Echoes of past lives forgotten after countless generations, lives sacrificed in hopes to help build a stronger village, a stronger Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Bloody Mists. While their names and the deeds that lead to the deaths of these miners had been forgotten, they hadn’t relinquished their grip upon reality, or so the legend says. Odaya was terrified of legends such as these, something his brother berated him constantly for.

“This with your head Odaya, ghosts aren’t real, if they were WE would have encountered one before.” Zanko’s harsh voice echoed endlessly throughout the shared mind of the pair. “It is impossible for them to exist, now stop being such a coward.”

“People once argued that two people couldn’t exist inside of a single body, look at us.” Odaya retorted.

“That is different…somehow.” Zanko responded as he thought about the rebuttal his brother had given him.

Odaya had traveled a few hours outside of Kirigakure to the location of the mine. The rock facing of the mine itself was soaked by the mists of the surrounding area, vines had taken root wherever they could, and the vines climbed rocks and the warped and rotted wooden supports that still remained and held the mine up from collapsing. The ground in front of the mine was moist and sticky, almost if fresh blood had been split there. The very atmosphere around the gaping maw of the mine sent shivers down Odaya’s spine as his mind slowly turned the mine from an inanimate object into the most fearsome of beasts preparing to devour him, both body and soul.

“Pussy.” Zanko teased as his brother gawked in terror, although secretly he felt a similar sensation.

“You know I can tell how you are feeling as well right?” Odaya questioned.

“You should stop talking and start moving.” Zanko retorted harshly.

“I don’t know if I can though…” Odaya responded weakly.

“God…Let me loose and I will do it then.” Zanko replied. “We need to Ryo to pay our rent after all.” He finished after a short pause.

Odaya wordlessly formed the concentration hand sign and slowly Odaya’s control over their body relinquished and Zanko took over. The transition took a few seconds, in which their mutual body stood frozen in time, a blank stare was left gazing at the mine’s entrance. Once the transition was accomplished Zanko blinked a few times, took a deep breath, and stretched his arms for a moment. It was then that he reached up and removed Odaya’s earrings from his right ear. Zanko took the time to give his head a small shake before venturing into the belly of the beast, the hear t of the mine.

Was Zanko walked through the mines deep and unforgiving belly he heard the smatter of his own footsteps colliding with the small streams of water that trickled in from the caves mouth. The noise created an eerie effect as he walked alone through the cave. A sudden wail echoed deep from within the cavern, it caused the hair on Zanko’s neck to stand on end initially and him to stop dead in his tracks, he suddenly felt a tinge of fear enter his system but not from the howl.

“Did you hear that?” Zanko whispered to his brother.

“Hear what the howl? Yeah I am pretty sure it was just a gust of wind coming from the escape passage at the other end of the mine. All mines have those you know.” Odaya responded.

“No not that, I think someone is following us.” Zanko whispered.

“What do you mean someone is following us? We weren’t followed I made sure of that on the way hear, we doubled back at least a dozen times.” Odaya asked before explaining the improbability of the situation.

“I know, I know, but I heard an extra footfall when I stopped walking…someone has to be following us.” Zanko explained.

“Then turn us around and check it out.” Odaya instructed.

Wordlessly Zanko casted a glance over his left shoulder to see if anyone was inside the mine besides he and his brother. To his surprise he saw nothing; there was just the black empty expanse of nothingness where he expected to see a person. Zanko blinked his eyes a few times to ensure he wasn’t going insane, he leaned forward slightly to inspect the void closer, before giving up on his search for another life, albeit grudgingly.

“I told you it was impossible that we were followed.” Odaya said comfortingly.

“I know what I heard; someone is in here with us, keep your ears open.” Zanko whispered before continuing on deeper into the mine.

After a few more minutes of trudging through the black expanse Zanko found a dimly lit chamber which held several broken wooden crates filled with iron ore. Slowly, Zanko removed the backpack he had been given by the mission office from his shoulder and began to fill it with the precious ores. As he reached down for the final piece of ore he felt the gazing eyes of someone staring down at him.

Slowly, Zanko rose his head to meet the gaze, what he saw caused pure carnal fear to stir deep within his belly. Before him stood the ethereal figure of a man, his face had been marred by what appeared to be a strike with a blunt instrument, fragments of his jaw protruded from his face, and his skin was bloated and damp almost as if he had been underwater for decades. The being or creature rose a single hand, it pointed to the entrance of the chamber, and uttered a single warning in a raspy voice.

“You…must…run…they…come…”

Zanko was suddenly acutely aware of nearly a thousand shrieks rising from the deepest parts of the mine and approaching quickly. His eyes dilated in fear as he stumbled backwards away from the creature which he naturally assumed was a lost spirit of a damned miner. As he backed away Zanko lost his balance and fell backwards, sending some of the ores he had gathered tumbling and scattering across the cavern floor. Not bothering to pick up the extra ores Zanko tore out of the chamber as the shrieks and laughter of what he assumed was Oni began to pick up pace and grow louder.

“What was that thing?” Odaya cried out as fear enveloped their mind.

“I have no idea but we aren’t sticking around to find out.” Zanko shouted aloud in response as he continued running.

While the descent had taken the pair well over an hour to accomplish, their fear driven ascent took less than twenty minutes. As the pair reached the exit of the cavern Zanko cast a gaze over his shoulder as he gasped for breath. Staring back at the pair was hundreds of yellow eyes, each blinking intermediately and giving off a slight hiss of anger.

“Ha couldn’t catch me could you? Pussies.” Zanko taunted between gasps, that was until a single black claw reached out from the mouth of the cave and into the sunlight.

“Oh fuck! Let’s go!” Zanko shouted as he jerked the bag with twice the required ore from the ground and darted off into the mists.

“Agreed, lets!” Odaya replied.

Even as the boys disappeared into the mists on their journey back to Kirigakure a lone figure emerged from the depths of the mines. Bone fragments stuck from his jaw, his face marred by the collision of a pickaxe, his skin bloated and giving way to the weight of gravity, he uttered a few words as he stood in the light of day.

“Finally…we…are…free…”

Word Count: 1296/600

Chakra Count 145/150: