CHAPTER 10-INTERMISSION: A CLONE'S MISADVENTURE
In an unknown region of the Re-Estize Kingdom, a cloaked figure makes his way through a dank cave, where the only illumination is provided via strange insects with softly glowing hides, and spaced out in intervals. To the untrained eye, this may not seem significant, but the spacing of the creatures seemed far too organized for it to be random chance. As the figure continued, he began to hear chants echoing at the far side.
They were low, almost melodic in nature, but also possessed a rather haunting quality. As if just the act of listening to them could spell one's doom. Voices that grew in ever increasing volume as the male-shaped figure neared its source; a cavern at the end of a tunnel. Choosing to remain hidden, the figure ducked behind a rock formation so quickly he seemed a blur.
The cloaked figure's right eye was all that was seen, as it slowly and partially emerged. Though it was hidden in shadow, the eye itself seemed to faintly glow red, with the pupil surround by three black dots with a swirl. A telltale trait of the [Sharingan], as the figure gazed upon a most unusual sight.
The cavern had at least one-hundred individuals kneeling, as if in prayer, singing their hymn of darkness. The beings assembled were a mix of races, ranging from human, goblin, orc, and even a few elves and fox-type beastmen. The gender ratio between them was split for 85 males, 15 females, and all wearing black robes that clung to their bodies almost like a second skin. The mixed cacophony of disparate voices made their refrain all the more disturbing by the moment.
In front of them at the end of the cavern, was a raised stone platform with five wooden poles. Upon each of them was a female human, wearing simple white gowns, with their hands bound above their heads, with their feet likewise bound. Each were quite beautiful and attractive, and it was obvious to anyone with half-a-mind that the girls, whose ages ranged from 17 to 20, were there not of their own free will.
They seemed to be ordered according to age, with youngest on the far right-side. She had long blonde hair and brown eyes, and had a panic attack as she fainted from the ordeal. The next girl had mid-length brown hair and red eyes, which were swollen from excessive crying as she continued to have tears streaking down her cheeks.
The next also had brown, mid-length hair with gray eyes, and was just now starting to break down into tears. The fourth girl had green eyes, and long black hair that went past her waist, and remained stone-faced throughout. The final and eldest among them had long red hair with piercing blue eyes, and had an expression of pure rage as she grit her pearl-white teeth.
Behind those girls was a demonic looking statue with dragon-like wings upon its back, with four arms possessing six fingered hands. It had hooves for feet, and five horns that swept back at first, before they curled in on each other. It had pointed ears much like that of an elf, along with fearsome teeth and fangs that appeared that they could rend flesh with little effort. However, despite all of that, its most striking feature, were its stony eyes that glowed and pulsed with red energy, almost in sync with the haunting refrain of the gathered crowd.
The haunting melody of the crowd slowly died down as a human man in elaborate, priestly-like robes climbed up a set of steps on their left. They were like a dark parody of those typically worn by a holy man, having a black-colored scheme with blood-red accents. He had a golden amulet with a crimson-red jewel in its center, and carried with him a gnarled dark-brown staff with a dark-orange jewel of its own at the tip.
The man himself was in his early-to-mid 40s, with black swept-back hair with a white streak going down the middle. He sported a fair skin complexion and possessed gray eyes that seemed to look off into the far long distance. He carried himself with a graceful, dignified poise as he sidled up to a lectern, and smiled broadly as he spoke in a passionate tone.
"Friends and comrades! Through your faith and good works, the promised day hath finally arrived! The day we shall revive the first of the 'Exalted Ones' whom graced this land 200 years ago. Rejoice my brethren! Rejoice! We of the chosen, shall usher in a new age!"
Cheers and voices of joy and rapture echoed off the walls as the priest's menagerie of followers threw their hands up high. After a few moments the "priest" then motioned for silence, and the group silently obeyed as he continued his speech, walking up to the red-headed girl.
