Shy Fox Chronicles
Chapter 15: Battle of the Mountain
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Bolded Italicized is used for descriptive actions.
Italicized is used for internal thoughts/flashbacks.
Bold is for emphasis.
"Underlined Bold" is for dialogue/internal thoughts concerning otherworldly beings.
To the shock of the boys, the men and women of Seaheart sprang into action with shocking speed. Not as physically fast as shinobi could, but it was the decisiveness of action. In minutes, teams of warriors were being organized to fight the spirits. Others were awakening folk and giving them orders. Further on were those collecting supplies to be shipped out of the mountain. Even the Gremlins were assisting, using their powers of sabotage to stall against their spectral foes.
"What's got you boys staring slack jawed?" Oda asked from behind them.
"Nothing. It's just… we've never seen non-ninja move so… efficiently…" Sasuke commented in disbelief.
"Well, time is short, but that does not mean we do not have time to get what we need. Though I doubt we will get many people awakened in time. We will have to seal them away for now." Oda explained a hint of sorrow leaking through his stoic mask.
"Um… After we free the kid down in the vaults, is there any way we can help…?" Naruto asked a bit nervously.
"We will worry about that if you get back with time to spare. Einhar! A moment!" Oda called out.
Swiftly the guard captain walked over, his war scythe holstered over his shoulder. He bowed his head in respect to his king before speaking.
"Yes, my Lord?" He asked in a low tone.
"Who do we have available to escort these boys down to the lowest vaults?" Oda asked curiously.
"All of the guard and awakened personnel are currently accounted for, my lord. It will have to be from the royal clan. If they can be spared, of course." he answered respectfully.
"Very well. You are dismissed to your duties." Oda answered with a sigh, and the captain left without another word. "Right, so how well trained are you boys?"
"We defeated a cave leopard, goblins, and a cave troll on our way here." Kei added helpfully.
"Right, you five are going to die horribly if you are not escorted. Understood." Oda answered in matter-of-fact tone.
"Hey!" Seikoku piped up indignantly.
"Your Grandpa said these guys can do things your clan can't. I think we should trust his words. It is his basement we are gonna go into after all." Naruto said, putting a hand on Seikoku's shoulder.
"Fine…" Seikoku grumbled in frustration.
"Let us see, Sato is helping mother out and likely working on securing the shrines. The last time I trusted Takato with anything, I nearly lost half of my spine. That leaves…" Oda muttered to himself as he paced about, before stopping to look at the boys. "I think I might have someone for you boys."
"Who?" The boys asked hopefully.
"Duan! I have a job for you, little brother!" Oda called out.
From the shadows behind Oda came a man nearly as tall as he was, yet thinner. Almost too thin, giving him a near gaunt frame. Unlike his brother, instead of armor, he wore long robes of purple, gold, and silver. Yet, as he fully walked into the pale light of the runes above, they saw a man with a similar face to Oda, yet paler and sharper. They could swear they saw his cheekbones near bursting out of his cheeks. Shifting aside his red and black speckled hair blocking one of his eyes, were eyes as near orange as Naruto's wardrobe.
"You rang?" the man asked, startling Oda.
"Don't do that!" Oda shrieked in frustration and fright.
"Perhaps you're just getting deaf in your old age?" Duan asked, revealing strikingly white teeth in a small smile.
"I am the sprightly age of one hundred. That is young for a king. Last time I checked, you are ten years younger than me." Oda huffed.
The boys then looked at Oda in shock. "You're how old!?" Naruto asked in disbelief.
"Brother do not scare the poor boys. That is the spirits' job." Duan said cheekily.
"How drole. Right. Your assignment is to take these boys down to the lowest vaults, safely, and get the Nythralian." Oda explained, which got Duan to raise an eyebrow.
"Are you sure that is wise, brother? Handing out that potential time bomb to outsiders?" Duan asked with concern in his voice.
"They have been receiving visions of the prophecy, brother. Of it specifically. And you know that prophecy does not play around with such things." Oda explained, which caused Duan to look at them. As if observing them.
"Do your parents know you're out this far on such a dangerous quest?" Duan asked them.
"... If we say yes, will you not tell them…?" Shinkoku asked hopefully.
"That depends…" Duan answered cryptically.
"What does that mean…?" Kei asked worriedly.
