hauntedjourney

[Amagi Ino'o]

The night was quiet, and Ino’o was paranoid.

So far, everything had went as expected. It was dark in the forest, given the lack of a moon and stars, and the smell of rain filled the air. No wind blew, a sign of a coming storm, and the few animals out that night had taken refuge in their dens. But even then, there was still something off about the night, something disturbing.

Ino’o clenched and unclenched his fists. He had been overly cautious before, but he knew when danger was around. Just as he could smell the rain, he could also smell the threat.

With a sigh, Ino’o looked over his shoulder. Him and Eis had made a makeshift camp to eat and prepare for the rest of the journey. They were ten miles away from their destination, and after nine they’d stop and split. Radio receivers had been equipped to keep up communication.

“When you’re ready, let’s move on.” Ino’o was getting antsy, and this odd feeling in the forest was doing little to help.

[hisae]

Itwas smooth sailing for the both of them, unhindered in their pursuit thus far. It was odd, indeed. When she had expected a trap or an obstacle, it never came. Seemed like the world wanted to her to just let go for a bit, to stop worrying about the next sharp projectile aimed at her face. Eis could not shake the fact of how soothing it was, how relaxed her muscles had become. It was dangerous for her and her partner, his own mannerisms bugging out in response to the tranquility. Wet tree bark and acid rain permeated their nasal receptors, while their eyes adjusted to their environment, drained of any light sources.

Her eyes met with Ino'o, a simple nod to him. Her bento lunch box was incredibly delicious, motivating her to scarf it down with reckless abandon. The shrimp, perfectly cooked salmon, drenched in the family sauce with a side of rice, screamed nothing less than magnificent.

"Lets walk and talk," noted the kunoichi, tapping her communicator slightly, checking it out to make sure it was of full functionality. Moving through the forest faster than ever with Ino'o, both of them wanted to get the hell out of dodge.

"Whats to be expected on our routes, then once we get there?" she asked, low tone.

[Amagi Ino'o]

Ino’o wasted no time taking to the trees as the two ran. A glance at Eis had told him that she felt the same nervousness that he did; a nervousness not natural to this world. He as unsure if it was natural for this part of Tsuchi no Kuni, or if it was the result of some jutsu, but the feeling that he was being watched simply could not be shaken. Clicking his tongue, he came to a stop at one of the trunks and held out his fist.

“The routes are planned...but I’m starting to think this isn’t such a good idea.”

Eis would see what he meant when she landed. There, in the depths of the shadows before them, was a small, ghostly light. A single ember floating in an ocean of black, it moved gently amongst the trees, as if surveying them. Ino’o instantly pressed his back flat against a nearby tree.

“I don’t know what that is, but it’s unnatural, and it could be one of Sekimen’s experiments.” Ino’o turned to face Eis then, his lips pursed. “Do you know sensory techniques?”

[hisae]

Scraping her back tightly to the tree, they both remained hidden from view. Eis had already been thinking about concealing themselves, good thing Ino'o was on the ball with it before her. They seemed to have equal levels of intelligence, or ways of thinking. Both of them were antsy with the situation, recollecting their thoughts and thinking of the next step. Up ahead, Eis felt an odd presence. She wasn't a sensor of any sort, but she could get in between enemy defenses more skillfully than most. But even then, her abilities weren't strictly for stealth although it was a major part. Looking once more at the strange ambient light, floating and jumping from place to place.

Then, it started to disappear from complete view, as if it's existence had never been even thought of in the first place. Seconds later, it would appear once more. It was bone-chilling and not necessarily frightened Eis, but her brain gave off signals to her that it was not something to mess with. Looking back at Ino'o. she shook her head, "I am not good enough with it from this distance. Its phases in and out of existence it feels like. I don't even think the best sensors could pin-point its location," explained Eis, having met plenty of sensors in the wars. Making plenty of friends, foes, with many favors owed and others waiting for repayment, her own catalog of contacts was vast. From spontaneous memory, none of the sensors were skillful.

"It might be a lookout, for all we know, it could of already alerted our presence to others down the route. Staying still doesn't feel right, like sitting ducks," advised the Kunoichi, grabbing a kunai with her left hand and a flash bomb with the other. A glance into the green orbs of Ino'o revealed her own idea of providing a diversion for them to quickly be on their way. Though, neither were in haste, so Eis waited for input before any brash actions.

[Amagi Ino'o]

There was little they could do, and Ino’o knew that. He listened to what Eis said and took it into account, and his mind began to weave a plan on how to move forward. If his partner was right in her assumption, then whatever that orb was had already alerted the masters of the forest. But there was no way to verify that, and if they made the wrong decision here, death was more than possible; it was guaranteed.

