[Insert:Dark Choir by Tetsuya Shibata]

A crimson sky rife with drifting thunderous clouds loomed over what could only be described as a nightmarish realm. All manner of beasts and monstrous beings resided within the boundaries of this place, and it was quite quite fitting for ones such as they, for where they were was a prison. A place for holding damned souls, Tartarus was its name at one time...Hades in another, but in the here and now it was simply referred to...as Hell.

"From darkness's grace, and Scathe's desire, a blackened heartless beast was sired."

The air itself reverberated as the echo of the words took its effect upon the world. Although the voice was distinguished as a feminine one, the power behind those words was measureless. The unholy racket that was going on within the immediate vicinity ceased abruptly. Almost as if to avoid whatever or whoever was to come, from pursuing their location. The scarlet blanket overhead dimmed into a blackness that threatened to swallow all within its embrace, and even so the speaker continued on.

"Required is a sacrifice for freedom's gain, a wandering soul's weight for a lost one's pain."

Extending an arm out to their side, a small spire of violet flame came into being, and from its presence stepped a pale-skinned man in chains. He was bald and naked, save for a piece of leather cloth covering his manhood, and even in the now darker lighting one could see the scars and wounds left all over his body. He was forced upon his knees as two other bodies came from the fire; both were humanoid in figure, yet with reddish fur covering the whole of their frames, hooves standing in place of feet, and bull heads, indications were that these two were far from human. These were beastiamorphs

"Please! Lady Circe, what wrong have I committed? I've done everything you've ever asked! Tell me!"

"Unto the slain, shall misery transcend, and through that suffering shall the lock be opened."

Fear-widened hazel eyes gazed to the "lady" Circe, as she summoned a dagger from non-existence and green energy, as she turned to approach him he began to babble. "No! Mistress, not me, not now...Stop!"

"With tainted blood and raging screams, I commend thy soul to bond the demon to me..."

"Gurgh!"

The dagger gleamed in the shadows as it found purchase in the man's throat, suppressing any other screams or protests he may have had. Slowly, the light left those hazel eyes, and his body fell still. Though not but a moment later, light gathered around the body as a small swarm, gaining shape and form until it became in likeness to the recently fallen individual. There was no time for him to even gather his wits, as Circe finished the incantation.

"Let now the gate, once sealed, be broken and summon forth the beast...Oblivion!"

The ground beneath the party began to quake violently as ruby red light flared about them, temporarily blinding them from their surroundings. A scream of inhuman torment was wrenched from the spirit of the dead man, his ghostly body was being torn apart as crimson lightning ripped into it from all sides. As his visage faded away, an enormous gate was forming from arcs of now sapphire electricity, with the intensity of surrounding light dying down as well. With this, however, Circe noticed that there was something now present within the space around them.

"A barrier? What an unamusing joke..."

The gate stood firmly at a height of 120 meters, more than tall enough to eclipse the witch and her minions. Its design was ornate, ruby littered with glowing golden inscriptions that were etched about in a way to resemble chains. Slowly, those chains disintegrated, until there was nothing left. Soon after, the sound of gigantic rumbling was heard as a number of locks and gears unhinged themselves, the gate was opening.

"Why? What have I done?"

The darkness engulfs all in its cold gullet, vision being no exception. However, sound was, and the things that were being heard were..confusing to be the least. Why? Because there was no clue as to who it was.

"Naruto, I'm sorry. There was so much I wanted to say... to teach you, but now that I won't get that chance...sniff..I'm so sorry that you were left alone for all these years. But, at the very least, I want to give you the strength to do whatever you set your mind to...Remember my sochi, though you're going to experience a lot of pain and suffering, remember who you are! Find a goal… a dream… and don't stop trying until it comes true. Saigo made akiramenai. Don't give up until the very end. Though, it seems that neither one of us has any sort of luck, do we?"

"No. It seems we don't..."

Another flare of crimson was seen from the darkened depths, but this time, it protruded outwards from the seal. It drifted into the circle where Circe stood, and dropped right at her feet, even as it took form. It wasn't bestial in figure, as it became clear...much to the witch's confusion and ire, it was clearly , the light faded once more, and furious blood red hair was all the woman could see.

"W-what is this? Some sick joke, I sacrificed my favorite toy for this!"

Slowly, the body rose, yet blood seemed to spilling from its midsection and it collapsed. Frustration marred the adults face at her misfortune,"I summoned you with my blood and all I receive is some half-dead doll? Curse you Diana, even when you're not here you are a thorn in my side."

Gathering her magic about her, she commanded,"Get up, I shall not have my newest servant dying on me so soon."

Flicking her wrist out, violet and green light spiraled around the body, as it did it caused the body to float upright allowing the purple-haired goddess to look upon her resurrected slave. What she saw made her raise a delicate eyebrow in interest. 'I wasn't expecting this, but, I could use this to my advantage.'

