Chapter 60: Battle's End
Kakashi helped Grim down the cliff side and set him down leaning against it next to Lax, whom he flipped over. Tusk and Link came back from the trees, Tusk picked up Lee and set him on Lax's other side. Moments later Sage returned to the group relatively unharmed.
"All good here?" Sage asked.
"They're not so good," Kakashi said looking Lee, Lax and Grim over.
"Where's Sakura?" Sage asked.
"The pink haired one? That way," Tusk said pointing the direction Tek ran.
"Go get her. Take her place in the fight if you must, but we need her medical abilities," Sage said and Tusk nodded before running off after Sakura.
"How did you find him?" Kakashi asked.
"Tusk? I met him on my month of travel. I spent my time in this area and he said he had a bid from the Alliance. He didn't want to take it, so I arranged an alliance of my own. He may be a criminal, but he has a strong honor code, he won't go back on anything until we're done," Sage said.
Moments later Strag appeared half carrying Naruto. He set the boy down next to Grim. Before any questions could be asked Sakura came running up to them. The instant she saw Naruto she bolted for him first.
"Sakura, Lax is in the worst condition," Kakashi said before she started healing Naruto.
Sakura paused, looked at Naruto who nodded and she got up and started healing Lax. "Where's Tusk? Did he take your place in the fight?" Sage asked.
"No, Nomad-sama gout wounded badly. I healed him as best I could, but he can't walk that well. I was helping him back when Tusk showed up, he's helping Nomad-sama now," Sakura said as she healed Lax.
"Good, then the only one's we don't know about are Sin, Edge and Wiseman," Strag said looking at the small gap in the cliff side.
"Uh, this isn't good," Sakura said her brow furrowed.
"What is it?" Kakashi asked.
"I can't do much more, but he's still in bad condition. He needs a hospital, fast," Sakura said not looking up.
"Kakashi, how are you doing?" Strag asked.
"I'm good, I could still handle a fight," Kakashi said.
"Then you stay incase you must, I'll take him," Sage said walking up to Lax.
"That might not be so good," Strag said.
"I can sense if someone comes. It's either me or Nomad and he can't walk," Sage said as Sakura started healing Lee.
"Wait until she checks the others, we don't want four groups," Strag said.
"I'll be fine," Grim said with a groan.
"Yeah, I'm good to," Naruto said pounding his chest lightly.
"Lee need's to go back too," Sakura said standing up and walking over to Grim and healing his chest.
"I'll take him, I can't take another fight like that," Grim said once his wound was healed and he stood up.
Sakura went back to Lax one more time as Sage picked him up, then to Lee again as Grim took him. The two nodded to Strag before taking off back to Konoha and the hospital within. Sakura then turned to Naruto and stated healing his many wounds.
"I can't remember having to heal you this much," Sakura said as she saw the extent of Naruto's wounds.
"Kyuubi always did the bulk of the job. And I was cut up more in the chuunin exams," Naruto said.
"Yes, but the damage this time is much grater, the number of cuts is lower, but the wounds are more severe and in greater number… who did you fight?" Sakura asked.
"Strag called it a… golem," Naruto said trying hard to remember.
"Golem? What do you mean you fought a golem?" Sakura asked.
"Lerah, she used a jutsu that summoned a golem of all elemental affinities," Naruto said as Sakura finished his lower body and moved on to his upper.
Sakura froze, "a Penta-golem? She summoned a Penta-golem?" Sakura asked with wide eyes.
"A what?" Naruto asked.
Sakura shook her stupor of and resumed healing Naruto as Kakashi sat down on Naruto's other side, "golems are creatures formed of one of the five elements. They can be of any of the five, and are equally powerful, if their summoners are.
"But like all the elements having a weakness, the golems do to. The Penta-golem is of all five elements, and has no elemental weakness. It can only be stopped when the summoner dispels it, is killed or rendered unconscious. Why is Strag not hurt if you had to fight a Penta-golem?" he asked.
"I fought the golem as Strag tried to find its weakness, then as he fought and killed Lerah," Naruto said.
