Mar's Maelstrom

By The Obsidian Blade

Chapter fifteen-battle of the underground lake

Naruto stared at the place in disbelief. There was no way all this could happen in one fucking night. There was just no fucking way. Everything was in ruins. The buildings lay crumbled in rubble, and debris. A few pieces of smoldering wood stuck out of the earth, and there was debris with smoke coming off its charred pats. People, woman, children, men, it didn't matter what they were, they were still dead on the floor, with the exception of the ones walking around with soulless eyes. Every one of them looked like the given up hope of ever living in peace again. "This can't be happening," Naruto muttered under his breathe.

Nanashi looked at the place as well with the same look in his eyes. "Vestry, the town of water and forest. Used to be a beautiful place, when last I came here. And that was only a week ago."

Jack was shaken by what he heard. This amount of damage was only done in a week?! How is this is even humanly possible?! A few people in destroyed clothing walked up to them. "You there, who are you?"

Naruto looked at the leader with a raised eyebrow. "Are you Chess, or Cross Guard? Not that it matters anymore. This is the end of Vestry. You cannot destroy what's already gone. It's too late to help. Do what you will. Our fields, our homes, they are no more. We no longer have a will to go on living."

Naruto was shaking in anger. They gave up just because of this! That's not the way to go about living. "You guys make me sick!" Everyone looked at him, as if expecting him to take back wha6t he said. "You guys act like this is the end of the world. I have seen places that were in worse conditions and they still prevailed over the odds! This is not the end of the world, so don't you act like it is. Rebuild and try again."

The man looked at him with his hopeless eyes. "And why would we do that? If we do, it will only be demolished again. I was a member of the Cross Guards and yet I couldn't stop it. I was powerless against two Chess Pieces. I did not just fail the city, I couldn't do anything!" The man was going into hysteria as he broke down and cried.

Naruto sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. This day was getting worse and worse by the minute. "Alright, Snow-hime, you are going to heal the people along with Ed. Jack, you are going to grow enough food to last this place for a year. Dorothy-hime, you and hentai are with me." the group nodded at the command and started to set off to work. Naruto turned his attention to the man that was speaking to them earlier. "Which way did they head off to?"

"They passed through the entrance to the underground lake outside of town." Naruto looked at what the man was indicating and whistled. The mouth of the thing looked like an eyeless monster with several gnarly horns coming off it's head in random places. Over the sides of it a waterfall and long rocky path led to the mouth of the cave. "They said they were going to get a hidden Arm." Naruto nodded and motioned for he other two to follow as he dragged Babbo along with him. "Wait, you're not thinking of attacking them are you? You don't have a chance! Besides, local legends say the spirits underground call down misfortune."

Naruto scoffed at the man. "You have no idea how many times I came up top even if the odds dictated I would die. Now move, you're in the way." The four of them blurred out of sight, leaving people in disbelief of what they just did.

"Who are they?" a random person asked as he looked at the spot they were at.

Jack smirked at the reaction of the townspeople. "It's not just them, it's all of us. We're the hope, we're the Demon Shadow."

Naruto's eyes were narrowed as he looked at the path ahead of them. It seemed as if they were either cocky, and wanted to fight, or that they did not have enough time to plan traps. Naruto was guessing the former of the two as people like the Chess Pieces were generally cocky.

Dorothy did not like the feel of this place. There was just too many things that just creeped her out. She was by no means a sissy, but everyone had there limits. She clung herself to Naruto's arm for comfort as it seemed to soothe her a little. Then she felt something pass over her. It was like a cold chill pass over. It was as if some kind of translucent entity passed over her. She even heard the thing yell at her for Heaven's sake! "EEEYAAAAA! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!!!"

Naruto started to try and sooth her by scratching her ears and whispering soothing words, but it seemed to have little effect as she clung to him tightly and shook with fear. Nanashi shook his head. "So the stories about ghosts appear to be true," the blonde thief commented. "I sense a strange, chilling aura, permeating the air. I've heard that there was an Arm hidden here. I tried to steal it before, but the people of Vestry sealed the entrance. Most likely that's why they were attacked now."

