Telanadas

9

Sakura leads them up the corpse-laden grand staircase where they soon discover another strange, carved mechanism in the door.

"Another key," Kakashi determines. "Best search the bodies."

"I doubt it will be that easy," Sasuke mutters, as Naruto and Sakura go from body to body, looking for of a key.

Kakashi studies the door, fingers hovering over the runes and symbols carved into the locking mechanism. "I can probably knock through it with the right spell. But the architecture is old, and likely strengthened by ancient wards. I would be useless for days."

"A last resort, then."

"It has to be somewhere," Sakura calls from the landing of a nearby balcony, emptying one archer's pockets of gold and herbs, but no key. "The door obviously opens from the outside, so the key can't be far."

"And we've killed everyone else on the way up the mountain," Naruto adds. "So, there's probably someone around here hiding it or who stuffed it away somewhere."

Sasuke looks around the hall, noting two hallways that branch off from the icy hall. "It will be faster if we split up."

"Faster, but not safer," Sakura reminds him.

"We are facing hypothermia and starvation, surrounded by cultists, a dragon and probable death if we even reach this urn you're so determined to find. Safe was never an option."

"Geez, tell us how you really feel," Naruto snorts.

"Sasuke has a point," Kakashi agrees. "It would be faster to search for this key if we split up. But we should go in pairs, for safety."

Sakura's face suggests she still does not like the idea but cannot argue with the logic of it. Resolve enters her eyes, and she nods, visibly setting aside her own worries.

"Naruto, Sasuke, you two check the eastern passage," she decides. "Kakashi and I can take the west."

Sasuke makes a noise of agreement at her decision—both search parties have the benefit of a ranged warrior and someone strong in close-combat—but Naruto complains, "Aw, really? Why do I have to be with the pointy-eared bastard?"

"My parents were married," Sasuke retorts, already heading toward his assigned zone, "which is more than I can say for yours."

Shocked silence rings at his rejoinder, and then—

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Naruto!" Sakura snaps.

"Yeah, yeah..."

Sasuke senses Naruto hurrying to catch up, and the two set off into the eastern corridor. Light from outside filters in from cracks in the foundations and gaps in the masonry above them, but mostly there is darkness. Eventually they are forced to light the torches that line the walls, which Sasuke is not entirely comfortable doing. The scent of smoke might attract more of the madmen who lurk here, not to mention any creatures that have made this temple their home.

"So, I was thinking," Naruto begins when it's clear he tires of the quiet.

"I doubt it."

"You're so funny..."

"Not really."

He imagines the blond man glaring at him. "Anyway. You were an assassin in Oto, right? Professionally."

"Technically speaking, I still am."

"Technically, but not really. I mean, you're on this trip with us and you haven't killed any of us."