Hinata marvelled at the house that stood before her, her eyes running along the height and interior designs of it. No, it wasn't a house. It was a mansion. It was big and wide, painted in black and ash. The bricks used in the building were stony, giving it a resemblance to a medieval mini castle. There was no fence around it so the compound was exposed to outsiders and onlookers, surrounded by bushes and shrubs.
So this is the Royal Alpha's home? She didn't really strike him as one who'd be flamboyant in his appearance. She shouldn't be surprised. It was like the building in which he held meetings with the leaders of Isekai in his territory. She had only been there once with her father but that was enough for her to realise that the Alpha was an unforeseen force, an influencer of a room.
She looked at the surrounding and noticed a little number of houses situated in it. Few people lived here but it was far from the mansion, especially when it was an area close to the trees.
She was here because Naruto had called her, saying he had bad news about Sakura. She wondered what that could be. Her heart and mind were apprehensive.
Her eyes trailed from the house to what stood infront of it. There was a carriage, a Landau with its wheels smaller in size. There were six brown horses and a spiky blonde tying collars around four of the horses' heads and putting breast straps around their chests. He was harnessing them.
Hinata frowned confusedly. Why would something they used in the olden days be out in the open in this golden age of technology and whatnot, especially in the sight of all the humans? What is happening?
"N... naruto kun.."
Naruto stopped what he was doing and waved his hand when he saw her standing across the road from him. "Hinata."
The bluenette hurried to him after the road was free from moving cars and she could cross. "What did you say happened to Sakura chan?" She asked immediately after she had bowed in greeting.
After Sasuke had told them to prepare for Isekai immediately, Naruto had called his mate. He couldn't discuss it over the phone so he asked her to come over. He thought that Sakura's friends should know about what had befallen her before she was taken to the other world and they wouldn't see her for awhile.
He sighed. "Sakura chan gave herself up to be marked. She's fallen unconscious ever since."
He watched as his mate gasped and her eyes went wide in comprehension. "We had Masashi come over." He said reassuringly.
"B...but isn't that dangerous for t..the p...priest as well?"
"Yes, but Sasuke insisted." Then he lowered his head and frowned. "I'm worried about him." His mate being on the brink of death must've messed with him. He sighed. "Anyways, Masashi can't do much for her here so we're taking her to Isekai." He looked at his mate. "We don't know when we'll be back."
"W...what a..about Ino?" Their blonde friend will be worried and ask series of questions that even she might lose and open up to her.
"Don't worry, Sakura chan's with us. You can trust us that she'll be fine. It's okay if Ino thinks we've kidnapped her."
"B..but if Ino wanted to, through means, like the police, she will not stop till she's found her, and she might even become sick in the head." She was sad for Ino, being the clueless one. It felt so wrong.
Naruto looked at his mate for a while. "Do you want to tell her?"
Hinata lowered her gaze sheepishly. Can't I? "I trust Ino chan." Silence flowed in their midst and she felt her heart thump violently against her chest. Did I provoke him? Did I anger him?
Suddenly, a hand dropped gently on her head. Stunned, she looked up to see Naruto smiling at her.
"Then follow what you think is right." He said. "I believe in you."
An electrifying feeling shot up her spine immediately and her heart beat sped up, andrenaline pumped into her blood as she continued to stare at his beaming face, her face becoming red and hotter by the minute. This feeling...
Then he dropped his hand. "Huh, Hinata." He blinked and moved closer to her face. "Are you okay?" He asked, rasing a hand towards her.
Her breath caught in her throat and she straightened up. With an horrified face, she forced out a "Yes!" and ran away from him, as far as she could, leaving Naruto to stare dumbfoundedly into the space she occupied before.
What. Just. Happened?
Did I do something wrong? He tilted his head in thought before he noticed the presence behind him and turned around to see Shikamaru shaking his head at him and Jugo staring at him.
"I'm sure I didn't do anything wrong." Naruto told him, scratching the back of his neck. Why did she run away from me?
Shikamaru sighed as he walked into the carriage with a big bag in his hand. Women. You never know with them.
Most importantly, I wonder what ugly legs is doing right now.
"Shikamaru, shouldn't we have told the siblings?" Naruto asked, moving unto the two other horses and doing a quick check on them.
The Gamma closed his eyes as he came out of the carriage. "I don't think Sasuke would want that."
"Temari will definitely find you if you bail on her."
Shikamaru smirked. I know right. "They'll be invited to the Alpha's territory. If we had known that Masashi would be taking her to Isekai, we would've told them beforehand."
No one spoke for awhile, then Naruto said. "I think you knew that Masashi would choose to treat Sakura chan in Isekai."
Shikamaru sighed, looking away to the people who stared at them from afar. Was it wise to bring this old fashioned thing out in the sight of all these modernized people?
"Ano, kaa-san, what is that old car thing?"
He heard one ask and he sighed again. Mendokusai.
"I think you wanted Temari to come to Isekai." Naruto snickered, bouncing his eyebrows at him.