Ino’o took note of Eis’s weapons and nodded to the ground below. If that thing was sticking to the trees, than they’d at least try to move through the roots below. He dropped from his perch on the branch and landed in a crouch on the soft floor below. He was careful to move through the wet, dew-stained leaves, so as not to make any crunching sounds. Chakra pooled in his feet ensured his silence.

Like a tiger stalking its prey, Ino’o moved silently through the forest. One eye was trained on the orb, and his senses made sure that his path was clear. He hoped that Eis was following his route, as it had proven to be the most effective path.

It took a great length of time, and by Ino’s count they had lost an hour of time. The orb had receded into the distance, but if Eis’s assumption was right, recklessly heading forward would prove the end of both shinobi. Coming up to his knees, he turned to face his partner and began to communicate with her in sign language.

We need to make up lost time, but there may be traps ahead. Do you have a method of scouting?

[hisae]

Putting away her equipment, Eis let Ino'o to creep slowly away in the night before following shortly after. Peeking out from both sides of the tree, the coast was clear. Performing three In in quick fashion, her physical dissipated into a mirage. Closing her eyes, nothing was left in her wake, a shadow in the world. The extent of her camouflage technique was vast, put to the test several times. It would be useful again, diving down to the forest floor. Eis stayed close to Ino'o, right under him the entire way. It made both of their lives easier if she did not worry for the natural obstructions of the world. About a distance of fifteen feet separated the partnered shinobi, concealed by the thick plant life. The night seemed drawn out ; more gray clouds filled the once empty skies. A chilling realization was that nothing responded to the environment, no critters moving, no animal noises, empty and murderous silence enveloped Eis' very being. Her body outline became in view first, then the rest of her female visage showing itself.

"Hold up," returning the sign language, haste became her main drive. The necessary In were performed with ease, biting her thumb hard enough to spill blood. Breaking the seal for her to summon her own mole, Jujiske was his name. He looked straight into Eis' eyes, already knowing what to do. Pushing away dirt bit by bit with no sound uttered, shortly he disappeared into his own hole and mapped out the next part of their route. It was free of personnel, but traps concealed with Genjutsu and prepared with Fuinjutsu were numbering unbelievable amounts.

"Yeah, no. The defenses looked like they have been prepared for a decade by more than one shinobi, but it is impassable unless you want to find out what each and every single jutsu can do," she quickly divulged the information. It was going to be one hell of a mission now.

[Amagi Ino'o]

Ino’o rubbed his temples out of frustration. At the rate they were going, it’d be impossible to make it there by dawn. Attempting to salvage things at this point was like catching rain between your fingers, fruitless and inane. The jounin turned his gaze back towards the canopy, where the wandering, ghostly lights were patrolling. Whatever they were, they were not natural to Tsuchi no Kuni, and more lay ahead. With the amount of traps in the area as well, it was obvious that the nukenin they were chasing had set this up. The base was meant to be a fortress, and this forest was its walls.

“Can your mole dig us underground?” Ino’o asked.

His green eyes fell on the mole familiar. “If there are no traps underground, then we can go that route. Of course, that’s assuming he can dig fast enough for us to make it there before dawn.”

The way he saw it, this was the only way through; either that, or through the sky. And without the powers of the Tsuchikage, flight would not be happening.

[hisae]

Going beneath the spheres of light, seldom of its own ambient light shined down upon the two shinobi. The forest floor did not feel much safer. A general sense of her surroundings was enough for Eis, but she did dare to move. If the area in front of them had as many traps as her mole familiar said, who knows what else could be around? Not finding out would be the route taken. Her mole looked at Ino'o with innocent hazel eyes. His attention totally devoted to him for a moment, he nodded to both of them before disappearing into the ground.

There were very small spaces between the traps that if you moved fast enough, it wouldn't be set off. That was not the main problem though. Their range of activation overlapped each other, so the space would be large enough to pass through one trap, but the overlaps could totally mess everything up. Then, neither of them knew what even was the trigger. Could it be movement? chakra? Hard to know without finding out the hard way.

"Let's follow him and hope for the best, he'll be burnt out afterwards with how fast we have to go. If we are off by a degree of following his path, we'll get blown to pieces. We cannot tell what sets the traps off, so maybe its not even movement, but we'll have to see," Eis dropped the reality of it.

[Amagi Ino'o]

Ino’o closed his eyes as he listened to what she said. His hands were clenched tight into fist, and he could feel the slow beats of his heart in his chest. Everything Eis said had screamed to him that, if this wasn’t such an important mission, that he should turn around. The paths above, below, and through the forest were full of traps that, while their nature was unknown, were certainly hideous enough to kill them both.

