Fate's Creed
This Fiction is rated Teen for elements of Violence,
Suggestive Themes and Profanity.
Reader Discretion is advised.
Prologue
My stride was quick, and my steps were firm. I held my chin up, smiling like I owned the place. A successful mission could do that to me. And this one...had been that, and more.
In the past few years, ever since I had begun to do missions, the Hokage Tower hadn't changed one bit. The same wooden walls and slightly fading white tile on the floors gave the place somewhat of an old feel, something I wasn't too keen on.
I stopped in front of the door to the Hokage's office, pausing for a moment to calm down and wipe the huge grin off of my face. I imagined I would look quite idiotic grinning at Sarutobi-sama while handing in my mission report.
Emotions somewhat in check, I knocked curtly on the door. After a short moment, an exhausted "Come in" was heard.
I opened the door to see the Hokage sitting at his desk, shuffling the mounds of paperwork on his desk. "Hokage-sama," I said, smiling and nodding at him. "Lots of paperwork, I see?"
The old man wearily smiled and nodded. "Yes yes. It's good to see you, my boy. I trust your mission went well...?"
My excitement could no longer be contained, and I broke out in a huge smile. "Sir, my mission went excellently," I babbled, handing him the red folder containing the mission report. "In fact, something really important happened-"
The old man chuckled. "Katsu, how I envy your energy and excitement. But...you are a Chunnin now. Perhaps it is time for you to calm down a bit?"
I paused, letting his words roll around in my head for a moment. "Very wise, very wise, Hokage-sama..." I said, nodding. "But anyway, something really important happened!"
He laughed heartily. "Well that was an improvement!" he exclaimed. "Do go on."
I nodded impatiently. "Sir, I found Orochimaru!"
The soft sound of the river running across my hands was absolutely serene. The fresh, clear air filled my lungs with a wonderful sense of refreshment that I so sorely needed. My eyes slowly opened and looked down at my hands.
Blood lazily washed off in the fast flowing water, drifting off and fading into the clean liquid. Somewhat curiously, I pulled my hands out of the water to examine them. They were pale, so pale...
Despite the water's best effort, the stubborn blood of those I had killed remained on my hands. The thought brought a smile to my face. How...symbolic. The last remainders of their deaths refused to be brushed away, to be forgotten.
But no one could kid themselves. Everyone would be forgotten, one day. No one was immortal, were they?
I chuckled softly, lifting my Akatsuki robe and drying my hands with it. Pulling my hands back, the blood was gone, only a fading memory now. They all were like that, in the end.
My gaze rose, and I checked my surroundings once again. No one was near, and nothing but the tranquil setting of nature remained at my sides. The large river cut a long swath through the thick forest, lending the area a very secluded feel.
Yes, it was safe to rest here, I deemed. Reaching back, I flicked one of my long, pale fingers behind my head, unfastening my hitai-ate. It fell into my awaiting hand, and I paused to examine it.
The Konoha Leaf pattern was displayed promently on the protector, with a deep slash running across it. A rather obvious sign that I was no typical shinobi. In fact, most people knew that was the typical way to show I was a missing-nin. Of course, my long black Akatsuki robes with red cloud patterns was a bigger giveaway, I always thought.
Sighing, I set it down and pulled off my robe. A black undershirt and pants made me look much more like a normal shinobi now. I leaned over the river, looking down at my reflection. I had a long face, just like most of my clan. Long, black hair topped my head and black eyes rounded out my appearence.
My hand reached down and spashed a bit of the cold water on my face. It felt good, as the water was purer than anything I had seen in a while. I kicked back, confident in the fact that I could rest a bit finally.
"Okay, this is it."
I smiled to myself, imagining the glory that was about to be mine. Single-handedly defeating one of, no the S-class criminal would forever cast me above the realm of ordinary shinobi. Softly chuckling, I turned once more to examine what I had come so far to find.
Miles and miles of sand surrounded me on all sides. The entrance to Orochimaru's hideout was well hidden to the extreme. Miles away from any village, to those who did not know it was there it looked merely like the rest of the vast expanse of sand. In fact, it looked a lot like that to me right then, but I knew there was a way of finding out.
I closed my eyes and began focusing my chakra. This was easy, now. Only a few seconds later, my eyes opened, transformed. The usual black had gained a red to it, and a circling shuriken shape appeared around my pupil.
My Sharingan, though not perfected, could easily see through the illusion of sand only a few yards in front of me. It was a cleverly crafted genjutsu, but the fact that I had seen it so easily disturbed me. Surely he would have expected an Uchiha to be looking for him...?
I began examining the genjutsu more throughly. It looked to the naked eye like any other patch of sand, but in fact it was concealing the entrance to a ladder that descended down into the depths of the desert. After a moment of fruitless search, I gave it up as an oversight on his part and took a step forward.
Instantly the sand shifted in front of me, and I jumped backward, alarmed. Within a few moments, the figure of Orochimaru had fully formed out of the sand.
"Well well...an Uchiha has come to visit me? I feel so honored."
My eyes flew open and my reflexes sprung into action. In a flash, I was on my feet and leaping out of the way of a flaming jutsu, which impacted the spot where my head had been only a second previously.
Without pausing, I marveled at how they could get so close without my detecting them. There was no doubt, it was high level shinobi I was dealing with. I shot into the air, clapping my hands together to perform a jutsu. With a loud explosion, the area I had been sitting at exploded, sending chunks of dirt and debris flying in all directions.
I landed nimbly only a few yards away from where I had just, only seconds earlier, been sleeping. Instantly, ten figures swept out of the trees, surrounding me. They wore long, pitch black robes with various masks on. All of the masks seemed to be fashioned after an animal, I noticed.
No doubt, the ANBU had finally found me.
I smiled humorlessly. "Very good. I am impressed."
One of the ANBU stepped forward, kunai in hand. "Akatsuki member, you are hopelessly outnumbered. Surrender now and we may spare your pathetic life."
I began laughing, a slow, undeniably evil laugh. "My my. How you underestimate me..." Almost instantly, I slammed my hands together in preparation for another jutsu. The ANBU didn't hesitate. Two of them blasted the flaming jutsus at me again, which I dodged easily. A moment later I sat behind the leader, kunai at his neck.
"You know, I could run. It would be so simple. But I enjoy a challenge..." Before the man could react, with a flash of steel and scarlet he fell to the ground, dead.
My heart leapt as his blood was spilt. How good it felt, killing...
Instantly the ANBU began their onslaught. I smirked at the the ease in which I avoided their attacks. It was almost as if they wanted to miss.
I reached into my pocket and withdrew a kunai. Just as I zeroed in on a target, something caught my attention. One of the ANBU wasn't attacking; he was making rapid fire hand signs.
Without a second thought, I flung my kunai at the enemy shinobi, which one of his comrades deflected. I rushed at him, only to feel something grab at my ankles.
I looked down in horror as a vine slowed me just enough for the man to fire his jutsu, which hit me square in the chest. It was another of the flaming jutsu, only much larger this time.
As I arched down to the ground, covered with blazing flame, only one thought ran through my mind.
Shit.
end