Chapter 33: High Bourne

A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the motivation. Sorry for the long absence. My studies demand more than I can give but I'm doing fine. Hope you'll read and review.

Sakura and Gaara stepped into the portal and almost immediately they walked into a whole new world. They were both speechless by what they saw. Sasuke and Naruto were also out of words to say. The arcane sanctuary is composed of countless books complicatedly arranged. There were books everywhere-on the floor, on the walls and amazingly there were also books on the ceiling.

"What is this Furion?" Sakura was the first to break from the trance and look at the young man with the symbol of the moon in his forehead. This man only cocked an eyebrow in confusion "Furion? I'm not Furion," he replied as he rubbed his wrists that were roughly gripped by the blond kunoichi earlier.

"W-What?" Sakura was now panicking… I'm sure Illidan said that if I find a man with a symbol of a moon in his forehead… "I'm only a part of him..." the man continued. "What are you saying! Tell everything to us immediately or else!" the whiskered ninja yapped as he stumped his foot angrily on the book covered floor.

The sands appeared from nowhere and was threateningly whirling around the man so "A-Alright, I'll lead you to him," he sighed his defeat and lead the way with the four following him. "By the way… where are Ino and Shikamaru?" Sakura finally realized the absence of the two. "AAAHHH! That's right, where are they?" Naruto exclaimed his inattentiveness.

"Where are we?" Shikamaru looked at the place and was completely confused. "This is the arcane sanctuary. The place where the ancient archivist, Furion, resides." His companion replied but she did not dare look at him. "So this is your goal in performing you stunt?" he said sarcastically. Ino cringed in all the belittling she was receiving. "I don't regret anything that I did. I did that to help my friend. I wasn't able to help her when she needed me that most but at least by this way I can somehow lend her a hand. I would gladly do that again it she asked me too… because Sakura is my best friend," she replied sternly as she got the courage to look straight into the shadow master's black eyes.

Shikamaru was astounded by Ino's statement but as soon as she was done talking. His facial expression became gentle; this however made Ino more confused. The ninja grabbed the kunoichi's hand and pulled her for an embrace. "You're always too troublesome but heck… I love you still," he muttered. "Thanks, Shika," Ino wound her arms around his back and his were around her shoulders. Soon after, they went off to find the others.

They were led in front of a book stand. Sakura and the others looked at the young man questionably. "Here he is…" he proclaimed. "Where?" of course Naruto was the first to react as he wildly searched for the person. "I see your incompetence knows no bounds…" the deep voice resounded throughout the place. "W-Who is that?" "I am the one you seek… Sakura-hime," Sakura's eyes widened in shock. Who is this person and why does he know about Sakura's royal bloodline? Gaara's eyes searched the entire place and found none but themselves.

The huge book on the stand sprung open on its own. "I am Furion… the archivist," it proclaimed. "AHHH THE BOOK JUST SPOKE!" the blond ninja was pointing at the book with shaking fingers. "So…if you're Furion… then who is he?" Sakura glanced at the young man that was now grinning widely. "He's only a book keeper but that was once my body before I became an archivist,"

"So if he's only a book keeper then why does he bring girls here to screw?" Naruto asked rudely as he found no authority to acknowledge. "He has my personality when I was young so it can't be helped," "That's not an excuse," Ino and Shikamaru finally found the others.

"So… Sakura-hime… may I ask why are you here?" the book asked. "I want some answers," she responded seriously. "Then ask your questions…" Sakura swallowed with difficulty. "I want to know about the seal that is guarded by the phoenix, the dragon and the unicorn. I want to everything about it…" she was frantically sweating though it wasn't that warm.

"Ah… the forgotten seal… this seal was made by your ancestors to contain a beast that can cause unspeakable disaster. The seal is protected by three mythical beasts… the dragon, the phoenix and the unicorn. While the ceremony of sealing the beast was being performed it claimed one life of a well known templar, I'm sure you've already had the pleasure of meeting her…"

"Maiev? I'm lost, what does she have to do with it?" Sakura's forehead creased in irritation. "Maiev was the first templar to be resurrected by a beast… when she came back she knew powerful rituals that even the elders do not know about." The book's pages began turning. "Where did she-?" she was about to ask when "Sakura-hime… I know many but I don't know all. It seems I was not able to record it for some unknown reason," "Going back to the matters at hand, so the seal was incomplete because this Maiev person was killed by the beast?" Gaara spoke with agitation reeking in his voice.

