The Curse
Chapter Twenty-Four: Clandestine
Sakura breathed in slowly through her nose before exhaling just as slowly through her mouth. Her muscles tensed on the inhale and relaxed on the exhale, molding her chakra with controlled concentration. Her eyes shifted beneath her eyelids, listening as footsteps sounded behind her seated form. She could feel several pairs of eyes trained on her with intense observation.
"…Again…" Sakura whispered.
"…These are the last of the practice wards that we can spare…" Daisuke voiced behind her and the Leaf kunoichi only nodded her head in silent acknowledgement.
"…Alright…Fuuinjutsu: Shichi Kekkai!"
The pink-haired medic's lips twitched downwards with mild discomfort as she felt her stomach become warm with increased energy. Chakra signatures that were strange and unfamiliar to her bombarded her senses and were on the verge of overwhelming her entirely. It was a peculiar experience that almost made it difficult to discern her own chakra within her body, and she had to concentrate on keeping her chakra at the core of her figure, molding it in a way that caused the numerous, foreign chakra to overlap and brush against her like a shield.
In other words, she had to control her chakra to stay within her body in order to keep the alien chakras of the activated ofudas outside and around her body – thus creating a protective barrier from adversaries like the creatures of the Curse.
It took a considerable amount of chakra control to maintain it.
"…One minute…" Daisuke counted softly, "…Two minutes…Three…"
Around her Sakura could hear several shifts in movement. A sharp exhale across from her; a gasp of breath at her left; a slight, familiar grunt at her direct right…
"…Five minutes…Six…" Dai continued.
There was more movement sounding around Sakura as she sustained her focus, sweat beginning to form on her temples and her brows furrowing a fraction. If she broke her meditation for a moment, then the chakra would burst, leaving the ofuda attached to her stomach but making the paper useless. Her concentration not only anchored the multiple chakras to her body like a shield but also anchored the chakras to the ward to prevent them from dispersing into nothing. However, the longer it was held, the more dangerous it became to the body – potentially, the foreign chakras could move erratically and combust, consequently overwhelming the individual and risk him or her passing out or feeling a painful recoil that could leave their own personal chakra ineffective for several minutes.
Basically – hold it for less than five minutes, the individual could release concentration of the multiple chakras without repercussions; hold it for more than five minutes, and it would have to be released similar to that of a Genjutsu – hand seal concentration with Kai: Release.
It was easier to let it go before five minutes was up. However, it was a one-time use. It was only beneficial to use it as long as possible, especially when dealing with the creatures.
"…Ten minutes…" Daisuke offered with a hint of impress in his tone.
Sakura finally noticed that it was completely silent in the room and could feel that the number of eyes trained on her had multiplied. A slight brush against her right shoulder was a silent signal that didn't need words.
Breathing out slowly, Sakura placed her hands together in a simple seal, "Kai."
Instantly, the effects of the ward on her stomach began to subside and the warm feeling of numerous chakras and increased power began to ebb away. She opened her eyes and watched as the ofuda, attached to her stomach, flickered a bright, light blue before fading away, leaving a simple rectangular paper.
"Twelve minutes. Impressive, Sakura-san."
Sakura blinked across from her to find Shin and Kasumi, both sitting in a meditative position similar to her own and their spent ofudas a pale white against their stomachs. Shin was smirking, having shared his complimenting statement, and Kasumi was staring at her with a smooth yet acknowledging expression.
To her left, since they were sitting in a small circle, Akemi was also watching Sakura with wide, olive eyes, her ofuda already placed neatly beside her. Sakura couldn't help but blush under her open scrutiny, switching her gaze to her right, where Daisuke and Raiden were sitting across from the female twin. Raiden was smirking and Dai was staring with interest at the ofuda he held in his hands. Sasuke was sitting directly at her right, slowly peeling the ward off his own chest.
Out of the entire Group, Sakura, and the six people sitting around her in their makeshift circle, were the most adept at controlling their chakra just enough to handle an ofuda on their body as provisional chakra armor, building off the similar concept she and Team Kakashi had encountered during their time in Snow Country when they had been twelve years old. As basic medics, Shin, Kasumi, and Akemi were the most able to control their chakra and maintain the effects for as long as possible. Sasuke, Raiden, and Dai were able to prevail by sheer will, as well as their years of experience and the ability to manage a large arsenal of powerful Ninjutsu. Naruto would have definitely been capable also – however, his connection with the Kyuubi prevented him, so the suggestion to sit out of the learning process was mostly for his safety.
"…Twelve minutes…" Akemi muttered as she looked down at the ofuda beside her, frowning, "I barely made it to four…"
"Those four minutes can save your life, Akemi," Dai spoke, his tone laced with excitement, "…To have come up with this idea and to figure out the mechanics to make us mobile and protected…" He looked up to connect navy irises with emerald, "It's brilliant!"