Naruto sighed. Great, just fucking great. They were in some kind of haunted cave. What else could go wrong? He mentally slapped himself for thinking that as they came up to a fork in the cave. "Well, it looks like we are going to have to split up here." Naruto sighed as he knew Dorothy was going to kill him for what he was about to say. "Since I am the only one who can carry Babbo, Dorothy is going with you hentai."

Dorothy looked at him with a glare that spoke of danger and evil. Nanashi had some sort of stupid grin plastered to his face as he looked at the blonde kitsune. Before he could do anything perverted however, the ex Nin had Kubukiri raised to his neck. "If you try anything on her though, I will kill you. And if I die I will haunt your ass till you go insane and get sent to the coo coo hut." The man gulped and nodded. The male kitsune smiled and latched Kubukiri to his back. "Glad that you see it my way, hentai."

Naruto kept his gaze on the path ahead. His ears were twitching like mad. He could hear breathing, but he could not smell it. Well, he should not say that. He could smell something, but it sure as hell was not alive. No, it seemed that what ever it was, it was dead, and has been for a long time. He looked at Babbo to see that he was frozen there with a look of shock plastered against his metallic face.

"Come out!" the mysterious Arm yelled out. From behind some stalagmite, a man with short, flat, silver hair came out. He looked to be around his mid twenties. On his right hand was a weird flame like tattoo. His whole left arm was bandaged over, leaving it looking like some sort of hammer. He wore civilian clothing, lessening the threat radar. His scent was something that put him at the top of the radar however. It smelt like rotting flesh. And his magical power was at a high level, indicating earlier use of magic to get here.

The blonde kitsune narrowed his eyes at the man rested his hand on Kubukiri. "Who are you exactly?"

The man chuckled at the teen's response. It was to be expected really. The teen portrayed himself as the skeptical kind from the reports he got from his associates and partners. "Don't worry about me; I am just a villager from Vestry. My name is Tom." Naruto looked at the man before putting his hand to his side. He was still going to keep an eye on the man. There was just something off about him. The man smiled at what Naruto did and began speaking again. "I appreciate what you are doing, trying to help us all. I came because I wanted to help you out, even if it's just a little. I can't fight, but I can at least show you the way so you don't get lost. Can I come along?"

Naruto looked at the man. If he came, there was a great chance that he could be part of the Chess Pieces, but if he did not come, then this cave could very well becomne his grave. The blonde kitsune took one last look around the place, before sighing. He would rather live and have the man be some ultra powerful Chess Piece then rot away where no one would ever find him. "Yeah, you can come along. The name's Naruto by the way."

The man laughed. "That's a funny name."

Naruto chuckled a bit as well. "I guess it is." Naruto looked around. "By the way, why did you decide to help out my team? My team really doesn't have the nicest of names really. Demon Shadow, doesn't really sound all that appealing."

Tom chuckled at the teen. "Well, it's because you looked like you needed it."

The blonde sighed. "Yeah, I guess so." Naruto then looked at himself. 'But why me?' he mentally asked himself. Naruto then turned his gaze to the man as he walked in front of him, and sighed again. He guessed that he would find out later.

He followed the man to some sort of underground lake. The place was creepy. Rocks spiked up out of the water. And the sun escaped from the top of it, making the blonde believe that this place over flooded a lot during winter. The ship in the center was disturbing.

It was in ruins. The wood was rotting off of it. The mast was starting to lean to the side. The sails had several holes of various sizes in them. Naruto shivered as he saw someone on the side of the thing, just waiting to fight him. He seemed about his age, really, but he was just weird. He had purple hair with spikes running down the center of it, from the top, down to the back of his head. He wore some sort of purple outfit that reminded him of a martial artist with a purple sash keeping up the pants.

The outsides of his eyes were black, while his eyes were red. For some reason or another, he had a third eye on his forehead, that was also black and red. On his left ear was a bishop piece to a chess board. "Well, well, well, he's all alone. And just who are you fool? I am Girom, of the Chess Pieces! I hope you have written your will!"

My life is complicated
I tried but it's too late an
Just when i think that it's ok
This place has overtaken

Babbo scoffed at what Girom said. "You think he's alone blind fool?! What do you think I am?!"

Girom blinked at the thing before looking a Naruto. "Babbo, ah! Now I get it! You're the leach that Peta was talking about. The one with Phantom's Arm! You really think a speck of dirt like you can ever know how to use a weapon like that?! Well, I am so glad you came. I'll have a nice welcome home gift for Phantom!"