Shikamaru shot him a look. "Don't classify me to a lovesick person who doesn't know the difference between fantasy and reality."
Naruto frowned, tilting his head. What?
"Close your mouth. It breeds flies." A voice suddenly snapped at the Beta from behind.
Naruto turned to see the old woman walking out into the compound with Sasuke behind her carrying Sakura in his arms.
"Old lady." Naruto narrowed his eyes at her tiredly. There's no way opening one's mouth would breed flies.
Masashi eyed him before stepping into the carriage and helping Sasuke with his mate. She laid the pinkette on one of the seats and placed a bed cover over her. Then she went to seat on the opposite seat facing Sakura and sat there, watching her keenly.
"Oi, old lady." Naruto called from outside. "Is Sakura chan okay?"
Masashi popped her head out of the small window and faced the three men that stood outside before her. "I gave her a strengthening potion, she should be able to reach Isekai, with the little heart beat it enhance." At least.
When Masashi's head was gone, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Are you sure about this?" He asked him. "Taking Sakura chan to Isekai might be a bad idea, with the fact that she's hum...?"
Sasuke scowled at him. "If you have a better idea, let me know."
Naruto sighed through his nose, holding Sasuke's gaze seriously until a smile broke out on his face. "It's great hearing you talk after days."
Sasuke looked away and closed his eyes. Tch.
"You didn't say anything to us after we let the Luna out of our sight especially when you gave us an order." He stole glances at Shikamaru and Jugo beside them. "If we had..."
"It's not your fault." Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him dangerously. "I should've known she would find a way to outsmart you three." His lips made a small thin line. "She's probably rejoicing she got out of your little stupidity within herself now."
Naruto laughed and Shikamaru chuckled lightly.
Sasuke looked at the carriage. "Don't worry, she'll make it out of there." It might sound crazy but, "if she's strong enough to beat three lycans, she's strong enough to withstand a flimsy unconsciousness." Tch. I sound like a disgusting motivational speaker. Where are all these thoughts coming from?
He looked at Naruto and found him staring wide eyed at him, then he looked at everyone else and they were doing the same. Were they surprised? "What?"
Naruto remembered to blink. "No, you just seemed utterly different. It's like a light has taken place in your life, Sasuke."
Shikamaru yawned. Aah, this is cringe worthy.
Sasuke's eyes suddenly glazed over before he looked at Shikamaru. "You knew she was going to escape, didn't you?"
"Yes." Shikamaru nodded. "But it had only been an intuition, I never really thought she'd go about it."
Sasuke nodded back and climbed into the carriage. "Alright."
"He's not saying anything about the infamous rule against humans in Raikanrando. Does it mean he'll kill anyone who gets in his way? Yosh." Naruto whistled and twirled around, handing the reins over to Jugo. Guess I was wrong about the light then.
The Seven Deadly Sins and Lilith gathered round the oracle globe which stood still in the centre of the room, in the erect corpse hand. In silence, they stared at it, speaking in hush tones. The guardian was still in shackles, bound at the far end of the room, watching them closely but never speaking.
Lilith held up the small cylindrical bottle which contained the sacrifice blood in her hand as her face gleamed and shone with exquisite gladness. "We finally get to have the power of Death." She chuckled sinisterly. "I'm so happy."
Lucifer stretched out his hand towards her and she gently placed the bottle in it. He popped open the lid and gently poured out it's content unto the globe. They all watched as the blood flowed from the top down to the sides and dropped, its reflection gleaning in their eyes as they paid attention.
For five minutes, nothing happened, the blood just continued to drip from the globe. Lilith frowned. "Eh? Why..."
Suddenly, she was thrown back, her words hung in her tongue as her back hit the stony wall and blood spewed out from her mouth.
What was that? She winced, bending to one knee as she looked around. The other Sins were also thrown far away from the globe, only Lucifer stood close to it but even he was having trouble maintaining his stance. The globe was emitting a strong force about it, sending people who came near it flying. It was like hitting a base ball with its bat, except the force was greater and more intense. There was also a strong gush of wind surrounding the room. It swirled and rustled about in the room like a rampant tornado.
As the blood began to vanish from the globe the wind got worse and everyone was forced to their knees. They felt their bones twist and crack. Lilith raised a hand to shield her eyes from the wind as she laid pinned to the ground, seeing the others had no chance against it.
She winced when she felt herself flying to the wall nearest her and hearing her spinal cord break from the impact. She coughed aggressively, blood spewing out of her mouth.
So, this is the power of the globe when activated by the sacrifice's blood? To think it's on par with the sacrifice's powers. It's bad if she's used against us alright. She caught sight of Lucifer walking towards the globe, slowly and carefully, with his legs sunken to the ground, as if effected by gravity. He was using all the power he could muster to move.
Lucifer? "No, what are you doing?! You can die?!" Actually, he wouldn't just die and disappear from the world, he'll fall into a deep sleep for millennium and there's nothing anyone can do to wake him.
Once again, he didn't listen. With an evil smirk on his face, he finally got hold of the globe and held it in his hand. As soon as that happened, the erect corpse fell to the ground and broke into ashes and dissipated.