"We've learned already that the creatures avoid shinobi-filled villages and have attacked civilian-based towns, thus the reason you use chakra-filled ofudas for protection. Dai-san told me each single ofuda holds at least ten ninjas' worth of chakra. Using only one for the space around my body is sufficient enough for protection as opposed to using thirty or more for a large space – like a house or the Patrolling Facility's borders," Sakura glanced at Sasuke briefly before addressing the individuals surrounding her, "Using the same mechanics as a chakra armor Sasuke-kun and I encountered several years ago, we came up with a temporary, but effective, way of movable protection. However, it's only for emergencies," Her clarification was completely serious as she peeled the rectangular parchment off her, "We don't want to make stupid decisions by trying to go off into danger willingly. It doesn't last long and we don't want to be wasting our limited wards on a few minutes. Besides, we were mediating by practice – using this technique in the company of our enemy will affect our concentration and, therefore, our time limit."
Raiden nodded, "She's right."
"But it is something," Shin acknowledged, "Thank you for sharing this with us, Sakura-san." He switched his gaze to Sasuke, "And you, as well, Uchiha-san."
Sakura flushed once more, "Really, it was nothing. Whatever helps, right?" She nudged her elbow against Sasuke's left arm, the Uchiha responding with a short, noncommittal grunt.
"…Still, it's pretty amazing…" Akemi admitted, directing a small smile towards the Leaf kunoichi.
Knock. Knock.
Raiden called out for allowed entry and the door to the warehouse – where they had been practicing their control of the chakra armor – opened with a loud creak. Souta's brown-haired head shortly peeked through which was followed by his left hand – thumb pointing just over his shoulder.
"Sun's about to rise; everyone's ready to go," He informed, chocolate irises hardened with anticipation.
Dai nodded his head and everyone stood from the floor, steadily making their way to their discarded packs, eager to finally cut through into the Twisted Valley. Sakura adjusted her radio earpiece into her left ear, following after Sasuke as he strapped his Kusanagi to his back.
The Group would be traveling as a single, massive unit for four hours to Section D – the area where Sakura and Isamu had cut through into the Twisted Valley. It was there that they would find the next clue to The Curse's mystery.
Sakura stood resolutely at the top of the slope, staring down at the shadowed entrance she had created days prior with a slight frown. Her emerald gaze shifted upward to the rising sun, mentally deducing that there were still a couple of hours left before they hit midday. Her gloved hands fisted with silent determination and she turned around to perform a sweeping glance of her gathered companions.
Earpieces were being checked and rechecked. Ofudas and medical supplies were being counted and recounted. Souta was rocking back and forth on his heels impatiently, both hands clenched tightly around the backpack straps wrapped around his shoulders. Akemi was tapping her foot against the ground absently, staring down at the downward slope with concern. Her twin, Akio, stood beside her, grinning broadly with clear enthusiasm. Takeru was leaning against a tree, nonchalant as ever, while Dai went over strategy a final time with Raiden, Kasumi, and Shin.
Naruto was surprisingly hard-faced as he stood off to the side, speaking in low tones with Sasuke, who answered the blonde just as quietly.
"Is it strange that I get shivers just by looking at that place?"
Sakura shifted her gaze to find Isamu standing a few feet away from her, staring down at the created-entrance of the Valley with an ironic smirk, grey-blue eyes clouded with memory.
"It makes me uneasy too…" Sakura admitted, "…Are you sure you're up for this, Isamu-san? You're arm…"
"It's fine," The blonde assured strongly, holding up the healed but still-wrapped limb for her viewing, "No worries. Besides, the ladies back home love scars."
Sakura smirked, becoming accustomed to the Rain Ninja's joking nature, "A healthy amount of scars, I'm sure."
"Ah, yes," He agreed solemnly, "Wouldn't want to look like a jigsaw puzzle either – though the possibilities of the pick up! How's this Sakura-san? When a nice gal's looking at me strangely I'll say 'trying to puzzle me out? – trust me, I'm very fun to play with'," He added in a playful wink and Sakura couldn't hold back her incredulous snort; he grinned, "You'd run for the hills, yeah?"
"I'd probably look at you like you're insane–"
"Which is the look you're giving me right now," Isamu piped in wittily.
"–Just stick with the handsome grin and that slick humor and I'm sure you'll be fine," Sakura finished with a roll of her eyes.
"Is that what charms you, Sakura-san?" He grinned brightly.
Instantly, Sakura flushed, shaking her head, "I didn't say–"
"Or is it the broody, silent types you go for?" Isamu interrupted in a conspiratorial, albeit teasing, whisper.
However, before Sakura could explain herself, Dai was calling for everyone's attention. An involuntary pout formed on her lips as Isamu winked once more, waggling his brows before shooting a glance across the clearing where she knew a certain dark-haired, Sharingan-wielding shinobi was standing.
'He's worse than Naruto!' She couldn't help but think.
"Alright," Daisuke started as Sakura shook the thoughts from her head – and sent a half-hearted glare in Isamu's direction, "Since this is completely unknown territory, we will be traveling as a single group. Until we get a better layout of the Twisted Valley we will not be separating unless necessary. Radios will still be on the same frequencies but we're all sticking together. Understood?"
Several nods, a couple grunts, a few stated affirmations, but Dai was satisfied.
"Because Sakura-san and Isamu-san have explored the furthest they will be leading us through the Valley – furthermore, if more dense foliage needs to be cut down, Sakura-san is probably the fastest and most efficient to get it done – so the lineup will go as follows – after Sakura-san and Isamu-san…"
As Dai continued his explanation, Sakura walked further down the slope, still wary and cautious, but mostly curious now that time and the sun's presence were to her advantage. Isamu followed after her, both their gazes trained intensely on the roughly-shaped opening, recalling the last time they were there with slight apprehension.