Naruto sighed as he gripped his kitsune mask. "You said you're name was Girom, right? Was it you and your friend who came here and destroyed most of the village?"

More and more than I'm here
It's all fake, I can't tell
I think i finally understand
How i got this way

Girom laughed at the question. "No, my partner, Orco, did most of the destruction. My specialty is killing, especially women." Naruto sighed as he looked at the teen. His hand slipped on the kitsune mask. "I wanted to kill a few more but we had to come here and find some sort of Arm. Problem is, we have not seen any signs of it. Say, you don't have it do you? If you hand it over, I will only half kill you."

Babbo instantly changed forms into the Electro Gauntlet around his left arm as he kicked off the ground and blurred out of sight. He reappeared in front of the murderous teen with his left hand raised out in front of him with blue chakra and magic cackling around it.

"Demon's Electric Impulse." The electricity that was coming off the gauntlet impulsed off his hand and right into Girom's body, shocking him to no end, and sending him back a few feet.

Girom looked at the blonde with a sinister look. The kid was good. Maybe this would be a good warm up for the upcoming War Games. He knew the kid was going to die in this fight, but he didn't need him figuring that out. He tried to get up, but fell back down as his body was still in shock. It was as if every nerve was damaged. "Give up, you lost. That shock I sent through your body jolts the nervous system and paralyzes it. You lost the moment I walked in here."

Every day I think that I'm Jaded
More than I can admit
In every way I think that I'm jaded

Girom looked at him before growling out in anger. What the fuck was he, a pawn? He was a fucking bishop for Heaven's sale and yet this blonde took him down in one hit?! Girom felt feeling go back in his arms as he struggled to move them. He grinned. He was not out yet. He raised his left hand and focused his magic into the spiked ring. "I don't care what you say! This match is mine Kitsune! Nature Arm, Iced Earth!" Several shards of ice shot out at Naruto.

Naruto sighed as he unlatched Kubukiri and spun it, creating a shield from the ice. Smaller ice shards went flying everywhere as Naruto spun the massive blade. His eyes closed as he blurred out of sight, dodging the larger stones of ice that the murderer sent after him.

To all that I have hated
I can't begin to state that
In every way that I think
My brain's activated

Girom was shocked at the speed of the blonde kitsune. He couldn't keep track of him. It was as if he did not want to be found. He heard cracking noise and looked behind him. He sighed visibly as it was just nothing. When he looked in front of him however, his right arm got wrapped up by some sort of water whip. His black and red eye traveled along the whip to see it connected to the blonde's fingers on his left hand. He felt the blonde start twirling him in random direction. Smashing him into anything and everything that he could find, be it a mast, or just a simple treasure chest, his body was smashed into it.

Girom felt his body finally free itself, in the air. He looked at the blonde as he stabbed the large sword into the rotting wood and run through the strange symbols with his hands. "Suiton-Suigadan-no-jutsu!"

All three of his eyes widened as he saw the drills shoot out of the water and aim at him. He closed his eyes bracing himself for the inevitable. The pain was immense as the drills impacted his body. They never really broke skin but the murderous teen didn't think they were meant to. He thought that they were just for the blunt pain. His body shot upwards even more from the impact, before he was in freefall once again.

Naruto sighed as Girom hit the ship again. The kid had nothing left, he was finished. Naruto turned his back to him and started to walk off the ship. "Like I said, you're finished. You're lucky I am letting you live through this." Naruto peered over his shoulder to look at him. "But in exchange I want you to tell the ringleader that he is next on my hit list." Naruto turned his attention back to leaving before he walked off. He froze as he heard a voice call out for help.

More and more than I'm here
It's all fake, I can't tell
I think i finally understand
How i got this way

Girom growled as he looked at the blonde's retreating form. How dare he do this to him? How DARE he do this to HIM?! He was a fucking Chess Piece, and yet he treated him as if he was just a pawn. That was just unforgivable. He started to focus his magic into one large blast. This was sure to kill that stupid blonde for sure. He raised his hand as a claw of ice started to form around his left arm. "You're dead Kitsune! Nature Arm! Mega Iced Earth!" ice started to form above his head as he continued to pump more and more magic into it.