"Of course, let us not forget, the contributions and the sacrament of these ladies before us. These tainted whores whom shall serve to bring about our lord's revival…"
If the man had any more to say, it was promptly halted as the red-headed girl spat in his face the moment he turned to face her. She then spoke with venom and contempt in her voice…
"Bastards! We didn't become whores by choice! You threatened our village if we didn't!"
The gathered crowd's collective stares silently observed hear. So eerie was their stillness that any movement, no matter how slight, could have been picked out. Meanwhile the "priest", instead of being angered, seemed overjoyed at her reaction, as his smile grew even wider. He then proceeded to wipe her spit off his face by lifting her gown, revealing her bare form for all to see. This elicited chuckles and lustful gazes from all present, and then silent frowns when the priest had finished cleaning his face.
"Oh, my dear Griselda. For our purposes, your choosing was not relevant. For our most Exalted One's revival, the taint of sin upon those with pure intentions was required. And we have so enjoyed tainting you fair ladies…" The "priest" said with a perverse grin.
The one now known as Griselda hissed as the muscles in her body tensed, and her face became red with rage. She was about to scream with all the power her lungs could muster, when he then gently tapped her forehead with his staff, making her body go limp. Though her body stopped moving, her eyes still frantically moved about, fear and panic clear in her gaze.
"Do not worry my dear. 'Tis a simple paralysis spell. Now then, allow me to elucidate you. No, allow me to thank you. After all, where would we be without your willingness to sacrifice yourselves for your village? It is for that reason we threatened it. To draw out those whom would willingly sacrifice of themselves for the greater good. You maidens, even if pure, were the least we could have asked for to see through our most faithful of goals. Namely, gathering the energies of tainted, pure intentions, to revive of our Exalted One. For your collaboration, we are nothing but grateful. So much so, that we will make sure the nights we spent defiling you will be recorded. You all can live on in history as the first stone to be set on our road to enlightenment."
As he finished speaking with a voice filled with joy and gratitude, he gently kissed her forehead in a fond and loving manner. Then he turned back to the crowd and rose up his hands.
"Now! We shall…"
Suddenly, the priest cut himself off. His eyes sharply widened, his breathing became ragged, and he began laughing like a crazed madman as he spoke in a matching tone.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What is THIS?! Do our beloved Deities smile upon us? What good fortune! You there! Hidden in the back! Do not fear! Reveal yourself to us!"
At those words, the crowd spun around almost simultaneously, as the cloaked figure slowly rose from his hiding place behind the rocks, and slowly walked to the center of the cavern.
"How fortuitous! That one whom meets the needs of our most Exalted One by leaps and bounds should appear before us on this day, OF ALL DAYS! HAHAHAHA! Come! Reveal yourself to us stranger!"
The priest exclaimed in joy and borderline mania, while the crowd's vision was locked onto the stranger before them. The figure calmly pulled back his hood, revealing a tall man with tanned skin, dark eyes, and long, light-black hair styled in a center-parted fringe that framed his face, with a few bangs of hair on either side. His countenance was blank and almost unreadable as the "priest" spoke in a friendly tone of voice.
"Greetings and good tidings stranger! Your arrival is most timely! To whom am I speaking?"
The new figure responded in an empty tone as he locked eyes with the "priest".
"Madara. And you?"
As he said, his face was clearly not that of his true visage, but a result of the application of the [Henge no Jutsu] transformation.
"Ah, forgive my poor manners.~ I am Sorejin Vizla. A humble priest of our… modest order." He said with a courteous bow and tone.
"And? What order? What is it that you worship?" Madara asked with a cold tone.
"Ah~hah! 'Tis truly providence indeed! These ladies never demonstrated any curiosity towards our faith, but for an illustrious surprise-guest such as yourself, enlightenment is at hand! To answer your query, we seek the revival of the Deities that ruled these lands over 200 hundred years…" The "priest" Sorejin was interrupted when Madara's cold voice spoke over him.
"The Evil Deities?"
