I. Godsfall</FONTFACE>
[col]It all started 20... no 228 years ago. It was at the terminal point of my reign. I was once known as Suna, Queen of the Earth Court. My dominion was over the ever shifting golden dunes. Time has altered my legacy and my story, romanticized by poets, historians and intellectuals into something far from the truth. I was never a kind Lord, never gentle, only necessary. I, for this reason differed from my brothers who were full of fiery passion or blithe. The earth was unyielding and it picked no sides, and she, the anthropomorphism of these very sands was no different.
When the war came, I took a stance of non-interference. Humanity had been long subjugated by their Ancient Lords and they had finally risen up against their masters. I did not feel for humanity's plight nor did I mourn my brother's passing then. Their defeat meant they were no longer fit to rule, or so that is what my hardened heart echoed to the depths of my soul. I would lie if I claimed I was surprised, I found mankind a curious novelty then, so pink, relatively hairless and weak. I had no use for such creatures in my court, not to say that I was without possession as human slaves in the Earth Court were quite numerous but I kept them as pets like some would keep a cat or a bird. Time perhaps forgot about my time as a master, some may have even found my ownership an act of kindness. In comparison to my brothers, I was in fact 'kind' I would suppose but it was a product of indifference rather than love. Homura's slaves fought in gladiatorial tournaments, something I did not personally participate in but other members of my court certainly had. Fuujin's were likened to cattle if I recall, but in all honesty with the passage of years I find this fact irrelevant to my tale.
If blame could be laid at anyone's feet for humanity's rise to power, I would not credit Primus but his master. Primus came from the Flame Court, a product of Homura's cruelty and euthenics created such a product. Without a foe and without necessity I have always been left to wonder if Primus would have ever discovered how to manipulate chakra to enhance his strength as he had. Brother Homura sought to create the greatest human warrior for the glory of his court, he had succeeded at the cost of the world he knew. I wonder if he knew the outcome if his pride would have allowed him to change his destiny if this were to play out again. Primus did what no other human had before, he killed an ancient. I should further elaborate on the significance of this. I have never successfully killed an Ancient. We are... rather were immortal. In time, we return as we are the elements our avatar we represent. It may take weeks or even years, but eventually our bodies would reform and we would return to our former glory. Primus defeated not only one, but two ancient lords in full view of the battle, they were forced to flee and they eventually succambe to their grievous wounds.
Their death rallied mankind under their united banner and our terrible loss demoralized and fragmented our ranks. The death of a pair of ancients, the greatest among them, was not the end of our defeat. I have come to determine at a later point that it has to do with Takahashi Steel or at the very least an element found within the alloy that is toxic to our kind. Regardless of this toxicity, it was not the blade that took my brothers down, but rather the superhuman skill and might of Primus himself. A paragon of human potential, I have never seen the likes of such a creature again. Any other man wielding a weapon even as powerful would not have had the same successes.
The ancient army was pushed back by humanity and those who survived, fled into the desert where some may remain in exodus to this day. In-fighting filled in what could have been a peaceful gap, but humans I have since discovered are burdened with emotions I was once free of. Such vulgar understandings of anger, envy, acedia, avarice, gluttony, and lechery. But man was not without merit, for every one of their grotesque and self-serving sins, there was a counter-possibility. When it truly mattered, man could put aside their differences and could do incredible, selfless things. I was in awe of humanity for their infinite potential, their adaptability and their propensity to do more than I ever anticipated with their fleeting lives.
It made me feel my first emotion as my indifference on the eve of Godsfall became eternal regret...|
Homura
Fuujin
Suna[/col]
II. Era of Chaos
In the time following this war, I remained stoic. At first I did not mourn my brother's passing, in part it was that I had no empathy for weakness but in part it was because I felt it was a temporary condition. Much like the old children's rhyme about the plague: "Ring around the Rosie. Pocket full of Posies. Ashes. Ashes. We all fall down." Laughter would often resonate immediately following the morbid song as the children would return to standing, unscathed by this imaginary black death. Time passed and the desert grew unruly, winds became storms and the air grew blisteringly hot. I thought it heralded the return of my brothers but the winds grew only more powerful and wicked and the heat stifling. Perhaps it was my brothers who kept these elements at bay, but now in the absence of the protection and leadership of the ancients humanity grew restless.