“I understand,” Ino’o finally spoke. His feline-green eyes opened, and the panther of a man looked at Eis and then to the hole. “Let’s go.”

There was no point in further conversation. There was only one path to go, and that was the path to the nukenin’s base. They were both jounin of Iwagakure, and they both had a job to do.

His heart strengthened by his resolve, Ino’o jumped down the rabbit hole and into the fire. It was dark and small; he could only crouch down here. The sound of the mole just in front of him served as a guiding beacon through the blackness. Ino’o only hoped that Eis’s mole knew what he was going.

The summon set off, and so did the duo after it.

[hisae]

The tunnel seemed to never end. The infinite darkness only had the noise of shoveled gravel to accompany the shinobi's quiet race across the underground. It was lonely, in a sense. The two jonin and a mole against the world. Confined to the depths beneath the surface, coming out being an option if their death warrant had been signed and wishes fulfilled. They were making remarkable progress in the beginning, tearing through the trap field. It was an incredibly erratic route ; Sometimes it was straight ahead for hundreds of steps, then sharp left turns and zig-zag patternsl One time they had to curve all the way around in a u-turn, make some turn, then go back in their original direction to avoid some traps. Whoever had them done, had too much time on their hands. It was taxing on the mole especially. His reaction times were becoming slower, lowering the speed they were travelling at. Eventually, it had come down to a crawl.

"Damn, we are a mile off," cursed Eis, under her breath. Her summon had its limits. It was one hell of a maze it was traversing, so the fatigue was expected. But something was different. She could feel his chakra waning, like a leech on blood. Her own chakra felt the same way. Did they get caught in some type of field? A trap was set off that they did not know about?

"Push straight forward! Get us out of here and straight ahead!" she told the mole, who gave a faint nod before bolting. Its own chakra reserves extremely low, it was moving at the speed of a shunshin on repeat. It wanted to get as much of a path cleared for them before it would poof back to its own home.

"Thanks Mimu--," Eis whispered, taking off with hopefully Ino'o following. They would pop up right next to the base, behind enemy lines. But they had their presence revealed to an extent, so it would not be easy. They were going in flaming hot into the mission zone.

[Amagi Ino'o]

The plan had gone to hell and Ino’o was not happy with it. When the two exited the mole’s hole, the black-skinned jounin gave a feral look to the area around him. The trees were thick, but there were holes in the canopy. The lack of light told him that they had still made it before dawn, but the idea of splitting up and sneaking in had fallen through. Feline green eyes took in the surrounding shadows, and peering through a gap in the forest yielded the view of a large grey pyramid near a hundred feet beyond the treeline.

But there was something else in the forest; something dark and evil and cruel. Ino’o sniffed the air, and the stench of rot and corruption crawled up his nostrils like thick smoke. Though he could see nothing but the shadows, his hearing gave him knowledge he otherwise would not have had. The susurrus of the wind was like a slithering snake through the treetops.

Ino’o’s eyes widened. There should have been no wind here, not in this valley thickened with traps. He turned to tell Eis that he thought something was wrong, but his sixth sense kicked in, and the blackness around the two seemed to darken even further.

He kicked her aside and used her body to spin away not a moment too late. A heavy explosion rocked the earth where they had once stayed, and as Ino’o landed, feet apart and arms pulled up, wet leaves and darts of mud hit him and broke apart on his flak jacket and headband. For a scant second a cloud of smoke covered whatever had just landed, but a massive, grey limb cut through it and smashed apart the nearest tree. With a sound like thunder the trunk exploded, and a stray splinter cut Ino’o beneath the eye. He didn’t flinch, even as the monster revealed itself.

It appeared distinctly humanoid, but there was no questioning that it was decidedly not human. Its skin was grey and peeling, revealing black muscles underneath that bled a foul ichor. Thin bits of hair hung freely from its scalp, covering bandages that blinded, deafened, and muted the creature. These same bandages wrapped around its torso and pelvis. The beast stood over thirteen feet in height from Ino’o’s estimates. A sweltering heat rose from its body and singed the air with the pungent smell of death.

How it saw him with no eyes and heard him with no ears was a mystery, but the giant creature turned to face Ino’o, and it brought down a great fist, intent on ruining him like it had the tree. Ino’o did not need to think about what to do. He could feel chakra burning inside of him and pooling in the knuckles of his left hand. He balled up a fist, lurched forward, and met the mountain of an arm head on. An explosion was fathered, and it overcame the arm with its full force. It was directed away from Ino’o, and pieces of charred meat and splintered bone went flying behind the monster. Smoke clinged to the stump of a shoulder that was left.

