Chapter 2 - The First Blow (Is Struck)

Ekyt stared at the fire for a while longer. It’s flames were transfixing, a point of relaxation. It was rare that Ekyt felt like this. He always felt loyalty, but a curious sensation had risen in his chest. Something beyond ‘loyalty’. Perhaps it was the myth that was ‘friendship’.

Ekyt glanced at his two sleeping comrades. Lee was sprawled out, breathing heavily, muttering something about making “Guy-sensei proud,” and “Marry you? Of course Linda-chan!” Ekyt grinned at that. Good luck, Lee-san. Linda is the most cold kunoichi in the world…I know from personal experience. Still, if you’ve dated her for three years, you did better than me…

Sakura was curled up into a little ball in her sleeping bag, under Ekyt’s coat. She seemed to sleep soundly, breathing normally.

Ekyt was suddenly hit with a rush of…what was it? Appreciation? Affection? I would give anything to protect these two. Lee, befriending me when no one else would, sticking with me through the years…Sakura, always offering support, always ready to help me out…
Ekyt turned to tend to the fire, adding some wood, when he suddenly heard Sakura sit up suddenly. But what came out of her mouth didn’t SOUND like her in the least.

“It will happen soon…”
Ekyt didn’t like the sound of that. Sakura continued in the strange voice.
“Soon, the land will be filled with the evil. Repenting will not save you! Hell’s gates are being opened as we speak! Hope is futile!”
Ekyt put a hand on Sakura’s shoulder. She screamed, eyes darting wildly.
“It’s just me Sakura-chan. Are you okay?”
Sakura looked at him for a moment, her green eyes reflecting the fire’s glow. She leapt at him, pushing her head into his chest.

“Ekyt-kun, it was awful! It was a horrible nightmare! We were all dying, or possessed, or something! I-I’ve never been so scared in my life!”
Ekyt cradled her head. But something felt wrong.
Blood.
He moved his hands away. On top of Sakura’s head, a gaping wound had opened. In desperation, Ekyt put his hands on it, trying to stop the blood flow. Suddenly, Sakura’s face was staring at him.
“Dead by dawn, Ekyt-kun! Dead, all of us, dead!”
Then Sakura bit into his chest, tearing his innards. But he was alive, somehow.
She chewed them, laughing hysterically, evilly. Ekyt’s own blood and Sakura’s covered his face, more spraying on with each bite.
Sakura spat out Ekyt’s heart. It was still beating. She grabbed his mouth and forced it open. She stuffed the heart into his mouth. The blood continued to flow.
“Swallow Ekyt-kun! Swallow!” she cackled.
Sakura reached into Ekyt’s back and, in one swift move, pulled out his spine. She began to hit him with it. Then, she took the long bone and wrapped it around Ekyt’s neck. He could feel his head loosen as his neck snapped. The skin and muscle began to give. His head would pop off any second…Why wasn’t he dead yet? He wanted to die, now, to end the pain.


Ekyt’s head snapped up. He was only aware enough to realize that this was genjutsu. He couldn’t force his hands into the “Disengage” hand sign. He saw the fire roaring in front of him. With a shaking hand, he reached toward it. The nightmare was pushing him to stop, but he forced himself. There were two ways to end genjutsu. One was the ‘release’ command. The second was intense physical pain that was caused by something other than the genjutsu.
Ekyt touched a burning log. The flames licked his hand. He yanked his hand back, breathing heavily as his scorched fingers began to ache.
But he had broken the genjutsu on him.
He saw his two comrades struggling in their sleep, their mouths opening and closing as though they were screaming, but no sound came out.
“ReELEASE!” Ekyt shouted, forcing his charred fingers to work with him.


