Why hello there!
If you were expecting tons of action, I apologize. This is more of a set up chapter.
Anywho,
I'm gearing up and revving to go!
Zeus
That painful cry got their attention. Had them looking around the room for it's source. Zeus hadn't heard that voice in decades but he knew from whom it resonated from. Ezraeil just stood, eyes watering, in the spot his mother left him in. That sob broke hearts some didn't realize existed. Did she hear him? Did she hear her child calling for her repeatedly it was nearly sickening to listen to?
"Ezraeil." His brother called, slow steps toward the child.
"Please." The boy just whispered brokenly.
"Where did she go, Ezraeil?" Poseidon's worry grew tenfold. He knew where, the entire room knew where.
"Please."
"Ezraeil." The Uchiha's voice escalated an octave once he was kneeling. "Where did she go?"
"You have to... you have to bring her back uncle. I-I can't watch my brothers. I don't know how too. I can't do anything without her. You have to bring her home. Now. Please, do something."
Poseidon grasped the boy, trying to ease his sorrows. He could see in those cold red eyes a spark of insanity. Madara would loose it; he always did when it came to her. She was the little sister he always craved for, the inspiration to be better. Zeus could understand the pain as it ascended to his chest. That was his sister as much as she was Poseidon's.
But his hurt did not ache for the other Greek, no. His chest grew heavy for the boys that would be left without a mother. For the Uchiha boy that just discovered the difference in love and infatuation. She recklessly threw away what most would claw for. At that mental note, the snide side of his mind cackled in boiling resentment. He had lost two sons and here she was giving hers away. What kind of sick soul did that?
But the white-haired deity knew better. She went in a fit of fury to dispose of the God that hurt her kin. Not just the marks on her middle child, but for all the God's still grieving over relatives. She wanted him gone without causing any more harm to the one's she claimed meant not one thing to her personally. Ranginui knew this to be truth. His plans were much too obvious to Zeus.
But the silly girl fell for it.
"We'll get her back." Hera promised. By now all of them were suffocating the boy with their affections.
"Yes, while we do that," Satan pat his head. "As long as you watch your brothers."
Ezraeil gave a teary nod, even a small smile.
"We can't leave him here by himself." Madara muttered, arming himself with his katana.
"He's son of Ereshkigal and Satan." Kakashi argued back.
"I should call-."
"Not unless you want him to interfere."
"Naruto."
"Him too. He's Sasuke's best friend. I'm sure he's aware of the situation."
Izanagi and Izanami had told the council absolutely not to their Jinchūriki joining this battle. He was just a boy, true, and a blatantly self-proclaimed idiot. He might have informed his best friend of the situation at hand, and his friend was just like him; an idiot. Sure Sasuke had brains, but he was exceedingly bullheaded. And Zeus saw what impulse does to those not wise in war. But Naruto would make a circus of this. He would swear on his life to save Ereshkigal single-handedly. That would only worry his parents, further distracting him.
"I guess. His brothers should be awake soon. He can inform them what is happening." Long black hair was swept from his pale face to gaze in a mirror. Charcoal flecks spun to form a star shrouded in crimson. He swore this power would never be needed again. But the world worked in mysterious ways.
"It reminded me of the day Uranus attacked them. That tone he used." Ezraeil shrieked in that exact fashion that day. Shook about the same, too. It had taken months to calm him enough to stop the nightmares. At the cost of his speech, Ezraeil lived in semi normalcy.
"I recall your animated story." A yawn ripped from the Sea God's throat. He was too old to be fighting a petty King.
"We are not going to make this one alive, you know." Kakashi had checked his own attire, strapping his sword to his back rather than hip.
"I'm willing to die at your side." Ereshkigal owed him so much ice cream for this. Since the God got to earth and tried the sweet confection he had been obsessed. His sister never saw the infatuation, but always brought him some when her and Sasuke were together.
"I'm not. I was hoping to die next to a pretty brunette. Well... prettier than you." A deep frown etched on his handsome face.
"Truly a man of great importance." He deadpanned, face schooled in a passive manner. If this war wasn't their end, Madara would surely get him back for that one.
Ranginui
She took the bait. Oh how exalting! She was such an easy card to be dealt with and played. And my how did he play her. She undoubtedly overlooked the trap, flinging herself to him. It had him licking his lips. Soon he would possess her. He could taste it.
