Title; Fading
Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.
A/N; I thought I should point out that this story isn't about heroes and is very much a grey and grey morality affair. Sasuke in particular is a Byronic hero and will at times border on being a villain protagonist in his actions. Bare that in mind with every chapter.
Chapter - 25;
Few God's Gifts manifested themselves in unique unusual ways.
Worrs Tredior was the embodiment of War and its Gift was for just that. It held no magical spells nor incantations and produced neither traditional Alchemists or Mages though Summoners did appear from time to time. Instead the Gift revealed itself in a talent for the aspects of War, leadership skills, tactical ability or an unnatural talent for weaponry were innate in the chosen soul.
The Wandering God, Guidas Proest, was the only Divine being that could Gift another God's chosen. This was due to the nature of the wanderers Gift. Proest did not instil any ability's or skills in its chosen, instead it offered its protection to the Gifted. The campfires of Guidas would be available to the wanderer's wanderer. Sanctuaries where violence became impossible, where Daemons and those not chosen could never enter and where a peaceful rest could be had.
Some held though that Guidas Proest never really chose anyone being such a contrary and private God. Those allowed enter his sanctuaries instead were of importance to the other Divine houses whom bartered for the privilege for their mortal Champions.
There was a searing pain, a crippling bone jarring twist as the red and gold of the conjured flames tore through the passage way searing the walls black. As the flames died I found my vision blurred and took in the sight of the Uchiha warrior the softer parts of his armour burned away and the stranger sight of my own body. My eyes were wide open and scarlet red as a Wraiths would be, my clothing had fared better than Sasuke's as it seemed he had tried to shield me from the flames.
"Feast, feast on the impure ones." The crackling voice rang out from further down the hallway accompanied by a monstrous roar as something massive crawled through the depths of the keep toward us. I continued to wonder at my new condition, my body apparently that of a Wraith now but absent…well me. The Uchiha moved quickly undoing his weapons belt to my confusion before he shifted my weight onto his back and used the belt to fasten my waist to his, he used a second from his thigh to tie my arms crossed in front of his chest.
I floated beside him absent legs as he moved as quickly as possible carrying my weight a little awkwardly at first. I could hear the creature thudding along behind as Sasuke pushed himself faster through the twisting corridors taking turns heedlessly I suspected working on mere instinct alone.
He finally came to a dead end or so it seemed to me, I watched in growing fear as the things noises drew closer and Sasuke pulled at a small wooden door revealing a pulley system. I guessed it was used to deliver food and other small things to the lower levels. Somehow with a few bumps I knew I'd be feeling if I got back to my body the Uchiha managed to get both of our bodies into the tight passage.
Not a moment too soon either it seemed as a brown appendage passed through my ethereal form and hammered the pulleys wall. Something in my fear of the creature reacted and before I could turn to glance at whatever the monstrosity was I felt myself sucked upward passing through the ceiling like it was a pool of water not mortar and concrete.
I arrived at the upper floor to witness the grimy dusty warrior pull himself and my body from the hole in the wall tumbling out. I noticed he was careful to make sure it was his body breaking the fall. He continued to crawl to my confusion before the same thick hairy appendage crashed through the pulley hole thrashing and smacking the walls blindly in search of its prey.
I attempted to re-enter my body as the warrior crawled going so far as to try and jump back in but found I simple passed through it, just like the stone and everything else. Sasuke finally reached the corner and struggled to his feet in the new found safety, I noticed his elbows and knees slicked with blood.
I expected him to begin a search for the ante chamber we'd entered in to originally but he surprised me, instead upon seeing his first window the Uchiha promptly drew his weapons and made an exit. I followed him as he entered the woodland paying little attention to the howls that rang out in the night or the sounds all about the forest that were anything but normal.
He ran or stumbled, mostly a mix of both, until we'd reached the village we'd passed though earlier. The swordsman slowed panting and trying to catch his breath before he began to creep around the other ring of the village in search of something. He seemed to find in once he came across and abandoned seeming house. With the utmost care he pried the boards off a window quietly and once he'd stepped inside and had deposited me onto the dusty floor he shifted a heavy cracked cupboard in front of the entrance he'd just opened groaning with effort.
I heard the shouts of men moving around and slipped outside again to see hunters armed with axes and torches preparing search parties.