Lee woke up.
“Good morning everyone! I hope you have all slept well!” he declared.
Sakura and Ekyt appeared to be attached at the lips.
Good for them…they have finally noticed…wait…something is not right…That is not kissing!
Lee leapt over to the two, forcing their mouths apart. Both bodies dropped, lifeless. Lee could actually SEE the life drain out of them both. He ran over to Ekyt and lifted up his ashen face.
“Swallowed our souls…each of us…swallowed our souls…all dead…dead…SOULS!”
Sakura bolted up. Her teeth sank into Lee’s neck. Lee felt the life start to drain out of him.
“RELEASE!”
A part of Lee’s mind heard Ekyt’s voice.


Lee was awake.
“Was that…genjutsu?” he coughed out, still shaking.
Ekyt nodded. “Yeah. A pro laced us good. I don’t see anyone around, I would have sensed it. Ibikki taught me how to trace chakra, but if the person isn’t in range, it’s pointless.”
Lee looked at Ekyt’s hand.
“What happened to your hand?”
Ekyt contemplated his charred hand. “I had to end the genjutsu on myself somehow. Physical pain was the only way out.”
Lee and Ekyt both looked over at Sakura. She was starting to stir.
“The genjutsu was concentrated mostly on her. Someone doesn’t want any medics reaching the Land of Herbs…she’ll wake up soon, her body has to recover…”



Sakura saw Ekyt and Lee sitting by the fire, hunched over.
“Good morning guys!”
Then she screamed. When she touched them, they had simply toppled over. Those were only their clothes, somehow sitting up by themselves. As soon as Sakura had touched the clothes, the sky had darkened. The world seemed black and white. Everything was still. There was a breeze, but no trees were moving. It was as if only Sakura and whatever was causing this could move.
Sakura felt something touch her head. She whipped around, a kunai at the ready. But it fell from her hand.
Ekyt and Lee had been clothed in what looked like tight black underwear that came to just shy of their knees. Other than that, they were naked.
Their lifeless bodies swung slightly in the breeze. They were hung from a tree branch, their faces both purple. Their necks hadn’t broken- they had suffocated.
Even then, that wasn’t the worst of it.
Carved into their chest and stomachs was a circular swirl. They had obscenities painted on their foreheads and chests.
An unholy voice that came from nowhere declared “The gates of hell have been opened!”
Then, she heard a more calming, more passionate voice call out loudly.
“RELEASE!”



Sakura threw herself up. Slowly, Ekyt approached her.
“It’s okay Sakura. It was a genjutsu. Not even a nightmare. We all had one,” Ekyt told her carefully.
Sakura leapt up, kunai at the ready.
“Prove that you are who you say!” she called to them. Lee leapt right up.
“I am Rock Lee. I am the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha. My role model is Might Guy! Guy-sensei, I can do it!” Lee shouted irrelevantly.
“Now you!” Sakura called to Ekyt, the dagger in his direction.
“My name is Ekyt Kaguya. I am a genin from the Leaf Village. I am a loner, and I am stuck as a genin because of Ebisu-sensei,” he spoke slowly and deliberately, keeping his voice in it’s normal toneless state.
Sakura lowered the kunai. She leapt up and in to Ekyt, quickly scissoring his waist with her legs. The stunned boy managed to catch her.
“It’s alright,” he assured her, as she hung on to him around his neck. He had to grab her gently around the waist before she choked him to death. That added some slack and was more comfortable for both of them. It was after this that Ekyt noticed the pink-haired kunoichi was shaking. A sheen of cold sweat lined her hair. Ekyt found he cared only about soothing her at this point. He put a hand on the back of her head.

“I’m sorry!” Sakura suddenly yelled, burying her face in Ekyt’s vest.
“For what?” Ekyt asked in surprise.
“For being weak! I’m always weak!” she shouted.
“Sakura, that genjutsu was targeted at you specifically. That’s the only reason I could break free,” Ekyt told her calmly, despite the fact he had NO IDEA what to do. He’d never had a girl hug him like this before. It was…pleasant, he decided.
Enjoy it later Casanova! Right now, these two need you! Ekyt’s scolding to himself worked, albeit with a little hesitation. No matter how dark, he was still a boy, and one who was being hugged by the girl he had a crush on.