"Right. Come along children. Time is precious." Duan said, soon walking off down the hall. "Do keep up now!"
"What does that mean!?" Naruto called after him in concern as the boys followed behind the pale royal.
As Oda watched them leave, he took a deep breath. Then he began to somberly make his own journey. To ensure that none of these spirits could escape.
Meanwhile: In the Shrine District
Einhar marched with a formation of royal guards behind him. Their weapons crackling with latent power. Around them were the many shrines in a procession down the main street. The normally serene and holy atmosphere was replaced with one of stillness and apprehension. As they approached one of the major shrines, they saw another group of Seaheartians forming. Most of the men were clad in simple scale armor, with some even wearing armor made from the hide of reptiles. Each had at their side an axe and a short sword, and, in their hands, they held a large crossbow, loading a box of bolts into it.
"Einhar. So glad you could arrive." A calm, masculine voice said.
The helmeted head of the captain turned to see another royal, wearing robes of that of a priest or a monk. Simple wooden sandals adorned his feet as a ring sword was held by a simple sash over his waist. His head was shaved perfectly bald, as his face again looked similar to Oda's, though with a more pronounced jawline and shimmering green eyes. Einhar stopped the formation, and they all stood at attention.
"Lord Sato. I did not expect to see you here." He said respectfully.
"We would be farther along, but a nest of spirits has holed up in the temple to Sarutahiko Ōkami. I will require your men's assistance in the matter." Sato explained with a soothing, regal toned voice.
"Of course, my lord. Form up! Battleline formation!" Einhar barked out, which created a howling hiss from the shrine.
The crossbowmen stood aside as their heavily armored comrades marched forward, axes at the ready. As if on cue, the spirits began to shimmer into existence in shocking numbers, surrounding the shrine in a cloud of ancient wrath. As they did this, the crossbowmen marked runes into the bolts, knowing it would be futile otherwise. As the Seaheartians formed their lines, the spirits responded in kind. Several large statues, some of great guardian lions, some of men, soon began to glow with mystical might.
"Aim!" Sato ordered, and the crossbows were soon lifted.
Soon the stone began to creak, lurching and groaning to life. Soon with a fluidity that no stone should have, the statues began to move. With a hand gesture from Sato, the men fired. Streaking in blinding blue light, the bolts struck the stone golems, pin cushioning them. Despite the bolts sticking from them like a pin cushion and forming cracks, the golems returned the favor with a charge. Barreling in like an avalanche, the royal guards were forced to charge as well. All as the spirits began to scream in, howling for vengeance.
As the forces clashed, some of the golems were cut down by swinging axes, their lightning-backed edges cleaving through the stone. However, on other parts of the line, the golems smashed the line. Their sheer bulk sent the towering men flying, while others were crushed under foot. Their armor did little to stop the powerful blows of living stone. Spirits danced and swarmed, forcing the crossbowmen to divert their attention to thinning the horde. Einhar, with each swing, cut down swathes of spirits.
Seeing no other choice, Sato drew his blade, and tapping a rune near the hilt, it shone in a bright white light on the blade edge. In a bounding leap, he closed the gap, taking a statue of a martial artist's arm off in a single blow. He was barely able to parry the return strike from that same statue. With a ferocious jump, he leapt above the statue, before driving the sword through its head, and down its back. The resulting cut tore the statue apart, causing the magic to leak from it in a multi-colored haze.
"I hope Oda's having a better time of it." Sato muttered to himself, as he looked around at the mess before him.
Meanwhile: With Oda
Oda sighed as he trudged his way up. With most of the main power out, so helpfully found out from attempting every lift he could think of, he had to get to the thermal controls the old-fashioned way.
"What is the best way to get up there without a lift… Gods, I hate using stairs…" Oda grumbled to himself. "I guess I will have to go through the realm gate chamber. Which is going to be clogged with people because I ordered it to be used to get everything out quicker. Well done, Oda, you idiot…"
With a heavy sigh at making his own damn journey harder, he followed the signs towards it. The hallways began to converge into a far larger and wider one. The runes that gave light equally got wider and brighter, etched with far bolder runes than others. Around him were runners and carts rushing back and forth with everything they could move and carry. Throngs of people, entire families, rushed as best they could in their confusion and fear. It was wave after wave of human tragedy that he ordered.
"Report on collecting food supplies!?" A young, barking voice roared out to some of the runners.