Lucifer stared at the globe in his hands and watched as substances swirled in it, different hues of jade and whatnot, like an airglow. Power began to emerge from it more and a bright light shot out from it, aggressively piercing into his heart and enveloping his whole body. He groaned and fell to the floor, murmuring incoherently, in pain and in agony.
The others, free from the plight which had befallen the room before, straightened from their shameful positions on the ground and walked slowly towards their leader whose head was between his arms.
Lilith's breathing was laboured as she continued to watch with the others. "Lucifer?"
Beelzebub put out a hand infront of her to stop her from moving further to him. He narrowed his eyes skeptically at Lucifer as the groaning stopped and he went still on the ground. "How is it, Lucifer?"
Silence reigned. Deep, bloodlusted silence.
Then Lucifer raised his head, rose to his feet and pulled off the royal ornament on his body, safe for the trousers he wore. He looked from each of their faces to his hands and flexed his fingers. "It's marvelous." His voice came out deep and rich. "It's glamorous. It's appetizing." He looked up and smirked, his eyes beaming and glowing in an intricate golden colour.
A broad smile broke out on Lilith's face. "It worked!"
"So, we have the power that rivals the sacrifice." Gluttony said. "We should make use of it while it's fresh."
Beelzebub rolled his eyes and Belphegor yawned. "Give it a break, we already have the oracle's abilities, and adding it to Lucifer's, that's like times five of his own. His power level is now over three hundred and fifty thousand." The Sloth sin said. "Try learning to take things easy."
"For once, I agree with Belphegor." Lucifer smirked. "We go quiet for a while and then we pay them a surprise visit."
"Do you hear that, guard..." Lilith turned around to face the guardian but stopped when she didn't see anyone in shackles beside the wall, just an empty space and the rusted metal on the ground. Her eyes widened with urgency. She immediately turned to Lucifer. "The guardian. He's gone!"
The others followed the direction of her pointed finger as she walked towards the shackles on the ground, picked them up and assessed them. There was blood on the ground and a huge space between each metal as if... "He broke through." But that would've caused damage to his flesh and bones. If he had tried to strain his hands, he would've broken them and they would've fallen off. She stared at the ground. There is no sign of bloody wrists but there is blood. How did he do it?
"He must've escaped while we were being reprimanded by Death." Beelzebub said calmly.
Lilith frowned at them. "We should catch up to him. He wouldn't have gone far."
"No." Lucifer's voice stopped her from making any step. "Let him go. We don't need him here after all."
"But..."
"Lilith." Lucifer's blazing eyes flickered to hers and she shut up immediately.
She lowered her head. "As you wish, Lucifer." She responded, clenching her hand. Just you wait, guardian. We'll make you and the sacrifice writhe in pain.
The carriage was set into motion few minutes ago and ever since they got through the invisible barrier which separated the other world from the human world, there have been a comfortable silence.
Naruto was on a horse riding beside them and Shikamaru was on another while Jugo supervised the reins on the horses and controlled the movement of the carriage. The forest they were in was dark, darker than the forests in the human world because of the lack of sunshine which was constantly concealed behind the thick clouds that enveloped the sky. And a lot of creatures usually lurked in the shadows, waiting for preys to feed on, which was why they had to keep a look out and move in silence.
Inside the carriage was all the same. It was quiet and Masashi kept stealing glances at Sasuke, who sat across from her beside his mate, whose head was on his lap and her body covered. His eyes held no reflection.
He must be lost in thoughts again. She looked away, coughing in earnest, only to look back again.
Sasuke sighed out tiredly and closed his eyes. "If you have something to tell me, say it."
She looked away, her wrinkled lips making a thin line. "You know you would've rejected the Luna if you didn't want anything to do with her."
Sasuke sighed again but ignored her.
"Why didn't you?" It was true that not marking your mate led to intense anguish, but if you had rejected her, you wouldn't feel a thing. A lycan who has been given a mate and doesn't want her can decide that he doesn't want her, though there are some who choose to play around with their mates just to make them suffer. The heat generates only when your feelings for her is genuine right from the start because just at that moment it comes in alignment with the mate bond.
"My lord, I believe you understand the feelings that you have..."
Sasuke opened his eyes and stared at her, cutting her off with a mere look. "Is that bullshit?"
Masashi smiled. I've provoked him.
"You might be a priest but do not mock me." Unconsciously, he reached for his mate's pale hand and caressed it vaguely. "I'll believe what I want to believe."
Masashi almost shook her head.
"I have no hidden feelings for her." He glanced at her as he dropped her hand, watching her pale face for a second, his eyebrows pulling up together as he frowned. "The mate bond carries it all. It's a forced sequence. It's only unfortunate that she has to bear it and live in a vague relationship with me."
The eyes are the windows to the soul. I see the way you look at her. Masashi looked away just then. Aah, he's a lost hope. I guess it's for the best since she's going to be sacrificed for the peace of the world anyways. It's safer if he thinks this way, huh Selene?
Still, it doesn't feel right.