At this, Sorejin's expression soured into a frown. His previous jovial mood seemed to evaporate into the ether as his spoke in a displeased tone.
"Hmph! Do not ascribe such a simple moniker to our Exalted Ones! Such ignorance only belies their true state of being!~ They and their most glorious ruler, the 'Demon God', they shall bring order to chaos, and your sacrament shall aid in this!"
"Madara", perked a brow at this, and his confusion pleased Sorejin as he continued.
"Oh, yes indeed! Aaaaah~! Your level of taint FAR eclipses that of these ladies! I can sense it… Nay! SMELL IT! How this is possible I know not, but you have killed your fellow humans in numbers I thought impossible for a single man! The blood, misery, and deaths of not dozens, not hundreds, but thousands stains you! The clashing of ideals, the compromise of principles, and most delicious of all, the hypocrisy! Oooooooh~! It's exquisite! I can feel our most Exalted One, crying out for your blood~!" Sorejin says as he hugs himself, shivering as if in ecstasy.
Meanwhile, "Madara" had an exceedingly displeased expression on his face as he listened to the man's ranting. The "priest" saw this, and his perverse smile widened as he spoke.
"Ah~ah… You must be wondering to what it is I speak. It is my [Talent] you see. I can sense the past sins of those around me. It is especially pronounced, when their sins clash with their inherent natures. Ooooh~! Perhaps we should have waited for you to come, instead of going through the trouble of forcing these five maidens out of that village. Oh, no matter. With you here, we can sacrifice you for our Exalted One, AND keep these fine maidens to ourselves! Hah! Fortune smiles upon us indeed! Now then, rejoice Madara! You shall be a part of something more! Hahaha!" The "priest" exclaimed in a demented and happy fashion.
Meanwhile, the expression "Madara" had on his face shifted again from merely displeased, to disgusted, and then barely constrained fury. A wave of his chakra was briefly released from his body, and the sensation froze the crowd and "priest" in their tracks in shock. The girls likewise all reacted, and looked upon him in stunned silence, and hopeful expressions that they would be saved.
"[Sharingan]!"
When those words were uttered, the five girls whom were staring into "Madara's" eyes briefly seized up, and then fainted into unconsciousness.
"[Susano'o]!"
Suddenly, ethereal blue flames burst forth from "Madara", with a ghostly skeletal form then shaping around him in just a few seconds. All were dumbstruck with expressions of awe, and then fear as two hands extended upward, and weapons formed in the shape of kris swords in that same ghostly energy, with the weapons crossed over each other in an "X".
*WHOOSH!*
It was over in a flash, as the swords spread apart in a blur, and then just one second later, every being in the crowd fell as if they were puppets whose strings were cut. When their bodies collided with the ground, their heads rolled away from their necks as the ground became a sea of blood. Only the dark priest remained as "Madara" casually strolled forward, and instead of fear, the man's expression was alight with elation as he broke out in wide-eyed mania.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's it! You're the 'Herald'! The prophesied one destined to bring about great change! I… HEERK!"
His rant was cut off as the left blade from [Susano'o] dove into his torso and held him aloft, as blood trickled down the shining blue-colored blade. Amazingly, the dark priest still lived, clutching his staff with his maniac smile, speaking with blood-soaked coughs.
"Gehehe… Hak!... 'Herald'… Know this… our deaths… mean nothing… The 'Exalted Ones' shall rise… hek! Whether… you're their… instrument… or not… this world… will… change… Kehehe…"
With that last breath, life left the dark priest. Still with that happy expression frozen on his face, as his body was flung into a corner like a discarded piece of trash.
"Hmph! Even in death he enjoyed the sound of his own voice." He contemptuously remarked.
Dismissing the blades, the four hands of [Susano'o] undid the bindings holding the girls, and then gently took them, and placed them at the far end of the cavern near the exit. Having done this, the arms of [Susano'o] smashed the wooden pillars out of the way as he leapt upon the stone platform. Madara's thoughts raced as he gazed upon the softly glowing demonic statue.
