The Rebirth Clearing was quiet, far too quiet to be considered normal in the ancient forest of Konoha. There was neither chirp, nor cricket, growl, nor snuffle. The forest had seemingly died overnight. The stone altar lies glistening in the full moonlight, pools and patches of crimson marring its smooth top. A troop of four figures leapt through the treetops following the thick scent of blood.
Hana Inuzuka had a bad feeling about this. Even though she was her family's veterinarian, she was still a Chunin. It was an unwritten village law that all Chunin must have guard duty at least once a month, barring special cases. This was to relieve the Jonin so they could take higher ranked missions more often. Earlier, when she took her post, she noticed the scent of old blood going over the Northern Wall. Hana and her dog triplets immediately left looking for the source. Hana's cousin, Nosai Inuzuka, had guard duty on the exact same spot yesterday that she now had, but the Hokage made no note of it when he gave Hana her assignment. Come to think of it, her mother had looked more worried than normal this morning. Hana shook her head to clear it. They followed the scent for several hundred meters, the smell growing far stronger as the ambient noise of the forest grew quieter.
When the four broke through the brush into the clearing it was all their training could do to keep them from locking up. Blood coated the stone table in the center, some running off the inclined sides to form small red patched on the burned ground below. Two spotted trails of blood shone brightly upon the ground, one leading deeper in the forest, the other in the direction of the village. The one from the forest couldn't be more than a few hours old.
The four shook themselves and turned back the way they came, the Hokage needed to hear about this.
---
The two teenagers stood at the door, neither moving, nor speaking, nor living at all. Naruto was stunned that someone besides the Hokage actually came by his apartment. Something about Ino put him on edge. From her timid and flighty demeanor, a far cry from her normal loud and bossy state, he knew she had found something out about his new…abilities. Palming his dagger, Naruto stepped out of the doorway, beckoning Ino inside.
---
Before
Ino stood at the door to Naruto's apartment, not sure whether she wanted to know the truth. To be honest she never wanted to come to this area ever again, it was a few streets down from where…'it' happened. She had only found out where he lived by asking her old sensei, Iruka. No one else would speak of him or would try to warn her away. At first Iruka seemed shocked that Ino had asked, but smiled and told her anyway.
A chill wind roared across the near-deserted apartment complex, whipping up her skirt and acting as a cold reminder to the area's deplorable reputation. Murders, raping, drug deals, even rumors of a Demon living around here. It was more than enough to drive Ino away under normal circumstances, but this was anything but normal.
She raised her trembling hand to the rotten wood and knocked thrice. A quiet shuffling from within made her heart race in anxiety. This was a mistake, this was a mistake, this was just a horrible--
The warped door slowly opened inwards revealing Naruto Uzumaki clad in nothing but goggles, a tank top and boxers. Her fan girl side squealed in excitement at seeing a…well…hottie in so little! The more rational side of her brain was terrified out of its wits, and rightly so.
In the light of the bare bulb hanging overhead, like a convict from the hangman's noose, Ino could see past the dark tint of Naruto's goggles. What she saw chilled her more than the cold winds around her. Black soulless eyes pierced her being, the edges frayed by moving darkness, like flames or mist. Ino felt dirty just by looking directly into them, as if being seen by Naruto stained her soul as black as his eyes. An ancient primordial fear welled deep within her soul, screaming, clawing and begging to get away from the abomination before her. Without meaning to, she took a frightful step back, her fight or flight instinct kicking in overtime.
Naruto's head bobbed a little, sending his profane eyes behind a screen of black tint. Immediately her instincts calmed and she regained her senses. Ino's mouth worked of its own accord, "Naruto…can I come inside?"
Naruto's face was neutral, but Ino could almost see him debating whether or not to kill her where she stood. In the end, Naruto moved aside and waved her deeper into his lair.
---
Present
Inoichi was not pleased, not one little bit. Last night his daughter had returned distraught after being nearly raped by an old boyfriend. That had set his blood aflame. He would have hunted down and destroyed the cretin had he not be beaten to it. Before his little girl passed out, due to emotional exhaustion, she quietly murmured into his chest, "blonde hair". That killed any doubt in Inoichi's mind as to who the mysterious savior's identity was. Only one other person besides Ino had blonde hair in the entirety of Konoha; the demon container, Uzumaki Naruto.
