Chapter 6: Aurion

Shino looked around in shock at the ruined Nozomi village. …What have they done? This is madness. Why? Why have they done this!

"Hey, Aburame, wake up," Airas said.

Shino looked at her. "What?"

"We're here Shino," Hinata informed.

"I…I know that."

"Thank you again for helping us," Kurenai said.

"Yeah, whatever." Airas looked away. "Just don't go talking to people, alright?"

"Why not?" Kakashi asked.

"Just do as I say! Stay away from the villagers and don't try to help anyone." She threw Airi over her shoulder. "This is still my village." She began to walk away.

"Airas, where are you going?" Sakura asked.

"None of your damn business, brat." She continued to walk away from the ninjas. As soon as she knew she was out of their eyesight, she sighed heavily. "Airi…I…" She shook her head. "No, never mind." She walked up a small path and came to a graveyard. "…I have to do this…" She walked up another path north of the graveyard and came to a neat little grave. "Alright Airi, we're here." She put her sister's body next to a tree. "I'm getting us help Airi." She put on the Nozomi Charm and pulled out her staff. "This better work." Airas opened up her pouch and pulled out the mythril. "If I can just form this into a nice little sphere…" She removed some tools from her pouch and began to carve down the mythril. It slowly took the shape of a ball. She set down her staff and removed the orb at the top and replaced it with the mythril ball. "Alright, I'm ready…" She got to her feet and walked to a stone tablet behind the tombstone.

"So, if I can just form a pact with the Summon Spirit of Darkness, I can talk to…him." Airas cleared her throat. "Akurei, the Summon Spirit of Darkness, I call upon thee!"

The tablet began to glow black as little black orbs formed before Airas. The orbs then turned into a woman. "Who has called me?"

"I have! Nozomi Airas of the Nozomi Clan!"

The woman gave Airas a curious look. "What business do you have with me, the Demon Mistress of Darkness, Nozomi Priestess?"

"I'd like to establish a pact with you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to bring back a certain soul."

"Aah, I see. I am the guardian of the souls of hell. You need a pact with Inochi."

"Inochi is nothing but a spirit now. Her body was lost nine years ago."

Akurei blinked. "Have I been dormant so long that I didn't sense the pain of my dear friend?" She looked around. "This soul you want, is it…"

"It's not in hell."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"Can't you try to bring it back?"

She sighed. "Nozomi Priestess…I…I could try."

"Then let's form a pact!"

"Wait, hold it, it's not that easy. What proof do you have that will show me that you can wield darkness?"

"I've already made pacts with two other Summon Spirits!"

"Two? Ha, that's laughable."

"Akurei please! I beg of you, I need your help!"

Akurei sighed again. "I hate it when people beg. Fine, fine. But because you don't have adequate proof, I want something from you."

Airas took a step back. "Something…from me?"

"It's too bad I can't have your soul. Inochi showed me your records once before. Well…" She tapped her finger against her lower lip. "Aah, I have it. When the purpose of the soul you want to bring back is fulfilled, I get all of your vital energy."

"But…But that'll kill me-"

"Exactly! I'm a demon, what can I say? I enjoy death."

Airas looked over at Airi's body. "…Okay, fine."

"Alright then, we're done."

"What?"

"My power is yours." Akurei's body turned into little black orbs, then formed a black crystal.

Airas grabbed the crystal. "Black onyx…" She covered her mouth. "…I just signed my life away…" She shook her head. "I'm doing this for them!" She walked back in front of the tombstone. "Now to get his coffin out from under the ground…" She held up her staff. "Better not use Stalagmite Pinions, so…Reverse Avalanche!" The ground began to glow red as rocks shot out. The rocks pushed out a coffin. "It worked!" She smiled as tears glistened in her eyes. "Au-Aur-" She chocked on her words as she started crying. "N-No! I sh-shouldn't cry!" She rubbed her eyes and opened the lid of the coffin. Inside was the body of a thirteen year old boy. "Hey there." She smiled. "It's been some time, hasn't it?" She took a deep breath. "Alright then, Akurei, time to do your stuff!" She held up the black onyx. "I call upon the Demon Mistress of Darkness! Come forth, Akurei!" Akurei's body came out of the crystal. "Okay Akurei, I need you to help me resurrect this soul! Please give your power to me staff." The Summon Spirit disappeared into the mythril orb atop Airas's staff. "I was told never to use the resurrection spell, but this is important!" She held her staff above her head. "From the dark abyss, I ask that Akurei help bring back soul from its eternal sleep!" The mythril orb began to glow. "Return this soul from purgatory!" The ground below her began to glow as well. "REBIRTH!" Black light shot out from her staff and engrossed the body in the coffin. "Gotta…I gotta stand my ground!" The force from the light was pushing her back. "Grr…AHH!" The light forced her back and she hit a tree. "Agh!" She rubbed her head. "Oww…My head…"

"You're tellin' me…"

Airas's head shot up as she looked at a man stand up in the coffin. "A-A--!"

The man shook his head. "Geez, where have I been and what have I been doing? And…" He looked around. "Where am I?"

Airas stood up. "A-A…"

The man looked at her and stopped rubbing his head. "Y-You!" He blinked in shock. "You…You're-"

"AURION!" Airas ran up to him and leaped into his arms. "Aurion!" She started to cry.

"A-Airas!" Aurion looked at her. "What? But…You're an…adult?"

"Yes!" She rubbed the tears from her eyes. "Look at yourself!"

He looked down at his body. "Whoa! I'm like a fukin' adult!" He flexed his muscles. "I've still got it. Boy, am I sexy or what? I must be in my early twenties!"

"Twenty-two to be exact," Airas said with a smile.

Aurion smiled. "Ha ha, Airas!" He rubbed her head. "So, how did this happen?"

"I…I used the forbidden resurrection spell."

"What!" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Why! There's no point in bringing me back to life!"

"Yes there is Aurion!" She pointed to the tree where Airi's body was resting. "Look."

He followed her finger. "A…Airi?" He ran over to her. "Airi! Airi, hey! Wake up!" He looked back at Airas. "How did this happen?"

"I…I…" She looked away. "I'll explain later, okay? Right now, we have to go find some people."

"People?" He picked up Airi. "Who?"

"Some of Airi's friend are roaming our village."

"What? Why!"

She sighed. "God Aurion, you've got a whole lot of catching up to do. C'mon, let's just go."