There wasn't much to the room. A pair of dusty old cupboards one of which now stood as sentry while its dilapidated cousin stayed idle in a corner. A dining table soon became my make shift bed as the Raider hoisted me onto it knocking aside two of its mismatched chairs. Other than that though the room was barren and I didn't care enough to explore the rest of the humble dwelling.
Instead I watched as the Uchiha unwrapped my bandaged leg as carefully as he could with his shaking hands, the cloth was covered in dry cracked black blood. The swordsman's rough stitching seemed to have held fast running about five inches along my thigh, the wound was an ugly one.
He washed the wound and changed the bandages before he moved on to inspect his own. Most of the scratches he just rinsed quickly only expending bandages on the weeping wounds that had opened on his elbows and knees. He disappeared into a side room and I followed to see him gathering rags shivering now after the adrenaline rush had worn away. It was still cold this far north and our clothing was more suited to the southern climate we hoped to reach, added to that most of the Wraiths clothing had been burned away by the magical fires. His pants now appeared to be shorts, his torso was only half covered by charred iron running from his right shoulder to his hips, most of the rest had been burned away except his wrist bracers. I'd noticed him check beneath the right bracer and sigh thankfully as a small bangle glistered in the pale moonlight.
He returned to my resting place, shook out the ragged sheets and covered me up taking care of my leg as he tucked the corners around. And then without much accord the pale sweaty Uchiha fell against a wall slipping to the floor and pulling the remaining sheet over himself exhausted.
It was suddenly very quiet as I took a moment to allow the full weight of the situation to press on me. That thing, that horrid giggling manic thing had Hanabi and he'd turned her to stone. Sasuke had lost a lot of blood and looked to be in no fighting condition if that creature did pursue us, not that I thought the Uchiha's plans would involve fleeing once he'd regained even an ounce of his strength. And my own predicament was strange as Shadow's realm. I didn't know whether my out of body experience was the work of that thing or a reflexive action by my own Gift to save myself, I suspected the later. Whatever my Gift had done it had separated me into two parts, one I guessed purely spiritual containing my magic and the other all that was physical.
My eyes were still wide open, I'd seen Sasuke try to shut them but the attempt had failed. They weren't quite like the warriors I noticed, they were a much lighter shade. I pressed a hand to my chest and passed through effortlessly, attempting to lie on the table inside my body did nothing either even without the panic I had hoped was the problem earlier. For the first time I began to feel the dark tendrils of panic and fear grip my spirit.
I didn't notice the other presence until the noise of rattling iron and a growl from Sasuke alerted me. A small girl with shaggy brown hair perhaps nine or ten sat in front of the dark Raider a look strangely close to awe on her face. Sasuke himself blinked in confusion and settled back down seeming noticeably less threatened by this assailant then he had a moment ago.
"You're the one…the Blood Spiller." Muttered the girl crawling closer to the swordsman. Sasuke cringed slightly at the name, not exactly the nicest sounding title even for him.
"What?" bit out the Uchiha rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, I'd estimated he'd had maybe an hour to rest at the most probably less, it wouldn't have been enough were he not bleeding from half a dozen minor wounds.
"You're the one who bled it, the Fair One." Whispered the girl reaching boldly towards Hanabi's borrowed blade, the Raider pushed her hand away with surprising gentleness and a less gentle warning glance. The Uchiha shoved away the sheets covering him and unhooked the pouch on the small of his back. I wondered exactly how many supplies the Wraith stuck on his belt, but had to give him some credit. Clearly he had planned to drop his pack to fight and had accounted for the possibility of being separated from it. Still he had used up all his bandages already and most likely the bread and cheese he drew now were the only food rations he had packed there.
The Raider popped his shoulder stiffly and broke the bread offering the second piece to the kid with a piece of cheese. Grubby hands grabbed the offered food as the girl spluttered thanks.
"Why do you call it 'the Fair One'?" Asked Sasuke eating his own meal at a more sensible pace as the kid half choked in her attempts to bypass chewing.
"It gets angry if you call it anything else. And it'll know if you do." Answered the girl already finished with her food, Sasuke nodded in understanding of the concept. A vein monstrous powerhouse, how wonderful. The girl glanced at my prone form for a moment a look of considerable confusion on her grimy features.
