Chapter 2: Fading into the void

Motionless he laid there only an echo of his former self His eyes slowly flickering open with each shutter of his eye lashes his consciousness returned to him with the finality of his failure in tow. Feeling the lack of any chakara what so ever he begun sitting up and turning his head to look on either side of him as he did so, he couldn't make out any of his surroundings all he could see was the ocean of abnormally white sand that stretched farther than his eyes could see. As he raised his head to look up above him he saw in place of the a void of dark space, a darkness that seemed to grow deeper almost as if it were trying to swallow him whole the longer he looked at it unnerving him. Shaking his head trying to rid the sensation from his mind he noticed the small rattling noise originating from a chain attached to his chest just above his sternum. Grasping it and bring it closer to his eyes he saw the black linked chain seemed to be a sort of iron material he found that holding the chain made unsettled him he could understand way but it felt strange holding it … What is this place? He asked himself, as he did so all the images of his last few moments in the world of the living came rushing back to him like a wave crashing down atop him.

Feeling the a flood of emotions from his final memories his staring at the sands underneath him his eyes glazed over, drawing shallow breaths he gritted his teeth as he attempted to control the sudden rush of emotions. An effort that proved useless as the confusion of zetsu's betrayal flashed past his eyes the raising his left hand to spot where his supposed will had plunged its hand through his chest. His heart rate increasing as the anger and rage he now felt for being ripped away from his dreams so suddenly after making them reality, but above all else it was the complete realization of his death that caused him to lose control the sole fact that there was no more plan that everything he'd sacrificed had been for nothing. With the sudden surge of mixed emotions he was feeling he failed to notice the black chain sprouting from his chest had grown teeth and began eating its self, increasing in speed the more his emotions ran wild. He reared his head back and letting out cry of pure rage, of frustration and even regrets not realizing that he had begun to draw unwanted attention to himself.

Little to Madara's knowledge in distance burrowing under the plain of white sand raced three monstrous black shapes, hollows each feeling the empty pit of hunger that continuously panged inside they're chest attracted by the strong display of emotions given off by Madara. These strong emotions rolled of him in wave signaling his position like a beacon for any nearby hollow that a pulse was nearby and a very unstable one if the thick scent of hatred and remorse he was giving off was something to go by. Beckoning any hollow to come for a pulse that would be significantly filling even if it was for just a moment. The closer they got to him the strong the scent became overcome by the enticement of the meal to come the anticipation pushing them to go faster they're insatiable hunger growing by the second.

Completely submerged in the torrent of emotions he was feeling Madara was on the brink of insanity. Finally looking down at the now cannibalistic Black chain on his chest getting closer and closer to his chest the fear of what would happen if it got to him pushed him over the edge. He began to frantically grasp at the chain links as if somehow he could make them stop. "No! Stop this, what's going on!?" he pleaded desperately

It was then that something clicked inside him not really sure where it came from or how he could feel it, maybe it was just sheer luck, or the ages of his life as a shinobi that gave him some sixth sense it was subtle and quick like a reflex it came as just a nudge in his gut telling him that something was coming. Listening to the gut feeling he rolled to his left just as a mass of black erupted from below the white sands missing him by mere inches. Looking at the new predator he only had time to barely glance at the bone white mask that it wore as a face before hearing movement from his left side, crouching down and letting his weight rest on his heels he bent his knees shooting himself backwards narrowly dodging the second attacker. Flexing his back and curving his head to prepare himself for the impact of sandy floor that was soon to follow when abruptly his motion was halted and redirected into the air viciously. It was The third hollow giving him no time to react the centipede like monster emerged from beneath him just he dodged the second hollow catching his leg from the knee down in midair he hoisted up his new meal in to the air and cocking its head to the right it savagely thrusting its body to the other side sending Madara crashing into the sands below him.

Laying there buried in the sand he could feel the agonizing pain coming from where his left leg used to be… So these are the monsters of hell how pathetic to arrive in the afterlife only to die again. Digging himself out of his new burial ground and coming to a knee pushing his left fist into the sand to support his weight, he looked around the once powerful shinobi that feared nothing now felt the very cold chill down his spine… Damn it I'm afraid; it's been so long since I've felt such a feeling. An image of the nine tails flashed through his head, a memory of the first time he attempted to subdue the Kyuubi Hearing a dark low chuckle he snapped back to reality now getting a good look at the beasts that attacked him he notices the animalistic characteristics that make up they're bodies. The one directly in front of him the biggest standing on its hind legs supporting it's self with two long talon like arms of the three had black hair that covered his body entirely with a white spikey helmet of sorts that supported two horn like spikes where his ears should be with glowing yellow eyes. The second crouched on all fours with a greenish tint leathery skin with a white dog like mask with two thick tusk type of teeth protruding from its mouth framing a set of sharper shorter teeth with two blue orbs where its eyes should be. Lastly he looked at the bastard that took his leg a long grey centipede like body with 4 sharp skinny blades on each side for arms and a circular like mask with its only distinguishable features being two antennas sprouting from its mask with two glowing green eyes. Each one had suffered an injury that left a Whole through their chest un sure of what to make of it Madara just moved on.

Despite the lack of pupils in their glowing eyes there was something similar about all of their eyes they each had a crazed look of hunger a look that shook Madara down to his core. Looking down at his chest seeing that the jet black chain that stretched out from his chest had but four links left. A deep feeling of hopelessness had sunken deep into the depth of his being, feeling the end drawing near a wave of desperation washed over Madara as he realized there was no getting out if this situation, no clever plot he could come up he was powerless. "So this is it huh? You three are the ones to swing the final stroke on my life?" he weakly says to the beasts their shallow breaths turning to snarls in response, he can see them salivating at the meal to come looking down at his chest one more time…I Won't become some mindless beasts next meal, all I have to do is hold out till these links run out, at least I'll die on my own terms. Or maybe the chain will just disappear and they'll feast on my corpse. He chuckled darkly and the sadistic thought. The three hollow's patience had finally reached their limits as they each prepared to pounce. Closing his eyes trying to channel any chakara he had in this afterlife to attempt to move before they reached him…Here they come! The chain had just dropped its last link and as the base that held the chain began to dissolve he felt a rush of foreign energy flooding his body it almost felt like chakara yet not quite it felt more vital than that more potent like it was alive itself. The hollows were only few feet away now stretching out to reach him. The weird new energy flooded Madara's body he reared his head back letting out a savage cry in to the dark nothingness, the more energy he felt course through him the more he felt his memories slipping even his very essence slipping from his grasp. The hollow were but a few inches away when Madara's yells were drowned out by a white substance erupting from his mouth, eyes, and even the new whole in his chest. Convulsing violently a ghastly wale came from his body his body seemed to implode on its self with a torrent of pure black energy causing a strong shock wave that blew the three hollows back just before they could grasp the transitioning pulse.