The Uchiha stood at the gate to the compound, his every ounce of focus dedicated to the guards who barred his way. The heavy downpour of rain only served to accompany the thunderous roar of his heart, narrowed eyes piercing the distance betwixt himself and they who would stand in the gap of his resolve. Anotsu's Shinobi Garb veiled him in the night, though his presence was more than tangible. As darkened clouds above billowed slowly above the manor, it was clear that naught would deter his path forward.
Puddles were disturbed as heavy footfall intruded upon still waters. The clang of blade against blade. The cries of battle, drowned and snuffed only when Anotsu was the only entity that stood among the bodies. Lowering a lone kunai, blood dripped from its edge onto the drenched terra below. "Yes. I do.." the Uchiha replied to the lifeless. He once more turned toward the gate, ambling forward as lightning struck continuously in the distance. Lips parted beneath his scarf, its end whipping about as he met the fortified wood of the entrance. A single palm strike, however, and the gate would fold like paper beneath the weight of his blow. Wood exploded in bits, pieces, large chunks as Anotsu stood to full height. The dust clearing, he continued his trek forward onto the massive grounds.
Every edifice towered over him, seemingly scrutinizing his every step forward. Candles swung to and fro, sitting in small, metal arrangements that knew no rest. Large statues, no doubt dedicated to the Uchiha of the past, were erected at either side of the main entrance. And for all its grandeur, its beauty, there were none there to greet him. Anotsu slid his kunai back into its holster, lips parting to take a deep breath.
"You KNOW why I'm here!!"
His voice was a lion's roar, the impatience and guttural growl coalescing to create a thunderous exclamation the likes of which the atmosphere couldn't have hoped to attain. Seconds passed, Anotsu's eyes darting east and west in an attempt to gain some sense of his next direction. He didn't have to wait long, however, as silhouettes began to manifest from the darkness that surrounded him. Multiple shinobi knelt, their heads bowed as if in reverence to the Jounin. But he knew better. He merely allowed his arms to rest at his sides, nimble digits using the pads of their fingertips to ensure that he could reach his instruments of destruction at a moment's notice.
Seconds trickled like grains of sand within the hourglass. It was when he felt the last vestiges of patience that a lone figure emerged from behind the blanket of his personnel.
Pristine white robes adorned the elder Uchiha's figure, a cane tapping softly against hardwood floor as he made himself known. A grimace upon his features, the figure stood like a monument and spoke with no less than disgust.
"You'd think a man held in such high esteem would know how to properly greet his father."
It was the smug look that he always hated. The look that spoke of robbing the Jounin of every ounce of respect despite his past. Anotsu chose to take a deep breath, his fingers slowly reaching into the folds of his garb. A symphony of blades unsheathed resounded through the compound as he did so. His father chuckled heartily, a wrinkled hand waving slightly as if attempting to dismiss the tension. "Come, boy. Did you think that I wouldn't be prepared? We've been over this time and again. I will forever protect the Uchiha name. I will forever protect you. You've already killed two of your own, Anotsu. Step inside and allow me to clean up your mess....as I always do."
Uchiha Mazoku was the only man that could tear through the shields of Anotsu's emotions and rip out his patience as brutally and as violently as a babe being torn from its mother's arms. Unrelenting, ruthless, as calculating as Anotsu. They shared blood and memories. And up until now, that had been enough to stay Anotsu's hand. "You thought that I wouldn't figure it out? Do your own subordinates know? That Uchiha Mazoku is a-".
"Survivor?" Mazoku interrupted.
A shrug of the old man's shoulders. A hand vanishing for moments, reappearing with a pipe and a match with which to light it. The carefree air about him insulted Anotsu. A long drag once lit, Mazoku's eyes glanced out and toward the entrance where the bodies of his slain guards lay. An exhalation of smoke. "Have I not given you everything? Has your life not been filled with power, wisdom, the art of being a true shinobi? You must know that sacrifices had to be made. I've always done so. Even in your mother's case."
A single step forward. Anotsu vanished from sight, Mazoku's infantry immediately taking to the same ministrations. That same song of blade dancing through the air. Anotsu was graceful in his evasion, mercilessly sending kunai and shuriken alike through flesh to rob his aggressors of their souls. He stained the very walls with their essences, the Uchiha like a wraith who knew no pause. There was little contestation to Anotsu's prowess. As the last limb and torso thudded hard against the ground, the Jounin stood slowly and matched his father's gaze.
