Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. The Necromancer and Death were inspired by the Abhorsen trilogy, a very good series of books I also do not own.
A/N: Please review; I'd rather not hurt anyone . . .
She cackled again, obviously amused by the terror of her prey.
"Now you shall see the power of the last Necromancer!"
"A Necromancer!" Ten Ten hissed, her fear turning into rage. "That practice was outlawed centuries ago! Raising the dead and forcing them to obey your will . . .that's sick! The Dead are meant to stay Dead!"
The bloodthirsty expression on Shinju's face melted into mock-sympathy, a look even more disgusting than her twisted smile.
"Aw, I'm sorry, I didn't realize. Surely I can't be all that bad . . . But it certainly can't be all that surprising. Haven't you ever wondered where Orochimaru learned his immortality jutsu?"
Sakura felt her heart stop for a brief second. "Orochimaru?"
"Yes," continued Shinju as she pulled a scroll from her sleeve, "He wasn't very good. He was impatient, and insistent that I teach him advanced stuff before he earned the respect of the River. But it certainly was refreshing not to be the only Necromancer left. Too bad he had to get himself killed by that little brat of his. No offence Itachi."
Itachi visibly tensed for a brief moment, but whatever was going on in that sick head of his no one could tell. Sakura dropped her fists by her sides. She didn't know what to think. Sasuke-kun? Alive? A swarm of thoughts, questions, and emotions buzzed inside her head all at once, robbing her of whatever sanity she had left. Was this relief? Disappointment? Anger?
"Don't drift off now, I want to have fun before I kill you!' growled Shinju as she opened the scroll revealing a single character written in black ink: Corpse. She bit her thumb, and whipped the black-red blood across the paper. The ground began to crumble, as distorted, bloody, rotting beings began to emerge from the crumbling earth.
A wave of déjà vu washed over Sakura as the freshly summoned, reeking corpses emerged from the ground, each with a vacant stare, minds devoid of free will. For a brief instant, Sakura saw herself standing alone in a gray, misty river with Shinju. The water tugged fiercely at her calves, seeping the warmth from her body and wishing to draw her under. As soon as that vision came, it was gone. She new what this meant, and what must be done.
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Sakura wandered through the Hokage's library yet again, bored out of her wits. Tsunade-sama refused to train her or let her train at all with a broken arm, so she buried herself in the books of the library. Sakura browsed the shelves but found nothing of interest. Guide to Human Physiology? No, read that. Water Jutsu for Beginners? No, read that too. She could find nothing she hadn't read before.
The door at the opposite hall caught her attention. It seemed to call her, beg her to read the numerous forbidding books it held. She thought about it for a second, but it would be wrong. That was the Forbidden Room, filled with texts that only the Hokage was allowed to touch. But what could be so dangerous about a book?
Sakura found her feet slowly moving her towards the door, and watched as her hand turned the doorknob and pushed inward. She was greeted by a cloud of dust, and covered her eyes with her forearm to keep the invading particles out. She coughed once or twice, and when the dust settled she opened an eye.
She walked into the dark room, which obviously had never been visited by the cleaning staff. She traced the spines of the ancient texts with her finger, and browsed through the myriad of scrolls. Forbidden Jutsu of the Third Rank, Nature of Yin, Demons, Spirits, and Other Beasts . . . so many dangerous and exciting titles! Where to begin?
Sakura's finger paused at one particular book. It was old, older than many of the others of the books, and thick, but it was the title the caught her attention. The Book of the Dead.
She read chapter after chapter, hardly aware of the movement of her hand when she turned a page over, loosing herself entirely to the book.
Sakura read on and on, not perceiving the passage of time. The book told her strange things. Death, it seems is perceived differently by everyone, but the journey to the Land of the Dead is always the same. It is a river. Ironic, really, that something so life-giving as water would personify the journey to Death. But then again, it made perfect sense.
The book also told her about the nature of the Dead, how they could be awakened and controlled, how their minds operated, how they could be sent back to Death.
And it also told her how a living person could enter Death.
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The vision of the River faded from Sakura's mind. She knew how to send the Dead back, but the jutsu would take time.
"Jiro, Ten Ten, cover me. I know what to, but it will take some time"
"Hai, Sakura-teichou!"
Sakura took the needed stance, holding her arms out to either side, and entered a deep trance.
Meanwhile, Ten Ten and Jiro fought to ward off the Dead army. Jiro formed several hand signs and wall of earth erupt from the ground, crushing several of the dead to a pulp. While he lifted another chunk of earth to crush them again, Ten Ten pulled two scrolls out of her sleeves. She set them down on either side of her and leapt high into the air. The scrolls unraveled in the air around her and, spinning rapidly, Ten Ten summoned a barrage of weapons. Katanas, kunai, poison arrows, and weapons too strange to have names rained down upon the Dead. Heads, arms, legs were severed, and yet the dead kept coming. In the distance, Shinju sickly cackle echoed over the sound of battle.
Eventually, one Dead leapt over Jiro's wall of earth, biting him on the neck.
"Jiro!" Ten Ten called. In her moment of distraction, something struck her from behind and she fell, unconscious. Calling her name, Jiro forced the Dead thing off of him and crawled to her aid.
Sakura opened her eyes. The jutsu was ready. She placed her thumb and middle finger at the corners of mouth and uttered a long, shrill whistle. The note pierced the very air around her, reverberating in the bones of those still living. Already she could feel the God of Death answer her, but it would take many more notes to fully summon it. She drew a long breath in preparation for the next note in her song, when a Dead thing approached her.
Sakura stared. The Dead thing had a kunai protruding from its skull, coagulated blood caked into its hair. She recognized its face. Horror seeped deep into Sakura's body with a sudden realization.
It was her sister.
How dare she? How dare this woman use her own sister, her own flesh and blood against her will?
Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but a bizarre feeling arose in her side. It was pain. Sakura watched blood spurted out of the wound above her right hips. Slowly, her vision failed her. She did not feel the ground when it hit her face.