"Is she your girlfriend?" she asked suddenly drawing a mix of coughing and choking from the Uchiha as he had trouble swallowing his food. I tried not to let my ego be too wounded at the incredulous reaction.
"No." he answered plainly earning a nod from the girl.
"That's good, she doesn't look like a princess." Remarked the girl standing and peering closely at my body. While I had to agree that the half torn and burnt dark armour hardly spoke of elegance I still felt a little aggrieved.
"She used to, back when she was imprisoned in the castle." Returned the Uchiha in my defence and perhaps emboldened by the inability to be heard I released a pleased sound that sounded far more like a squeak than I would have liked.
"So you really are a Knight, that's so cool. I want to be one too." Began the girl in a frantic display of energy going on about what monsters she'd slay if she were bigger and stronger and all the people she'd save a bright joy shining in her eyes. The Uchiha rose to his feet shaking his head.
"You'd be a warrior woman then would you?" He commented a bemused smile on his features, it only lasted a second though before a deep frown took its place. No doubt he remembered just where his warrior woman was at the moment.
"Woman…I'm a boy." Muttered the clearly insulted boy pulling on the hem of his dress uncomfortably. The Uchiha raised an eyebrow.
"The Fair One takes boys to fight for him, to hunt as sport or become his personal guards so we have to dress as girls till we're grown-ups." The boy answered the Wraiths unasked question hopping onto the edge of my table and kicking his feet idly. He began to ramble off different questions at an impressive pace. How old are you? Why are your eyes red? What's wrong with her? And a thousand reiterations of what's that? I found myself enjoying the effect on Sasuke as he fought annoyance and re-examined my wound, it still looked as nasty as before.
"You're gonna kill it right? You're different, you can do it. Set them free." Despite the reveal I could still see Hanabi in the boy, a little naïve and bold and of course carrying an air of repressed melancholy just below the surface.
"Set who free?" asked the Uchiha with false disinterest, I could already tell he'd taken an interest in the boy and his situations. Tenderly the warrior cradled my head and poured a little water over my lips, I was filled with the urge to lay back on the table and enjoy his care from that perspective.
"My family, he made my sister a dancer in the castle and my father's one of his guardsmen. I don't even remember my mother but I guess I must of had one, you're supposed to right?" babbled the kid offering descriptions of his family. His sister had fiery red hair and was really tall and pretty, or she'd seemed tall the last time he'd seen her but he was much smaller then. His father was tall and lanky but surprisingly strong, he only saw him every now and again when he got away from his duties.
"He's taken something precious from me too." Growled the Uchiha gently laying my head back down. I wondered if my sister would find the title of 'something precious' sweet or demeaning, maybe both.
"I can show you to the keep if you want." Offered the boy hopping onto his feet and puffing out his chest in a display of masculine courage that was somewhat lessened by his attire.
"I can find it on my own. There are huntsmen combing...um...searching the village right?" questioned Sasuke stumbling and switching words as the boy looked confused. He nodded once he understood the swordsman's concern.
"Then can you watch over my friend, the princess while I return to the keep." My breath caught in my throat as the rough man gently brushed my hair from my eyes and scanned my form one last time with a careful eye. Reluctantly the boy agreed to stand guard for my body while the warrior slayed the monster of the keep.
I found myself somewhat relieved that I hadn't been able to re-enter my body. With my injured leg had I done so I wouldn't have been able to accompany the Uchiha and even without the injury I would have been a liability. He took only enough time to fashion a makeshift cloak from one of the sheets before he set out unknowingly with my company.
Sasuke seemed healthier I thought, lighter and more graceful now that he was no longer weighed down by us, or perhaps now that he was just no longer weighed down by me. I didn't tire in this form I realised keeping pace with the far fitter warrior as he crept to the treelines and began a swift silent run through the woods. He located the path we'd travelled on originally from the village lined in its blue flames and bizarre flora though he didn't see any of this. Instead he peered at the ground making out the huntsmen's tracks in the wet mud.
When had it rained?
