Konnichi wa!

This chapter is a lot shorter than the others! XD

But I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Hope ya like it!

Wingless Flight

Chapter Eleven – Demonic Blood

"Is he all right?" Neji asked as Sasuke's eyes opened and the Hyuuga saw flaming red orbs. Suzaku rolled Sasuke's shoulders – stretching the muscles experimentally – before replying.

"Yes – he's fine. He'll get like that whenever the Akiada is having a particularly strong summoning," he answered, placing his left hand on Sasuke's shoulder and rotating the arm, giving a slight grimace as the joint popped beneath his fingers.

Neji stared hard at the phoenix – now controlling the Uchiha's body.

"What IS the Akiada?" He snapped. Suzaku lowered his arm and raised his head, looking down at the Hyuuga.

"The Akiada is an organization that was created solely by our own misgivings," the phoenix replied, eyes cold and voice blank. Half-closed orbs of fire stared down at Neji. "We had too much power – even as celestial bodies – and we feared that our very souls would explode and send the world up in flames.

"So we channeled our powers through the human populace thousands of years back – nothing noticeable, mind you, only inklings – gifting the humans with little droplets of our powers. We thought nothing of it, at the time. The humans would never realize what they possessed, and our powers had become stable."

Neji sighed heavily.

"But…" he began for Suzaku. The phoenix glared at him using Sasuke's eyes, but continued.

"But over time, the humans have joined and reproduced with other humans that are gifted with the power. Over time, those droplets have condensed and ten thousand years ago the Akiada was created.

"The Akiada is an organization full of – to put it simply – super humans. They are much like ninja, but they do not use a thing called Chakra to fuel their powers. The droplets of our divine power in their blood allow them to have their abilities. Many of them have taken on traits of either wind, fire, water or earth, and some have joined two or three of those elements together. They interbreed, and thus each child born within them is stronger. The group consists about eleven thousand strong now."

Neji's eyes widened.

"Eleven thousand? How?"

Suzaku sighed bitterly.

"Every drop of power in their system gives them life – the members of Akiada are now so powerful, every new member born now lives up to eight thousand years."

Neji's legs were tempted to buckle – his knees were shaking – but he fought it.

"There's no way!" He exclaimed. "Their powers must be incredible!"

"They are, but only to humans," Suzaku replied. "We celestial bodies could crush them easily, but the Emperor of the Heavens has forbidden it. We can only assist to fend them off with our celestial warriors. The Akiada have a tendency to make an entrance during one of the two-millennium wars and interfere with the battle, causing casualties on all sides. They wish to overtake us celestial bodies."

"And what of Sasuke? Why did he collapse?"

"I'm the most sensitive to the powers of the Akiada," Suzaku replied. "And since Sasuke is my host AND celestial warrior, he is even MORE receptive to the summoning the Akiada do than I am. Any sort of strong wave of power from the Akiada will force his mind to react defensively and shut down. And thus you see me here."

Neji's eyes narrowed and he looked away.

"So… what do we do?" He asked. Suzaku sighed heavily.

"We must alert the rest of the celestial warriors from all sides. They MUST be put on the defensive and be alerted to what's going on."

"And when do you want to do that?"

Suzaku thought about it for merely a moment.

"Right now," he replied, Sasuke's body spinning on its heel as he walked off. Neji bolted to catch up with him.

"You're serious?" Neji asked him. "Right now?"

Suzaku gave him an even stare with half-closed eyes – a stare that let Neji know the other was resisting the urge to slap him for his apparent stupidity.

"Do I seem to be joking, Byakkou child?" He asked blankly. He turned back around and continued walking. "If you wish to, come along."

"I HAVE to," Neji replied, running forward to catch up with the other. "I'm supposed to be GUARDING you."

Suzaku used Sasuke's body to give Neji an amused look, his lips pursed together as he suppressed a smirk.

"Guarding me? Truly? Heh," he chuckled darkly but stayed silent. He suddenly bent his legs and he leaped into the trees. Neji immediately followed.

He studied Sasuke's back as Suzaku used the Uchiha's body to leap through the trees, whirling and twisting through the branches with practiced ease.

It looks like he's dancing. Neji thought, amused.

Suzaku's direction suddenly shifted.

"This way!" He exclaimed. Neji followed.

"So tell me," Neji called to the other. Suzaku turned Sasuke's head to look at him, his white eyes wide. "This organization – Akiada – could we take them?"

Suzaku's own blood red orbs turned dark. He turned away and didn't answer for a moment.

"Perhaps," he replied after a few moments of silence between them. "It depends."

"Depends on what?" Neji asked. Suzaku furrowed Sasuke's eyebrows and his expression turned grim.

"On if we survive the first wave of demonic blood."

End Chapter Eleven – Demonic Blood

I personally think this is a boring chapter, but whatever. –shrugs-

Suzaku is so cool! XD

Please review!

Ja ne!

DDB