To make matters interesting on his end, he changed locations. His mountain, torn since their last encounter. He situated on a large rock, leg crossed, head in hand as he waited. She wouldn't be long. Not after seeing her precious baby. There wasn't a chance that was his child. There were few similarities shared between the supposed father and son. Sure, killing was a common interest, so was hating Ereshkigal, humans and anything else breathing. Yet, Anaru lacked the necessary evil. If he hated his Mother as much as his spoken word, why hadn't he made a move on for her head? He knew all of her strengths, all her weaknesses however not once had he threatened her. It wasn't until Ranginui fed him words did the boy grow as to be so bold against Mother dearest.
Speaking of... show time.
"I was beginning to think you ignored my invitation!" She was delectable. Long, long, long hair the color of a pale blush, eyes like sea foam with all the depth of an ocean. Creamy ivory skin dusted in sunrays, exposed to his hungry eyes in her battle armor. Ney, she never revealed her skin like a common peasant, nevertheless his mind conjured up images of their coupling. Supple skin that trembled when he kissed it, smooth under the warm tips of his fingers. He could hardly contain his elation.
"Why now? Why my sons?" There it was! That broken hallowed out girl he wanted to see since he first laid beady eyes on her. Now he was absolutely giddy, hardly staying seated. He finally broke the oldest living God. The cold, uncaring, distant Ereshkigal of the Underworld.
He had to pant to catch his breath.
"Why not?" Ranginui spread his pale arms in a grand laugh. "This was a better approach than just taking the human."
At mention of the boy, he saw her eye twitch. Good, now suffer, he thought gingerly.
"I do not wish to fight you, Ranginui."
"The allow me!" In a flash his shin connected to her ribs, a sickening crack filled the air as she hit the ground. "I've been anticipating this day." Another kick sent her soaring to a nearby boulder. "To make you hurt," He dragged her from the rock to throw her into another. "To bleed." His hand laced through thick pink strands only to violently yank her to her feet. "To die."
Ereshkigal didn't whimper, nor cry, nor plead. Vacant inky orbs stared at nothing.
"Don't look at me like that, babe. You did this to yourself." Trickles of purple fell for the bruising cut above her right temple. Ranginui leaned down to lick, reveling in the taste. "My you taste like you did back before Anaru." Another unrefined caress of his tongue. "We can go back to those days, darling. I can make it happen." The appendage slipped down her cheek invoking tremors. "I promise I can make them all go away." Claws traced the smooth skin of her throat, tongue reaching her chin.
A small knife embedded itself into his shoulder. He was unfazed by the toy, but found himself frowning.
"Zeus. It's not polite to throw things." Ranginui dug out the tool to toss it to the ground with a growl.
"It's not polite to pick on women." Zeus yawned back.
"Women? This thing is a woman?" Came his revolted chuckling. "She is more creature than woman, dear Zeus."
"Even so," Poseidon sighed, he really hated life. "We would like the nuisance back now."
"Go. All of you." Ereshkigal croaked to which Ranginui tightened his hold to her neck.
"Oh please. You think we're just gonna let him kill you?" Satan scoffed, seemingly offended by her words. "You do have responsibilities. And you're not weaseling out of them.
Ranginui rolled ashen irises. "Stubborn. Stubborn. She came to me. She is mine."
"Ranginui. Thou can walk way from this." God chide. "Thou may let her free, and we shalt harm to thee."
No!" He cried. He went into labored breaths, the air around him crackling with yellow wisps. "I just got her. And I wont let her go until she is dead!"
"You leave us no choice laddy." Thor was all too happy to use Mjölnir.
"Plan B it is. " Zeus sighed. She better appreciated how loved she was.
Poseidon
The war hadn't even begun. Just a bunch of God's glaring at one another. That didn't mean nerves weren't running at an all time high.
"Why don't you all go?" Ranginui suggested. "We have a reunion to attend." He looked down at the girl in his hand. "Unless you wish yourselves to be the main course."
"Ranginui please." Her weak sob had the Gods hearts in their throats. "Leave them. You only want me."
Ranginui froze, as if to think upon her proposal. What an inviting thought. Poseidon knew he would never take the deal. All the world's strongest deity in one place to annihilate along with those pesky tailed beast.
"Hush, not now dear. Adults are speaking." That struck a nerve. Ereshkigal never enjoyed being regarded as anything less than the oldest living Goddess. And yet she lay as limb as when the group first arrived.
Had he actually broken the Underworld queen?
The face she was making only served for his resolve. And her later lecture. She was so shattered that she would give herself willingly to the monster. Each God knew Ranginui would be scraped a bit if she did fight. Why was she all the sudden so weak willed? Shouldn't she be thrashing him for what he did to Anaru? Did she really feel this hopeless?