Naruto stood there as he heard voices call out for help again. "Help us, help us. Please let the ship out o the sea. Let the ship go out to sea. We don't want to stay here forever. That rock wall, destroy it. Help us, please, help us and we will bestow on you an Arm."

Naruto shook his head, knowing it was the ghosts that haunted this place. The question was why did they choose him? Was it because he would eventually brake down and help, or was it something else? He shook his head to rid himself of the questions as he turned around and saw the wall that they were talking about along with the ice boulder Girom was creating. Naruto sighed as he looked at Babbo. 'Well, now is a good time to use It. You agree Babbo?" He felt Babbo question what he was doing before he finally gave in. Naruto smirked mentally as he started to change his magic wavelength.

Every day I think that I'm jaded
More than I can admit
In every way I think that I'm jaded

Girom's eyes widened as he felt the blonde's wavelength change. 'Just what are you planning baka,' he thought as the boulder kept growing to epic proportions. "It's too late! You die here!" he threw the ice boulder at the blonde as he saw him smirk.

He saw the gauntlet shimmer out of view. Right after though the ground started to shake. A black portal appeared on the deck of the rotting ship. He saw, well, a creature, slowly drag itself out from what seemed like the depths of hell. When it was done crawling out, he was shocked at the size of the thing. It was huge. It barely fit on the ship for crying out loud. The thing had armor plated scales with a soft orange underbelly. Its eyes were piercing red. It's armored, spiked tail swung around viciously. Its slightly torn wings were made of what seemed to be hard leather. Its sharp teeth dripped saliva as it looked at him with a hungering look. On the things back were two semi circles with some engravings on it. Wicked horns came off from the sides of the top of its head. (Thank you Challenger) With a smack of its tail the ice was shattered. Naruto looked at Girom with a cold look. "Meet Bahamut, king of the dragons." In what seemed to be in response the dragon roared.

There is no way that I can turn back
I see all things and it's crystal clear
Living here is war on my life
It has changed every piece of me

Girom looked at the thing in fear. He was fucked, he just knew it. There was no way out of this. As if his mind started to hate him, it ran thoughts of how he can survive. He gripped his bishop piercing and started yelling in it. "Orco!" He did not receive an answer. "Come here damn you!!" He still received no answer. "Why don't you answer me?!!" He transferred his focus to the impending danger bearing its teeth to him. "You're going to regret this!" He focused his magic again and threw several pieces of ice at Bahamut. The thing's wings acted as a shield from the blasted ice. He tried to find some way out of this, then his mind clicked. "Hey now, don't be so grim. If I promise not to kill anyone any more, will you let me go?" His voice was shaky as he spoke as if he was scared out of his wits.

Every day I think that I'm Jaded
More than I can admit
In every way I think that I'm jaded

"I don't know," Naruto answered in an emotionless tone. "Did you show any of your kills mercy when they begged for it. You killed helpless children just for your sick amusement. CHILDREN DAMN IT! AND YET YOU EXPECT ME TO LET YOU GO IF YOU GIVE ME AN EMPTY PROMISE. WELL I 'PROMISE' NOT TO KILL YOU NEXT TIME I SEE YOU!! BAHAMUT! FINISH HIM!!!" Bahamut roared as its tail smacked Girom to the water. Naruto peered over the edge of where he fell. "Next time we meet, Kami won't even help you then."

A/N There we go baby. And with a song from SOil even. Yeah, I had a real tough time choosing out the song but the song Jaded really felt right here. Don't you guys agree with me there? And thanks again Challenger for the idea of using this Bahamut for this fic. Compared to the Gargoyle, this thing kicks its ass. And I added a picture of Bahamut to my profile. And sorry for not announcing it earlier but this is the end of the polls they are now as followed

Chimera 13
Guardian Arm 13
Loco 12

Sorry to say this, but since I have a right to vote and seeing on how Chimera dies the way she does, I vote her. Seriously, it's almost as bullshitted as Aqua's death. And just so you know CDragon, she is not going to die. It's utter bullshit. So there, Chimera wins. Sorry for those who wanted some one else but please keep reading. Till next time, review or I will send you to the depths of hell with Crazy Quilt. Have fun with her annoying songs of hell!