"Yes," the book's pages stopped flipping. "If the seal is incomplete then it can be unsealed easily… can that be possible?" Shikamaru held his chin with his usual lazy expression. "Yes… the seal needs three keys to release the beast." "Three keys? Specifically?" the blond kunoichi asked coolly.

"These keys are the soul stones of the three guardians…" the book snapped shut. Sakura's head started throbbing as she tried to remember the huge wall she saw with intricate carvings. "I remember now… I saw the sealed gate before… when we went to Ashenvale… there was a huge door with the engraftment of the mythical beasts. There were dents on each beast." "That is where the soul stones should be placed in order to open the seal but there is also one thing more…" "WHAT!" Naruto was too excited to stay put.

"A true templar should open the seal… that means…YOU," the young man, Furion lamely said as the book's pages stared to madly turn. "So… they need me to open it…" Sakura gripped her shirt as she remembered the images of her parents killed by these people…searching for her. "What's a soul stone anyway?" Sasuke asked as if having no interest at all.

"A soul stone is as the name implies. Once a beast has been summoned then its soul stone is entrusted to its master," Sakura touched her phoenix pendant. "Sakura-san… the soul stone is not visible to the naked eye." The young Furion explained as he flashed a flirty smile as her. Gaara glared at the young man as sands rose around him.

"So what is it?" Sakura was getting more confused with every moment. "I… don't know. That's where my knowledge ends…" "You're no help at all," Naruto pouted as he placed his arms behind his head.

"Wait Maiev summoned a dragon and now she's dead how can the dragon's soul stone exist?" the pink haired kunoichi was feeling rather shaky with all the things that had been revealed. "It does… you just need to find it before someone else does…" the young bookkeeper winked at Sakura.

"And what about the last beast? The unicorn… it hasn't been summoned yet. What of its soul stone?" Sasuke too was having a hard time comprehending everything. "The unicorn… has already sworn an allegiance with its master…" the book's pages ruffled noisily. "WHAT!" Everyone exclaimed. "I thought only templars are able to perform this summoning thing?" the whiskered ninja stumped on the book covered floor. "Sakura is the last templar so who…" the raven haired boy started. "Sakura-hime is the last true templar… yes… but… there are a few who belonged to the same royal blood line but was denied the dignity of having a title of a templar…" "WHAT!"

"The summoners… more might I be more specific… the templars have the unique trademark of having petal colored hair… but there are times however when some are born with different hair color. So these children, even if there belonged to the royal family, were vanished from the city. What became of these children; I know not," the book slowly closed again.

"Wait… is there a way to complete the seal?" This thought suddenly crossed her mind. "All seals can be completed… but on how to complete it… only you can know." "What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto and Ino blurted out. "Sakura-hime… there is something in you that has been a witness to all that had been, has been and will be… that will be your guide in performing the captivation or release of the beast."

"I see…" Everyone grew silent for the longest time then the floor started to wave. "Oopps, your time is up… you have to leave this place NOW," the young Furion opened a rift with a wave of his hand. One by one the ninjas leaped into the portal. "Furion-sama… thank you. But I do advice you… I'm not the only one who wants some answers… be careful," Sakura said sincerely before she hopped into the closing portal.

Everyone was back into the same clearing in the forest and watched the portal shrink into nothing. It was late night already so they decided to sleep in the nearest town other than slut town.

As they made their way to the town, Sakura reiterated what she understood. "So the seal is incomplete because Maiev, the only one who knows how to perform the ritual, died. The way to let lose the beast is by gathering the three soul stones and having me to open it. There is a way to seal it completely but that's a mystery and so is the personality of the one who have called upon the unicorn," almost everyone nodded in agreement except for... "So without you… the seal can never be broken..." the sand master verbalized seriously as Sakura only stare at him.

Upon arriving in town, they sought lodging immediately. Ino and Shikamaru shared a room, so did Sakura and Gaara and also after much argument so did Sasuke and Naruto.

Sakura fell asleep immediately because of both physical and mental exhaustion.

In her dream

Sakura was in a mountain covered by snow. The freezing blizzard blew furiously against her barely clad body. Trudging to find shelter, she saw a figure of man with its long hair blown by the snow filled wind.

