Shattered Destiny:
Chapter 21: Back in action
I was consumed by the echoes of Alduin's unbridled rage. The dragon itself is dead, but its essence clings to my being like a cancer. Never before have I felt this angry, or afraid.
It was as if a wave of raw emotion was dumped into me as Alduin's essence eclipsed mine, clouding my every thought with what the dragon once felt in its final moments. Of its pride, of its pain, of its disbelief, and worse of all.
Of it's death.
Alduin is a monster, and its soul resides within me as a mere echo of what it once was. If this is an echo, then what was the real dragon like?
I don't know how long I was lost in the memory for, once it was over the eye in my mind's eye closed and I was left as an empty shell, a ghost of my former self. "Keiki-san?" I nearly yelp as someone touches me. "I-it's okay!"
Slowly I roll over, I'm in an indent. Am I still on the dais? I don't see the coffin anywhere. "Satu-chan?" My voice is threatening to crack.
"He's up here!" Satu-chan calls down.
"How'd you get in here? I thought the vault door closed."
"S-sensei went through the floor." Satu explains as Koi-sensei appears next to her.
"Is he missing any limbs?" She asks Satu as she rolls me over to see my stump. "Mother of- Are there are more surprises that you want to fill us in?" She is semi joking.
I don't want to mention that I have the World Eater within me, I don't want them to reject me… But am I protecting myself from them, or them from Alduin? Sensei grabs my right hand and pulls me out of the indent.
Confused I look at my arm before gasping in terror. Any hope I had at forgetting Alduin existed has been dashed. My elbow grew back normally, but past that point is just bone covered in chakra. My finger bones end in claws, mimic'd by the chakra that I can feel with.
I hold Alduin's 'gift' in my still human hand and stare at it. "T-that doesn't look like human bone." Satu-chan points out, she looks as worried as I feel.
A scream bubbles out of my mouth as my hands start shaking uncontrollably. "What happened, Keiki!?" Sensei grips my shoulder.
"I spoke with the ghost." I squeak. "And-an-and-an-"
"And what?"
"He told me that he was ripped from his world! That the ruins like this were ripped from his world." I'm hyperventilating. "And that I…"
"That you were what?" Sensei asks, her voice softening.
I just rest a hand on my heart, refusing to say anymore. Sensei pulls me into a hug. "We were scared when you vanished, we went down into the ruin after you but the air was smothered in genjutsu."
That's why I was alone for so long. I return her hug and cry silently. "I think that 'ghost' is dead now." Zabuza says, kicking his foot on the ground trying to get something off. "Found another one of those puddles."
"D-did I do that?" I ask as my eyes widen.
"What happened?" Sensei asks. "We can't help you if we don't know what's going on."
"I know… I know." I just can't, for your own good.. I can see the missing coffin, it's been thrown into the wall and crushed the draugr overlord within. "Oh, that's where that went." I say hollowly.
Sensei follows my gaze. "It was like that when we got in here, Zabuza-kun, check if that thing's really dead."
"Right!" Zabuza hops off the dais.
The yellow is gone from my health bar, I guess that means that I've finished healing… I flex my chakra hand and the bone moves with it. Sensei gingerly grabs my chakra hand, I can feel it as if it were normal.
But none of this is normal. "What do we do?"
"Will it continue healing?" She asks me.
"I-I don't know." My gaze is downcast.
"This is partly my fault, I'm sorry Keiki-kun."
"I shouldn't have run off like that, but it hurt."
"I know it did, anyone would have done the same."
"Any human would?" I look up at her.
"Yes Keiki-kun, like any normal person would."
Satu-chan pats my back. "I thought you were going to get hurt again."
Sensei backs off. "I was hurt." I place my new chakra draconic hand over my chest.
"I-I'm sorry."
"Well?" Sensei calls down the Zabuza.
"It's dead!" He clarifies. "I think they're all dead, really dead!"
"Common, we need to get out of here." Sensei tells us.
"But what about." I tap my arm with my human finger. "Should I be showing this off?"
"I'm sure that Ichiyo and Ai's teams are willing to help, they're our allies after all." Sensei brushes my concern off.
"But-"
"Keiki-kun, they saw the hole in your chest." Sensei cuts me off. "This will be a shock, but not as much as 'I survived a hole through one of my major internal organs' was."
I nod while flexing my fingers, it feels normal yet wrong at the same time. "Let's head back." Sensei tells us.
"Yes, sensei!" We chime.
We file together and start walking towards the vault door. "Hey, Keiki-san." Zabuza bumps into me.
"What?" I turn to him.
"Take these, some of the draugr had them." Zabuza presses a pair of gauntlets into my hands.