In the beginning humanity was not a single tribe but rather many. Some of these tribes were owned by the courts, but others were 'free-men' in a matter of speaking. Nomads. Without a common threat, each vied for a leadership role if they were to remain united. Primus had originally united them for the sake of revolution, or as I saw it rebellion. Some took sport in hunting the remaining ancients who fled to the badlands, others returned to their nomadic roots while others still started to erect a community. Some tried to hunt me, they failed... miserably so. in the absence of their greatest warrior, none could come against me in my prime.
It was a lonesome existence. My kin had fled, I ruled over no other and my brothers had yet returned. The humans wished for nothing more than seeing my head on a pike, woe be onto them when they learned I turn to dust upon death. It was in part a rash act of boredom, in part an act of curiosity. I took the form of a human, my first human form. I tried to live among them, a feeble attempt at companionship if historians knew and the first moment of weakness I ever knew in my long history. I have been told that I was far from beautiful, plain in fact. It was during this time that I not only saw man from a different eye but I also became human. No, I certainly did not revert to a lower species, but I gained their sentiments through experience. It was a horrid thing, this flooding of emotions. My indifference was replaced with remorse, regret and spite. I grew to hate humanity, not applaud their strength as the finality of my brother's fate struck home.
It was then that I came up with a plan. I was not going anywhere and I could play the long game. If humans can learn, so could I. The earth trembled and bowed before me, so would the wind, the flames and even the distant sea. I would twist the very essence of life and breathe it back into nature. The desert only needed to survive in my absence.
That was why I faced the first men, before they became the civilized creatures we know today. They never knew I took the form of a human, a skin I shed before I approached the camp. The army of man raised their spears, at the ready for my act of aggression.
"I do not come in enmity." My voice called out to the denizens of what would one day be called Sunagakure. "I come as a sign of good will. Now put down your spears or I will do so for you!" I commanded, the edge of my voice cutting. The natives shook their weapons restlessly, one broke ranks and with words of subjugation "Reversi sunt et descenderunt infideles!" I thundered, the earth beneath their feet opened up and swallowed them to their necks. "Again, I do not come to bring further bloodshed, but I will if you force my hand."</GLOW><i></i>
I scanned the crowd, looking for my quarry. Sunahoshi Nori, progeny of Sunahoshi Obutsu or better known as Primus the former gladiator of the Flame Court. I had often wondered if he shared his father's fortitude, his fury. "I, Suna... Queen of the Earth Court have maintained the earth since the beginning. I am duty-bound to ensure that these sacred lands are preserved. You, are the new guardians of this realm and because of this I have come to bless your mightiest of men. My gift will become a family legacy passed on through the generations and will stave off the storms."<i></i> I claimed. What I said was the truth, I would save my realm regardless of the cost or the disgrace. But a gift from her did not come without a cost. Staving off these mysterious, super-natural seeming storms took a great exertion of strength and will, it was something she was more than capable of and even unconsciously so. A human vessel was not intended to share her power, it would overload their chakra-coils as she had heard them called and likely kill a weaker human but she knew that anything that came from the seed of Primus would be exceptional. They would have little time or energy to relegate to learning their intended, inherent skills if they wished to protect their citizens from the maelstrom. A way of subjugating their strongest warrior without them ever realizing that their greatest strength was also what prevented them from actualization.
I relinquished my control over the maelstrom and the winds began to whip around the fledgling community. "I have diminished these storms in the intermediary, but I am no longer Queen and you are no longer slaves. So to you I give power over the storm."<i></i> I told those gathered over their rumblings, discontent and apprehensions. "This gift I bestow on Sunahoshi Nori, son of Sunahoshi Obutsu, son of Sunahoshi Buta of the Flame Court, leader of men and warrior of legend I gift you with this legacy which will persists until the last of your line perishes. By the will of yours and your children the storm will dissipate or grow and with this power the burden of your people. Consider this a blessing if you must, but the responsibility I thrust upon you will not be without sorrow."<i></i> I warned.
Nori resisted my offer, trust was not something so easily bought but I was prepared for this. He was his father's son, but he was not his father. Without tell, a gust of wind released from my heels as I rushed past the rows of men. My hand covered in a dark energy as my power-set grew in the absence of my brothers beyond elemental skill to aspects concerning life, death and corruption. My hand clapped his breast, Nori's knees buckled and under my feet a pillar of sand shot me into the sky where I observed.