'It seems my clone found something of interest as I prepare to watch the lizardmen's battle…' (A/N:CH.8)
Indeed, what now stood before the demonic statue was one of Madara's Wood Clones, which continued to explore Re-Estize, with the main body set to observe the upcoming fight between the lizardmen, and the undead army due to attack them. All of his clones still active in exploring had disguised themselves with Ninjutsu, so that they could roam freely without any "unusual" stories of men with the same face circulating throughout the lands.
"GRRROOOOO!"
Suddenly a massive roar erupts from the "statue", vibrating the very air and walls of the cavern, and in a flash its crimson glow spreads to every part of the stone cavern. Clone-Madara then turns to see the spilled blood and corpses sizzling, and then slowly disintegrating into a red mist. The mist floated into the air for a few seconds, before another roar from the statue seemed to command the mist to flow towards it.
Watching the scene using the [Sharingan], Clone-Madara made special note of how the ambient energy of the mists flowed into the statue. This had an empowering effect that made it crack all over its surface, and all at once things came together…
"Now I see… You were not killed. You were sealed."
Clone-Madara knew everything and was linked to the original. He knew from the information provided to him (A/N:CH.1), that not all of the Evil Deities that wreaked havoc in this world were killed. Some were merely "defeated", and then sealed away. Looking back at the vacant robes, everything fell into place.
"Tsk!"
These were cultists and worshippers of the Evil Deities and the Demon God, had somehow learned of the method to undo the seal to this one. The insane rantings of the dark priest then made more sense. He must have known that even with their deaths, whatever ritual had been put into motion would still work.
Furthermore, the presence of a cult meant an organized group had backed them. Clone-Madara and the original mentally frowned and chastised themselves for not taking at least one prisoner. The priest's words, and the ever-growing malevolent presence in this cave had somehow briefly clouded his judgement and filled him with rage. Especially when reminded of the folly of his past-life.
As Clone-Madara turned back to the statue, he balked at how vile and rancid the presence from within the statue felt. This was nothing like that of the Nine-Tailed Fox he subjugated so long ago. It wasn't just a mass of hatred that he felt. Its very energy sickened him to his core. The rage, the hate, the malevolence, and the vile depravity that lurked within the thing was pure, true evil incarnate. Thus, Clone-Madara came to the most logical decision; he would take steps to correct his mistake.
"You're not leaving this cave, vile creature."
His stern tone filled with determination, and a righteousness he thought himself incapable of feeling, as Clone-Madara weaved hand-signs in a blur...
"[Mokuton: Mokuryū no Jutsu]!"
From the ground near Clone-Madara, a serpentine-like wood dragon, with a short trunk-like nose, burst forth and within the blink of an eye, coiled itself around and bit down onto the base of the statue's neck. Ever so steadily, the crimson-red energy that enveloped the cave receded as the Jutsu drained away its power. The statue balefully roared as its glowing eyes filled with hatred and spite, focused on Clone-Madara's impassive countenance.
He then pulled out six rectangular paper tags, and threw them at the statue, which started to shake the cavern as if starting an earthquake. The tags flew onto it as if guided, with one landing on its shoulders, thighs, head and abdomen. It roared once more as additional cracks appeared on its surface.
'I suspect that the magic used to originally seal this filthy creature away was an earth-elemental type, and it is somehow weakening and breaking through it. If so, then it is just a matter of reinforcing the original seal…' The clone idly thought.
Clone-Madara then made a gesture with its joined index and middle finger, and in response the tags each came alive with black markings on its surface. The markings spread all over the statue and connected with each other, and the increasing cracks halted their degradation. A malignant rumble could be heard from the statue as the cavern's tremors actually increased in intensity.
"Hmph. You're tougher than expected. That energy you harnessed from your dead followers gave you quite the boost it seems... Hm... No matter."
