Chapter 2

Dangerous choices and consequences

The moon was up in the sky when the time to go sanctuary to offer the sacrifice came. The full moon shined beautifully in the night clear sky. The villagers gather at the gates. Most of them silent, trying not to display their anger, or fear. In case of Sakura's family there was crying. The sobbing wasn't louder than a whisper, but it was heard, causing an atmosphere of grief, the same there was in funerals.

There was a single escort and a brown horse waiting for the 'gift'. The ceremony would be exactly like the other years: a single person, personally choose by the elders would climb the path to the sanctuary, carrying the gifts. The offers would be put in the shrine at midnight, and then the emissary would leave. If the offer was accepted, it would disappear before sunrise.

The only change this year was the fact that the offer was a human girl. Sakura had been immediately sent to her house, after the announcement, where she was prepared and left isolated until that very moment.

Every single head turned back, looking behind to see the young girl while she walked to the gates, and her death. Her head was covered by a thick white veil. The kimono she wore was incredibly beautiful, it was pure white, and it almost shined in the dark. The length of it covered her, neck to toe, not even her hands were showing. The kimono's design was elegant but simple; it had a rounded tail, a lateral slash on the right, not visible to the distracted eyes, and the silk white sash adorned the waist of the bearer making her look thinner.

The girl was being irrefutably brave, walking down the road with pride and no hesitation. As she climbed to the horse herself, she never turned her head facing the way ahead of her. The crowd couldn't help stare at her, like they had just lost their most precious treasure.

If only did they know.

The journey to the sanctuary had been slow, torturous. The moonlight barely passed through the thick leaves, and the only illumination was a small lamp that barely shined. It was also a quiet journey, only the forest sounds were heard.

When they reached the sanctuary, the offer slowly got out of the horse, directing itself to the front of the shrine where it sit the designated place. The sanctuary was of medium shape, made of cherry wood. Candles and incense had been previously placed, making the atmosphere soothing and calming, almost safe. A jade statue in form of a fox with nine tails looked directly at the offer. The offer looked back intrigued, however it never moved from its place.

The emissary then leaved, silent and slow, the same way it came.

The offer sensing no presences, other than itself, opened the slash on its right reveling a white smooth skin that shined silver in the moonlight, and also a katana. With a graceful move, the katana was released and placed on the floor. A white hand then removed the veil exposing a short black hair, and the keen glare of the Uchiha.

The plan was going has it should.

Sakura made her best not to cry. Being isolated in her house was the worst thing she had been through. She couldn't talk to her parents, not even her fiancé, or Sasuke. When the sun threatened to set, she couldn't help sobbing, and eventually crying.

Unexpectedly, she felt a hand over her shoulder. Startled the girl quickly turned her head.

"Sasuke?"

The raven put a finger over his lips, asking for silence.

"What are you doing here?", the pink haired girl whispered.

"Undress."

"WHAT!"

"Shh!", the black eyed boy put a hand over her mouth."Trade places with me."

"Wha-. Why?", Sakura asked confused.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going in your place."

"Y-you can't do that!"

"Yes I can."

"Let me rephrase that. I'm not going to let you do that."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

"You're my friend."

"I can say the same about you. Now let me give you a reason why I should. I'm not needed."

"That's not true."

"Sakura, you have a family. You have a fiancé. You have people who care truly about you. You are a healer, you're needed. You have a future. I do not and I'm not sure I ever will."

The green eyed girl looked him in the eye still teary. That time she couldn't care less.

She hugged the Uchiha heir. As soon as she did, she let go, clearing the tears in her eyes, with renew hope.

"What do you think trading places with me will help? The Kyuubi asked specifically for me."

"No, the demon asked for a sacrifice, not you. And even if it did, I wouldn't trade with you to die at its claws."

"You're planning on killing it? It would not be allowed!"

"It's of my concern, not yours."

"Sasuke!"

"If I don't kill it, then it will unleash its anger upon the village because I do not plan to let you die, or commit suicide."

"You'll be punished!"

"Not if I die."

"You said you wouldn't."

"I'm faking it."

"And what about me? What if someone finds out?"

"Lee is outside. He'll protect you, and hide you. You'll have to leave, but still you'll be alive."

"However you're forgetting no one ever overpowered the Kyuubi."

"You're forgetting my uncle did. I'm sure I'll be able to win with sharigan."

"You better win, or the Gods help me, I'll bring you back to life just so I can kill you with my bare fists."

Sasuke showed her his trademark smirk.

The raven took a deep breath, reaching for his katana. Now all he had to do was waiting for the demon to appear.