Inoichi shadowed his daughter after she returned triumphant, like he knew Ino would, from her Genin Test. His wife, Mayu, swept Ino into a twirling hug, dancing amongst the rows and vases of flowers. Ino had ran out the door, claiming to have errands to do. Inoichi, still being overprotective of his only child, had followed her in secret.
She went to the Academy and engaged her old teacher, Iruka by name, in a light conversation. Inoichi was well versed in interrogation so he could quickly see that this was merely a front for something more important. After a few rounds of meaningless chatter, Ino asked Iruka where Naruto Uzumaki lived. Warning bells sounded in Inoichi mind, he didn't want to have to deal with this so soon; what if Naruto hurt Ino; what if…
Ino was already walking away quickly, Inoichi had been too caught up in his thoughts to see the conversation end, or the terrified look sailing over Ino's face at the address's location. Nevertheless, he'd caught up and continued to watch over her, which had led to his current situation.
Inoichi stood from his hiding place, the roof of the abandoned office building across the street, and took a soaring leap to the complex's roof. Hanging just over the edge of the roof, and coincidentally right next to Naruto's windows, he could easily hear the two children's halting conversation.
---
"So, Ino, to what do I owe this…pleasure." Ino shivered at his tone, both deadly and sexy at the same time. Had it not been for her near-rape yesterday she might have swooned. They were both seated in his living room; Ino fidgeted nervously on the worn couch while Naruto watched her with the intensity of a hunter from a creaky chair, "No one ever visits. No one."
She looked around, noticing how poor Naruto must be to live like this. Empty ramen cups scattered across the floor like discarded beer cups at a frat party; the sink cracked, dripping, and green with mold; the odd mouse or insect racing across the floor for food or shelter. She had always felt bad for how the adults treated Naruto, even if she didn't know why, but this just tore her heart out and spit upon it. Naruto sat impassively, occasionally tapping his claw-like fingers on the armrest, making small divets in the soft wood.
"I…I needed to know something. Naruto…were you the one who saved me yesterday?"
---
Naruto didn't know how to respond. What did she mean saved? He never-- oh. He'd thought that girl looked familiar. Ino was lucky that she still had her uses or she would have ended up as nothing more than a smear on the altar. Hmm, perhaps this could work to his advantage, "And if I was?"
Ino looked doubtful about something for a moment before launching herself forward towards Naruto. His years of experience evading ANBU seemed to freeze up at that moment and he watched, in slow motion, as Ino latched on, hugging him tightly as they both tipped backwards, finally breaking the old chair.
They lied on the floor, Ino wrapped around Naruto's body murmuring her repeated thanks and vows to help him in any way she could. Naruto just sat stunned on the floor, no one had ever willingly touched him unless it was to beat him or reprimand him. The dagger in Naruto's left hand was poised to plunge into the crying girl's heart from behind. Slowly his brain had caught up with the present, realizing how foolish it would be to have the body of a teammate being traced back to him, especially with his standing in the village. Sighing, Naruto flipped the dagger over to the table and awkwardly returned the hug. This seemed only to make Ino cry harder.
"Ino, what's wrong?"
Ino Yamanaka looked up, tears trails staining her cheeks as a small smile lit her face. Naruto couldn't remember seeing anything that beautiful before today. "They're not sad tears, baka. These are happy tears, I'm just glad that you saved me yesterday. If it hadn't been for you I would have…well, it's not important." Ino let go of him, Naruto doing so reluctantly, and looked around the dilapidated house. She turned back her savior and, with a big grin, asked, "Would you like to come over for dinner?"
---
Inoichi hadn't been able to see into the room, but he could clearly hear what Ino had asked of him. He was tempted to burst into the room when he heard the thump then his little girl crying. Screw stealth, his baby could be hurt! But the term 'happy tears' calmed him instantly, 'happy tears' was something all men had to learn at one point or another, better let Uzumaki get it out of the way now.