"We are backlogged, sir! There are too many people!" Another voice called out.
"Status on getting the realm gate up, people! We have a traffic jam!!" the barking voice snapped out towards a different direction.
"Oh lords, Takato…" Oda sighed under his breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Hurry it up, people! We do not have much time!" the barking voice snapped out.
"The realm roads must have changed! They are not responding like normal!" one of the workers called back.
"Do not use the realm road! Punch it to one of the nearby plateaus!" Oda called out as he entered the chamber.
Everyone, be they workers or civilians, stopped and looked at him. Hundreds, no, thousands, of eyes stared at their king. The barking voice, a teen that barely stood up to Oda's chest, looked down on him from a stack of boxes roped together. Messy black and red hair, with ocean blue eyes, stared back at him with the same familial face so many in the royal clan had. Oda then looked up at him.
"Well, Takato. At least you did not blow anything up this time. Yet." Oda said with a sigh.
"Do not be so pessimistic, brother. How can I blow up anything like this?" the now identified Takato asked.
"Do I need to remind you of the last time you got mother a cake for her birthday?" Oda asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You set the dining hall on fire one time trying to flambé a cake and never hear the end of it…" Takato grumbled.
"You're lucky the most lasting damage was searing father's eyebrows off." Oda replied.
"They never quite grew back the same, did they?" Takato asked nostalgically.
"Alright. Give me a picture of what is going on, little brother." Oda answered with a sigh, rubbing his temples at the mess around him.
"Right. The realm roads and realm gates are backed up beyond capacity causing a traffic jam, the supplies are forty-five percent evacuated while the people are a meager few hundred evacuated at the moment, and there is no end in sight. Oh, and the golems are revolting." Takato replied, looking down at a strange device that displayed an energy board with a list of the situation at hand.
Oda let out a deep sigh at hearing this. The room was colossal inside, easily the size of a sports arena of other human kingdoms, if not bigger. Aside from the backlog of people and goods, there were various arcane circles and postings off to the side. Men and women frantically worked in those areas to get one of a series of massive archways to work. The archways were uniform, towering colossus of stone, yet strikingly sleek and elegant in their carvings. In total, eight were made in a circle, with pathways in between them that could march entire formations of people. The one before them that was working shimmered in multi-color light as Oda saw the reflection of a nearby mountain plateau in its visage.
"Any word from the colonies and outposts?" Oda asked his brother.
"Strangely no. That is the worrying part." Takato sighed as he reviewed the situation.
"It appears a thousand years haven't been kind to our kin then." Oda replied mournfully.
"Your orders, brother?" Takato asked, looking up at his older brother.
"In addition to what you are doing? Try to get supplies for the creation of an outpost. Once we find a new place to settle, we will have to set up shop quickly before planning our next move." Oda ordered simply.
"Yes sir, brother!" Takato replied with a salute before turning to the workers. "Alright, people! You heard our king! Hop to it!"
"And make sure the stasis chambers are properly sealed. We are going to be trapping this place in magma remember." Oda explained.
Takato nodded in confirmation. "I won't let you down, Oda." he replied before going back to barking orders. "Move, people! We have lives to save, supplies to move, and an outpost to set up!"
"I know you wouldn't brother." Oda answered his brother with a nod, before continuing his journey up a stairwell.
Meanwhile: In the Heart of the Mountain
"How deep does this place go?" Sasuke asked, looking around at the ever-unchanging descending hallways.
"Below ground level? In total about fifty-six levels. Though there are only thirty levels of vaults." Duan answered him as he led the way.
"A-And which one is this Nytha-whatever kid in again?" Naruto asked a bit nervously.
"That would be the 30th one. We call it the black vault. Due to the use of Nullstone in its construction." Duan explained.
"Nullstone? Wow, you guys didn't take any chances, did you?" Kei asked, surprised.
"What's Nullstone?" Sasuke and Naruto asked simultaneously.
"It is a kind of stone mined from the bedrock of realms that absorbs mystical energy of all types. Aside from that, it is also magically inert. Meaning anything locked in an individual vault cannot use its mystical abilities to break out due to it being weakened." Duan explained, though not turning back to look at them.
"Does that mean even chakra won't work to get through it?" Naruto asked, his hand raised for his question.