The transformation was painful, my taint ran through his body. From so far, the image was a blur or so I thought before I realized that I was bleeding. A stream of sand ran down my sides. I evaded most but not all, I too had been poisoned by Takahashi Steel. The colors ran dry. It was from then on that I was left with only my darkness and my song. I could not see Nori's complete transformation, but I could hear his screams and his face contorted in pain and fear. Eventually, after several hours his cries ceased and all I heard was his ragged gasping breathing and bounding heart. He had survived, just barely but that was expected. In the meantime, man was attempting to climb my pillar, only to be shot back down to the ground as I shifted the sands below me like a raging waterfall. "He lives... and he will end this storm,"<i></i> I decreed.
The fighting below ceased as Nori began to stir. In this disquiet I waited until the restless murmurs of the spectators started to rise. "Are you ready?" I called down to the Sunahoshi. It should have been days before he regained sentience, but again this was not just any exceptional man but a Sunahoshi. "Your father would be,"<i></i> I added. The winds started to wrap around Nori and blast from his epicenter in every direction. My pillar severed, I fell from my platform high above the crowd and was blown out of sight. History would remember a more civil conversation, romanticized and dramatic where we met as allies and friends without these acts of aggression and dominance.
I returned, a jet stream of sand left in my wake. We fought, there was no peaceful resolution. Even injured, my skill far surpassed his. He did not have the burning in his gut his father did, but if he ever truly tried to reach his potential I would not have survived the match. Neither admitted defeat, but he did eventually collapse from exhaustion and I failed to deliver a killing blow as I ceremoniously bowed and returned to my earth pillar.
When he awoke, we again returned to our previous dance. He had tenacity, but I had the earth under my command. We continued our on again - off again scuffle for three days, give or take a day. Each ending in a similar fashion until I encased him in a sphere of sand with only his head exposed. <GLOW glow="orange">"I am tired... thirsty... and really have to pee. Just STOP the storm and be grateful." I frowned as I again backed away and lifted myself out of reach of the Takahashi Steel and Nori's fists. My sphere crumbled and I called down to him, "Push... pull... push... pull... inhale... exhale... push... pull... push... pull... inhale...exhale..." I directed in a metronome-like pattern. The unruly winds started to calm, diminish and then they were still.
The locals applauded Sunahoshi Nori, he demonstrated one of the first recorded instances of ninjutsu in Wind Country history, but he was far from the first, just one of the better known. Sand sages and nomads from some of the tribes had demonstrated similar abilities in the distant past, many were killed by her peers and perhaps the blood of a few was even on her hands but it was so long ago and then she considered them as relevant as an ant. Who remembers the name or face of an insignificant insect?
Aggression towards me had also stilled, in part likely due to my impressive display of might but also the 'blessing' I had bestowed onto their people. For a time, I was welcomed into the ranks of man. Order was found, the Era of Chaos had ended and for a brief time I was almost happy.
III. Exile
I should have killed someone, if I had I would not have to live this lie. Nori survived the transition, and rose to become the first Kazekage of Sunagakure. I had gained favor with early man due to my intervention; mankind saw me as their ally or at least most of them had. But all was not well with every man. Some reviled me, others feared me and some acted out their sentiments. I had to be ever vigilant that someone might come at me with Takahashi Steel. I kept my blindness hidden, I could afford no weakness.
The Sunahoshi became complacent in their role as ruler. In fact, as only one could sit on the diamond throne, multiple members of the Sunahoshi clan vied for the position. The family was destroying itself from the inside out of greed and desire for power. I, on the other hand, were doing the things that my rivals feared but could not prove. I was learning how to pull a soul from the ether and give it mortal form. My ambition to revive my brothers only grew with time, as my former indifference became painful regret.
I never had the chance to perfect my new skill...
They came in the dead of night. My ears were keen, how they did such without waking me is a mystery I attribute to an illusion such as Temple of Nirvana. I woke with a hand clasped over my mouth as a trio of men wrestled me into submission. I was bound with wire made from Takahashi Steel, or at the very least whatever ore within the alloy that threatened my kind. I struggled against my bindings but they did not give way. They dragged me outside of the town and stabbed me straight through with their blade. Immediately, I could feel myself fade away. My body shattered like a porcelain doll that was dropped on the floor, inside they would only find sand that clouded my broken form as I returned to dust. All that remained that could be seen was my silk robe and wire.