Ranginui lifted a hand, summoning forth the large creatures of the underworld. Gallû were much too overbearing to be taken on alone. The tailed best were to incapacitate the winged leviathans with the aid of the world's army while the other's freed Ereshkigal. With it's mighty claw, the battle begun.
It wasn't time to think of his sister, lest he welcomed death. Ranginui had the power of Uranus and Ereshkigal combined. But that was the least of his worries. Gaara was more present danger. Shukaku Demon of Sand cared less of what he got to destroy as long as he did the destruction. Alleys or enemy, Shukaku had no preference. Blood was blood.
From his understanding, Gaara had a better hold of the vengeful spirit, keeping it from eating whatever it pleased. Zeus prayed it was truth; he still wanted death to come with a brunette.
Ranginui still held strong against Shukaku. Even Gyuki stood no chance of defeating the Maori God, much to Bee's dismay
"Yo, this man is strong. I can't hold him all day long!" Bee whined, instantly getting on Poseidon's nerve. Poseidon never relatively took a liking to the Eight-tails, even less in its wielder. The Greek God had a zero annoyance tolerance; Bee had a habitual streak of whining. The two were water and oil.
"Shut up and hold firm!" He yelled at it. During a battle, Poseidon of the Seas still had to time to argue with annoyances. Maybe that was the Uchiha nature within him.
Madara had squirmed his way into the family generations ago, the first generation to be exact. Madara established the family in Kohona by marring a woman of dark features. He couldn't very well be living today having been born in the nineteenth century, to combat that problem he would insert his soul in a child. He'd then later stunt growth by twenty-seven to appear older for a decade or so then die off from natural causes only to be reborn in the next generation. With eons of regeneration, the old God picked up on the habits of his descendants; cold, distant, stand offish, and possibly worst of all, pretentious.
Poseidon marked that the other Deity were slowing, easing on their attacks and powers. Ranginui hadn't broken a sweat fending for the Goddess, annoyance present on his sickly skin.
Ranginui
Enough was enough. These futile attempts at his life were pathetic, if he had to use a word. And what was with the humans? What were those contraptions that came in droves and engulfed his Gallû with flames and metal? They had smaller ones in hand as well. The Gallû held fine till those humans interrupted. That was just playing dirty.
"I must ask you all to stop." Ranginui barked out. Wind kicked up electrical charges of red, barren ebony irises alight with gold. The size of the God quickly increased, ceasing all fire. The Goddess' lithe form growing smaller as the hand gripping her grew larger. He was tired of these pests with their games. If the girl were to parish, so shall their battlefront.
Languidly he brought the pinkette to his lips. Indigo dripped from his claws, having pierced her left size during his growth. A light chuckle left him increasing to deranged hysteria. She'd be dead soon, just a matter of seconds should do.
Ereshkigal let out a weep of agony, mangled by the blood that filled her lungs. Purple poured from her neck as well. Ranginui felt swelling pride in his chest when his tongue darted out to taste the mess of a Goddess. He lost himself, sinking teeth into the wound. Ereshkigal whimpered. Yes, he'd rip her throat out like she did him.
What he didn't account on was a God growing as so bold to strike his left shoulder with a massive bow.
The phosphorescent amethyst arrow distracted him enough for teeth and talons to embed in his right arm. Growls rumbled his limb forcing him to release Ereshkigal.
Something was all too familiar about this scene. He stared blankly as he strained to remember. Where had he felt this distinctive light before?
That's right. World War Two. That's where this animosity originated. Now which stupid God challenged him? That redheaded lilac eyed God. That was nearly impossible. Ranginui made sure to absorb any essence from his body. So why was his weapon sticking into his divine flesh?
Poseidon
This was becoming too much. There was no way in the Seven Kingdoms of Heaven to defeat this asshole. The best they could do is run. Pray Ereshkigal's sacrifice would be enough. Take his family from the Earth and hide in the skies while the mad king took the ground. He would have to move fast.
A quick glance had him gaping. He knew that radiance. How? How did this one escape from the prison of Ranginui's body? Poseidon had to pin point his location to be guaranteed. He nearly missed the nine-tails dash by, latching onto the Maori.
And there hovered the warrior God. The Japanese God of War, Susano'o.
Finally!
And I politely refuse Yamora. It is the most delight I get in my day. He picked Itachi AND Neji to be his favorites. He will learn.