She narrowed her eyes to let her vision focus on the man standing at the edge of a cliff. He seems… familiar. The man as if feeling a stare turned to her direction and instantly the wind and everything else stood still. "Kamui-san…" Sakura's eyes widened in realization as she made her way to him.

The snow on the cliff started to crack and break. The man with long silver hair stood there unmoving as the ground beneath him gave way. "Kamui-san!" Sakura pumped chakra into her soles suddenly that her head throbbed painfully but she couldn't care less. Dashing towards the falling Kamui, Sakura jumped off the cliff and wound her arms around him as they both descended into the unknown.

Sakura was about to look for a way to save their skin when "YOU SHOULD'VE DIED WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE," a male voice quoted. She looked at the man and saw his golden eyes glinting with intent to kill. She felt a chill ran down her spine as Kamui grew black wings from his back. They dropped into an almost frozen lake. The ice broke upon impact. The two dove into the freezing water. Sakura's body became rigid from the cold and her breath was coming short… her vision grew blurry… until darkness prevailed.

End of Dream

Sakura bolted up and tried to catch her breath. Feeling her head near to bursting, she touched her forehead with her hand and felt a wet sensation. "Sakura… What's wrong? You're bleeding," Gaara who woke up upon feeling Sakura's distress, started to heal her with the technique she taught him.

Sakura laid her head on his chest as he continued to heal her. "I don't know…" she lied to keep him from worrying. Gaara placed his dormant hand on her shoulders and held her against him.

"Don't ever leave me… I don't know what to do if you're gone…" Sakura's voice was shaking and so was her body. It was the fear she had bottled up a long time ago… the fear of being alone. In her death, she did not fear death but the loneliness she felt engulfed her very being. That was her greatest fear that she had kept hidden underneath her strong façade. The renowned last templar, the master of the phoenix and the greatest medic ninja, Haruno Sakura… was afraid of being abandoned… of being alone.

The sand master had finished healing her minor bleeding and held her tight as she said words that made his chest hurt. He held her chin up and as he did, fresh tears flowed silently from her emerald orbs. "Woman… I have no intention of leaving even if you force me too," he proclaimed with a commanding tone that made the pink aired kunoichi smile in between her tears.

In the early morning, the gang was already making their way back to the village when Sakura's vision grew blurry accompanied by the intolerable pain in her head. She groaned loudly and painfully as she lost her balance and fell helplessly down the tall tree. A pair of strong arms caught her.

"What's wrong?" said the gentle voice she knew all to well. It was the kind of tone he would use on her only. She tried to open her eyes but the light send painful impulses that caused her head to throb more painfully than ever. She tried her best to answer him but with her attempt her inside hurt as if refusing to do as she wills.

"Sakura-chan? What happened?" the blond shinobi together with the others landed beside the sand master. "Is she alright?" the mind walker sat beside her best friend and saw the beads of sweat breaking her skin and the difficulty she had in breathing.

"Perhaps, we should go back to town…" the shadow master was suggesting when five shadows crossed the clouds and surrounded them.

Their chakra levels are… unique. I haven't sensed this kind of thing in any of my missions. Shikamaru eyed the five figures that were somehow concealed by dark hoods as cold sweat dripped from his forehead to his chin. Who are these guys? It seems they're no push-overs. The raven haired shinobi activated his sharingan. "We have to bring Sakura to town. You're on our way!" The whiskered ninja exclaimed as his eyes gradually turned yellow and his chakra slowly turning into a crimson shade.

The sand master handed the ill kunoichi to her blond friend as he stood abruptly. He eyed each and every one of the strangers with his coldest death stares. "Not one of you is going to lay a finger on her," he said confidently as he crossed his muscled arms. The sand erupted from the ground and was dangerously revolving around its master.

"Whoah? Is this what they meant by saying "A ninja's true strength emerges when they're protecting someone important to them?" one of the figures spoke sarcastically. "SHUT UP! WE'RE GOING TO BEAT YOU GUYS UP INTO A BLOODY PULP!" Naruto was clearly agitated when the words of their former hokage were made fun of. Sasuke, Shikamaru and even Gaara smirked… they all agreed to what the noisy ninja had just proclaimed.

