A New Story

Ancient Temple Lost Art, Part 2:

The way hung open unlit, though the rest of the temple had been up until now unlit... somehow this opening and its darkness seemed ominous. Not taking any chances this time, Argies threw in his torch not willing to take one step in without knowing what is ahead. His torch light bouncing before rolling across the narrow corridor, making a wooden clang before coming to a stop. With the way lit they could all see the length of the corridor ahead, and at its end a circular stone door way blocking any access.

"Great, another corridor!" Tenten's words echoed as they reverberated within and off the open passage, coming back to them to cement the dreaded possibility of another trap room.

"Let me guess, this corridors walls close in too?" Argies irked the eventuality of them entering another close brush with death. "Although I don't suppose they would want to repeat the same technique twice. Being that we would expect it... or maybe because we expect it they decided to use it again? A double bluff... hmm" He seemed unsure but one thing was clear from his body language, he was not willing to be the first to enter that room.

"Hinata" Mura voiced, returning command to herself and casting off any doubt about their duty. "Tell me what your Byakugan eyes see?" The lizard tongued Jounin paused, waiting for Hinata to activate her Byakugan eyes, and then considered something else. "...and Hinata, this time I expressly order you to look down though the floor and walls and up through the ceiling as well. I wouldn't want to cancel the mission early because Argies over here Wets his pants." Or dies was left unsaid.

Argies stared glumly at their head of command and then conceded "Ok fine I deserve that much. Sorry for blaming you for my short-sightedness Hinata. It wasn't your fault that I decided to break orders and walk ahead into a spike trap, but please this time don't just look into the room ahead. Look through it."

"Right!" Hinata agreed, though she did describe the feeling as nails on a chalk board... she would suffer that for her friends. It wasn't long before Hinata analysed "This room is strange..."

"You've got that right" Tenten interjected, throwing off a kunai just on the off chance that it might set off a trap. It didn't work, much to her off put disappointment.

"It doesn't have any mechanical traps, not at all, no spikes and no moving walls. However hnn..." They paused in trepidation for her response "...this time the walls themselves pulse with an odd purple glow. Dark chakra"

"What? The, Shippuden!" Argies raised his hands, signalling alarm bells to Hinata's conclusion. "Who in ninja chopsticks made this place! Dark chakra, what does that even mean?! No way this is a normal kami loving temple, these people must have been into something heavily evil." Directing his concerns at their leader, he argued for more reason in their task. "Mura please tell me you know what this place is guarding, else this is just a fools mission. The further we travel in the deeper into the web we go, next thing you know we are going to be in the centre with the beast. Whatever they are protecting must be heavily defended, you can bet money on that!" He slammed his hands together to conclude his point, the single clap echoing back to and from the opening that still no one dared venture in.

"Calm yourself!" Mura shot Argies a scowl "You're making too much noise." She whispered. "Whatever this dark chakra is, I can hear it humming." They all quieted down, steading their breath and leaning in so that they might here it too. "It almost sounds like it is whispering to me... no chanting" Argies, Hinata and Tenten all gulped in unison, a disembodied hum with a voice was never good. "I believe I know what this room is..."

Mura said nothing more and unable to wait any longer Hinata was the first to ask. "What?" Her voice low, as if she was afraid she might frighten the darkness or awake the room into attack.