They somehow knew of my plans, they were far too accurate to be guesses. They even knew of my trails and errors. My progressively weakening body with each and every failed attempt.
History claims I faded into obscurity, that I did but I was never far. The dunes shifted and I was slowly buried meters below the surface. I could hear the muffled voices of travelers overhead, I could hear the gossip and the rumors. I could taste the bitter metallic taste of blood when a man was slain. I was aware, but unable to move. Unable to leave and without form. As the dunes shifted further, I was only buried deeper until I reached the worm-carved caverns. It was by happy circumstance (for me) that I was found. I never remained on the surface for more than a few hours, but here I remained resting on the floor of this dark cave for weeks. Weeks before a traveler stepped on me, their heel kicking me into the air granting me motion. I entered him, through his nares and maw and filled his lungs. He suffocated but did not suffer long.
His name was Takahashi Jinsei, a member of the same Takahashi line responsible for the steel that killed her brothers. This was not something I had realized at the time of his murder, not that it would have changed my actions this day. I stole the air from his lungs and his soul as it tried to find the ether, I consumed it and regained form. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, that was all there was to it. I appeared as a child, a small... feeble child. It would not have been the form I would have chosen, rather I would have preferred to take his and insert myself as the Steward if I had my mind. But nearly two centuries of isolation and hunger had reduced me to a primal beast, I worked on instinct alone and I hungered still. How I remembered my 'resurrection' skill is beyond me, as I replaced the hollow place where Jinsei's soul once remained with my will.</COLOR>
<FONTFACE fontface="helvetica"><COLOR color="darkred">
Jinsei, a man I grew to fear as a child was nothing more than a monster of my own making. It was my subconscious lashing out at me for the terrible taboo I had committed. Growing up as a child, living as a child, feeling as a child does, changes a person... or rather an ancient. I have developed attachments to people, not that I had not before but this was more...deeper... greater. I had friends. People I loved. Those I reviled. Aspirations, hopes and fears.
TLDR: Application for a Body for Dark Sage. Basically, she attacked a man and killed him before she brought him back to life. This happened 20 years ago (the killing). Edits made upon request for any historical errors or problems, I based this off our history.
Entered and Left. S Rank (30 min)
[col]It all started 20... no 228 years ago. It was at the terminal point of my reign. I was once known as Suna, Queen of the Earth Court. My dominion was over the ever shifting golden dunes. Time has altered my legacy and my story, romanticized by poets, historians and intellectuals into something far from the truth. I was never a kind Lord, never gentle, only necessary. I, for this reason differed from my brothers who were full of fiery passion or blithe. The earth was unyielding and it picked no sides, and she, the anthropomorphism of these very sands was no different.
When the war came, I took a stance of non-interference. Humanity had been long subjugated by their Ancient Lords and they had finally risen up against their masters. I did not feel for humanity's plight nor did I mourn my brother's passing then. Their defeat meant they were no longer fit to rule, or so that is what my hardened heart echoed to the depths of my soul. I would lie if I claimed I was surprised, I found mankind a curious novelty then, so pink, relatively hairless and weak. I had no use for such creatures in my court, not to say that I was without possession as human slaves in the Earth Court were quite numerous but I kept them as pets like some would keep a cat or a bird. Time perhaps forgot about my time as a master, some may have even found my ownership an act of kindness. In comparison to my brothers, I was in fact 'kind' I would suppose but it was a product of indifference rather than love. Homura's slaves fought in gladiatorial tournaments, something I did not personally participate in but other members of my court certainly had. Fuujin's were likened to cattle if I recall, but in all honesty with the passage of years I find this fact irrelevant to my tale.
If blame could be laid at anyone's feet for humanity's rise to power, I would not credit Primus but his master. Primus came from the Flame Court, a product of Homura's cruelty and euthenics created such a product. Without a foe and without necessity I have always been left to wonder if Primus would have ever discovered how to manipulate chakra to enhance his strength as he had. Brother Homura sought to create the greatest human warrior for the glory of his court, he had succeeded at the cost of the world he knew. I wonder if he knew the outcome if his pride would have allowed him to change his destiny if this were to play out again. Primus did what no other human had before, he killed an ancient. I should further elaborate on the significance of this. I have never successfully killed an Ancient. We are... rather were immortal. In time, we return as we are the elements our avatar we represent. It may take weeks or even years, but eventually our bodies would reform and we would return to our former glory. Primus defeated not only one, but two ancient lords in full view of the battle, they were forced to flee and they eventually succambe to their grievous wounds.