Mazoku did little more than sigh.
"You've no idea how much money it takes to contract - outsource - a personal guard these days. Good men, all of them. Wives. Children. Brothers. Sisters. And you took that from them." Anotsu thrust an arm to the side, a spray of scarlet staining the ground. "You've taken much more from me. It came to this because you refused to let me live."
"I refused to let you take control of that which you weren't prepared for, boy. Nothing more. Nothing less."
Mud squished and parted beneath his feet as Anotsu ambled toward his true, intended target. Before he could finish his trek, however, it was a crushing weight that began to surround and blanket him.
Labored breathing. The feeling of his chest being crushed from every direction at once. Blurred vision, descending into what looked to be perpetual darkness as luminescent pools of purple darted in every direction.
Genjutsu.
Mazoku's chuckle erupted through his ears as if he were standing next to him. "Illusion has always been our most valuable asset. Fuck the fire. It is the unfathomable pain and complete lack of comprehension that true ninja savor about their prey. You've not learned your place, Anotsu," Mazoku began. His power was almost tangible even through Genjutsu, Anotsu gritting his teeth as he fell to a knee.
"I will do as I've always done for you, Anotsu. Consider this a gesture of good faith. When you awake, you will be given the chance to force my conviction. But know this, my son: I have done nothing more than what is in our nature to do."
"Anotsu of the Uchiha Clan. How far the mighty have fallen."
Eyelids fluttered as consciousness was returned. Darkness seemed to cascade the room, the frigid air nipping at what seemed to be every inch of his epidermis. Light flickered in and out of existence, the oblivion before him swallowing up most of anything that the human eye could possibly perceive. Dirt and dust caked every wall within the cell that held the Jounin, the thin mattress beneath him shifting as the Uchiha slowly sat up. Chains rattled slightly just a few yards away, the thin frame of a figure curled up on the bed opposite his own. Tattered clothing adorned his form, unkempt and dirty locks veiling his countenance. But Anotsu was certain that he was being watched. Every few moments, a twitch of the limb, a shift of weary eyes. Anotsu searched his surroundings for anything of use, finding naught but a broken bucket sitting lifelessly in the corner. The stench coming from it was indication enough not to draw near.
"You're finally awake."
A hand lofted to rub at the back of Anotsu's neck. Mazoku had struck him in just the right manner. His head rolled in an attempt to ease the pain. "Am I still at the Uchiha compound?" Wheezing laughter from the other side of the cell. "Even in captivity, your will persists. A lesser individual would have awoken with a panic, no sense of logic." Pursed lips prevailed, the Uchiha inspecting his pockets and pouches. Empty. He had surmised that the chances of keeping his inventory were slim. Still, there was no loss in being sure. Resolved to the fate of finding an escape route, Anotsu slowly stood to his feet and approached the bars that held him captive. The smell of rust and blood grew stronger as he approached.
Two guards, clad in apparel that sported the Uchiha fan, paced the floor at varying routes. A wooden table rest in the corner, scrolls and ryo scattered across its surface. The Jounin was able to spot his belongings in a chest nearby, the gears within already beginning to turn. "They won't come close to this cell," the elder stranger began. "They know what happens if they approach you." Anotsu stepped back, taking a seat at the edge of his bed and fixating his gaze upon the knowledgeable captive. "How long have you been here?" Anotsu asked.
"Long enough to have seen things, young one. I have been a captive almost all of my life. I can hardly complain, however. They've treated me with respect in this place, at least. My dignity remains in tact....even if nothing else does."
The elder captive scratched at his neck, shuffling to the edge of his bed and stretching lightly. "From the look of you, you're aware that you're not going to be here long," the stranger spoke with black eyes staring at Anotsu through dirt-ridden locks. The Uchiha remembered Mazoku's words, his eyes shifting to watch the guards as they patrolled wordlessly.
"Correct," Anotsu began. "This cell wasn't meant to hold me. It was meant to be the start."
His first order of business was clear. He'd reserved his strength for a time, the elder only meters away speaking incoherently here and there. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Anotsu's lips parted. "I'll need your help to leave this place." His tone was one of confidence, the elder's chains rattling as he wheezed a short laughter. "And how can a decrepit old man like myself help you, young one? Am I to be your sacrifice?" A shake of the head as Anotsu slid to the edge of his bed. "No, old man. In return for your assistance, I'll give you the repayment of seeing the outside world again. I can do nothing about your age or your health," the Jounin began. "But I can offer you a glimpse of the sky before your time comes." The words lingered in the air for moments, the Jounin's "companion" sighing in response. "....A masterpiece to be seen..." he muttered.