"Chakra isn't magic, Naruto. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Kei groaned.
"But you said that chakra comes from nature energy that's been dil… dilluted…?" Naruto asked, confused.
"That's 'diluted,' you dumbass." Sasuke corrected his friend, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Thanks, Duck Butt." Naruto replied with a small smile as Sasuke grumbled something about 'dumb, sassy shy blondes.'
"Nature energy is the raw power of the realm and planet itself, the lifeblood of it. It's mystical energy in its most pure form. Chakra is so far diluted from it that it's practically something completely different." Kei explained in frustration, as if he had had to say this many times before.
As those three discussed this, Shinkoku kept close to Duan for safety. He accidentally, however, tripped on one of the steps, nearly falling flat on his face. To his shock, Duan caught him. So fast he swore he did not even see him move.
"Careful, little one." Duan said as he made sure his grip was not too tight.
"Uh… thanks. Sorry." Shinkoku replied, caught off guard as he stood back up.
As he dusted himself off a bit, his hand went over where Duan had touched. Immediately his spine got an intense shiver as it was ice cold. He stopped for a moment as he looked up at Duan, who simply continued his way leading them. This made Shinkoku stop his brothers Seikoku and Kei.
"Feel here." Shinkoku said as Naruto and Sasuke walked past them, pointing to his chest.
The two other members of the Triplet Tornadoes placed their hands on his chest to feel. To their surprise, the spot was as cold as ice. As if the warmth of life itself had been temporarily drained from the spot with a touch.
"That's… very weird…" Kei replied in confusion.
"Not only that, but did you see how fast he caught me?" Shinkoku asked.
"That was faster than mom and dad could move without using a divine chakra-enhanced Body Flicker to increase their speed." Seikoku noted suspiciously.
"Any explanations, or are we just going to galk like schoolgirls?" Kei asked the two.
"I dunno… I feel like we can trust him for now. The king does, at least…" Shinkoku noted, looking at Duan's back.
"Why do I feel like we are forgetting something Grandpa's taught us again?" Seikoku asked as the three began to walk.
"When don't we? We are six." Kei replied simply as the three kept walking.
"Don't dawdle, you three!" Duan called them from down the stairs.
Swiftly, the three rushed to catch up. They found Duan, Naruto, and Sasuke walking through a large, half cylinder chamber. Unlike many of the other hallways and areas they have been in, it was vast. Each step they made echoed like a thunderhead down the long passage.
"This is the last step before the express route to the black vault. We use this to transport copious quantities of items into the various vaults." Duan explained simply.
"D-Do we even wanna know what else is in there…?" Naruto asked nervously.
"Oh, the usual things really, young one. Cursed magic items, tomes of forbidden knowledge, eldritch abominations." Duan explained in a shockingly casual tone.
"... Is it too late to turn back and act like none of this ever happened?" Sasuke asked fearfully.
"Sasuke, we can't turn back now! We trekked halfway across the Land of Fire, nearly eaten by multiple monsters, killed by spirits, befriended gremlins, connected with an ancient civilization, and are literally right outside our end goal. And now you want to turn back like a coward?" Naruto asked, flabbergasted.
"Well, excuse me for not wanting to risk dying for the sixth time on this trip, Fox Face." Sasuke shot back.
"Well, maybe you can run home and tell big brother Itachi about how much of a coward you are then, Duck Butt! Or maybe I should call you 'Chicken Butt' from now on!" Naruto snapped out at him, his face turning from shock to disgust at his friend's sudden about face.
"You wanna go, Whiskers!?" Sasuke snapped out with a glare, grabbing Naruto by the front of his shirt.
"Bawk, bawk, Mother Clucker!" Naruto shot back with a glare, grabbing Sasuke by the front of his shirt right back.
"Can you two morons not fight right now!?" Kei yelled in frustration.
"Not really, no." The two replied in unison, looking at their friend.
"Sei, Shin. Commence idiocy correction protocols." Kei sighed.
With that, Shinkoku and Seikoku pulled out comically large, folded paper fans and smacked the two arguing idiots on the backs of their heads. Before Duan could get the boys to quiet down, they all heard a rumbling, followed by shrieks. Turning their heads in unison, interposing between them and the way into the vault, came a line of golems back up by spirits. These golems, in particular, were nearly as tall as the chamber, with anvil-sized hands sculpted to look like ancient human warriors. The spirits fluttered and flew between and around their massive frames.