"They stink!" my nose curls at the stench of death, but I pull them on regardless.
"The smell will come out… eventually." Zabuza waves off my complaint. "You can always get some new ones later on."
The door is gone. "How'd you-"
"Senbon, Kunai, and determination." Zabuza chuckles. "Turns out they're indestructible, but they're easily fooled."
So much for needing a definitive key to open them. "H-how does it feel?" Satu-chan asks.
"Strange." I answer staring at my bone and chakra arm, hidden behind the ancient nordic gauntlet… it's a bit to large for me but it'll do. "It almost feels normal."
"A-almost?"
"Yeah, I wish I could put it into words."
We return to the camp. "You're back!" Koki calls out. "Do any soul searching?"
My breath catches in my throat and my hands start shaking uncontrollably. I know he means well, but that wasn't funny in the slightest. "Breathe." Zabuza pats me on the back.
"Today… has been a rough day." Sensei sighs. "My team could use some time outside, the crypt air is getting to everyone."
"Sensei!" Koki calls out. "Koi-sama's team's going out!"
"So soon?" Ichiyo calls back.
"Yeah, they're tired of being cooped up."
"Be careful!" What's Ichiyo doing that's keeping him from seeing us off?
"Keiki, your shield."
"Oh, right!" I pick it up with my right hand then place it on my left arm, it's so much easier with two arms!
Koki opens his mouth but then shuts it, bulging eyes locked on me as we leave.
"Feel that air." Sensei says running her fingers through her hair.
The change is immediate, the singing birds and the chittering of squirrels, a boar even runs past. That's not counting the air, everything is moving, the world feels alive again. I missed this.
I fill my lungs with the fresh air, I entered the cave a wounded genin, and I come out a changed one. Maybe I can forget about Alduin.
…
Not today. "Team Four's been out of commission for awhile." Sensei turns to tell us. "Starting tomorrow we'll be raiding."
"W-what're we doing now?" Satu-chan asks.
"Training, what better way to relieve the tension by focusing your mind in something proactive."
"Show off that blade you got, Keiki." Zabuza shoves my shoulder.
I sigh, Sensei looks at me expectantly.
-32 chakra. Summoning has leveled to 3. +3 Character XP (27/200)
My phantom blade shimmers into existence in the palm of my hand. "I thought it'd look like what the draugr use." Sensei notes examining the blade. "May I see it?"
"If I let go it vanishes."
"We're learning new things about you every day." Sensei shakes her head and chuckles. "Are there any talents that are associated with it?"
"I can check." I say dropping the blade back into the aether it came from. I pull myself back into the stars, it's been awhile since I last-
Health, Chakra, Stamina.
When did I level? Uh, Chakra. The longer I can use Jutsu the better off I'll be in the long run.
Chakra has increased to 120
That means I have a talent point to spend, but first things first. I navigate to the Summoning constellation.
Summoning Mastery: Use Summoning Jutsu for 35% less Chakra, and Summoning Jutsu lasts for 0.5% longer per point of Summoning
Right after that is Mystic Binding, which is what I'm looking for.
"Yes, but nothing I can get right now."
"And they are?"
"Makes it stronger." I only skimmed the rest, but from the names and how they're connected I can assume that they do similar things.
"Okay." Sensei pulls out her files and quickly takes notes. "Keiki, I want you sparing with Zabuza, learn how to use your new weapon proficiently." She tells me. "And Zabuza."
"Yes, sensei?"
"Keiki-kun just got his arm back, don't cut it off." She jokes.
"Y-yes Sensei."
"W-what about me?" Satu-chan pipes up.
"Grab a few kunai and come with me, we're going to practice your form." They didn't go far, but far enough away that we won't bump into one another during practice.
I ready my shield and twirl the blade, facing Zabuza as he juggles his blade into a more comfortable position. "Can you stop it from leaking ice?" I ask.
"Nope." Zabuza shakes his head a bit too quickly and with the hint of a smile.
Everytime I get hit I'm going to get frostbite… great.
I make my first swing and instantly realize why we're sparing. The Bound Blade has no weight.
Zabuza sidesteps my strike, letting me stumble forward before ramming the pommel into my stomach-
-16 health. +17 Heavy Armor XP (17/75)
-making me inhale sharply. "Has missing an arm made you sloppy?"
-32 chakra. Summoning has leveled to 4. +4 Character XP (31/200)
I summon my blade, I'd dropped it when I was hit. So I whip my shield around and slap his jaw with satisfying force.
-35 Stamina. +20 Block XP (75/325)
"To busy watching the sword instead of the shield?" I retort, hopping away and getting into a protective stance with my sword hanging behind me and shield held ahead of me.