Their death rallied mankind under their united banner and our terrible loss demoralized and fragmented our ranks. The death of a pair of ancients, the greatest among them, was not the end of our defeat. I have come to determine at a later point that it has to do with Takahashi Steel or at the very least an element found within the alloy that is toxic to our kind. Regardless of this toxicity, it was not the blade that took my brothers down, but rather the superhuman skill and might of Primus himself. A paragon of human potential, I have never seen the likes of such a creature again. Any other man wielding a weapon even as powerful would not have had the same successes.
The ancient army was pushed back by humanity and those who survived, fled into the desert where some may remain in exodus to this day. In-fighting filled in what could have been a peaceful gap, but humans I have since discovered are burdened with emotions I was once free of. Such vulgar understandings of anger, envy, acedia, avarice, gluttony, and lechery. But man was not without merit, for every one of their grotesque and self-serving sins, there was a counter-possibility. When it truly mattered, man could put aside their differences and could do incredible, selfless things. I was in awe of humanity for their infinite potential, their adaptability and their propensity to do more than I ever anticipated with their fleeting lives.
It made me feel my first emotion as my indifference on the eve of Godsfall became eternal regret...|
Homura
Fuujin
Suna
II. Era of Chaos
In the time following this war, I remained stoic. At first I did not mourn my brother's passing, in part it was that I had no empathy for weakness but in part it was because I felt it was a temporary condition. Much like the old children's rhyme about the plague: "Ring around the Rosie. Pocket full of Posies. Ashes. Ashes. We all fall down." Laughter would often resonate immediately following the morbid song as the children would return to standing, unscathed by this imaginary black death. Time passed and the desert grew unruly, winds became storms and the air grew blisteringly hot. I thought it heralded the return of my brothers but the winds grew only more powerful and wicked and the heat stifling. Perhaps it was my brothers who kept these elements at bay, but now in the absence of the protection and leadership of the ancients humanity grew restless.
In the beginning humanity was not a single tribe but rather many. Some of these tribes were owned by the courts, but others were 'free-men' in a matter of speaking. Nomads. Without a common threat, each vied for a leadership role if they were to remain united. Primus had originally united them for the sake of revolution, or as I saw it rebellion. Some took sport in hunting the remaining ancients who fled to the badlands, others returned to their nomadic roots while others still started to erect a community. Some tried to hunt me, they failed... miserably so. in the absence of their greatest warrior, none could come against me in my prime.
It was a lonesome existence. My kin had fled, I ruled over no other and my brothers had yet returned. The humans wished for nothing more than seeing my head on a pike, woe be onto them when they learned I turn to dust upon death. It was in part a rash act of boredom, in part an act of curiosity. I took the form of a human, my first human form. I tried to live among them, a feeble attempt at companionship if historians knew and the first moment of weakness I ever knew in my long history. I have been told that I was far from beautiful, plain in fact. It was during this time that I not only saw man from a different eye but I also became human. No, I certainly did not revert to a lower species, but I gained their sentiments through experience. It was a horrid thing, this flooding of emotions. My indifference was replaced with remorse, regret and spite. I grew to hate humanity, not applaud their strength as the finality of my brother's fate struck home. It was then that I came up with a plan. I was not going anywhere and I could play the long game. If humans can learn, so could I. The earth trembled and bowed before me, so would the wind, the flames and even the distant sea. I would twist the very essence of life and breathe it back into nature. The desert only needed to survive in my absence.
That was why I faced the first men, before they became the civilized creatures we know today. They never knew I took the form of a human, a skin I shed before I approached the camp. The army of man raised their spears, at the ready for my act of aggression.