"How long did this fight last?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto shrugged, "I wasn't really keeping track," he said.
Sakura finished healing Naruto and sighed in slight relief, she had used a lot of chakra healing Nomad and then Lee, Lax, Grim and Naruto. She was near exhaustion. Strag pulled Naruto to his feet and Kakashi stood on his own as Tusk and Nomad arrived.
"You did good in that fight Kid, you ready for another?" Strag asked once Naruto was on his feet.
"What?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The others, I think you're in the best shape, aside from Tusk, but I'd rather have him here incase any of the lower members show up," Strag said.
At this Naruto spun around to look at the cave entrance, "have any yet?" he asked.
"Link said no," Strag leaned closer, "plus I heard what Kakashi said, and I realize what a task and feat it was to do what you did with the golem. I think you're the only one able to help who's still here," Strag said quietly so only Naruto could hear.
Naruto nodded before crouching down beside Sakura who was sitting on the ground leaning against the cliff wall. "Hey, you okay?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, just kinda tired," Sakura said with a weak smile.
"Sorry you had to do so much," Naruto said.
"I just hope Lee and Lax-sama will be okay," Sakura said.
"Hey, you did all you could, they'll be fine," Naruto said.
"What'd Strag-sama what?" Sakura asked.
"I'm going into the cave to help take Vox down," Naruto said.
"No, you already fought," Sakura said sitting up slightly.
"Hey, I'm fine now thanks to you, they need me, I can't say no," Naruto said.
"But that's too dangerous, did they tell you what Vox can do?" Sakura asked.
"No, but I'll see for myself," Naruto said as he started to stand up.
Sakura grabbed his wrist and tried to pull him down, but was too weak, Naruto still crouched back down though, so she wouldn't fall. "Please, promise me you'll be okay," Sakura said with fear in her eyes.
"Hey, I'll be fine, I promise," Naruto said kissing her forehead and heading over to the cave entrance.
He had just stood and turned around when he stopped, face to face with Nomad. "Naruto, How you doing?" Nomad asked.
"I'm good Ivike, how 'bout you?" Naruto asked.
As he asked the question Naruto got a look at Nomad. There was a lot of dried blood on his stomach and upper parts of his pants. He looked worn out and was leaning heavily on his spear which had its back end on the ground and point in the air, taking the appearance of a walking stick.
"I've been better," Nomad said with a weak grin, "you going to finish this?" he asked.
"On my way now," Naruto said grinning.
"Blow 'em to hell kid," Nomad said.
"Sure thing Ivike," Naruto said before running off towards the cave entrance.
"Wiseman left marks of the path they took, follow the arrows in the walls or floors," Strag called out to Naruto before he vanished into the cave.
x-X-x
Vox took off into the base Edge, Wiseman and Sin chasing after him. Vox seemed to know where he was gong through the base, the Errands stepping out of his way. At every turn or after a while of going straight Wiseman put an arrow on the floor or wall for anyone who was sent as the backup he had requested.
As they twisted and turned through the base Sin vanished from Wiseman's side. It wasn't until Vox had stopped to face them in a very large room that Sin finally caught them.
"Damn arrows saved my ass," Sin whispered to Wiseman.
Before any attack was made Vox pulled out his other two arms and held one of his four katana in each. Edge pulled out his six katana and had them floating around him, his claymore in his hands. Wiseman had one katana in each hand and Sin hefted his axe, spikes at his elbows and two tentacles form under the back of his shirt.
"This is gunna hurt ain't it?" Sin asked.
"Like a bitch. Remember last time?" Wiseman answered.
"Same odds, same pain," Sin said.
"We're inside again," Edge said looking around, realizing the room they were currently in was identical to the one they fought Vox in last time.
"Holy hell, I did not realize that…" Wiseman said looking around, "could it mean something," he asked.
"Easily, this fight'll be easier on him and me. The sun hinders my powers, remember," Sin said.
