Saruto | The Bloodline Prophecy (Part 1)

Chapter 18: Between Lifetimes

As the bright seering white light engulfed my vision. Suddenly, the feeling of pain that had overwhelmed my body only moments before was gone. It was as if I were realities away from the Otsutsuki. As I regained my vision, I noticed that my surroundings were unknown. It was like we were between dimensions. It felt as though we were on a pedestal in the middle of nothingness. But it wasn;t dark and scary, it was filled with a soft purple and pink ambience that reminded me of the sunsets that set behind the Hokage cliffside.The colors were entrancing.

I had almost forgotten that I was holding up Inojou with Shikadami at my side. Suddenly a faint groan escaped his mouth as he grew more limp that I realized how seriously Inojou might be. As I exchanged a worried look with Shikadami, her eyes glanced to my inside hand. Her eyes widened which initiated my eyes to also look to my inside hand. Karasuki was gone!

"Where-" I questioned before feeling Chakra begin to fill the air in an overwhelming scent.

As we turned around we were met with a turtle-like being floating in the air. It was Karasuki. Sudden;y the wind began to pick up as we struggled to keep our ground.

"Saruto Uzumaki-Uchiha, Shikadami Nara," Karasuki monotonously acknowledged, "I am Karasuki. How may I help you?"

As the ancient being spoke to us I tried to think about what exactly I wanted. Because of the supply of chakra it uses, we only have one shot. Looking over Inojou's shoulder to Shikadami, she gave me a trusting nod.

"Please take us to when the Bloodline Prophecy first initiated."

"As you wish," Karasuki said without hesitation.

With the turtle then closing its eyes as it levitated in the air, it wasn't long before an immensence wave of power radiated from the object that sent us off the pedestal and down into the soft purple light. In the purple light we fell and fell and I watched as Karasuki immediately fell down with us, seemingly deactivated. Soon I realized Inojou slipped from Shikadami grasp. I watched as panic arose over her face as she became separated in a falling flight from me.

"Saruto!" She yelled as she struggled to reach for the hand that I pulled out for her.

Wincing, I used my more dominant hand to hold Inojou at my side while the other was at the meer fingertips of Shikadami's. Suddenly, the soft purple ambience morphed into a dark night sky. We were falling towards the ground at a high speed. I gritted my teeth as I continued to reach for Shikadami. Then immediately at the last second I got a hold of her hand and then pulled her to my side. We hugged each other tightly as we braised for the impact that the water below us would give. The lake glimmered from the stars as soft waves ripple in it. Closing my eyes, I held both Shikadami and an unconscious Inojou tightly. Then bam! The smack of the piercing water hit my back like a slap to face and it as though our momentum had been immediately slowed. As I was the one that took the blow, I was in shock as I began to sink in the water. Forgetting that I was grasping Shikadami's hand. The pain was overwhelming as it coursed through my body. I winced in pain with my eyes shut to hold it in. I held my breath trying to find where Inojou and Shikadami were, but I couldn't find them.

For some reason I struggled to swim up the surface and all I could see was the moon above me, shining into the water. Then suddenly, it disappeared as a figure dove into the water after me and blocked the glimmering light. I couldn't recognize it but I instinctively reached out to grab their hand as they did the same. Holding on to it now, it pulled me out and swam me to the shore.

With my hair soaked, they laid me on the ground. All I could hear was the muffled sound of their voice. My vision was still blurred by water but they sure looked beautiful. It was like an angel. Their soft hand slowly reached for my cheek as they softly tried to get my attention at my apparent consciousness. Soon my vision adjusted and I was met with a girl with beautiful black hair and vibrant teal eyes. Her lips were like a soft pink glow. She smelt like roses and I felt comforted. She was just so mesmerizing as her figure illuminated with the light of the moon as she knelt off me.

Shikadami.

Smiling put my hand over hers that was rested on my cheek. Gazing into one another's eyes, we waited in the moment to look at each other. As she smiled back, I suddenly felt a warm sensation course through me. Was this love?

Abruptly there was a loud groan from beside me. Looking over my shoulder I saw Inojou tossing and turning on the ground. The weight of the fall probably did not favor his injuries. Immediately pulling away from Shikadami's grasp, I went to Inojou's side. He winced and groaned in pain as he still seemed to remain unconscious. Knowing exactly what I needed to do, I took my hands and hovered them over Inojou's chest. Focusing all my chakra to my hands, I began to perform medical ninjutsu.

"Wait," Shikadami put her hand on my shoulder, "You can't. You used all your chakra on Karasuki."

Her worries surprisingly comforted me but I knew I needed to do this for Inojou. After all, he and along with the rest of my friends and Kakashi sacrificed their lives to get me here. I wasn't going to let anything happen to my friend.

"I have large chakra reserves," I reminded her with my eyes still glued on my hands to heal Inojou, "I can take it."

Without retaliation, Shikadami nodded her hand and then released my shoulder. Squinting my eyes, I moved all the chakra in my body into Inojou. Come on, Inojou. Wake up.

Moments passed and Inojou didn't seem to regain consciousness. But with every second that he didn't wake up I felt myself lose strength. My back became hunched as I struggled to remain conscious. My life force felt drained.

Little did I know that Shikadami knew all too well at what state I was in. she was too smart for her own good.

"Ok, that's enough!" She demanded as she pulled me away from Inojou, severing the connection I had with his chakra.

I was in no shape to argue with her. I felt exhausted.

"But Inojou..."

"He will wake," she reassured, "just give him time."

She was right. We just needed to wait. But how much time did we really have? And had we really gone to the point in time where it all started? Where exactly were we? I had not recognized our surroundings.

Across the lake there was a dam and the lake was surrounded by trees. I had not seen a dam like that which suggests it does not exist in our time. So that meant it really had worked and we were back in time. But when? How far back did we actually go? Speaking of...

"K-Karasuki? Where is he?"
Shikadami seemed just as surprised that the turtle was missing. Then my eyes locked in the water. He must have sunk in there after us.

"I-"

"No! I'll get him," Shikadami instructed, holding me in my sitting position on the ground, "Watch over Inojou."

Nodded in compliance, I watched as I ran and dove into the water. The water splashed around before becoming still, bubbles rose to the surface. Soon they disappeared and then the night became quiet. As moments passed, I hesitated to get up and dive down after her. What if something had happened?

It was taking too long, I got up and walked to the edge of the water while trying to see through the water to find her. As I stared at the point of entry, I walked knee deep into the water and searched for her figure in the water. Nothing.

"Shikadami!"