"I do not come in enmity." My voice called out to the denizens of what would one day be called Sunagakure. "I come as a sign of good will. Now put down your spears or I will do so for you!" I commanded, the edge of my voice cutting. The natives shook their weapons restlessly, one broke ranks and with words of subjugation "Reversi sunt et descenderunt infideles!" I thundered, the earth beneath their feet opened up and swallowed them to their necks. "Again, I do not come to bring further bloodshed, but I will if you force my hand."</GLOW><i></i>
I scanned the crowd, looking for my quarry. Sunahoshi Nori, progeny of Sunahoshi Obutsu or better known as Primus the former gladiator of the Flame Court. I had often wondered if he shared his father's fortitude, his fury. "I, Suna... Queen of the Earth Court have maintained the earth since the beginning. I am duty-bound to ensure that these sacred lands are preserved. You, are the new guardians of this realm and because of this I have come to bless your mightiest of men. My gift will become a family legacy passed on through the generations and will stave off the storms."<i></i> I claimed. What I said was the truth, I would save my realm regardless of the cost or the disgrace. But a gift from her did not come without a cost. Staving off these mysterious, super-natural seeming storms took a great exertion of strength and will, it was something she was more than capable of and even unconsciously so. A human vessel was not intended to share her power, it would overload their chakra-coils as she had heard them called and likely kill a weaker human but she knew that anything that came from the seed of Primus would be exceptional. They would have little time or energy to relegate to learning their intended, inherent skills if they wished to protect their citizens from the maelstrom. A way of subjugating their strongest warrior without them ever realizing that their greatest strength was also what prevented them from actualization.
I relinquished my control over the maelstrom and the winds began to whip around the fledgling community. "I have diminished these storms in the intermediary, but I am no longer Queen and you are no longer slaves. So to you I give power over the storm."<i></i> I told those gathered over their rumblings, discontent and apprehensions. "This gift I bestow on Sunahoshi Nori, son of Sunahoshi Obutsu, son of Sunahoshi Buta of the Flame Court, leader of men and warrior of legend I gift you with this legacy which will persists until the last of your line perishes. By the will of yours and your children the storm will dissipate or grow and with this power the burden of your people. Consider this a blessing if you must, but the responsibility I thrust upon you will not be without sorrow."<i></i> I warned.
Nori resisted my offer, trust was not something so easily bought but I was prepared for this. He was his father's son, but he was not his father. Without tell, a gust of wind released from my heels as I rushed past the rows of men. My hand covered in a dark energy as my power-set grew in the absence of my brothers beyond elemental skill to aspects concerning life, death and corruption. My hand clapped his breast, Nori's knees buckled and under my feet a pillar of sand shot me into the sky where I observed.
The transformation was painful, my taint ran through his body. From so far, the image was a blur or so I thought before I realized that I was bleeding. A stream of sand ran down my sides. I evaded most but not all, I too had been poisoned by Takahashi Steel. The colors ran dry. It was from then on that I was left with only my darkness and my song. I could not see Nori's complete transformation, but I could hear his screams and his face contorted in pain and fear. Eventually, after several hours his cries ceased and all I heard was his ragged gasping breathing and bounding heart. He had survived, just barely but that was expected. In the meantime, man was attempting to climb my pillar, only to be shot back down to the ground as I shifted the sands below me like a raging waterfall. "He lives... and he will end this storm,"<i></i> I decreed. The fighting below ceased as Nori began to stir. In this disquiet I waited until the restless murmurs of the spectators started to rise. "Are you ready?" I called down to the Sunahoshi. It should have been days before he regained sentience, but again this was not just any exceptional man but a Sunahoshi. "Your father would be,"<i></i> I added. The winds started to wrap around Nori and blast from his epicenter in every direction. My pillar severed, I fell from my platform high above the crowd and was blown out of sight. History would remember a more civil conversation, romanticized and dramatic where we met as allies and friends without these acts of aggression and dominance.
I returned, a jet stream of sand left in my wake. We fought, there was no peaceful resolution. Even injured, my skill far surpassed his. He did not have the burning in his gut his father did, but if he ever truly tried to reach his potential I would not have survived the match. Neither admitted defeat, but he did eventually collapse from exhaustion and I failed to deliver a killing blow as I ceremoniously bowed and returned to my earth pillar.
When he awoke, we again returned to our previous dance. He had tenacity, but I had the earth under my command. We continued our on again - off again scuffle for three days, give or take a day. Each ending in a similar fashion until I encased him in a sphere of sand with only his head exposed. <GLOW glow="orange">"I am tired... thirsty... and really have to pee. Just STOP the storm and be grateful." I frowned as I again backed away and lifted myself out of reach of the Takahashi Steel and Nori's fists. My sphere crumbled and I called down to him, "Push... pull... push... pull... inhale... exhale... push... pull... push... pull... inhale...exhale..." I directed in a metronome-like pattern. The unruly winds started to calm, diminish and then they were still.