"We've got plenty of time to explore; it's not even noon yet," Isamu assured, though his words seemed to be aimed more towards himself.
"Remember, once we go in, there's no coming out!" Dai's voice rang out loud and clear, "We have enough supplies, rations, and wards to last us four days. We're going to make the most of it. If there's nothing on the other side, then we'll return to Base immediately!"
"I'm pretty sure we'll find something," Akio muttered eagerly.
"Will it be a good thing or a bad thing?" Akemi whispered, "That's the question."
"Okay, let's move out!"
Sakura couldn't help the involuntary shiver that crawled up her spine as the winds picked up. A sense of uneasiness ran through her – a part of her mind screamed that she turn around and not come back.
A hand rested on her shoulder and Sakura startled slightly, head snapping around to find Naruto and Sasuke standing firmly behind her – the former gave an encouraging grin and the latter squeezed her shoulder in silent support. With a small grateful smile, Sakura nodded her head once and faced the Twisted Valley's entrance, eyes narrowing with strengthening resolve.
With Sakura and Isamu leading the massive group beyond the threshold, the Leaf kunoichi felt a significant difference from the first time she had explored the area. The multiple presences of her comrades was soothing – comforting – and the high sun allowed beams of light to strike through the patches of the overhead canopies, making it less disturbing to traverse through.
Just as they had before, Sakura and Isamu led their companions over large tree roots and under thin, spindly branches. When sunlight started to become scarce with the density of the forests, the group of shinobi moved closer together. Within moments, the strange but familiar glowing blue mushrooms could be seen in the distance, dimmed-down but still proficient enough to allow viewing of the dead-end clearing and its adjacent pond.
"This was as far as we were able to travel…" Sakura informed and her eyes automatically connected with Naruto's and Sasuke's, immediately recalling the conversation they had the night before – her encounter with, what she believed was, Amaya – at least in a ghost form.
Everyone gathered around the pond, looking down at its still and dark water with trepidation. All were quiet as they observed the ominous body of water, fidgeting in some way.
"…I'll go first…" Sakura finally volunteered, stepping forward. All eyes snapped towards her in surprise.
"Sakura–" Sasuke began, but she immediately shook her head at him, pulling a long rope from her bag in the process.
"I know these radios are waterproof," The kunoichi stated as she pointed at her ear, "But, just in case – four slow tugs will mean I'm safe on the other side. Two quick tugs will mean I'm in trouble. If there's no tug within five minutes, pull the rope back."
"We'll go in pairs," Sasuke pressed, "It's not safe to go alone. You don't know what's on the other side." He took the rope that was currently wrapped around her wrist and wrapped a portion around his own, "I'll be right behind you."
One look and Sakura knew there was no arguing with him. So, with a half-smile, she led the Uchiha to the still-pond and handed the other end of the rope to Dai. With a deep breath she stepped into the shallow portion, shuddering as the cold water jolted her senses, comforted only by Sasuke's strong presence behind her.
"We'll see you on the other side," Naruto stated, sharing a jubilant grin.
Inhaling deeply, Sakura held her breath and plunged into the darkness of the freezing waters, closing her eyes for a brief moment if only to save them from the startling coldness of the temperature. She was hesitant to open her eyes, afraid of what she'd see, but when she did only darkness and the bubbles of her movements greeted her.
A movement along her shoulder caused her to look back and see the familiar silhouette of Sasuke, who was waving his hand in a gesture to move forward. Nodding, Sakura shifted her direction downward, feeling along the walls just as she did the first time, squinting her eyes beyond the darkness until her hand swiped at nothing but water.
She blindly felt behind her and grabbed Sasuke's wrist, guiding him as she ventured deeper into the underground tunnel. She didn't know how long it was but caution overrode the fact that she had a five minute time limit before they were forcefully pulled back.
It was after a few more yards that Sakura felt another wall ahead of her, jaggedly shaped and oddly causing her hand to get caught. It stopped her and Sasuke from moving forward but she pulled back her hand in an attempt to free it. Surprisingly, the wall was pulled along with the force.
She was expecting an underwater rockslide, heart rate beginning to increase as adrenaline shot through her body, mind quickly conjuring up a plan of action to avoid being crushed when they had the disadvantage of darkness. Her right hand squeezed Sasuke's in silent panic, feeling the wall still attached to her left hand come towards her.
It wasn't a wall.
Even with the murkiness of the water and her eyesight adjusting to the dark, mere inches from her face, Sakura could see a pile of bones and – in particular – a skull. Her hand had been caught in the ribcage of a skeleton.
Stunned, a barrage of bubbles left Sakura's mouth as she let out a scream, her right hand gripping Sasuke's tightly as she kicked her legs, swimming upwards and, hopefully, to a surface. A dim light was shining above and Sakura focused on it entirely as she kicked as fast and as hard as she could until finally she broke through the liquid plane.
