The Ancient Ones Part 1: First Encounter

The desert winds were harsher than normal today, were I not dressed in a thick cloak my skin would be ripped open in gashes right now. My mask and goggles tightly stretch across my face for safety as I walked along would make me look like something out of a post apocalyptic future traveling across a sand strewn expanse of nothingness. Normally even the most adventurous of souls would not venture out this deep into the Ressa Desert but I had been reading and needed to investigate something before my curiosity would allow for anything else. Talk of the ancient ones that roamed this desert was a common subject in this country but no one really knew what the ancient ones were, all that was known was they were gigantic figures of immense power and influence and I needed to try and make contact with them since my theory of what they might be would prove extremely useful to the empire in this ongoing war.

Moving on further I would find that I no longer was able to see even a few inches in front of my face, for most people once again this would be the en of the journey but I was determined and well prepared. I hunched over and got down on one knee, opening a small section around my wrist meant that the winds would cut into my skin but it had to be done. In the small window of time I left this open a half dozen kikaichu insects scattered out and dug themselves into the ground and then took off ahead of me. I used a small amount of ointment in an outer pocket on my clothing to stop the bleeding and then closed my suit back up so that once more it was air tight, my small supply of oxygen within my mask my only means of breathing at this point. The insects safe below the surface acted as a makeshift radar, sending back mental signals to their master about which directions were safe to go as well as the solidity of the ground. His ace would be extremely slow but if this worked it would be worth it.

Slowly I moved along, having to stop every few seconds due to my guides being so small and their travel speed underground being fairly slower than normal. This went on for what seemed like hours until eventually I came across a large stone with inscriptions on it, this giant stone blocking some of the wind and allowing me to see about a foot ahead of me which would allow a short break to try and etch what I found. I moved fast, knowing I was on a time limit with this tank of air and got out a large sheet of paper and some charcoal. Pressing the paper against the inscriptions I rubbed the black bar across it and watched as the symbols were copied down, I didnt have enough materials to get the whole thing so I would have to return at some point after translating what I had for now. Rolling up the sheet I stuffed it into my pack and moved on deeper into the sandy abyss.

After my short break to indulge the scholar in me I continued on, having no more than forty-five minutes left in my tank tops I would have to make the most of my time as I was already a good twenty minutes into the storm at least. Once more I would have to rely on the guiding instincts of my kikaichu, leading me through the grainy darkness all around me. The pace was eventually able to be increased a bit, the sand in this area was softer and more loose than before allowing for faster burrowing. This was a good turn of events which would allow for deeper investigation. The shinobi carried on like before, trekking through the desert like a true explorer.

Moving on deeper and deeper I all of a sudden lost connection to my kikai, a slight static sound like a ringing sounded in my ears which result in my pushed against the side of my headgear and stumbled forward a few feet. That distance was just enough for me to start rolling down the side of a rather steep dune and after hitting the bottom I felt true pain, my oxygen line had been destroyed in the fall and I was unable to sit up. Knowing that my fate was sealed at this point and I would soon become another skeleton among the desert I began preparing my kikai to help me perform a technique that would make this as painless as possible.

In the confines of my helmet the insects that had loyally served me my entire life released a strong pheromone which allowed me to feel stronger and no pain as the sand started to fill my lungs with every shortened breath I took. I laid there for what felt like days only staring up to see nothing but the sand passing a mere inch away from my eyes due to the lenses of my suit. Then I heard it, a tunneling sound that was louder than anything I had ever heard before. I turned my head and was ridden with fright, off in the distance was something heading straight for me with a large enough body to yield a shadowed outline even in this thick storm, I could do nothing but lay there and wait to be either eaten or trampled so I just closed my eyes and did that.

170/200

Spoiler:

When I closed my eyes I was no longer conscious, it seemed that I ha passed out but how could I be aware that I passed out considering the circumstances building up to it? My eyes shot open to see myself in a room larger than even the Sabakukage's throne room with walls and a floor of what appeared to be soft flesh. The technique had worn off while I was out and I was feeling the pain of the sand in my system so I quickly took off my head gear and started violently coughing, each time a little bit of sand burned me as it made its way up my trachea. A few minutes of this passed until I had cleared myself out enough to take normal sized breathes, should I survive long enough I would need to have surgery to remove the rest. Now though, I was on my feet and marveling at this place, a slight breeze of warm but fresh air passed by every few seconds which was the weirdest thing since I should still be in the Ressa where such a thing was unheard of outside of the center where the tribes thrived. My questions though would soon be answered.

"Ah, so you are alive. Good thing I don't automatically swallow everything all the way I guess." I would look around, the voice had at first seemed to come from all around me until I realized it was inside my head. Such a thing was not unheard of but it was only done by the most powerful beings so I would need to show respect. I would call out loudly since I didn't know where they were. "Who are you and where am I?" The voice was silent for a minute but the a hearty chuckle sounded in my head again, "You do not know? You are within the throat of that which you have been seeking Shitai Aburame." At first I was terrified that whatever this thing was that it knew my name but then I thought about the first thing it said and I spoke once more, "So, you mean to tell me that you are..." "One of the ancient ones, yes. Disappointed that we aren't some sort of giant human or something?" This was alot to take in, if this was true then I was the first human to have contact with the ancient ones in thousands of years, "So what is it you have planned for me since I seem to be at your mercy?" The voice laughed again, "Child you should not assume that every ancient being in the world is out for the destruction of humanity. There are things planned for you though but they will arrive soon enough should you know what to read. It is the will of the ancient ones however, that you shall be sparred from the death fate handed you today. But only this once, beware that even those we have taken a liking to must fend for themselves. Now sleep my child, you will return home soon enough." I was about to respond again but once more everything went black and I was out cold.

When I woke once more I found myself outside the clutches of the ancient storm, only a few walking miles from the village. Disoriented and unsure what had really just happened I got to my feet and started walking after checking my vitals. The sand that had been within my lungs was no longer there as I was able to breathe unhindered at all now. I needed to find someone to tell my story to soon, and should finances allow, enter the desert once more with a team this time for an even deeper mission to discover what had happened and see if I had just been dreaming.

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