Shit, this wasn't good. It wasn't like Inoichi had a grudge against the boy, but Mayu had no qualms expressing her hatred for the 'thrice damned spawn of the Kyuubi'. Luckily she never said ant of this while Ino was in the room. He just hoped that Mayu wouldn't stick her foot in her mouth and drive away the boy who had saved their daughter.
Inoichi crawled back up to the roof and immediately started to rooftop home; this wouldn't be pretty one way or another.
---
The Hokage sighed as he looked over the latest mission reports. Ever since Kenji had been reinstated after the untimely death of Arashi (1), he had shuffled most of his duties off onto the council. That was a horrible mistake. Over the years they had tried to take more and more of his responsibilities away from him and make the Hokage title just that; a title.
They had succeeded to a large degree, but he still held onto a few key powers and rights. What Keni needed now was a way to put them back in their collective places. If only a convenient and wholly expected plot device would appear through his door…
---
A tall broad shouldered man walked down the street just outside the Hokage's Tower. He was dressed in a black pinstripe suit, a top hat tipped over his eyes, and a cane held horizontally in the crook of his left arm. In his hands he held a small notepad and pen, quickly scratching out a few hasty sentences.
His hand stopped, and with it the whole world paused and seemed to hold its breath. He smiled at the innocent looking paper and proclaimed, "Done." The man resumed writing and the world started once again. Hana Inuzuka dashed into the Hokage's Office as the suited man turned a corner.
---
Naruto fingered the dagger hidden within his robes. Presently his eyes cast about, looking in every shadow for a possible threat. Ino had dragged him, after much protesting and pleading, out of his sanctuary into the cool evening air. He didn't like this one bit. He knew what would happen the moment Ino's mother opened the door and looked upon him with her daughter. This wasn't good at all. Ino herself seemed oblivious, either not knowing, or knowing but not caring.
Morgana had been unusually quiet since that new, third voice materialized within his head. For how little it spoke, it seemed far more imposing and important to him than even Morgana herself. Naruto knew that she wasn't angry at him, for there was no frigid silence emanating from her, but she felt as if she was inactive; like her soul had departed and all that remained was an old tome.
Unfortunately he hadn't been able to test out if this were true or not with all of his work on a staff as well as this dinner he was forced to attend. Naruto felt Ino subtly move closer to him, as if he could keep away all the horrible things that lurked deep into the back alleys, waiting to snap forward and grasp her. He couldn't blame her for this, not in the least. Naruto was just glad Ino wasn't acting like a fangirl.
The streets were near deserted about this time, night was closing in quickly and civilians never wanted to risk being attacked or mugged on their way home. The few that were out gave him passing sneers and growls as they hurried past, trying to make it indoors before the sun fully set.
Sheep, nothing more, nothing… well, these fools can always be less. They serve no purpose other than labor, money, and services. Even that they didn't do well. And not a week ago he wanted to lead these bastards! Youth is folly, as they say.
"Naruto, we're here." Ino's voice broke through the haze of his thoughts; Naruto raised his chin and looked about. Before them stood the quaint little flower shop that Ino's parents owned and ran. Bouquets of multicolored flowers adorned the shop-front, imitating a field of wildflowers on a smaller scale. To some this would be considered beautiful and breathtaking; to Naruto, who had been steeped in the realm of the dead along with previous encounters of the Yamanaka matriarch, it symbolized falsity and a cover up for the atrophied counter tops that lay underneath. There was some sort of irony there if you looked hard enough.
Ino watched the blonde ninja carefully, though his face was impassive and contemplating, she could practically feel his emotions playing out under his mask of flesh. Naruto stilled for a moment then nodded slightly, inclining his head to the door, "Then let's go in, shall we?"
Naruto held out his arm like a gentleman would to a lady, the prospect forced a tinge of pink to rise to Ino's cheeks. Licking her suddenly dry lips, Ino linked her thin arm with Naruto's robed one, and the two entered the shop, Naruto holding the door for Ino.