"Your vast abilities of cognitive reasoning are undeniably subterranean in the indisputable verity of resonation in these walls. Beneath the unalterable variation that is to be set in the apex of distinguishability that we are now so anxiously and unrelentingly devising to have the peak of all outcomes in these unknown variations of which we hold in the least of abilities to both comprehend and determine amongst the greatness we see at the forefront of our opposition," Vox said.
"Any clue what he just said? "Wiseman asked the other two gesturing Vox with his left katana.
"Maybe if I had a year and what he said written before me, with a full library at my access," Sin said.
"Edge, go all out," Wiseman said.
Edge nodded and his katana flew at Vox, who had his hands full blocking them all. Edge soon joined his katana in the assault on Vox. Edge was putting everything he had into the fight. Vox, however, was having a small task of fully defending. Edge was definitely challenging enough to stop Vox from attacking, but none of Edge's attacks were getting through.
"He can't do it alone, Sin, you think you can do it?" Wiseman asked.
"Can you hold him so I can do it?" Sin asked.
"When you're ready, I'll call Edge back," Wiseman said.
Sin nodded and slid his left foot back about two feet and lowered his body. His axe was dug in the ground a just beyond his reach with its handle pointing at him. Sin crossed his hands over his chest as more spikes grew from his body. He gritted his teeth as his face contorted in pain as the spikes grew from his knees, shoulders, forearms, horns from his head. Spikes from his knuckles and two more tentacles from under the back of his shirt came with the rest.
Sin relaxed and opened his eyes looking at Vox and Edge. The horns on his head followed his hair line and even caused his ears to point. The whites of his eyes were now black and the iris red.
"Ready when you are," Sin said grabbing his axe again while keeping his feet and body in the same place, showing that his arms had lengthened in some degree.
Wiseman nodded and charged at Vox. At what seemed to be the last minute Edge saw him and jumped back, taking his katana with him. Vox took a step towards Edge, not seeing Wiseman. Wiseman swung his swords fast and outward, connecting with the two held in Vox's real hands knocking them out and sending them flying.
In one swift motion Wiseman ran both his katana into Vox's chest and dove thought it himself. Wiseman spun as he dove so his back was to the ground. His upper body phased through Vox's chest and came out his back. From about mid abdomen and up of Wiseman was sticking out of Vox's mid back. Wiseman grabbed Vox's head and two real arms in a lock where neither arm could be moved our used. His legs came out at mid thigh at Vox's hip joint and were locked around his legs, making movement harder.
However, though both legs and upper arms were caught, Vox still had his lower ones, and they still had their katana in them. Vox reached up to stab Wiseman when something wrapped around his lower arms. Sin's two new tentacles hand wrapped around Vox's lower arms one to each. Sin was still standing where he was when he forced more spikes out, axe at the ready.
As if on a signal Sin charged Vox silently. Vox tried to move, but his legs were blocked, he tried to move his arms to block the attack, but his upper two were immobilized and Sin had his lower two pinned to his sides. At the very last second before Sin attacked Wiseman went fully intangible again and fell through Vox into the floor. Vox didn't have time to move his arms from where Wiseman held them before Sin cleaved him in two vertically.
As the axe passed upwards through Vox the two tentacles let go allowing the body to go flying through the air and land several feet away. Sin stumbled backwards a bit from the effort he forced into the attack. Edge stayed where he was, back by the door they passed through to get there. Wiseman popped his head out of the floor and saw the condition of things. Grinning he climbed the rest of the way out.
"Guess we won't need that backup," He said quietly to Sin.
"It seems that way," Sin said breathing heavily.
"Now we gotta take out the underlings. If you want to go back to first stage for that," Wiseman said walking past Sin towards Edge.
"I was thinking of maybe finishing Vox off first," Sin said.
Wiseman spun around to see the two halves of Vox being pulled back together by several tentacles. "Well, this has never happened before," Wiseman said.
"I missed his head, see? It's intact on the left side. He must've moved to second stage while you were holding him," Sin said.
"Second stage is just strength though…" Wiseman said stepping up beside Sin.
"It must alter between us. His must be healing. But both our first are speed," Sin said.