The locals applauded Sunahoshi Nori, he demonstrated one of the first recorded instances of ninjutsu in Wind Country history, but he was far from the first, just one of the better known. Sand sages and nomads from some of the tribes had demonstrated similar abilities in the distant past, many were killed by her peers and perhaps the blood of a few was even on her hands but it was so long ago and then she considered them as relevant as an ant. Who remembers the name or face of an insignificant insect?
Aggression towards me had also stilled, in part likely due to my impressive display of might but also the 'blessing' I had bestowed onto their people. For a time, I was welcomed into the ranks of man. Order was found, the Era of Chaos had ended and for a brief time I was almost happy.
III. Exile
I should have killed someone, if I had I would not have to live this lie. Nori survived the transition, and rose to become the first Kazekage of Sunagakure. I had gained favor with early man due to my intervention; mankind saw me as their ally or at least most of them had. But all was not well with every man. Some reviled me, others feared me and some acted out their sentiments. I had to be ever vigilant that someone might come at me with Takahashi Steel. I kept my blindness hidden, I could afford no weakness.
The Sunahoshi became complacent in their role as ruler. In fact, as only one could sit on the diamond throne, multiple members of the Sunahoshi clan vied for the position. The family was destroying itself from the inside out of greed and desire for power. I, on the other hand, were doing the things that my rivals feared but could not prove. I was learning how to pull a soul from the ether and give it mortal form. My ambition to revive my brothers only grew with time, as my former indifference became painful regret.
I never had the chance to perfect my new skill...
They came in the dead of night. My ears were keen, how they did such without waking me is a mystery I attribute to an illusion such as Temple of Nirvana. I woke with a hand clasped over my mouth as a trio of men wrestled me into submission. I was bound with wire made from Takahashi Steel, or at the very least whatever ore within the alloy that threatened my kind. I struggled against my bindings but they did not give way. They dragged me outside of the town and stabbed me straight through with their blade. Immediately, I could feel myself fade away. My body shattered like a porcelain doll that was dropped on the floor, inside they would only find sand that clouded my broken form as I returned to dust. All that remained that could be seen was my silk robe and wire.
They somehow knew of my plans, they were far too accurate to be guesses. They even knew of my trails and errors. My progressively weakening body with each and every failed attempt.
History claims I faded into obscurity, that I did but I was never far. The dunes shifted and I was slowly buried meters below the surface. I could hear the muffled voices of travelers overhead, I could hear the gossip and the rumors. I could taste the bitter metallic taste of blood when a man was slain. I was aware, but unable to move. Unable to leave and without form. As the dunes shifted further, I was only buried deeper until I reached the worm-carved caverns. It was by happy circumstance (for me) that I was found. I never remained on the surface for more than a few hours, but here I remained resting on the floor of this dark cave for weeks. Weeks before a traveler stepped on me, their heel kicking me into the air granting me motion. I entered him, through his nares and maw and filled his lungs. He suffocated but did not suffer long.
His name was Takahashi Jinsei, a member of the same Takahashi line responsible for the steel that killed her brothers. This was not something I had realized at the time of his murder, not that it would have changed my actions this day. I stole the air from his lungs and his soul as it tried to find the ether, I consumed it and regained form. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, that was all there was to it. I appeared as a child, a small... feeble child. It would not have been the form I would have chosen, rather I would have preferred to take his and insert myself as the Steward if I had my mind. But nearly two centuries of isolation and hunger had reduced me to a primal beast, I worked on instinct alone and I hungered still. How I remembered my 'resurrection' skill is beyond me, as I replaced the hollow place where Jinsei's soul once remained with my will.</COLOR> <FONTFACE fontface="helvetica"><COLOR color="darkred">
Jinsei, a man I grew to fear as a child was nothing more than a monster of my own making. It was my subconscious lashing out at me for the terrible taboo I had committed. Growing up as a child, living as a child, feeling as a child does, changes a person... or rather an ancient. I have developed attachments to people, not that I had not before but this was more...deeper... greater. I had friends. People I loved. Those I reviled. Aspirations, hopes and fears.
TLDR: Application for a Body for Dark Sage. Basically, she attacked a man and killed him before she brought him back to life. This happened 20 years ago (the killing). Edits made upon request for any historical errors or problems, I based this off our history.
Entered and Left. S Rank (30 min)