She was gasping, breathing in and out heavily, faintly hearing Sasuke come up for air not seconds later, his hand still clasped in hers as he used his free one to wipe the wetness from his eyes and face. Sakura quickly pulled her left hand out of the water, relieved to find she wasn't attached to anything, and let out a small whimper of relief.
"What happened?" Sasuke asked as he reversed the hold she had on him – his fingers were now curled around hers – and he led her to a shallow side of the pond. His eyes immediately swept the area for any danger but found a quiet forest clearing similar to the one they had left their other companions in – though the glowing mushrooms weren't present.
Sakura shook her head, water dripping uncomfortably off her hair and clothes, "Nothing. I…I just got startled."
"The ghost?" He questioned, taking a seat beside her on the pond's edge and wringing the excess water out of his shirt.
"No," The kunoichi responded as she did the same to her hair, "It was just a skeleton."
Sasuke glanced at her – tried to read her expression – but her eyes were downcast as she mechanically went about getting dry. He wasn't going to push her. He could already tell, since arriving at the Twisted Valley's entrance, that Sakura had felt uncomfortable. He assumed that their last venture through the Tri-Point had left her a little more traumatized then he realized.
Upon closer scrutiny, Sakura's hands were even shaking as she wrung her clothes and rechecked her soaked pouches and bag for any missing items.
"Hey." He caught her hand firmly in his grasp and her eyes snapped to meet dark obsidian with surprise. "Sakura." He wiped his free thumb along her brow to prevent a water rivulet from going into her eyes, and then traced that same thumb along her cheekbone, "You're safe."
Sakura's brows immediately creased with sadness, her eyes closing as she tried to control the onslaught of tears that wanted to escape her. Ever since reaching the entrance of the Twisted Valley, Sakura had felt exhaustion creep over her at an overwhelming rate. The unknown of this exploration was making her restless and uncertain and she had the sudden urge to break down and release all of her pent-up emotions.
Another sweeping brush of Sasuke's thumb across her left temple left Sakura's tense muscles to relax. She was cold and wet from the pond but Sasuke's touch was warm and calming. She let out a soft breath and smoothed out the wrinkle of her brow before opening her eyes and connecting her grateful, emerald irises with Sasuke's hooded obsidian.
"I'm tired," Sakura admitted softly, shivering from a passing breeze against her wet clothes; she moved forward to press her forehead against Sasuke's, staring down at his collarbone before going cross-eyed to stare into his dark eyes just inches away, "And paranoia is probably catching up with me."
Sasuke only let out a soft breath as he closed his own eyes, keeping his forehead pressed against hers, feeling her fingers lightly caress the palms of his wet hands.
"…Thanks, Sasuke-kun," She whispered softly, pulling away to view him more clearly; she offered an apologetic half-smile, "And I'm sorry, my emotions have been so chaotic lately…"
"Don't apologize," His words were firm, "There's nothing to apologize for."
"There's plenty to be sorry about," Sakura sighed quietly; she blinked, "…And you, Sasuke-kun?" Her question was hesitant but laced with genuine curiosity, "I feel so selfish burdening you with my own feelings…What about you?"
The Uchiha frowned, "I'm fine. And you're not a burden; don't think that you are," He scowled and turned a glare towards the still-waters of the pond, "The situation is an annoyance – that's all."
Sakura couldn't help but laugh lightly, shaking her head, "Everything's an annoyance to you, isn't it, Sasuke-kun?"
He turned to look at her, watching as she tucked damp strands of pink hair behind her ear, "…No, not everything."
The tone of his voice, gentle and sincere, caused Sakura to look back at him. She stared into his dark eyes, trying to read his carefully concealed emotions, and couldn't help but reach out her hand to timidly caress his right cheek.
She smiled, "That's good."
A sudden smirk twitched the corners of his lips, "Though, occasionally, even those get pretty damn annoying too."
Sakura rolled her eyes, mouth opening to retort, only for a tug along her left wrist to snap her gaze towards her lap, realizing with a start and a mental-berate that she was currently on a mission. Sasuke quietly took the rope and tugged the rough cord four times in slow succession.
"…–hello?" Their radio earpieces cackled to static-filled life with Naruto's deep voice filtering through, "…oh, you finally felt a tug, Dai? They're okay? Well, damn, took you guys long enough; can you hear me? The hell; are you guys making use of your time alone over there or something?" There was overlapping laughter that followed his statement and Sakura had no doubt that it belonged to Isamu.
"Naruto…" Sakura seethed.
"You're an idiot," Sasuke spoke calmly into his radio, though his brows were creased with irritation, "There was a brief obstacle within the tunnel and we needed to scope the safety of this area."
"Yeah, yeah," Naruto replied, unconvinced, "Whatever you say. We'll be there soon…Better be decent!"
"Oh for the love of–Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura growled into her microphone. She sighed and turned towards Sasuke, "An example of one of your occasional annoyances?"
"The dobe is a constant annoyance, I'm sure you're aware," The Uchiha scoffed, standing up and holding out a hand to help her to her feet also. She took it with an agreeing chuckle.
Once fully upright, Sakura offered the man a small smile, "Again, thanks for listening, Sasuke-kun. And thanks, for being around when I need you; I really do appreciate it," And with a short hesitation and a blush across her cheeks, Sakura moved forward and placed a chaste kiss at the corner of his mouth, pulling away to find a fraction of surprise cross Sasuke's expression before he turned away with a grunt, color rising lightly at the tips of his ears.