The fight started immediately. Sakura can hear the contact of their kunai and the explosion of the sand. She gathered up all her strength to open her eyes. The light was blinding and in truth her head felt like exploding with each intense sound she was hearing but she only hissed to express her pain and started to stand up. "Sakura… are you alright?" Ino asked as she was torn between helping Shikamaru and protecting her best friend.

Taking in a long and painful breath, she turned to her best friend with a smile filled with radiance of confidence. "I'm fine, Ino. I think you better help him now," she winked at her blond friend and almost in an instant Ino dashed to her lover's aid.

Receiving a few but heavy blows, the shadow master was having difficulty in concentrating because in every second there was multiple attacks… leaving him to defend and not retaliate.

The Uchiha protégé was having a rough time dealing with his opponent as well. Aside form the fact, that this person knew how to avoid eye contact; his moves were clearly unread by his crimson eyes.

Naruto was already in a battered state. His left arms and right leg was broken and his chakra reserves were completely depleted while his opponent didn't even bear any signs of injury from his ultimate rasenggan.

Sand's wildly slammed into the grounds and trees as the sand master's battle raged on. His opponent was the female that spoke a while back. She moved with lighting speed that his sand barely managed to defend. Her girlish laughter with every missed blow enraged Gaara more as he continued attacking.

Sakura was about to sprint to his aid but them the fifth stranger that was not moving ever since the beginning of the battle now landed in front of her. The gust of wind that was created by the rough slamming of a sand wave against the nearest boulder blew back the hood that concealed the stranger's face.

Sakura's pupil dilated and her brain reached the pinnacle of pain as she held eye contact with his golden eyes. "Kamui-san…" "Long time to see… Sakura," a smirk formed in his face as he started to attack her. The kunoichi had no choice but to fight back. "Why… Why are you doing this?" she asked in between the exchange of blows.

"Sakura… it'll be easier if you would just come with us," Kamui said as his silver hair played with the wind. With that statement, the three strangers made a complicated hand seal that made their opponent drop like a log.

"Ino! Shikamaru! Sasuke! Naruto!" she shouted as she evaded the shuriken jutsu of her opponent. Kamui then stood still and nodded at his female companion. Sakura closed her eyes to her the heartbeats of her friends reaching a dangerously slow beat. Opening her eyes abruptly, she saw as Gaara's opponent fluidly evaded his attack and appeared in front to him to… kiss him.

The sand master's eyes widened in both shock and pain. As her lips touched his, a burning sensation crept from his mouth to his entire body. The fatal sensation slowly crawled to his chest until his vision grew dark and his heart struggled to beat. He fell to the ground while uttering the word with his last strength "Sa…ku…ra…"

"GAARA!" she left his unmoving opponent and rushed to his side. His heartbeat was slow… too slow. "No…No," she started performing CPR. The five strangers watched as the pink haired kunoichi struggled to revive the fallen sand master. Pumping on his chest and blowing air through his mouth, Sakura did not dare to give up. "Come on baby… wake up… don't leave me… you said you won't," she muttered in between her actions.

Sakura's head was now tainted with blood as her brain started to lose focus and her sight dimmed. "Baka! Baka! Baka!" she slammed her clenched fist into his chest with her fading strength.

"It'll be troublesome if we leave these alive," the female stranger said with her irritatingly cute tone. "I agree…" one man said as he stood beside the fallen Naruto. The other three materialized beside Sasuke, Shikamaru and Ino. Kamui knelt in front of the panting Sakura as he whispered "Just to show you how serious we are of having you…" she could barely hear what he was saying but she heard the drawing of multiple katana and the sound of her friends' last painful breaths with clarity. Her vision abruptly cleared as she raised her head to find her friends' left chests impaled with blades. She drew her breath as their killers twisted the sword to repossess it. The sound of the flesh torn and the bones broken echoed in her mind as she witnessed the figures slashed the wind just to remove the crimson fluid from their swords as it splattered into the faces of their victims.

Sakura wanted to shout…to kill… to cry but all she could do was sit there… frozen with the horrid picture of their deaths. "Just who the hell are you people," she said weakly as she her eyes under her bangs until she fainted. "We are the high bournes… the vanished children," Kamui said as he carried the her and disappeared with the others.

A/N: Okay… now I know you have been waiting for this chappie so please R n R.