The Uchiha stuck to the borders of the path creeping through brushes and bramble ignorant of the thorn's that snagged at his makeshift clothing. I took the path instead still put off, there seemed to be something menacing in the air. The Uchiha froze as a twig cracked in the distance, the another closer and again. Something drew nearer and nearer until I could hear heavy snarled breathing and the thump of something heavy knocking against the close knit trees. And there was a howling I attributed to the winds and stormy atmosphere except it drew closer too.
Sasuke had scaled one of the trees and sat crouched on a thick grey branch as the thing appeared in open space. It was vaguely shaped like a man but in grotesque proportions, it's legs were shorter and thinner than mine had been even at twelve or thirteen and it's hips dangerously narrow compared to the bulk of its thick torso complete with fat hanging gut and bulging arms as thick as my thighs. It's skin was a sickly green and scaled or scabbed over, it was impossible to tell. It's beady yellow eyes were barely visible beneath its heavy drooping brow and its ears were crumpled in on themselves like scrunched paper. In its hands it held the source of the knocking, a heavy club that may well have been a young tree ripped from the earth. It howled in agony, sobbing and wailing brokenly. After a moment it doubled over retching and vomiting filthy corrupted waters over the path.
I expected the Raider to stay where he was, after all any sane being would.
The Uchiha descended from the tree like some wild cat lashing out with his claws. Two thick wounds were rendered upon the monsters back splashing blue black blood onto the path but failing to kill or even inconvenience the behemoth as it spun dragging its club in a vicious wide arc. The Uchiha ducked the lethal blow as it dented the tree behind him and stepped even deeper into the creatures guard cutting two more wounds into its flesh across the chest.
Was this what Raiders did I wondered, schooled beasts and monsters on the merits of Human warfare. Technique over power the giant couldn't catch the Uchiha and while it tried Sasuke punished its failures.
It abandoned the club and instead reached to grab the man, blades flashed and the hand was torn open and bloodied but not stopped as the warrior had banked on. The bloody mesh of flesh and bone hammered into the Wraiths chest propelling him from his feet. Sasuke hit the tree line hard and struggled back to his feet as the giant howled and reclaimed its club single handed now.
It howled a war cry and swung a tremendous downward blow that was much too slow, the swordsman darted forward swinging cripplingly and cutting a deep wound into the creatures knee. The blade didn't pass wholly through though suggesting that those thin legs were stronger than they appeared but the attack had clearly shattered the joint as it squelched sickeningly and cracked as the monsters weigh pressed on the injury. Another step, a twist and a wide swing of both blades took the leg completely off causing the beast to buckle and fall forward howling frantically as the Uchiha climbed onto its back raised his curved blade in both hands and stabbed downward piercing it to the hilt and severing the creatures spine.
It took longer to die than I would've expected, it seemed to spend forever kicking and screeching in pain before it expired and began to shrink. I gasped and had to look away as Sasuke pulled his sword free numbly, naked horror dancing in his red eyes as he staggered back for a moment. Then he was iron again and resolved, I could see the thought pattern. The giant had been howling from the start, corrupted water had done that to him and a quick death was much better. He was resolving to do the same again if he needed to.
I stared at the body of the young boy as the Raider shifted some of the loose wet dirt away making a grave for the body. I recalled the nameless boys words, the Fair One used them as soldiers and guards. This was how, corrupted water to mutate them and give them strength.
Sasuke didn't spare any words for the boy, whether because he wasn't the type or because he realised Hanabi could soon share the boys fate I didn't know, maybe it was both. I noticed him roll his shoulders occasional as we continued on the path and more than once rub his chest with a grimace. That gruesome punch had hurt him.
The castle loomed ugly against the darkening sky as we approached, the doors hadn't been repaired yet from the earlier battle but I was relieved to see them empty and devoid of guards of any kind.
As we drew closer I heard the sound of music drift from the hall, it was different from the cheery light festive tunes that had rang there earlier for this abominations never ending party. Instead the music had become for lack of a better word ugly, it wasn't dark or gloomy but broken and twisted. Out of key in a subtle way that was not random but chosen to be the most jarring possible.
Dancers lined the hall as before but one stood out above all the rest. Centre stage in the hall alone a dead eyed Hanabi danced by herself. Her armour had been traded for a flowing white dress and her hair had been curled and appeared far longer. She seemed possessed as she swayed jerkily in accompaniment to the broken music. The Fair one was nowhere to be seen but I could feel him watching.