Clone-Madara turned his opened right palm upside-down, and then gathered chakra onto his fingertips. After 5-seconds of focus, he thrust them into the demonic statue's abdomen around the tag as he chanted…
"[Gogyō Fūin]!"
Steam sizzled from the struck area, and as Clone-Madara removed his hand, five additional markings appeared, and the deterioration of the cracks ceased. The tremors began to lose their intensity, and the cracks then began to heal themselves, until the statue's surface seemed a polished granite. Its red glow all but ceased, except from the eyes.
Clone-Madara then brought his hands together into the "Mi" hand-seal, and when he did a subtle chime was heard in the air, as the serpentine-like wood dragon's structure morphed to form another layer on top like a second skin. Its surface looked bright and polished as another chant was heard from Clone-Madara.
"[Doton: Chidōkaku]"
The ground beneath the statue rumbled briefly as it then slowly lowered further down into the stone and earth, and as it did a haunting voice echoed in the cavern…
"We… will… remember… you… Madara… Uchiha…"
Clone-Madara's brow briefly twitched at his full name being spoken, despite him never having disclosed it. Disregarding this with a huff, he spoke in cold, menacing tones as his [Sharingan] seemed to glow with hostility and contempt.
"You may remember me if you wish, creature. But as for you? Sink into the earth. Sink into the darkness. And be forgotten."
A final, venomous roar was barely heard as the earth swallowed the demonic statue, and then all was silent.
"[Doton: Doryūheki]"
The cavern rumbled as Clone-Madara jumped away, and a thick wall of stone sealed off the area where the platform was located. Casually walking towards the girls, he contemplated his next course of action, when suddenly his attention was drawn by approaching footfalls echoing in the tunnel leading to the cavern.
He sensed five individuals, all with higher levels of strength than he had come to expect from the humans of this world. Curious as to who they were, he vanished in a blur, and resolved to watch things unfold from the shadows. Less than 6-minutes later, five women entered the cavern, each wearing an adamantite-ranked adventurer tag…
"Oi! Lakyus! We found them!"
The first was an extremely muscular woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes. If not for the nature of her garb, her scent, and deep feminine voice as she exclaimed upon seeing the village girls, one could easily mistake her for a man. She wore heavy crimson plate-armor and held a mighty war-pick aloft in battle readiness. Upon her head rested a silver tiara which, like the rest of her equipment, was enchanted…
"Let me look at them, Gagaran. Everyone, cover me."
The rest formed a defensive ring around the second that was a young, 19-year-old woman with long blonde hair, green eyes, and pink lips that held a healthy gleam. Obviously the leader, she overflowed with a certain kind of nobility and charm in her poise and expressions as she leaned down to check on the five unconscious girls. She wore a blue, white, and gold light-armor set with six blades that were floating behind her. As Clone-Madara observed her, he took special note of the sword held in her left hand.
It was about the size of a bastard sword, with the blade looking as if it was cut from the starry night sky itself. The grip was beautiful, inlaid with a black sapphire embedded into the pommel that possessed a brightly burning flame. It drew Clone-Madara's attention for not only the subtle demonic energy it exuded, but also for the fact its power was far above anything he had sensed out in this world. The only weapons that could compare were the ones locked away within the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord's treasury…
"Ah, good. They seem to be alright. Just unconscious." She said with relief.
"Even if they weren't, you'd still be able to help them, fiendish-boss."
"You worry too much, evil-boss."
"Oh! Tina and Tia! You two… Grmph!"
Lakyus huffed at the blonde female twins that, despite their calm and cold tones of voice, had teased their leader and comrade playfully. At least from Clone-Madara's perspective, having thinly smiled at their antics. He also noted their slender figures that were trained for speed, agility, and mobility. Their light attire and armor mirrored this, and their appearances were the same, save for the fact they wore red and blue ribbons respectively. What intrigued him of the pair, was that their equipment and bearing was akin to that of a shinobi from his world.