Zabuza sets his jaw with his free hand, letting his sword droop as it's too heavy for him to wield one handed. "You got lucky, that's all."
"Want to test that?"
He laughs. "You asked for it!" He grips his sword with both
Hands and swings it at my head.
-25 health. -6 Stamina. +44 Block XP (119/325)
The impact has me staggering. Frost drains stamina upon contact, forgot about that. My eyes widen as I see my health bar, it's already half gone.
That did more than when I lost my arm, and I wasn't able to block that! Has Zabuza-san gotten that much stronger in such a short timeframe?
Sword! It's not as fierce as when he took a quarter of my health, but I'd rather not risk taking a full hit.
-11 health. -2 Stamina. +22 Block XP (141/325)
Or not. I make a swing in retaliation and he blocks it with the crossguard.
+12 One handed XP (22/425)
We break apart, circling each other slowly. Suddenly Zabuza lunges.
-8 health. +17 Block XP (158/325)
He bats my shield away and swings, holding his weapon by the blade. I move to parry with my bound blade.
And then the blade vanishes into the aether. Both of us are surprised as Zabuza's attack passes through air and into my side, the blade digging into my torso a bit.
-21 health. -5 Stamina. +22 Heavy Armor XP (39/75)
I let out a cry and grip my side as Zabuza drops his sword. "What happened to your sword!?" He examines the wound, it's not deep but it's frozen over.
Frozen wounds can't get infected, right? "It just vanished!" I inhale sharply, pulling my hand away from my side to survey the damage.
"I thought for sure you were going to block it." Zabuza-san says apologetically.
"Me too, why didn't you stop?"
"The thing's three times my size, Keiki-san!" Zabuza-san say exasperated. "If I strike I have to commit to it no matter what happens."
"Something happen?" Sensei and Satu-chan approach.
I show them the wound. "It'll heal, but it stings." That and half of my health is gone, I'd rather rest and recover.
"What'd I just say?" Sensei looks at Zabuza.
"His sword up and vanished on us!" He retorts hotly. "How was I supposed to know that it's not a permanent weapon?"
"I hope your training went better." I tell Satu-chan.
"W-we didn't get much done." Satu presses her fingers together.
"How long will it take to heal?" Sensei asks me.
"Five minutes to an hour?"
"Let's get it cleaned to avoid infection at least."
"I-I didn't mean-" Zabuza starts.
"It was an accident, they happen.. We're lucky it was with Keiki-kun instead of Satu-kun."
"Which is why I didn't hold back." He says.
"Keiki, how much did he do?"
"Half of my health."
Zabuza's head snaps to me. "I hit you three times!"
I simply shrug. "We're going back to camp, we're making way to much noise." Sensei decides.
And by 'us' she means Zabuza. "Will we be training tomorrow?" I raise my hand.
"No, after you're healed we're going to go on a raid."
So soon?
"Zabuza-san, your sword."
"Oh! Sorry." He pushes further into the brush.
We hid some explosive notes in the middle of the road, buried just beneath the surface. This is the safest way to eliminate the incoming convoy.
How many did we miss while I was out of action? "Here they come!" I hiss.
No one says a word, we're hiding in three bushes, Zabuza has one, I have one, and Satu is sharing with sensei. My eyes are darting around, we haven't seen the forward guard at all and it's bothering me.
You are hidden.
"Now." Sensei tells Satu, and she detonates the explosives.
The smoke fades and the wagon passes through unscathed. "Wh-" Sensei puts a hand over my mouth, silencing me.
"Shh." She must know what happened, as the wagon is still going on it's way. How did it tank eight explosive notes!?
You are being searched for.
Sneak is now level 18. +18 Character XP (49/200)
I pull my gauntlet off enough to see the chakra beneath, it feels so natural. As if this was the arm I was born with.
But it's not.
You are discovered.
-4 health. +5 Heavy Armor XP (44/75)
A kunai hits my gauntleted hand. That was fast! "They've found us!" Satu-chan echoes my thoughts.
"Fall back, that convoy will be here any moment and the last thing we need is an eight on four." Sensei decides, throwing a smoke bomb on the ground.
We're gone by the time the smoke fades, but we're not alone.
Author's Notes: Boy did this take awhile, and I would like to apologize for that. Not only did I get a new computer (still getting used to it) but this was a busier than usual past two weeks. That and indecisiveness as to where I wanted things to go. I hope I don't go another two weeks without an update (I feel bad whenever I go more than a week) But regardless, I hope you enjoyed this and the previous bits. Now if you'll excuse me I'm probably going to take a nap for a month or so (not really, but definitely feel like I could)