They watched in silence as the two halves were placed together and the seam was sealed. His clothes was still split in two but Vox just took half of his larger cape and wrapped it around his waist and tied it off, keeping his pants together and held up. The right half of his shirt slid off his arm though, the left still being connected around the neck.
His one visible eye was now like Sin's, confirming that he had taken the second stage. In addition he had spikes at all four elbows and six tentacles from his back, which is what pulled him together. He was breathing heavily and walking back to his opponents, two of his katana in his lower hands while he held Wiseman's in his upper. The wounds in his chest were healed also.
"Now what?" Wiseman asked looking at Sin.
"Now it's your turn to distract him while me and Edge go for it," Sin said.
Wiseman nodded as he took out two daggers, "just try not to hit me," Wiseman said running up to Vox and meeting him halfway.
The instant Wiseman took off after Vox Sin ran back to Edge, "you okay Edge?" Sin asked.
"Yeah, but what are we going to do?" Edge asked.
"Remember way back in our first lives, what you and me did to Kyuubi that one time?" Sin asked and Edge nodded, "we're gunna try that," Sin said.
Edge grinned, "that was fun," he said.
"Let's hope it is again," Sin said taking his stance again, his axe held in both hands.
Edge nodded and his six katana moved to surround Sin. Both were watching Wiseman, who was defending more than attacking. If not for his bloodline, Wiseman would be dead by now, but it takes a lot out of him. Edge nodded his ready at Sin, who nodded back. The two charged Vox, the katana around Edge again, who was in the front.
Wiseman saw them coming and positioned himself to block Edge from view. Vox still saw Edge, but he was ready for him to come from either side of Wiseman. Edge came straight through Wiseman and ran his claymore through Vox's chest. Edge let go of his blade and flipped over Vox from his momentum. Vox dropped one of his katana and grabbed the claymore with his lower right hand.
Vox's eyes were darting everywhere looking for the six katana that should've preceded Edge as they had the past times. Wiseman took this chance of distraction and dug both his daggers deep into Vox's gut. Vox screamed and dropped both left hand katana and grabbing the daggers with his left hands.
Edge was now a distance behind Vox and Wiseman was backing away too, holding one of his katana and one of Vox's. that's when the big attack came, with three hands occupied and his eyes on Wiseman, Vox was wide open. The six katana shot at him, one severed his upper right hand as the other five impaled him from all sides in the chest. The sixth, which had severed the arm, went through his neck.
Before anything else was done, even a reaction from Vox about the attacks Sin's four tentacles impaled him through the gut and lower chest. Sin came up moments after his tentacles and cleaved Vox in two at the waist. The tentacles were pulled out of Vox before he fell to the ground, and Sin flung his axe into the ground and rammed his right arm into Vox's wound and up to his chest.
Vox screamed out in pain as Sin reached in up to his shoulder, his elbow bending along the way. Sin pulled his arm out and Vox's fell to the floor with a thud. Wiseman walked up to the body and picked up his other katana.
"That kill him?" Wiseman asked.
"We'll find out. No matter what it hurt like hell and he'll use energy to heal," Sin said taking his axe again.
Sin hadn't even finished talking when Vox started to move again, and Edge called his swords out of him. all three started backing away to where they started out.
"Me and Edge don't got a special together, what do we do now?" Wiseman asked.
"Wing it, it worked in the past," Sin said hefting his axe.
Vox pulled himself together and healed his stab wounds, but he didn't look tired from it at all. He also had a wide grin on his face. He started going through handseals and Wiseman sighed.
"This'll hurt," Wiseman said.
"Wanna stop him?" Sin asked.
"I still can," Edge said.
"Let's see what he's got. It'll help us recognize it later when we're done with this," Wiseman said.
"Vast depths of hell forward grantings of the large bounty held beneath your fiery prison. Graveyard of walking Dead!" Vox said as he finished his handseals and slapped all four of his hands on the ground.
"Oh hell, the yard," Sin said as twenty beings started climbing out of the ground between Vox and the terrors and Vox stood up.