Impossibly Sasuke seemed to fall under the spell too. Leaving his blades undrawn he stepped forward heedless of traps or plots. His expression was carefully neutral and yet I could detect something moving beneath the surface mirroring my own feelings. Relief that Hanabi was no longer encompassed in stone and anger at this indignity it had forced upon her. It only grew as I got closer and heard her whispering, pleading to some unseen force to stop it, stop showing her, stop lying, it's not true, stop, stop, stop.
The whispers stopped suddenly as her partner reached her gasping her shoulders and clasping her tightly as he covered her lips in his in a desperate kiss. Hanabi's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as she fell forward before she closed them tight to stem the tears and accepted the embrace completely.
I looked away.
She stuttered and spluttered searching for the words to explain what she'd been witnessing but Sasuke shushed her gently and tried to help her to one of the halls benches to rest. Her feet were hurt it seemed from the dancing but she protested quickly and took her sword from his belt. She hacked away at the skirt of the dress mangling it and reclaiming her mobility.
"No, we're doing this together. You're beat up ass. And he was almost a match for you at full strength." The young Hyuuga pointed out. Sasuke glared but didn't argue, he couldn't really I guess. Fighting the Fair One with him or wandering through the woods with those deformed giants there was no safe haven for him to try and lock her in. Instead he had a simple choice, have her by his side or not.
"I still need a second sword." Stated Sasuke a small smile gracing his lips despite the situation, its twin danced along Hanabi's own dry chapped pair.
"The guards that brought us here had strange armour, most of it different in style and colour. You think maybe it came from travellers or soldiers whom passed through here?" Hanabi theorised pulling at her dress sleeves, her prayer beads and other charms were missing much to her annoyance.
"There could be a stock of weapons, likely the same place your equipment is now." Sasuke completed the thought casting a questioning glance at Hanabi. She seemed more concentrated on her hand though, with a grimace she managed a small flare on the tip of her finger.
"Without the charms boosting effects…I could maybe sense my stuff a few feet away at best." Hanabi answered the unasked question running a hand through her hair with noticeable distain for her new hair style and a hint of surprise.
"I was hoping to grow it back out the old fashioned way you know." Grumbled my sister leading the way moving with a soft gait to avoid aggravating her feet. The halls on this level were more…colourful than the lower depths Sasuke and I had moved through. Gaudy awful paintings that the mad or blind might have called art hung from the walls and the corridor itself meandered with strange curves sometimes raising up in a slope or bending in on itself.
"So when are you going to tell me what happened to Hinata?" Hanabi eventually asked eyeing each room in suspicion as she concentrated on stretching out her weakened sixth sense.
"She's in the village, injured." Came the Wraiths not incorrect response. I wondered if he'd try and wake me with a kiss too, it seemed good enough reason to put off returning to my body even if I figured the process out.
"I knew you'd come back you know." She spoke with a smile hitting him lightly in the arm. He chuckled in response sending her an amused gaze.
"I do need a pack mule." He deadpanned earning a harder whack and a contrary grin from the woman warrior.
"Well this pack mules got a better mind for tactics than you so this time we do it my way." She returned, Sasuke did not disagree. I'd figured that much out already myself, he simply got as close as possible and reacted, on instinct or from training or a terrible combination of the two. I'd heard of it in Naru and seen it myself in short order as his companion. He put everything on bravado and reflex overwhelming his opponents as he blitzed them in search of a weak spot. Hanabi though thought everything through, she'd confessed to a habit of overthinking at times but she had some skill in the practice of analysing opponents for weaknesses instead of forcing her way.
"It'll read your mind." He offered in a playful tone, no doubt expecting a clever response.
"Which is why it should be such a complex plan. How would you do at reading a novel while engaging two opponents?" Hanabi responded drawing a chuckle from her companion. I made a mental note not too piss off my clever little sister, or force her to wear a dress in the future.
And that's the latest chapter completed only one more left of the Fair arc. Opinions, thoughts, complaints of this being filler, demands for a different story to be updated instead. Anyway whatever the thoughts are I'm sticking up an Authors corner on my profile for any little inquires or curiosities you may have regarding my stories, characterisations or plot choices.
Anyway feedback is stardust so do be kind.
R&R