"…Anytime."
Sakura tilted her head thoughtfully as she examined the scenery around her, blinking up at the tall trees that towered above her. Branches weaved together in an intricate canopy that left the area under a dim light, with occasional rays of sunshine breaking through small cracks in thin, yet bright, beams. Unlike the entrance of the Twisted Valley, the forest wasn't as dense that made it difficult to move through – instead, the trees were massive, old trees that were incredibly high with thick trunks and were scattered apart with yards of distance between them. Their branches reached far up into the skies creating almost a natural roof of crisscrossing bark.
"It's…actually quite pretty…"
The Leaf kunoichi glanced to her right, where Akemi had stepped up beside her, staring up at the trees with a bittersweet smile, water dripping off her bangs and across her pale skin. She blinked olive eyes at the roof with both wonder and contemplation.
"So this is probably why we could never break through…" She whispered, stepping forward and holding a hand out to cross with a ray of yellow light, "That roof-barricade is just as strong as the entrance to the Twisted Valley. We tried so many times to fly above and look for an opening…" She looked around at the quiet forests, "…I guess, today, we've finally discovered what's been hidden beneath those thick, entwining boughs of wood…"
"…I'm surprised by how empty it is…" Sakura confessed as she looked around, eyeing the patches of grass and moss along the ground, taking in the numerous columns of light that stretched out in front of her, "It looks so surreal…But it's so quiet too. If I hadn't known there was a Curse, this place would seem so…relaxing." She sighed and shook her head, "But it's not…Far from it."
"At least we don't have to break through anything else," Isamu offered positively, stepping up on Sakura's left as he shook the water from his shoulder-length, blonde hair, "We can move through it easily enough."
"We should still be cautious though," Daisuke warned as he shouldered his damp pack, "Everyone in formation; let's head out."
"…So…which direction?" Souta asked, chocolate eyes scanning the large expanse of forest laid out before them.
"Do we even know what we're looking for?" Takeru grumbled with irritation.
"Does it matter?" Akio countered, running a hand through his red hair, "As long as we find something, right?"
"So, uh…which direction, then?" Souta asked again.
"Northeast," All eyes turned to Naruto, whose eyes were closed, a slight orange-coloring surrounding his eyes. He raised his right hand, pointing his index finger in the direction he stated, "There's a massive amount of chakra northeast of here – the same one the creatures give off. But it's dormant; a lot weaker than how it feels when it's dark."
"…Is it safe to be going towards that?" Akemi questioned unsurely, "We're in their territory now. We don't know what's out there."
"And that's why we're here – to find out," Raiden responded strongly, his jaw locked with determination as he stepped forward, flanked by Kasumi and Shin. The trio walked with a confident, steely gait and Sakura wordlessly followed after them, curiosity now getting the best of her as she strode under the beams of occasional, warm sunlight.
Silence accompanied them as they traversed the unfamiliar terrain of the Twisted Valley, broken only by the crunch of their footwear against dead leaves and random sticks. The atmosphere almost seemed like a regular, casual stroll in a park. Sakura could feel the tension leaving her shoulders because she didn't feel the least bit threatened – wary, yes – but not threatened.
"The air is very still," Shin commented.
"…It feels like time has stopped…" Kasumi agreed with a short nod.
Sakura's hands clenched, 'Could we be trapped in a Genjutsu?'
"No," Sakura's emerald irises slid to her right where Sasuke walked beside her, answering her unasked question. His Sharingan was activated, crimson eyes observing the tranquil setting. The Medic relaxed her fists and nodded her head with acceptance.
"We're getting closer," Naruto informed, "Five miles away," He pointed ahead where a far-off rise of trees was barely visible, "That hill – it's coming from just over that hill."
"Okay," Raiden called out, "Let's pick up the pace."
A light jog was started – nothing too fast unless they missed any details due to their haste. Anticipation curled drastically within Sakura's belly and she could practically feel it increase around her, witnessing Souta's eyes brighten and Dai's lips curve into a small smirk.
Closer – they were getting closer to much needed answers. Sakura's fingers curled tightly together just as they reached the foot of the hill, her emerald gaze hardened with determination before she concentrated additional chakra into her legs, moving forward faster, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.
Sakura blinked. She took a deep breath and blinked again. Her mouth opened in an attempt to speak but nothing came out and all she could do was blink once more. Everyone stood in a line beside her, their expressions just as equally as enthralled and speechless as hers. The Leaf kunoichi licked her dry lips, wordlessly scanning the landscape view she and her companions had stumbled upon – something completely unexpected.
"…It's…" Akemi began quietly – disbelievingly – as she took a single step forward, olive eyes examining the vast landscape laid out before them.
"…It's…a castle…" Sakura finished breathlessly.