"He is you're descendant… just summon yours, you got more than that," Wiseman said.
"I can't. Anyone the yard kills adds to it, but if I summon mine now they'll be under his power, and I'll lose them fore good, meaning I'd have to start over," Sin said.
"You know this… how?" Wiseman asked looking at Sin with a raised eyebrow.
"I visited the village remember? I was told of my restrictions there," Sin said.
Vox grinned and pointed at the three, "gather amongst yourselves the great power known before you and burry it deep within your ranks to grant the power of flesh to its eternal damnation," he said.
The undead charged the terrors and Sin crouched down holding his axe at the ready, "don't move, I got this," Sin said.
Edge and Wiseman looked at Sin who was focused on the undead. Wiseman prepared himself to block when the undead did attack, as did Edge, but they listened to Sin. The grin on Vox's face vanished as the undead reached the terrors and just ran past them and up the stairs.
"I summoned my yard when we got here, they've been taking out your henchmen and adding to their numbers. Your twenty will be a wonderful addition," Sin said with a smile.
"Heh, that's why you got lost," Wiseman said.
Vox gritted his teeth and crossed his arms at his chest, both pairs. Horns sprouted on his head, and his legs grew slightly longer and gained a third segment, like a dog's hind leg. Two more tentacles grew from his back making a total of eight. His eye also changed from a red iris to a golden one. He grinned widely when he looked at the group.
"That's power, no doubt. His third is power," Sin said.
"Edge, you and me gotta hold him off so Sin can get to his third," Wiseman said.
Edge nodded and charged Vox, Wiseman beside him. Vox grinned as he held his four katana at the ready. In addition to that, all eight of his tentacles seemed to have bladed tips. With that, Vox had twelve limbs with blades while Wiseman and Edge only had nine between them. Vox still had the advantage.
Sin's axe was in the ground again and he was in his transformation stance again. The first thing that happened was his four tentacles from his back receded into his body as one grew from each upper arm and one from each forearm, keeping his count at four. The spikes in his forearms also receded and his torso and legs lengthened, but his legs stayed in the same form. The last thing that happened before Sin opened his eyes revealing his golden irises was the back of his shirt bursting open as two wings shot from his back.
Sin grabbed his axe and charged Vox, "CLEAR!" he shouted once he was full speed.
The instant the word was said Edge and Wiseman jumped out of the way, Edge taking his katana with him. Vox jumped out of the way of the attack, but two of Sin's tentacles pierced him, one in the neck, and the other in the heart. One of Vox's tentacles lashed out and severed Sin's allowing him to jump back, pull the objects out and heal. Sin regenerated his lost tentacles.
The two charged each other, Vox swinging with his upper left and Sin went to meet the blade, cutting it in two. Vox dropped the broken blade and his upper left hand now held the same katana as his lower left. The two went after each other again this time Vox swung with both right arms. Sin had a slight grin as he cleaved both blades in two.
Vox scowled and dropped both broken blades, holding his last one with all four hands. But now his eight tentacles moved from waving in the back to fighting in the front. It made no difference, Sin cut the last katana in two as well as severed the blade parts of all eight tentacles in two swings. Vox stumbled backwards from the attack, and the speed of it all.
"It's over now, I'm faster and stronger," Sin said walking closer to Vox.
"The quantity of compensation allocated for the drastic variation at the position we are now located at and in unambiguous recognition to be the opposition of mine, rather, the ancestorality of mine, is highly dire and despite the undeniable alteration and benefit, can only be perceived as being a temporary solution," Vox said as his tentacles healed.
"Yeah, I know the price is high, but it'll work," Sin said taking a quick step at Vox and burring his axe in his side.
Before the swing was finished and Vox split in two again he removed his eye patch. An enormous ball of fire shot out of it and hit Sin head on, sending him far back and into the opposite wall. Wiseman and Edge both ran after him while Vox replaced his eye patch and pulled Sin's axe from his right side, healing once the blade was gone.
"Sin, what the hell was that?" Wiseman asked once they reached him.