---
Kenji Sarutobi, clan head and leader of Konohagakure, leaned forward in his chair, letting his chin fall into his the crease of his worn hands. The Inuzuka's report did not bode well for the village. If the civilians caught wind of this, they'd raise hell like no other. It could lead to all out rebellion if the source wasn't found quickly. Knowing the villagers, they'd direct their fear and loathing directly at Narut---
Oh no. She couldn't have possibly have told him to… damn. This called for some damage control.
"Hana, was it, is there anything else to report?" the girl shifted under his gaze, unintentionally letting a sliver of his old personality through, burning eyes and all.
"Well, my cousin, Nosai, had the same area yesterday and yet nothing was reported to me about this, even though the trail coming from the village was at least a day old."
Kenji eyes darkened as she spoke. Now even the shinobi weren't listening to him and subverting their power to the clan heads. This was both a good thing and an annoying thing in and of itself. On the one hand it would give him the leverage to make a few heads roll; but on the other hand, if he was too drastic, it would lead to a rebellion.
"Nosai Inuzuka you say…did you mother seem…worried this morning?"
Hana shifted from foot to foot looking for an escape, unfortunately none presented itself. "Well, a little more than usual I suppose, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Kanji sighed and stood from his chair, walking in slow, measured steps over to the window. His hands clasped behind his back as he looked over the hive that made up the city of Konoha. "Because, dead girl, I'm afraid that your mother, as well as most of your family, has committed treason."
---
The forest was silent and still, an unnatural occurrence in such a place. On any other day it would seem odd or wrong to Shino, but today he found it slightly comforting. It gave him no distraction, allowing him to contemplate the situation with Naruto more. The boy sat in a tree, looking down upon the blood-smeared stone table below. His bugs had already sampled the blood, identifying both human and deer.
What was the purpose of all this? Better yet, how was he accomplishing it? Certainly not through chakra or normal means. The energy he used was unlike he had ever seen or heard of, and as a clan specializing in information gather ring that meant a lot. A side effect of Naruto's new power source caused all of his bugs to refuse his orders concerning trailing or watching him. This in and of itself was nigh unheard of in the clan's history.
A spring of darkness welled within the boy's heart; if he had that power he could become far more powerful than anyone in his clan, he could lead them to greatness; from out under the shadow of the more 'powerful' clans, becoming the premier clan of Konoha. Surpassing even the nigh-extinct Uchiha Clan! He could…
Shino forced the torrent back underneath his carefully constructed mask, the flash of madness dulling as his eyes averted from the crimson table he so intently stared at. No, these foolish ambitions were best left to the fool Uchiha, look where it got them. All dead by a traitor within their own house. This was the price power demanded, and Shino would sooner damn himself then his family.
Yet…he couldn't repress the desire to further his clan, for that was by far his greatest ambition. Perhaps there would be a lighter side to this…dark. Shino's concealed eyes watched the glistening red altar below carefully with the solemnity of an executioner hanging a convict. With nary a sound, Shino disappeared from the tree bough He had much to think over.
---
Mayu Yamanaka was happy. This was a common enough occurrence around the shop, due in part to some of the flowers having more…euphoric effects once distilled. But today she was feeling especially cheerful. Her baby girl had graduated! Even thinking about it brought a fierce grin to her face.
At first, Mayu never wanted to let her precious baby girl become a ninja. After much coaxing and pleading on Inoichi's part, Mayu finally relented and walked little Ino to her first day at the Academy. The main reason for her resistance, aside from the possibility of Ino getting seriously hurt, was the fact that the damned Kyuubi would be in her grade. In her opinion, that abomination should have been destroyed years ago. Though many shared her opinion, the Hokage refused to bend to the will of the people. Soon enough that would change; oh yes it would…
The chime of the welcome bells rang out in a melodious chorus, breaking her out of her sidetracked thoughts. Wiping the dirt from her hands, Mayu stood from a flowerbed and hummed an old tune as she nearly skipped to the front, calling out ahead of her, "Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers! What can I do-" Her blood ran cold.
Standing in the doorway, demonic appendage linked with her baby angel's in a sick imitation of a gentlemanly gesture, was the source of her hatred and disgust. His hideous face was marred by black lines and veins, displaying his fell origins prominently upon his brow. Godless eyes thankfully hidden by a film of black tinting. She could still feel his dirty eyes searching her.