There was no mistaking it. Standing on the peak of the hill, Team Kakashi and The Group were able to clearly view a massive castle. The hill they stood on sloped down into a deep valley or gorge where the old, wooden building stood in the middle of it. Their path to the structure was blocked by more forestry that seemed easy enough to travel through. On the opposite side of their entrance, beyond the structure, there was a lake about three-times larger than the castle itself. In the middle of the lake was a small island that was occupied by a lone tree that towered just as tall as the building. It was such a strange setting to Sakura's eyes. But what made the picture even more surreal were the skies above. The entire area was covered by the same crisscrossing dome of branches and bark; and light fell through millions of cracks and openings which provided plenty of dimmed-luminescence for the space. The roof looked thick with the branch-covered barricade but the fact that sunlight still broke through and gave the Twisted Valley such a dreamlike glow was…amazing.
"…What the hell did we just find?" Takeru grumbled as he eyed the ancient structure sitting lonely – ominously – a few miles away from where they stood.
"…It's not too surprising…" Shin answered softly, grey eyes observing the light reflecting off the waters of the distant lake, "Many, many years ago – before shinobi came into existence – there was an era of feudalism. Daimyos were more common, ruling over smaller areas rather than large countries. After strength and territories grew with the emergence of ninja, some castles were abandoned for places newer and more convenient for managing. This must be one of them…"
"What a strange place to build a castle," Isamu observed as he looked up at the covered skies.
"Maybe it was ideal," Akio shrugged, "Looks like a tough fortress to get through. It seems well-protected. Maybe these people wanted isolation."
"Or maybe it was a death-trap," Dai spoke up gravely, "Maybe the people of the past left it because it was Cursed. Maybe this place has always been haunted and it's finally escaped to spread to other areas."
"Well, who the fuck's freed it then?" Takeru growled, crossing his arms over his chest, harsh features twisting with annoyance.
"Let's find out," Sakura responded as she took a step forward, following the downward path of the hill, eager to start this new exploration.
The next few miles of travel towards the lonely, ancient structure of the Twisted Valley was filled with quiet conversation. The new discovery left the group in an excited and anticipating mood as they shared theories and questions, observing their surroundings with both wariness and fascination.
"There's a lot of ground to cover…" Sakura perceived, watching the lake disappear behind the building the closer they moved towards it, traveling further down the slope of the hill; she looked up at the sky, blinking up at the spots of bright yellow, "We've probably just hit midday," She glanced at her right where Daisuke ran alongside her, "I think it'll be safe to split up in order to explore more."
Dai instantly nodded his agreement, "When we reach the castle we'll recheck our radios, split into teams, and set up a rendezvous point and time."
"Sounds good."
"Can this place get any stranger?" Naruto muttered just as they reached the foot of the hill, blocked off by trees – smaller than the ones that created the dome of branches a few miles above them, yet still at least sixteen-to-twenty feet high, "A forest within a forest?"
"I think I'm starting to get used to all the weirdness…" Souta responded as they cautiously examined the darkened entryway – just over the canopies they could see the roof of the distant castle just over a mile away.
"Okay, it looks dense in there," Dai observed, "Everyone stick close and stay sharp."
Sakura nodded her head and unconsciously moved closer towards Naruto and Sasuke, following after Daisuke, Souta, and Isamu. Takeru, Akemi, and Akio followed after Team Kakashi and Raiden, Shin, and Kasumi took the very rear.
The kunoichi silently agreed with Naruto that it was strange that another forest was present within the forest that the larger, older trees made up. It only added to the surrealism of their new environment. The trees they traveled through now were darkened by shadows as the beams of light, from before, barely broke through the additional layer of foliage. The surrounding bark was grey and the leaves were withered – Sakura could swear some of them were completely covered with cobwebs. The air was still and the Leaf kunoichi knew there was no present wildlife in the vicinity – not a squirrel, not an owl, not a single living creature but silent, crawling insects in the underbrush.
"And it just keeps on getting creepier and creepier…" Naruto whispered softly, holding out a hand to slowly break a wall of thick webs from his path; his blonde brows were furrowed as royal blue eyes darted around warily.
"H-Hey," Souta stuttered as he held out his left hand behind him in a signal to stop while his right hand shot forward to grab the back of Dai's shirt, forcing him to halt, "…I saw something ahead."
Sakura bent her knees as her right hand reached into her thigh holster, gripping a kunai as her emerald eyes narrowed to see beyond the tangle of webs and branches in front of her.
"…Well…?" Akio whispered impatiently behind her, "What do you see?"
"…I-I…I can't tell…" Souta answered unsurely, Daisuke shifting slightly to glance over his shoulder at him, "…I could have sworn I saw something. It was quick…But I can't find it again…" His chocolate eyes were sweeping rapidly across the area, searching.
"But what did you see?" Akio tried again with impatient exasperation.
"I saw…" He frowned deeply, swallowing thick, "I saw a face."
"What?" Akemi squeaked softly, "A face?"
"Are you sure?" Dai asked, navy irises now flitting wildly around them, shoulders tensing exponentially.
"Where?" Raiden asked from the rear, voice also whispered but firm.
"I couldn't tell!" Souta responded lowly, frustration laced with his tone, "It was quick – maybe I was seeing things – but I could have sworn I saw a face. I saw wide eyes and a wide mouth. Around forty-five degrees west, probably ten feet up."
"I see it."