The moon climbed the sky slowly. Sasuke meditated, he was in deep in a slumber like state. Although it was a very deceiving state; what appeared to be a person in meditation, in peace, was in fact someone awfully full of hate and anger, ready to jump and cut the heads of anything that threaten him.

It was then when he felt a presence. In a blink of an eye, the Uchiha heir stood up holding the katana and his family blood heritance: the sharigan.

The sharigan was held only by Uchihas, no other clan could have it. The eyes were meant to help its bearer to read movements, find illusions, traps, or occasionally find hidden demons. It also increased the bearer's movements, power and accuracy.

The moment Sasuke activated his blood trait he felt something was terribly wrong. First, because he didn't fell the presence was demonic, even though it was powerful. Second, it belonged to one of the elders.

The raven held still in his place, putting his stoic mask. If he had been found out, he had to be sure Sakura was safe. But before he could even get the chance to see the elder, he was attacked.

Sasuke managed to dodge the kunai quickly with the help of the sharigan, jumping away from his place. That attack had shocked him, even if his face didn't show. His attacker was no other than Danzo, one of the three elders of the village.

"You Uchihas are all the same, aren't you?"

The raven didn't have a chance to reply even if he wanted. His katana moved in a flash deflecting the shurikens thrown at him.

"Always wanting more power."

Danzo continued his speech, while holding a katana himself. In a moment he attacked the Uchiha heir.

"It's never enough. Money, power, fame, you're kind will never be satisfied. You're a bunch of greedy arrogant monsters."

At this point Sasuke lost it.

"What are you talking about?"

"You took the opportunity and change with Haruno to take over the Kyuubi and the village. The other elders didn't believe, but I knew better."

"I don't understand."

The black eyed boy jumped away, when Danzo tried to set him on fire with a command for a fire ball.

"You're family was greedy. Uchiha Madara set the Kyuubi free to take over the village, fortunately that fail. Meanwhile in the eight years that succeed that event I tried to reason with the elders. And finally one night I convinced them. You're family was put down."

Sasuke froze. His stoic mask felled. His widen black eyes fixated on the man that faced him. One thing was certain; the Uchiha's heir world had been shattered into millions of pieces and fell apart. The only thing he could do was stay still, trying to understand. Trying to cope. Trying not to fell in the black empty hole his despair was.

The elder stepped back, seeing the Uchiha's honest response.

"The fire? It was the work of the elders?"

"Yes, it was approved by us. However it was your brother who executed the order, in return you weren't killed. The council agreed because you were not a threat being a child. But I always knew they were wrong."

"What about my brother?"

"He's alive and well, and preferably he's a father.", the elder smirked evilly." Which, makes your existence not necessary."

It was all it took. Sasuke snapped, triggered by anger.

A fierce fight took over. Red eyes flashed dangerously between slashes of swords, and fire element spells were cast. The Uchiha heir also used lightning spells however he couldn't be sure. All he could see, feel was anger, and it was his deadly mistake.

The raven haired teen focused only in cutting the opponent's heart out. Not even feeling the blood soiling his ripped off sleeve. Revenge was the only thing on his mind. And in a graceful movement he took the opportunity to cut the elder's right arm off. It had been a double sword edge attack.

Sasuke felt then a sharp pain on his chest. Between hard gasps, the Uchiha heir jumped back, falling to his feet, not being able to breathe.

He knew the hand he took to his chest was covered in blood before he could feel it. The red eyes flickered, losing their fierce color to a deep black.

Sasuke Uchiha was dying.

It had been a fatal wound in his chest. It hurt, and at the same time he felt his entire body numbing. He looked up to see the elder smile.

At that moment, Sasuke realized the elder would win. He didn't get his revenge, and got himself killed for nothing.

Danzo held his sword above the boy's head, ready to finish his job. When he saw the red glare of the Uchiha he stopped smiling. A second later he started to cough blood. Sasuke had summoned a lightning spell that went through his heart. In the second after, the elder lay lifeless in the ground.

The Uchiha heir smirked. He didn't what to face death, just yet. Coping with the pain on his chest he tried to get up and get help.

He failed.

He had no strength left in his body, the pain make it hard to breathe, no matter how deep his breaths were. The black eyed boy forced himself to drag his body with the help of his feet and left hand. However he could only get to the front of the shrine. He started to cough blood.

Sakura his going to kill me.

He smiled weakly, turning so his back would touch the ground. Damn it! I can't die. I have to find my brother. I want to see him. A last sharp heart beat made him face the sky.

Somehow, the sun had started to rising.

That was his last view of the world, before it got blurry and eventually black.

I love cliff hangers... don't you?