But if this demon felt pain, it would not tell. In the blink of an eye its left leg had come ‘round to smash into Ino’o, and though he jumped to dodge, he was a second too late. The kick clipped his leg, and with a sickening crack, the jounin was sent flying into the deep wood, leaving only it and Eis behind.

[hisae]

Gravel and debris dispersed, the force of the duo's ejection from the mole hole was immense. Spheres of soil flew up in the air, breaking up on the way down and splattering across the grassy terrain. The earth around them cracked and was powerless to stop them. Dirt and pebbles finding a way to nestle between Eis' hair strands, dislodging themselves shortly after. She whipped her hair back and foth. Her instincts took over, not enough time to really think. The pyramid in the distance was so grand, so large in a random place in this forest. Who did not notice that? It's still totally BS with how late this mission was given. "Shhhhi--!!" was the only words Eis could get out though as an reaction, a "soft" kick to her side that sent her airborne. The explosion followed shortly after, her own war zone mode manifesting itself. Tapping the ground with her foot, combined with the momentum she already had going, the kunoichi flipped herself over to regain balance. Upon landing, she placed her feet on the ground firmly. Eis slid across the field, last pieces of wreckage flying her away as mud and broken roots from vegetation bounced off her body.

It was like a switch, an different aura emerged from within Eis. It would feel like the winds of a glacier swiftly passing through a region, sending shivers down someones spine. A blood lust could be inferred about Eis, but above all, she was ready to kick the beast's head off. The putrid smell of raw, decomposed flesh permeated the senses, nigh unbearable. Her cold stare at the beast was unfazed, though its reappearance was not called for. Ino'o blew it up with ease, even catching Eis off-guard with his explosion release. She had not seen that since the war, which even then was a rare sight to see. It was a great surprise for the other villages, not knowing how to counter-react.

But it did not stop the abomination. It came back for another round, sending a kick that might of broke something. The trees were split in half, Ino'o going through a couple of them before crashing into the ground, leaving a trail of destruction behind him. Eis knew what she had to do, calming down her nerves. It was a zone of concentration, a happy place you could say. She channeled the chakra within her, infusing it with doton as her hands began to glow with a mixture of colors, primarily brown and blue hue. She raised her arms high above her head before slamming them down against the earth. The ground began to violently shake, cracks starting from where Eis stood, going in all directions in random patterns. A pillar arose in her place, a combination of rocks, minerals and anything else that was in the soil. It all began to shape itself, take form. The monster stood there, the reason was unknown though. He could see or hear, yet it was somehow curious to see what was going on. After a couple seconds, arms protruded out from the pillar, arms, and a muscular type humanoid body had created itself. Everything had hardened itself, an incredibly tough rock exoskeleton.

It was a rock golem, the namesake of her Hiden. It stood about fifteen feet tall, close to looking down on its opposition. It was twice the size of the rotting corpse in width. It was absolutely massive, as Eis was inside of it as its heart ; controlling it like a puppet and being protected by the outer layers. It wasn't even at its full power, as she had to save it for the rest of the base. Waiting long enough, the abomination came running full speed at the golem. Flailing his remaining arm, he swung it at a wide arc to its head. Not even trying to dodge it, it hit the golem's head at full force. It split in half, only leaving decomposed matter on the side of its temple. Eis laughed inside of her golem, stomping the ground as she released doton-controlled chakra into the ground, a pillar of earth rising as it hit the abomination straight in its chest, sending it flying in the air. It plummeted, meeting the ground hard.

"Take it out Ino'o! I'll cover you!" yelled Eis, knowing that the black man was sturdier than he looked. It would take more than a kick to take him out of the game.

[Amagi Ino'o]

(click)

There was no movement from Ino’o as Eis called out to him. Only the abomination, in all its hideous strength, responded. It stood up slowly, first its arms, then its knees and legs. Blood trickled down from its torso and arm; the force of the golem’s punch had caused the skin to burst in some places like a waterskin. It turned towards the golem, and a mutilated hand reached up and tugged at the bandages at its mouth. The jaw came unhinged, much like a snakes, and a blue-green worm slithered out.

It hissed as it entered into the mortal realm, and the little light from the stars above shone through the worm. This was not something of the human plane, and as it hissed again, a mouth opened up at its end, revealing row after row of sharp teeth.

The worm twitched slightly before turning to face Eis within her golem. It reared back, saliva dripping from the gruesome mouth, and then shot forward like lightning. It was seemingly unafraid of the rocks that encased Eis’s body, and apparently unaware of the strength she possessed.