"Evil of the Eye. It's supposed to be small, only knock someone off their feet. He must have done something to his eye so it's always leaking out and the patch contains it. My wounds are too great… when I heal, I'll have to back to normal," Sin said groaning in pain as he healed.
"All the way back? To your normal state?" Wiseman asked and Sin nodded. "Will you be able to fully heal?" He asked.
"Yeah, but I'm out of the fight," Sin said with another groan.
Wiseman nodded and stood back up, turning to face Vox. Edge was soon copy him. Vox stopped walking seeing the state of his opponents. Edge now only had four swords surrounding him, two were sheathed and Wiseman was breathing kinda heavily. In addition Sin was healing and would be out of the fight afterwards. Vox grinned, with Sin out and Edge and Wiseman near exhaustion, this fight was his.
Wiseman was about the charge when a flash of orange and black shot past him down the stars towards Vox. The body reached Vox but before he could even attack Vox cut it in two and it vanished in a puff of smoke.
"There's our back up," Sin said.
"Who, Kid?" Edge asked.
"And there goes his element of surprise," Wiseman said with a frown.
Before another word was said twenty more Narutos ran down the stairs charging for Vox. With the greatest of ease Vox cut them all down, one screamed and fell to the ground in a heap. The instant it hit the ground the others vanished. Vox laughed and stepped over the body.
"Kid…" Wiseman said weakly.
"Look closer," Sin said quietly.
The body that was lying on the ground quietly hopped to its feet and charged a Rasengan in its right hand.
"Edge, pin his tentacles to the ground. Ignore the feet, and I'll take his hands," Wiseman said.
Edge nodded and took a few steps towards Vox, his katana left behind him. Raising both hands towards Vox he managed to force the eight tentacles into the ground. The instant the tentacles were in the ground Vox froze and turned to face Edge, but as he tried to move his tentacles none would budge. While Vox was looking at Edge Wiseman attacked him. knocking the axe form his hands he used his two katana to pin Vox's lower arms to the ground. Wiseman then dove through Vox and grabbed him in the same lock as he had before.
"Kid, destroy his head. Have nothing left," Wiseman said turning back towards Naruto.
Vox tried to look also, but Wiseman blocked his vision. Naruto nodded and once the attack was ready Naruto ran around to Vox's front and slammed the attack into his face. With Edge holding his tentacles down and Wiseman holding his arms down Vox had nowhere to go from the force of the attack. The head was destroyed and Wiseman quickly phased from his body.
"He dead?" Wiseman asked.
"The head completely destroyed?" Sin asked as Edge helped him to his feet.
"Yeah, maybe a few scraps here and there," Wiseman said looking around.
"Yeah, we're good," Sin said stepping next to Wiseman.
"You save our asses Kid, perfect timing," Wiseman said sheathing his katana.
Edge did the same quietly as Naruto picked up Sin's axe and handed it to him. The four turned to leave when a large number of undead beings appeared in the stairway.
"Sin?" Wiseman asked.
"The minions are gone, this was the last place they were to come to," Sin said.
"Send them away then," Edge said uncomfortably.
Sin nodded and focused little chakra into his hands and slammed them into the ground. Some of the undead moaned as they sank into the ground and vanished.
"I got a lot from that run, all the minions were added to my yard, plus Vox's twenty though I did lose a few too," Sin said.
"Let's get outta here," Wiseman said starting up the stairs, the others behind him.
x-X-x
AN: okay, guess what time it is. It's time for another contest! This one is harder than the last, you have to decipher what Vox said in his first speech of the chapter and tell me what it was. Not word for word, just what a normal person would've said instead. The hint is that he says three things in that speech.
First one to get it right will be given the chance to choose the outcome of a certain event that happens later in the story. Yes, I do know what choice, and it is a legitimate one, and could effect how the story goes from then. Won't tell you now so I won't ruin anything.
Good luck to you all, I know it's hard, but it is possible, my friend got two parts just by reading it, and the third by reading what comes before it. I haven't decided how long to give, so I'll just say when it's done in another author note.