The final figure was of such a short stature, that she would be considered a child. However, due to the poise and body language shown when she slowly walked away from the group, Clone-Madara doubted that assessment. She wore a red-colored robe, and an uncanny white mask, with a ruby-colored jewel on its forehead which hid her face. Then, as she gazed upon the piles of vacant black robes around them, she spoke…
"… This is strange…"
"Oh? What is it, Evileye?" Gagaran casually replied.
"… The tip about the kidnapped village girls said something of a large and powerful group. But there's nothing, and no one's here. Just piles of black clothes… What about you two? Sense anything?" She said facing the twins, who shook their heads in reply.
The short female, whom Clone-Madara soon identified as a magic caster by the abundance of mana she possessed, spoke in an emotionless, even voice that sounded both old and young at the same time. This was a curious puzzle for him, as neither her age nor emotional inflections could be properly gauged from her voice alone. More than that, was her strength.
She was by far the most powerful in the group, stronger than Lottus, and second only to the adventurer "Nabe" that was encountered in E-Rantel. (A/N:CH.2) Another puzzle was that while her presence "felt" like that of a human, there was a faint abnormality to it that Clone-Madara very nearly missed. Like her energy was being blocked… No, filtered in some way….
"… Well, we can worry about it later. Let's get these girls back to their village." Lakyus curtly stated.
"Oh? What's the hurry, leader? Shouldn't investigate this place a bit first?" Gagaran asked in surprise as she placed her weapon on her right shoulder.
"There's something not right about this place… It feels… wrong somehow."
"Hm. I agree. I feel something's off too. It feels like…" Evileye replied stoically, her voice then trailing off as if distracted.
"Um? Feels like what, shorty?" Gagaran asked in a teasing tone.
"Hmph… Nevermind… Let's just do as leader says and get these girls out of here. Defending them could be a problem if we're ambushed." Evileye replied in an annoyed huff, before then turning back to the girls.
"Agreed. If you would Evileye…" Lakyus said as she stepped aside.
The small magic caster simply nodded as she lifted her right hand and chanted a spell…
"[Floating Board]"
There was a light, brief flash of energy as a floating rectangular, translucent board about 6-feet (183cm) in length formed. The same spell was performed four more times, and each girl was gently place upon them as Evileye took the lead, and the floating platforms followed her.
"Alright. Let's get into formation and get these girls home. Then we'll come back to investigate this cave." Lakyus said in a dignified, authoritarian tone as she took a position slightly behind Evileye to her right.
"Ho! Got it~!" Gagaran cheerfully said as she took position as the rear-guard.
"Tsk. There goes our fiendish-boss again, Tia." Tina said in an empty tone.
"Yes, Tina. The evil-boss works us hard." Tia replied in a matching tone.
"…"
Lakyus shot the twins a glare as she pouted at their moniker for her. Gagaran grinned playfully while Evileye seemed indifferent, still stealing glances at the pile of black clothes and the far wall. She was then taken out of her thoughts as Lakyus' dignified voice rang out.
"Alright everyone, let's move."
With that, all of them started to leave as one down the corridor-like tunnel to exit the cavern. A few moments pass, and then Clone-Madara rises up from the stony floor as if it were as soft as mud.
'There is no mistaking it. That is Team Blue Rose that I have heard about… Humph… They have turned out to be far more intriguing than I would have given them credit for. Perhaps it would be wise to have my clone follow and observe them for the time being…' The real Madara idly thought, as his clone then disappears in a burst of white smoke…
…
*A/N: Hey peoplez! I'm VERY sorry for the ridiculously long wait. IRL shenanigans and other projects delayed me to getting to this one. You could say this marks the end of "Volume-1", so to speak. So what's next? More waiting I'm afraid, since my primary OC-Overlord story will be getting my full attention. So unfortunately the hiatus continues. However! I WILL be continuing this story in the future. Only way I won't is if I die, or become a quadriplegic. Let's just hope/pray it doesn't come to that. Until next time!*