Sakura remembered to let go after a few minutes.

“I-I need to get cleaned up,” Sakura said.
“There should be a hot spring in the next town,” Ekyt told her, thinking back to studying the map.
“I could also use a chance to get cleaned up,” Lee said thoughtfully.
“Let’s head there first, then. THEN we’ll get our mission straightened out. There’s no point in going in if we’re not of sound mind,” Ekyt added. “That genjutsu took a lot out of all of us. Ibikki-sensei told me that, for one that powerful, it would take nearly a full day to recover. We shouldn’t go in half-cocked, we don’t know the full extent of the situation we’re walking in to. But it’s your call, Sakura-sensei.”
Sakura rolled her eyes. “You and your honorifics. But, I agree with you. Let’s get ourselves healed before we go blasting in to a new place with danger we don’t even know anything about.”


Koori removed his hand from Kora’s temples.
“They broke my genjutsu. I thought only the girl had talented. But the other two are of resilient mind as well…The one who broke it could sense my chakra somehow. I fear he could have traced it, had I not removed the traces of it immediately.”
Koori smiled at the little girl. Blood came from her mouth, and even out one ear.
“Thank you for the use of your body Kora. I’m afraid my old body can’t cast genjutsu alone anymore.”
That explained why Koori had put his hands on the girl’s temples and why Kora had screamed so much. She could still feel the blood markings on her face.
“It is time for the next faze. This will not hurt you…not right away.”
Kora flinched as Koori pulled a short, silver dagger from somewhere. There appeared to be jewels encrusted in the hilt. Then Kora saw that it wasn’t jewels. It was blood.
The dagger cut her one-piece dress at the stomach, making an opening from her navel to the top of her stomach.
“This time, I need younger blood…Kora, I’m afraid that’s you. Hold still like a good girl, won’t you?” Koori cooed, as though Kora had a choice.
The twisted old man cut the little girl on the chin. It wasn’t deep, but it still stung. But Kora was too scared to even cry out.
Koori put a finger on the blood. He made a pattern on the helpless girl’s stomach with it. Kora saw that it was writing, Kanji. She couldn’t read it, but she didn’t need to. Koori chanted it aloud.
“Hell’s gates have been unlocked. One gate remains sealed. The darkest hour of mankind is upon them!”
Koori smiled again. “Not much longer now. Your foolish protectors will be coming soon Kora. I can’t let that happen, I’m afraid. Once they reach the castle, they’ll be in a battle for their own lives…there will be no time for yours. By then, it will be too late anyway. You feel your body growing weaker, don’t you? You are very strong Kora, none of my previous subjects have survived this long. But you won’t last much longer, I’m afraid…”


Sakura pulled off her sweat-soaked clothing in the women’s changing room. She grabbed a set of towels, using one to dry her hair off. She carried the others with her as she walked into the hot spring.
The water was so perfect that Sakura sank right in up to her chin. She sighed, feeling content for the moment. As she washed herself, her thoughts drifted to what happened.
Ekyt-kun…how did he stay so calm during all that? I mean, not to brag, but I control my chakra better than he does. But he used the disengage…but his fingers…Oh, I forgot! I’ll bandage them when I get out! But still…I can’t believe I did that! Leaping at him like that. The poor kid probably didn’t know what to think! But he handled it…I know I picked the right people for this mission…
Mission. That’s right, I’m leading it! That genjutsu was aimed at me…but why? And by who? Sakura kept on wondering for a while, then gave up and relaxed in the water.


Lee stripped and pulled on a towel before Ekyt had even shrugged off his vest. Lee realized Ekyt had been keeping watch, while steadily avoiding looking at Lee. That wouldn’t ordinarily be necessary, but Lee was thankful that someone was watching out for him, for all of them.
“I will meet you in the water!” Lee called.