As if on cue, a clutch of the chest and a wild convulsing sent Anotsu's newfound ally backward and onto the bed. The groans of pain echoed throughout the chamber, that tug upon humanity sending the guards toward the cell. "Damnit! Get him out of there before he soils the sheets again!" Anotsu played his part, standing to his feet and placing his hands skyward. Steps backward as he created distance betwixt himself and his elder, he watched on as a single guard entered. "Back up! If you make a move, there are two kunai coming for your brain on the other side of this cell!" No more than a nod. Spittle flew from the dried, cracked lips of Anotsu's captured companion, his form twisted and contorting to impressive degree.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Purple orbs slid from one guardsman to the next. A single handseal, and it was thought that had begun to turn into action. Anotsu vanished from his position, the untraceable speed delivering him a short distance to the outside. Though disoriented, digits clutched onto fabric where he could. It took but a motion to slam his captor into the heavy bars, the instant unconscious state forcing Anotsu to relinquish his hold. "What the-!?" his sole target exclaimed in confusion. Before he could reply, however, a broken piece of wood pierced epidermis and drove itself deep into his throat to produce a gurgling sound. A spray of scarlet delivered after the piece was yanked from its place. The old man shoved the lifeless corpse backward, shuffling to his feet and breathing heavily as he swiped at his beard and mouth.
"....You have my thanks." Anotsu busily searched their belongings. Minutes yielded them an amount of ryo, the Uchiha's full inventory, and two bottles of water. Quickly, the pair downed the contents and tossed the empty plastic aside. "Keep your promise, young one. That is all I ask.." the elderly figure said with a raspy reply. A nod from Anotsu. The Jounin fashioned his belongings, retrieving a key of unknown origin from a black box that rest upon the wooden table. The Uchiha Symbol etched upon its bronze, he placed it deep within his pockets and turned toward the exit.
Through corridor and hallway they moved, Anotsu's stealth affording him a presence among shadows.
Truly, it was a magnificent compound. Though their cell had been damp and dirty, the walls and tapestries that awaited them outside were divine. The Uchiha Clan's symbol was displayed down every hallway, hardwood floor and statues of various armors and patrons a welcome treat to those within. Shinobi and mercenary alike roamed each floor, no doubt Mazoku's personal detail. With patience, the Jounin was able to calculate their routes and avoid the danger of unnecessary skirmish. Before long, the pair had made their way to a set of double doors that hosted the Uchiha Clan's symbol. Bronze in color, it was undoubtedly the first of that which barred their way. Anotsu stood with key in hand, inspecting it as the elder rest upon the floor nearby.
"What lies beyond these doors?" Anotsu asked, glancing toward the decrepit figure whose labored breaths filled the air.
"I have heard whispers," the old man started. "Uchiha Mazoku is a man of great respect for his clan. He spares no expense, no detail if it will glorify the blood that courses your veins." A slight furrow of the eyebrows as Anotsu inserted the key into the lock. "Beyond these doors, there will no doubt be a test of mental and martial prowess. Tread carefully." Anotsu nodded, a hand lofting to push the heavy door open.
A pause.
"What is your name?" the Jounin asked. A weary chuckle in reply. "You would ask now?" the elder inquired. There was difficulty in discerning his features, the dirt and unkempt hair doing well to conceal his visage. Tattered clothing swayed as he stood, almost as if he was incapable of remaining still. "I would. You've helped me thus far. The least I can do aside from a promise is knowing the name of the man that risks his life to see me free." A pause as Anotsu's eyes met a pair of obsidian ones, weary and yet astonished. "....I am Eiji." Anotsu nodded, his attention once more undivided as he pushed through the double doors.
Darkness awaited them.
"What....is this?" Anotsu questioned. Perpetual darkness cascaded them as the doors shut, the entirety of the space around them seemingly naught but void. There were none to answer him. Appendages reached out to search for Eiji. Every sense, it seemed, had been compromised. Anotsu's breathing grew increasingly audible, the very concept of gravity vanishing into nothingness. The Jounin blinked multiple times, and yet there was no difference in his eyesight.