"Hi mom! You remember my classmate Naruto right? Well, I found out it was him who saved me! I invited him over for dinner, I hope you don't mind." Ino…no, anything that was her daughter now belonged to the demon, he probably took her soul and replaced her baby girl with a disguised succubus. Just as she was about to scream at the demonic pair, she felt a presence enter her mind, she knew it to be her husband, but he had never forced himself into her memories befor-
Oh no, he had! She remembered! The flowers she took regularly weren't to make her feel better, it was to make her forget! How many years had he done this; how--
---
Ino watched her mother closely, she seemed to take the information okay. A flash of surprise spirited across her face, only to be replaced briefly by confusion, then terror, then she faded back into a serene smile. All of this transpired within a few second of themselves. "Mom, are you okay?"
Mayu returned an almost dreamy smile, "Of course dear, and we can always accommodate one more. Dinner is almost ready, I'll just close up shop first, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Mayu flittered around the shop, taking care of last minute details and watering, "Feel free to go up and wait, I'll be along shortly. Oh, and your father won't be joining us this evening. He was called away for an important mission."
Ino nodded, nearly dragging Naruto up the stairs by their linked arms, "Okay mom, we'll be upstairs."
---
Inoichi sighed in the body of his wife; he busied himself with hiding his unconscious body in an unused closet which was there for just such an occasion. He hated to do this to Mayu, but it was either drug her silly or execute her.
When he first met Mayu, it was on a battlefield, she had been leading ambushes on Konoha's supply lines for the past several months, increasing Rock's chances of defeating the Village. Inoichi and a team of three other Jonin were dispatched to stop the attacks. Following a train of merchants heading toward the Leaf, the Jonin sprung their own trap when the caravan was ambushed. At the end, only Inoichi two Jonin, and Mayu survived, the latter grievously wounded.
After interrogation from Ibiki, Mayu was given to him as a 'gift'. Seeking help from his mother, an expert poison manufacturer and florist, she taught him how to make a poultice that would make Mayu feel euphoric and forget a majority of her past. It was not without consequence however.
To keep her from remembering her past, the poultice would have to be administered at least once a day. Also she would have to be kept away from anything that could have been familiar to her in her past. With a few pulled strings, fake memories, and getting his new 'wife' into becoming a florist, Inoichi had it managed.
This life was not without snags though. Several times Mayu broke through the haze of euphoria with several Medias aiding her: the clashing of Kunai, a Jonin barking orders, breaking glass, battle cries; anything that reminded her of her former life as a ninja was hidden from her as best it could. With Mayu working near 24/7 as a florist it wasn't that hard to manage.
The birth of their daughter, Ino, greatly diminished Mayu's dependence on the drug. With another anchor to her new life reinforcing the memories placed into her mind, Mayu subconsciously felt little need to find out what was making her old memories fuzzy and indistinguishable. Unfortunately, with the fake memories and village outlook, Mayu's view on the Uzumaki boy plummeted as well.
There was little Inoichi could do without jeopardizing the precarious false memories he created. Mayu would have to come around on her own which seemed highly unlikely. Inoichi sighed as he straightened up Mayu's apron, washing her hands in the nearby sink. Slapping on Mayu's cheerful, and somewhat vacant, smile, Inoichi ascended the stairs toward the two waiting ninja.
---
Two shadowed beings flittered through a dense tract of moonlit forest, one on black wings, the other of swift paws. The two did not falter in their stride or flight, yet both seemed to be preoccupied to any outside observer. If you could hear their thoughts, however, the sound of a fierce mental debate could be easily distinguished.
//"I'm going to get there first, you old feathered codger!"//
//"As if such a flea-ridden mongrel such as you could even hope to match my perfection is laughable."//
Well, maybe debate is too strong a word. An insult match that was on its way to a "Yo Mama Throw-down" would be more accurate. They continued their mental banter for a good several miles until they were too tired to think, and then too tired to continue on. They stopped at the base of a large tree, its aboveground roots making a makeshift shelter for the two. The two lay in near-companionable silence, the odd mental grumble disturbing the other to an extent.
