Kiba's POV

Glaciero collapsed onto her stomach, a trickle of blood leaking from under her body.

'Is-is she...?' Markan closed his eyes, quietly chuckling to himself. Suddenly his head whipped back as he erupted in a loud roar of laughter, holding his stomach. My fists clenched as he continued to laugh at her lifeless form on the ground. 'This guy... how can he just...!'

Still laughing he slowly began walking over to her, taking his time with each step.

'No! Glaciero, get up! i Please! /i ' Shino's bugs welded me to my spot as I struggled to get out. No results.

"You know, your father often praised you when we were alone," Markan told her, taking slow strides. "I learned a lot about you; about how you were top of your class, graduated with honors, were admired by most of the ninja already genin." He stood over her, staring down at her body. "Pfft, right now I don't see what the big deal is." He kicked her side hard, casuing her to roll from her stomach onto her back. A trickle of blood leaked from her mouth and rolled down her chin. "All I see now is a pathetic excuse for a kunoichi." She just layed there limp, eyes closed. "What did I tell you about not answering me?"

'Please answer him! Wake up and answer him!' I begged in my head, knowing full well she couldn't. Markan chuckled.

"Look at you! To weak to even talk, let alone fight! Was i that /i all talk, as well? I'm a bit disappointed, I must admit. But..." He chuckled. "...no matter." Raising his foot high, he crashed it down on her stomach. A loud crack rang out as I clenched my teeth.

'W-was that a rib?!?'

"(Haha) That's for spoiling my record of not being injured in 2 years, Deary!"

I bared my teeth as my body moved on its own, struggling against the insects holding me. I grunted and pushed myself, trying to break free.

"Kiba!"

"No, dude! This guy is gonna pay! I can't i take i anymore of this!" I whispered sharply.

"Kiba, I don't want to, but if you aren't going to calm down I'll be forced to knock you out, for the good of the mission!" I stopped. He was right; I was acting irrational. Besides, I hardly knew that girl. Why was I behaving like this? A yelp escaped her lips as her face twisted in pain. Markan smiled and kicked her a few times.

"When does the 'killing me' start, huh? You appear to not even care!"

Glaciero's POV

"W-where am I?" I asked myself as I flailed through nothingness. I was falling slowly downward through blackness, but had no idea where I was or how I got there. Drell's smiling face appeared in front of me.

"I will succeed! You'll see! I promise I'll make it happen!"

"D-Drell?" I reached out to touch him, but he disappeared as my fingers fell through the empty image.

"You are weak, little one!" a voice rang out all around me.

Suddenly, I landed on my back, eyes squinting from the pain as I slowly sat up. Rubbing my back and opening my eyes, I looked around, trying to find the owner of the deep voice.

"Who s-said that?" Wherever I was, it was completely dark, excluding a faint light that was barely visible.

"Is your i stupid, /i earthly body going to die on me? I will not allow it!" the voice boomed from behind me. I whipped around to see the faint light resonating off of a giant cage before me. It was completely dark inside it and appeared empty. Just then, two great, red eyes appeared. They were blood red and in each of their centers was a deep formation, similar to a sharingun from the Uchiha clan.

"You are failing your purpose, Nowack. Your destiny was to protect me; you will fail if you die."

"Who-what are you?"

"I would never reveal myself to such a pathetic waste as you, mortal!" the voice growled, startling me and pushing me onto my butt. I put my hand up shakily in defense as I sat there.

'What the hell? Wh-what is that thing and where am I?'

"Am- am I dead? I'm in hell, aren't I?" The voice chuckled deeply.

"No, but you'll wish you were when i I'm /i done with you, if you were to die!" it replied. "We share a body, so if i you /i die, I go with you, and I guarantee that you do i not /i want that!" My eyes widened as I broke out in a cold sweat.

"Sh-share a... then... a-are you my conscience or something?"

"How i dare /i you compare me to such things, insolent brat!" it roared, sending a powerful gust of wind at me. I put my hands up defensively as the blast blew my hair. Squinting I could see that the eyes were now blood shot and a pair of sharp, drooling fangs were now visible. I felt my hands tremble.

"Anyways, it seems we both need some help here. Tell you what, mortal, I'll make you a deal." I slowly stood up, lowering my arms.

"I'm listening." The beast laughed.

"As you can seem, I'm a bit stuck in here," it said smiling and pointing a sharp claw up towards a small sealing tag on the bars of the cage. "You see, this little nuisance restricts my power." I glared at it.

"If you want me to set you free, you've got another thing coming to you! I'm not stupid! i No /i way, man!" It laughed again.

"Relax, human, I'm only asking that you make a small tear in it so that I may lend you my power. Grant me this and I will allow you to live. That way, both of us will get our way." I looked up towards the small sticker. On it was a seal which read "Self-sealing," written in blood. Could I really trust this thing?

"I... don't have much choice, do I?" I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my gut, causing me to fall on my knees, cringing in pain. It chuckled.

"No, another choice is that you i could /i stick around and see what happens!" The pain began spreading to my side and through the gut. My stomach especially was bursting with pain as I tightly held myself.

"Okay... so I rip that thing. Then what?"

"My power will temporarily possess you. I will grant you a portion of my power, enough to keep you alive."

"Just a portion?" I asked raising an eye-brow.

"Child, if only you knew who you were talking to, you may show a little more respect!" it growled, causing me to shudder in both fear and anguish. "I am one of the most powerful beings in the universe! You're earthly body will i never /i be able to contain my full strength!" I squinted my eyes and clenched my teeth. The pain was to much. It felt like something had crushed my ribs or something! I removed the hand that held my stomach and gasped. My hand was completely drenched blood.

'I-I... gotta do it... what else can I do?' I slowly began standing up, reaching my stained hand up. In my peripheral vision, I saw the fangs of the monster curl up into a wide smile as I sharpened my pointer finger's nail, turning it into a claw.

"Go on, child," it said smoothly.

'Well, it's all or nothing!' I thought as I slit a tear in the very top of the seal. Immediately, purple energy began seeping out of the cage, leaking onto the floor and filling the air. As I stared at it in front of my eyes, the strange chakra attached to my body as I frighteningly tried to peel it off. I scratched and bit at it, but I couldn't remove it. I heard the voice laugh deeply as it covered my eyes and everything went black once again.