of the plinth, step after agonizing step. She made it to the top and kneeled.

"Salvation comes!" She announced holding the artifact forward. An ancient, withered hand caressed Satori's face and made her look up.

"You have done well, my daughter." Father said as tears flowed freely from his cataract filled eyes.

He took the metal from her and Satori gasped when she lost contact with it. She had shrouded it in chakra to hide it from anyone looking for it or her. Only now did she realize it had been absorbing her chakra the entire time. She felt the shadows and phantoms hanging at the edge of her perceptions leave and her head clear. "Rejoice, children!" Father shouted holding the artifact aloft. The light dimmed and the temperature dropped. Satori felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as black chakra exploded from Father. Cheers rose from those present while Satori openly wept. The chakra swirled into impossible to follow patterns before fading away. Father reverently held the artifact in one hand while motioning to an adept standing next to him to help Satori up.

"Tell me, child. Happened to my son? Where is Loew?"

Satori felt the sadness and despair that she had been keeping buried this entire time threaten to surface. Mourning would come later, mission first. "He is dead." Father and the other herald gasped at the news.

"How?" the Herald asked.

"Konoha shinobi. They arrived shortly before we attacked. We thought we could fight them, but…there was a…child. He could summon the Grace without an artifact. And there was more, a third chakra. It terrified me. How is this possible?"

"Did this child have blonde hair and Blue eyes?" Father asked. Satori nodded. "I know the one you speak of."

"There is more Father, another of the shinobi-"

"You are weak my child, you need to rest. You will do us no good, starving as you are. Anything else you need to tell me can wait till after you've slept and ate." He motioned to one of the heralds on the floor before to approach. "Take the Adept Sister to the infirmary to receive medical help."

"Adept?" Satori asked.

"You have more than earned the title. Rest, and then we shall have a funeral for Loew. His loss will be felt keenly." Nodding Satori bowed and allowed herself to be led down the stairs and out of the chamber. Father watched Satori leave while he internalized the death of one of his favorite sons.

"This is the second time the demon child has gotten in our way."

Father turned to the other on the plinth and looked at him with unseeing eyes. "Do you feel nothing at the news of Loews death?" Father asked. Shinkō recoiled as if slapped and stared at the floor.

"I did not like Loew, Father. I felt he was much too combative at times, and we quarreled often. Even so, he was my Brother Adept, and I will mourn his passing. The best way I can honor his memory is ensuring our salvation comes. And remove all obstacles to that goal."

"As beautiful as always, Shinkō. And you believe the most pressing obstacle is the child, correct?"

"I do. We still don't know how he can use the Grace like he does. Plus, the fact he has been marked by the usurper. What does it mean Father?"

"The twice-touched child is indeed a worrying omen."

"I also fear Konoha's response to Loew's attack."

"Our hideout remains hidden, our goals shrouded in secrecy. Explain your trepidation." Shinkō looked at Father ready to ask if he was serious. But then he realized this was a test, to see if Shinkō could see underneath the underneath.

"When I attacked the Konoha shinobi my actions could be explained away as a bad element among the Heralds. A single extremist among the ranks. I would have even given myself up if it meant your continued safety. But Loew, his actions are much too thought out to be the ravings of a madman. And his techniques on too grand a scale to be just an extremist element. You told me that our greatest weapon was our enemies ignorance. They will not remain ignorant for much longer thanks to Loew's failed attack."

"Failed? Not quite, but otherwise an excellent analysis, my son. You are right, Loew's power and techniques cannot be easily explained away. But then, how useful is a candle covered by a basket?"

"Father?" The old man tuned and stepped to the center of the dais. With great difficulty he bent down and placed his hand on the stone. A seal came to life as Father channeled his chakra. The ground shifted, and the stone sunk into the ground creating a stairway to below.

"Help me down son, the stairs aren't kind to an old man's knees." Shinkō stepped forward and took Fathers arm and began helping him down the stairs.

"I have thought long and hard on what the twice-touched child's appearance means." Father explained as the entrance above them closed. They were enveloped in darkness as they descended the narrow staircase. Father had grown quiet, saving his breath for the climb. Shinkō fell into himself as they moved through the darkness. He had only been down here a handful of times. The first was for his Adept initiation. All his brothers and sisters had to descend through this darkness before they could find the light of enlightenment.

They finally made it to the end and Father huffed trying to regain his breath. "What…use is…a candle that is…covered?" Father finally asked moving to a door.

"Nothing."

"Correct, Shinkō," Father said opening the door and motioning Shinkō to follow. The monk entered the room and felt his breath catch, like it always did when he entered. It was an unremarkable room made of worked stone. It was small, cramped even. Carved into the small rooms walls were tiny alcoves, barely bigger than a fist. But in these alcoves, were small bits of twisted black metal. Gathered through the centuries of the Shrouded Heralds life. In this room Shinkō was closer to the Savior than anywhere else. Blessed were those allowed to meditate here.

Father moved to an empty alcove and placed the artifact secured by Satori in its place. "Loew may have died, but his sacrificed brought us this much closer to seeing the world righted and the Usurper thrown down."

"What do you mean by the candle, Father?"

"We have hidden from this world for so long, it is all we know. We possess knowledge. A truth that has been forbidden for so long that even we forget its importance. So, again I ask what use is a candle covered?"

"You're saying we no longer hide. That the time has come to reveal ourselves to the world?" Shinkōs voice quivered at the idea of no longer hiding his belief. Of bringing the light of truth to this dark world. "Why now? After centuries of hiding why reveal ourselves now? We still have not remade the Sage of the Endless Path's weapon," Shinkō said gesturing to the empty alcoves.

"Why indeed? Two omens have appeared that tells me the world will soon face changes. Events are coming that will shake the Earth to its very foundation. And we will be the harbingers of this change. The heralds of a new world order!"

Shinkō felt elation at the energy pouring from Father. He fell to his knees and looked up at Father worshipfully. "What are these glorious omens Father?"

"Glorious, son? No, these omens are not glorious. Warnings are never glorious. They are worrying. They are the things that nightmares are made of, that wake you in the middle of the night and leave you incapable of moving. The first omen was the twice-touched child. He represents the war that has waged across this world from its very founding. The forces the Usurper used to try and steal the Saviors Grace. A pitched, unending war. Will the child remain a puppet? Or can we show him the truth and help bring the Savior back? In him the Savior continues to try and save us. And in him the Usurper continues to propagate his lies. It could be that this child determines the fate of the world."

"And the second omen, Father?" Shinkō asked, enraptured.

"Sit," the older man said seating himself across from Shinkō. "Calm yourself. Become one with the grace." Shinkō assumed a meditative stance and opened himself to the chakra swirling through the room. Shinkō opened himself to the song and let it course through him. He lost himself as he surfed the tides of chakra. His eyes shot open as tears rolled down his cheek.

"The song…it's changed."

"Yes, it has changed."

"How? When? Why?"

"How? I don't know. When? Just before you returned."

"When I met Naruto."

"That is what I also believe. And why? The savior is trying to tell us something. Warn us of the events to come. Tell me, what do you hear?" Shinkō fell back into himself and became one with the song. The tears continued to freely flow down his face as he went deeper.

"It's…sad and somber." The Grace always filled him with a sense of peace and contentness, but now the song filled him with despair…no, not despair. Regret…mournfulness…a longing. Longing? Shinkō lost his connection as realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. "A longing for a return! The song of someone waiting for the other to return!" Shinkō stared at Father as he finally put things together. "The Artifacts are waiting for the Savior to return!"

"Change is coming, son. We must prepare to change with it. And usher in salvation."