The..boy, as he appeared, was quite well toned. A solid core, with lean but strong arm and leg muscles, all indicative of a fighter's frame. She could tell that there was something...magical, and demonic about this teen, but she just couldn't sense exactly where it stemmed from. 'It's like his body itself is brimming with energy..I may be able to draw some from him, but first..'

"Heal and bow before me, I brought you to me to serve my will, and as such..obey my command!"

Before her very eyes; skin, bone, sinew, and muscle all groaned out as they stitched themselves together. However, as this process continued, Circe watched as scars soon came about littering the young man's length in cuts and other like wounds. Though, to her fascination, crimson lightning scoured his body clean of those as well..all but two. The first was on his stomach, which seemed to be where his bleeding had been stemming from, the wound sealed itself shut yet it bore a spiral pattern emblazoned on it like a tattoo. The last one was what caught Circe's eye however, as it was left just over his heart, it looked like a fist-sized hole was blown there and even out the back.

"For you to have survived such a life threatening injury, maybe you aren't such a waste afterall."

The red-head fell to one knee as the healing was complete, and the amazonian placed a dainty hand before her, calling aloud. "I am Circe, queen of Aeaea. I call now , by the power of Hecate, for you to heed my rule! Submit!"

Thrusting her arm out towards the downed male, she cast her magic at his still form, and with a laugh she spoke once more. "Silly fool, now that you are mine, I want to test just what you are capable of." Her thoughts were cut off however, when the young man before started shaking, with this a dark and menacing chuckle began to grow as the youth stood up. The woman furrowed her brow in anger at this action, for she had a creeping feeling that this wasn't going according to her plan.

"You...who are trying to control me...have my thanks. For without your aid, I may have been lost within the reaches of my own mind. So, what is your name,woman?"

The ancient sorceress was caught off guard,'He doesn't speak our tongue? Even so, his tone! It angers me that he should even condone to speak with me...as an equal! How dare this, beast!'

With a growl in her throat, Circe's eyes glowed their fiery red hue before she launched a spell point blank at the being before her with a cry,"You filthy mongrel!"

The result of the blast blinded the two from one another, and the force was strong enough to tear the woman's cloak away from her, revealing her ruby red orbs and forest green attire to the darkened barrier surrounding them. Her beastiamorphs having already leapt to where her position was to be sensing their master's anger, and subsequent attack.

As the smoke was starting to settle, two ghostly limbs of crimson shot out and grabbed ahold of her minions, then drew them into the haze. Not but seconds later, the two bestial figures roared out in pain, yet a sickening crunch was heard as their cries ended. Red eyes widened at the thought,'My beastiamorphs were killed so quickly!' Her creatures weren't the strongest beings, but she had enhanced them all through alchemy to be powerful warriors, loyal to her will and durable enough to battle any one of the gods that dared to challenge her. For them to be destroyed so quickly...

A small shudder slipped down the immortal's spine at that.

"I merely asked your name, and this is what I receive! Very well, a fight you want, a fight you'll receive."

The green clad witch blinked once, twice, and again. Did she just hear him right? He spoke, and she understood him! Wait, did he just challenge her? Her! A goddess in her own right, with all the limitless power and wisdom of the moon goddess Hecate herself, oh this..thing was going to suffer her wrath. If not for defiance, then for merely existing as a male in the first place!

"You dare to defy me! I brought you into this world on a mere whim, and now you would seek to oppose me? Fine! If you will not bow to my will, then I shall end your meager life and take the power you possess as my own! Now die!"

Calling forth her power again, she began her attack. Summoning a magic bolt to her palms she fired straight into her target with a cry of rage...or rather, she would have, if they hadn't stopped halfway and veered right back into her.

"Ugh!"

She skidded back a ways, shocked at what she had just witnessed,"What in Hera's name!" She would have been injured if she hadn't erected a shield in time, with the amount of magical power in that last attack. 'How? He hasn't even moved!'

".Tsk. You may be powerful, witch, but you are forgetting. This is my realm, I govern every single thing within this space, and you are nothing more than an insect in comparison to me."

'That's it!' A sly smile came to the Amazonian sorceress as she replied,"Ha! This sham of a barrier is nothing but child's play. Scatter!" A pulse of her energy screamed outwards, and barreled straight into the space encompassing them, it was stopped for but a moment before the sound of breaking glass was heard. This brought a scowl to the teenager's visage,'This is going to be troublesome.'

Ch.3 Freedom In Darkness

A/N:I'm glad that I've gotten so much support for this story already, and for that I'm working to crank out these chapters whenever I get time. I will not abandon this story! There is a lot of potential I see in it, and I want to try and see where it will go! So, review please! Tell me what you think so far, and I'll be back soon. This is GK, Signing Out