//"So...other than the fact that you're trying to take away MY master, I don't know you very well."//
//"And your point would be what, mutt."//
The wolf growled deep in her throat but kept her cool. Even though she was the fastest in the Clan, she would stand no match to this 'wizened old crow'. //"Tell me about yourself, it might fend off some of this boredom."//
The large crow gave the equivalent of a bird's sigh and started to clean his feathers, not that they really needed it. The effect was astonishingly similar to an old gentleman polishing his glasses. /"/Well, if you must know, the Crow clan has always had a contract with Necromancers, our two species always seemed to get along. There were always many usurpers from other Clans trying to take away our right to stand by the Necromancers and with it our power, such as your Clan is now doing. Hopefully it won't turn out as bad as when the Ravens tried."//
//The Ravens? Wasn't their entire Clan wiped out in a single night? They say that there were no signs of struggle or forced entry, yet all of the occupants were strung up or splayed out in grotesque manners....The Crows did THAT?!//
Crow gave the equivalent of a smirk as he did not pause in his cleaning. //We hoped that the event would ward off any other competition, either your Alpha is stupidly brave, or bravely stupid. Either way, you won't last long.//
Wolf bristled at the comment, growling out. //And what's that supposed to mean birdscat.//
Crow retracted his head from his wing and slowly looked the female Wolf in the eye. Wolf flinched back at the sheer deadness of his eyes. //Do you know what Necromancers do, young one?//
//"The use the dead for their own purposes, right?"//
//"Technically, you are correct. But have you ever seen what they do to achieve their power? Have you heard the story of the Great Lazarus Vale?"//
A shiver ran down the Wolfess' spine. Lazarus Vale, everyone knew the name and to fear it with every fiber of their being. He was the most foul being to ever walk the realm, in life or in undeath. He still lives today, governing the Nine Hells who bow to his whim. No one really knew how he became such, though.
//"Let me tell you a little story, child. Realize that I am very old, older even than your Revered Mother is. My grandfather was Lazarus' familiar, a point he made very clear to us all at an early age, saying we should take pride in our heritage. Before he became the Lich we all know and fear, he was a simple adventurer with a knack for death magics. He adventured with a group of four, the Forbidden Four to be exact. Lanis Stormrider, Rebecca Fallarbor, Diaden Locke, and Frederick Chall; a Healer, a Cleric, a Thief, and a Fighter respectively.
The group had been contracted by the Lord of Newshire, a provincial land who had many problems in its growing stages, for which it relied heavily upon the five to fix. It seemed that a Lich had taken root in the desert a few days west of the Kingdom. At first it was a few ambushes on wandering merchant caravans, but soon his audacity grew enough that he began attacking the walls of the keep and raiding the village below. When the five returned from the Hazelrock-Brimond War, a story for another time, they immediately set out to destroy the Lich. Two did it for the good of the people, one did it for the challenge, another did it for the reward, and the last did it for dark knowledge.
The group had made it past the desert guards and through the first few floors of the underground complex, when a living maze split them apart, each to fend for themselves. It was Lazarus who made it first to the Lich, an epic battle of spell and bone if I ever saw one. Lazarus had succeeded, the Lich lay upon the floor, barely clinging to its unlife (one of the others must have found and destroyed its phylactery earlier).
As he was about to crush the Lich's skull, it held up a hand and withdrew a book from its robes and pushed it to Lazarus' chest. He took it and destroyed the Lich for good. With the Lich dead, all of the traps, and most importantly the maze, crumbled and allowed the group to reunite. Lazarus had hidden the book in his bag and my grandfather did not see a reason to mention it.
When they returned, the group was treated as Kings, they were wined and feasted and honored, a great night of dancing and revelry swept away the Forbidden Four, while Lazarus simply went back to their headquarters. A nagging curiosity of the tattered book buzzing in his mind. The book turned out to be an ancient book detailing the way which a Necromancer could become a Lich, though it carried a heavy cost.