Once Lee was safe, Ekyt stripped himself. He had some difficulty with his shirt. He had charred his hand and wrist pretty bad, and bending it was hell.
Hell?
Ekyt stopped thinking about it. He had already tried to rationalize the genjutsu. He needed to stop and rest his mind for now. He stripped the rest of the way and wrapped a towel around his waist. He dragged his gear with him. He didn’t want to get caught naked. But he decided to wash it quickly in some machine while he washed himself.

“Ekyt-san, it seems that genjutsu did some good,” Lee began, scrubbing one arm.
Ekyt didn’t look over at Lee out of courtesy.
“What good is that?” Ekyt asked. The strange statement by Lee turned out to be a rib in the making.
“It seems Sakura-san found you to be rather”
“Stuff it Lee,” Ekyt replied, a smile in his voice.
Lee was silent for a moment, but then continued.
“What do you think of Sakura-san?”
Ekyt finished washing his leg before answering.
“I think she’s beautiful, intelligent, and, to answer your next question, completely out of my league.”



Ekyt was the last one out of the hot spring. Out front, Lee and Sakura chatted amiably, when Lee decided he HAD to know.
“Sakura-san, what do you think of Ekyt-san?”
Sakura seemed slightly taken aback.
“What do I think of him? I think he’s one of the best in the Leaf Village, that he’s cute, and that…wait, why do you want to know?!” she demanded.
Lee shrugged. “I am sorry, I did not mean to upset you. I was only curious.”
Lee couldn’t believe it. If I understood them both correctly, they hold each other in such a high regard…Ekyt is intimidated by Sakura, even though she’s a friend and is not aware of that, so much so he doesn’t realize his feelings. Sakura is more aware of her emotions, but can not sort them out, for some reason…It must be frustrating.



“The castle. That’s where she is. I can tell,” Sakura piped up suddenly.
“I had the same feeling,” Ekyt said.
Lee looked surprised. “So did I.”
“That’s too weird to be a coincidence guys. We’d better be careful…” Sakura warned.



Inside the castle’s threshold, there was an army of Shinobi. The Land of Herbs had not had an army for years.
Every last Shinobi in the group was already dead.


Koori sighed animatedly. “Well Kora-chan, I’m afraid I need another sacrifice. That small group of re-animated minions just won’t do…so…”
Koori looked at his next victim. This one was a young man, maybe 18.
Koori drew his dagger again. It’s four sharpened edges were still covered with the blood of their last kill.
Koori first cut off fingers and toes, one at a time. Slowly, methodically. He took the fingers and toes and preserved them in a jar. There was one more jar.
“Thank you for your help so far. But more is required of you…”
Koori grabbed the boy’s eyelids. With a swish of his dagger, the eyelids fluttered to the floor.
“It makes my work easier,” Koori informed the boy, who didn’t seem to care. Muffled sounds came from beneath the gag that was stuffed into his mouth.
The last thing the boy saw was the yellow fingers with the long nails reaching for his eyeballs.
Koori had another jar for his collection. Green eyes were so rare, too…


As they approached the castle, Ekyt put a hand out to stop Sakura and Lee. From above, an old stained-glass window shattered. A long-dead Shinobi flew at Ekyt.
“Get away!” Ekyt called to Lee and Sakura.
Ekyt gave the thing a hard shove, then followed through with a punch that rattled it’s teeth. It seemed unfazed by the attacked and pushed Ekyt backward into the castle wall. He hit it with a grunt.
“Oh no you don’t!” Lee called. As he sailed in for a Dynamic Entry, the thing backhanded him, sending him flying. It turned back to Ekyt, it’s long claws aiming for his face. Ekyt dodged away, but the thing’s claws were so long, you couldn’t avoid them for long…
“No way!”
Sakura stabbed the thing at the base of the spine. When it turned around to grab her, Ekyt grabbed it’s head. He leapt up high, cradling it’s head and legs, and drove it into the ground with a backward Konoha Snapdragon.
“Gotcha, didn’t I, ya little sucker?” Ekyt kicked it’s head away from it’s body.
“There’s gonna be more,” he added dryly.


But it was time for a showdown with something so evil Satan himself had spat it back out.

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