Sakura's eyes snapped towards Isamu, who flanked Dai's right side, opposite of Souta. His grey-blue eyes were transfixed in the general direction Souta shared, his mouth thinned and his body already moving forward to view, whatever he was seeing, much more clearly.
"Where?" Daisuke asked the Rain Ninja, "Is it dangerous?"
Isamu shook his head slowly, "No…" He blinked twice before the concentrated pinch of his brows morphed into that of confusion, "It's not even moving," He blinked twice more before his frown deepened, "Or rather...they're not even moving."
"There's more than one?" Akemi yelped softly, moving herself closer to Akio's side.
"I think we should move forward," Sakura spoke up, Souta's eyes snapping towards her with a mixture of surprise and fear, "Standing around isn't going to do anything."
"And walking forward towards an attack will help?" Akemi murmured uncertainly.
"The unnatural chakra the creatures give off – it's scattered everywhere," Naruto stated softly, once more in his Sennin Mode, "It's completely covering the area ahead of us. But it's completely dormant – in stasis."
"What's that mean?" Akemi pressed anxiously.
"…It means they're asleep," Sasuke answered lowly. His dark eyes were trained ahead, hand gripping the hilt of his Kusanagi.
"Okay, talking about this is causing us to lose time," Dai breathed out heavily with obvious impatience, "We're going to move forward – but take it slowly. Let's keep aware and be ready for anything."
Sakura was in full agreement and she removed her kunai entirely as she followed Dai, Souta, and Isamu further into the maze of dead, web-covered trees. Their steps against the ground caused a crisp crunch of dried leaves under their sandals – and the sound was piercing in the current silence. The kunoichi licked her lips as she swiped a web away from her face and felt her heart escalate when Dai, Souta, and Isamu suddenly stopped and crouched low, Dai's right hand waving frantically in a gesture for everyone else do the same.
Sakura dropped low, her right shoulder bumping against Sasuke's left as his Sharingan activated. Naruto's right hand fell on her knee to steady himself, features hardened with readiness. Behind her, the Leaf medic could hear everyone follow in their movements.
"Ahead," Dai directed lowly.
Emerald irises followed the Bird Chuunin's verbal direction. She held her breath once she comprehended just what they had encountered.
"…Oh…my…Kami…" Akemi whispered breathlessly.
Bodies – strewn up and hanging amongst the branches. There was blood smeared across the rough bark and dripping in thick rivulets along the trunk, creating a thick, crimson puddle across the floor. Vines and cobwebs twisted along, and around, several bodies, suspending them in midair or tying them against the foliage in strange cocoons. They weren't moving but the picture they presented was terribly gruesome.
"…They're Corpses…" Raiden examined, "…This is probably where they go when it's daylight."
"They're everywhere," Takeru muttered gruffly, "How do you suppose we get through this shit?"
"If they're asleep, then they shouldn't be a problem," Akio pointed out.
"We don't know that," Akemi argued.
"We'll just have to avoid touching them; we can't risk waking them up," Dai reasoned as he slowly stood back to full height. He took a hesitant step forward and waved a hand to see if the gesture captured the enemies' attentions. When nothing happened – when no acknowledgement was shown by the creatures – he let out a quick, decisive breath before moving forward with clear intent.
Sakura instantly felt her body grow hot with rising adrenaline as she stepped forward, following Daisuke's cautious steps, further into dangerous territory. Seeing the many bodies that they were willingly stepping towards – bodies that now surrounded them the deeper they ventured – their group of twelve could easily be ambushed, outnumbered, and outmatched in an unsuspecting trap. Her muscles were coiled to uncomfortable levels as she felt sweat begin to form on the palms of her hands, leaving the grip on her kunai slippery.
No one dared to speak. No one dared to steer away with curiosity let alone stop to observe their strange, new location. Sakura didn't dare breathe as she slid dangerously in-between two Corpses. She stared wide-eyed at the cob-webbed covered face of a woman, mouth opened in a silent scream, face smeared with dried blood, eyes white from rolling completely to the back of her head. Behind her, the bony fingers of an elderly male tangled with her pink tresses causing Sakura to gulp down a whimper as she hastily ducked away. Her steps were careful as she tried to avoid skulls and ribcages, brows furrowing as she recognized tufts of hair and severed limbs also scattered across the darkened terrain.
"H-How much further?" Akemi whispered shakily.
It was fifteen more minutes of meticulously weaving through the maze of cadavers, carefully stepping and avoiding the mutilated, gruesome obstacles while keeping as silent as possible. Sakura could feel the cobwebs accumulating on her own body, sticking to her hair, clothes, and sweat-slicked skin, probably housing insects that were now crawling all over her form.
"So many bodies…" Isamu muttered, his grey-blue eyes darting around as he took in the amassed numbers.
"It's pretty dark in here," Naruto observed, eyeing the thickened cobwebbed trees which prevented the intrusion of sunlight, "I'm surprised these things aren't moving around freely in here. I mean, do they really need to sleep?"
"Please don't jinx it, Naruto-san," Akemi pleaded softly, skittering around a Corpse dismembered of legs.
"I see the other side," Souta called out in a loud whisper.
The verbal observation caused the group of shinobi to move faster, anxious to reach a safer destination. When they were only yards away Sakura noticed with mounting relief that the Corpse count was beginning to lessen in number and that moving through the final walls of trees and webs was much easier without having to avoid suspended, immobilized bodies.