It is at this point where I must stop and give a bit of background. While it is said that Lazarus never had any feelings toward any of the group other than a steady paycheck, this was not so. It seems that both he and Rebecca had been courting for the past year, ever since he saved her from a Black Wyrm (another story for another time). With this you'll see the true heinousness of his actions.
A week later he hired a group of master assassins, all of whom owed him a life-debt, to kidnap Rebecca and hold her hostage, leaving a note to where she could be found. The next morning, when Lazarus 'found' it, they set off without hesitation. The final 'battle' as you could call it took place in an underground tunnel, already set up for the ritual. Rebecca was tied spread eagle to a ceremonial post in the center of the room. When the group burst through the door, installed for dramatic effect (who could resist?), her face lit up in relief and delight. Her knight in Dead Armor had arrived.
Diaden and Lanis immediately tried to rush to her, only to be stopped by two of the three assassins. Frederick took up a defensive position with Lazarus standing behind him, assuming he would start casting spells... and he did. With a whispered, "I'm sorry." he killed Frederick with a Finger of Death spell to the back. Rebecca seemed to die on the inside from what my grandfather could tell. The other two were too shocked to do anything, even as the assassins slit their throats. Rebecca just hung limply, not saying anything even when prompted. She too was killed along with the assassins.
The blood from the bodies filled and stained the glyphs and runes etched into the floor until they glowed with an unholy power, stripping away his flesh and storing his soul into a predestinated vessel, a diamond wedding ring with which he would have proposed to Rebecca not eight days before. Anyway, Lazarus ascended to what known as the 'Eighth Star', one rank less that a "True God of Death" such as Lazarus' patron, Nerull.
From this he gathered enough power and hate to convert the entirety of Newshire to band under his flag and, along with legions of the dead, conquer the surrounding lands and provinces. When he became bored with this, he merely opened a portal to the Nine Hells and moved there, where he lives to this day.
Could you live with that? To see your master kill or dismember people who you thought were his closest friends? To see a child ripped apart for nothing more than it amused him? I have seen this and more in my professions as a familiar. They, and by extension we, are singularly hated for what we are and what we do. Can you handle that?"//
Wolf had grown very quiet and scared listening to the horrible tale, wishing for nothing more than to be home with the pack instead of this... ungodly mission to convert a Necromancer. It scared her to the core and gave her much to think about, as such she didn't answer Crow's question. Crow nodded at the quiet wolf, and simply said, //"Think long and hard about what you want, little Wolfess, for once you decide, there is no going back."//
Crow tucked his head under his wing as Wolf tried to quiet her screaming mind. Needless to say, neither got much sleep that night.
---
Far away in a citadel of black iron, a man lounged in a high-backed throne, watching the events with a quirked brow. His skeletal hand brushed the glass of the obstinately large mirror before him. In but a whisper he said, "Soon, but not quite." With a swish of his hand, the mirror's glass faded to black, plunging the room into a similar state. A hoarse whisper seemingly echoed through the large throne room, "Soon."
---
Please excuse my tardiness with this chapter, as I said in the author's note I lost all work that I had toward this chapter as well as my entire collection of writings. Indeed, it was a dark day… until of course, I found a copy of most of my work on the broken diseased (literally) husk of my old computer. I salvaged what I could and rewrote some passages. This is the final product.
I must admit that I was less than satisfied with this chapter. I was stuck right after the "Inoichi takes over Mayu's body" part for a long time until I decided to screw it and write in a previous Dungeons & Dragons character of mine. Indeed all of that did happen, and I lost several friends that day. They never really forgave me for that…
Anyway. A new poll is up on my profile, and do check out my forum from time to time, it does have some pretty good stuff. If there's anything else I've forgotten I'm sorry. My brain is wired on coffee, sleep depravity and caffeine pills. Thank god for spell check.
On my forum I'm going to start a dedicated section to this story and all your requests, comments, rants, and flames should go there. That doesn't mean don't review, just do both more.
That's it, I'm off. My brain wires are starting to become frayed. Good night and Good Luck.
P.S. I'm sorry I'm about 1000 words off target for this chapter, I'll make it up next time.