"Boys. Get behind me and stay there." Duan sternly ordered as he walked forward to face them.
The boys did not make any attempt to argue as the royal walked forward. Cracking his neck, he stared at those before him. As if given them wordlessly one final chance to back down. A surge of screaming spirits answered that question as they rushed him.
Clenching his fingers into a claw shape, he crossed his hands in front of his face before throwing them out to his sides. In that instant, his fingernails elongated into long, bestial claws, each the length of a short blade, much to the shock of the boys. He began to glow with potent mystical energies as runes across his body lit him up like a holiday tree. As the air began to grow cold around him, Duan disappeared in a blur of motion, faster than any of the boys could track.
Soon, one of the golems was sliced to pieces, shredded like paper in a woodchipper. Then another, and another. One by one, the golems were ripped apart by claws sharper than the blade of any shinobi. All while the boys tried desperately to track Duan's movements. While they could not see any signs of movement from him, they could hear him and see the results of his movements. The ground, walls, and ceiling exploded in shards of stone wherever Duan touched down, barely a blur of motion seen as he moved.
Soon, the spirits shrieked in agony as they too began to get cut to pieces. However, their screams grew louder as they found themselves unable to reform. Whatever energy was coming off Duan was one they could not regenerate from. Shrieking in agony as they were sliced to pieces, the spirits tried to flee only to be hacked into bits by a clawed whirlwind and dissipate into nothingness. Soon, every last golem and spirit was gone. Nothing left of their existence, but bits of stone carved up like vegetables for cooking and cold spots where the spirits once lingered.
Then in a flash, Duan stopped moving. His claws morphed back into his hands as the boys looked into glowing blood red eyes. His eyes transfixed them, sending a wave of primal fear rushing into them. All of this, however, made Kei's eyes widen even more, as but one word was now on his lips.
"V-V… Vampire…" the Kamishini boy uttered in fear.
"What?" Sasuke asked, turning to look at Kei.
"Vampire!" Kei shouted in terror, standing firmly in front of his brothers in a fearful but protective stance.
"You always said stuff like that was a myth?" Naruto asked.
Duan's face softened as his eyes turned to his normal orange. "No, young Naruto. They are very real. And your friend is right." Duan answered with a deep sigh.
Naruto and Sasuke looked at him in shock. "You're a vampire? But you seem so…" Naruto began to say.
"Nice?" Sasuke asked, finishing for his friend.
"Yeah. Aren't vampires supposed to be brutal, blood-crazed monsters?" Naruto asked, trying not to be rude.
"It is, like everything, a choice. It is not an easy one, but it is a choice." Duan answered him.
The Kamishini triplets still looked wary of him, but Kei took a step forward. "Vampire or not… you did save our lives. So, thank you." Kei said, bowing a bit.
"Forgive my brother for not telling you. We all know how you Kamishini are with such matters." Duan said, a clear look of regret on his face.
Shinkoku shook his head. "No… we get it. Sorry if we offended you." he replied, bowing his head to be polite to the man who protected them.
"You need not worry about that. I have dealt with far worse in the thirty years I have had it. A good chunk of my runes are there to help curb the beast inside that hungers for blood. There is nothing to fear." Duan answered, waving off his concern.
The Kamishini triplets sighed in relief. "That's good to hear…" Seikoku said in response.
"Can I become one?" Sasuke asked.
"No." Duan and the triplets all said simultaneously.
"Why do you want to be anyways, Sasuke?" Naruto asked in confusion.
"With power like that, I could protect my friends and finally make Father acknowledge me." Sasuke replied with a smile.
"Vampirism is a curse boy. You would not be able to eat. You do not feel your heartbeat. You could not go out in the sun. And you would constantly wrangle with an endless hunger, a beast inside you that would want only blood. It is not worth giving up your humanity, even if it is to protect something. A wolf cannot guard sheep." Duan explained to him sternly, speaking from experience.
"... Fair enough…" Sasuke replied, looking down in thought.
"Let's get inside the vault quickly before others show up." Duan explained, making a hand motion to move.
With a nod, the boys rushed after him. They quickly began to descend the last staircase. It was dark, for there were no runes in the pitch-black stone. In all their minds and hearts, there truly was no going back now…
To Be Continued…