"Finally!" Souta mumbled disconcertingly just as he ran beyond the final wall of the webbed forest. Everyone followed quickly, the same thoughts running through their minds. Akemi ran off to the side and upheaved, coughing up what little breakfast she ate as she shook her head from side to side, as if to rid the past few minutes' images from her mind. Kasumi quietly followed her and held her hair out of the way.
"This place is fucked up," Takeru growled, glaring heatedly at the forest they just emerged from.
"You know what this means, right?" Raiden observed, following the oldest ninja's gaze, "We can't be traveling through that at night – we won't survive if we do."
"We could have just flown over it," Akio thought aloud.
"We'll keep it in mind," Sakura agreed as she pulled cobwebs out of her hair and dusted dirt from her pants, "But I don't want to be using Summons in a place where living things don't seem to be present. Not one bird, not one rabbit – nothing in sight since we got here."
"That's true, huh?" Souta finally realized.
"Alright," Daisuke called as he looked up at the branch-covered skies, "I can't pinpoint the sun's exact location but I'm guessing it's only an hour or two after noon. Sun's going to set in about six hours but because the skies are covered it's going to get dark inside the Twisted Valley much faster. So that'll leave us with about three hours of exploration – just to be safe."
"So we're splitting up?" Akemi questioned. Her face was pale from her earlier illness but the prospect of separating the group made her absolutely white.
"We'll cover more ground that way," Dai reasoned.
"Alright, if that's the case, let's do a radio check and ofuda count," Raiden declared.
Radio frequencies were tested and wards were evenly distributed. Sakura scrutinized her surroundings, emerald eyes instantly drawn to the ancient structure only a few hundred yards away from where they were standing. It was massive, primeval in design and seemed to groan with old age. Its shingles, walls, and gates were rusted from centuries of neglect.
She was afraid of what might be inside.
"We want to keep all teams balanced," Shin stated smoothly, recapturing Sakura's wandering attention, "At least one medic, one Fire Jutsu user, and one Summons Contractor or Chakra Armor User."
Raiden scanned the gathered group of shinobi, dark eyes critically assessing everyone before he furrowed his brows with decision and began directing with characteristic authority, "Alright, Team A will consist of Daisuke, Souta, and Isamu-san. Team B will consist of Kasumi, Naruto-san, and Takeru. Team C entails Shin, Akio, and Sasuke-san. And Team D will be Sakura-san, Akemi, and myself. I'm basing these teams on compatibility – no arguments; it's only until the day's end."
"We'll rendezvous at the castle's entrance in three hours," Dai informed, "From there, we'll find shelter to barricade ourselves in for the night. We don't know what it's like when night falls in this location, so it's only wise that we tough it out together."
"Team A will be scouting the surrounding area of the structure," Raiden continued, "Team B will explore the lake – I'm sure your Water Jutsu will prove useful there, Kasumi. Teams C and D will be checking out the interior of the castle."
"Is everyone in agreement, then?" Shin asked, connecting dark grey eyes with everyone else's varying expressions – some determined and others uncertain.
Nonetheless, everyone nodded.
"Alright," Raiden breathed as he gazed up at the foreboding structure which was struck by hundreds of beams of light from above, "If you come into conflict with anything, you run. You attain contact with anyone you can through the radio and you immediately get to safety. We don't want any heroes."
Sakura agreed wholeheartedly. This place was not to be taken lightly. At all.
Her heart pounded as she took the first step forward.
Tonight, questions might finally be answered. Tonight, survival was probably going to be difficult to sustain.
Tonight – she just knew that they were going to experience hell.
A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! IT'S 2013! WHOOPEEEE! Hope you guys had a happy, happy holiday and an amazing New Year celebration! I apologize for making you wait so long for this chapter. But I'm hoping to give you guys a present – the following chapter in 5-7 days! This chapter was unfortunately a filler to the new setting of the story. I had to introduce this new and creepy place before going into the horrific adventure of exploring it – which is going to be next chapter! Yay!
I'm super, super glad that a lot of you liked the Interlude chapter with Hinata, Sai, and Kakashi! I actually had a lot of fun writing up their characters and their respective reactions to the specific situation – especially Sai!
Again, I do apologize for making you readers wait for this chapter. Life's been super busy – especially work – when it's Holiday time, but now that that's settling down, I have a lot more free time to type up some chapters. I've actually found some newfound motivation for Forbidden Bonds too. I've also decided that my biggest priorities after this story are Vengeance and Rehabilitation…aaaaaand a couple of one-shots!
So, thank you again for all of your support as this story progresses, I really really really really really want to make this a Completed Storyand your reviews and feedback are helping to make that into a reality. You are all the best!
I hope you liked this chapter and I will get the next installment out as soon as possible! I'm aiming for 5-7 days!
P.S. How did you like the SasuSaku? Don't worry, more to come~!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Company. I own the Plot of The Curse and its Original Characters.
Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty-Five: Exploration
Next Update: 5-7 Days!
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Rehabilitation
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Missing In Action
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The Road of Touch; The Road To Feeling
A NEW STORY – Confinement
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