Naruto; Emperor

Yomi

The last thing she remembered was pain in her chest.

Hinata opens her eyes and saw nothing but endless darkness along a dirt path that she only know because she is walking on it. She looks around, trying to peer past the gloom but no matter how she strains her eyes, she can't see anything. She seems to recall an ability of hers but no matter how she chew on it, she cannot recall what it is that will allow her to see despite the dark.

In the end, she can only walk forward.

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

How much further? Hinata looks at her feet, wondering at the lack of pain. It feels like she had walked miles upon miles but her body has yet to tire. Having nothing else to do and with nothing else to distract her, she continues walking.

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

Odd. There is no sound around her, not even her footsteps. All around, the gloom remains ever dark and foreboding. She feels like she should wait for someone.

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

Hinata looks up to the sky...or rather, the space above her. Where is the sun? In her mind, she remembers chasing after the sun. He is small still, but he glows brighter than anyone around. Then one day the clouds covers the sun, leaving her in a long and gloomy dark. Her days are cast by shadows of his disappearance. Then golden lightning strikes through the grey clouds, lighting her way once more and it feels as if the sun had melted and turned into lightnings.

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

She had promised him that she will wait.

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

Who is he?

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

...

Walk.

Walk.

Walk.

A warm hand lands on her shoulder and Hinata looks behind her. He stands a few heads taller than her. His head is haloed by gold, just like the little sun in her mind. His blue eyes are like morning skies as he smiles at her. He wears white with crimson flames licking the hem, fluttering around his knees. In the dark, it is as though he is candle for her to follow. Flickering and flickering, like shadow of a fire.

He mouths to her, "Come with me,"

She looks at his offered hand, "Why?"

He looks over his shoulder and mouths to her, "He is crying for you,"

Hinata tilts her head, trying to listen.

The last thing she remembered was pain in her chest.

Hinata grasps the man's hand and he starts guiding her away from the path she was taking. But unlike when she walked toward that direction, she is struggling to follow this flickering shadow. She grunts from the weight around her ankles. Looking down, shadowy hands grasps at her and she screams in fright. She grasps his hand tighter with both of hers, "Please! Don't leave me!"

He pulls her along, "I am not...but you must follow me,"

She drags her feet after him. Her ankles and calves hurt from the clawing black fingers. They are like charred bones, sharp from flame and wind. Tears of pain drips down from her eyes but she looks at the man like flickering flame and tells him, "I can't...it hurts too much,"