So Others May Live ~P, NK, IO~

Altar entered through the gates of Kirigakure, Kozata's lifeless body hanging limp in his arms. After getting off the small vessel he had used to return, he had given the body a final once over. Still no pulse. The white eyes and snow white skin remained. No one really paid him any mind. A ninja of Kirigakure adorned with a body was no strange sight. However, some seemed shaken once they recognized the face and paired a name to it. 

As Altar walked, he looked for a familiar face in the crowd. Haru, or Youta, or Xyxer...someone, anyone! Thankfully, he needn't go far, as he recognized a face in the crowd.

Atlas was on his way towards the village gates to greet Altar on his return, as his patrols had suggested he held a body over his shoulder with no apparent signs of injury from the vast distance they were at, which of course, was little information at best. However, Atlas did believe in Kozata as he had slain multiple shinobi, so he was mildly surprised when he saw the body that was logged over his shoulder. Ignoring him momentarily, he noticed there was no movement in the torso of the male and his skin had turned pale. How worrying, combined with the recent discover. Nodding his head, he moved from the ground towards a random park, sitting upon a nearby bench nonchalantly as he awaited Altar.

Altar would find a small amount of solice in the sight of someone he considered a friend, or at least a mentor. Of course, he was also his leader. And knowing Xyxer, there would be hell to pay for the death of a shinobi. Especially one as capable as Kozata

Altar would break from the crowd and make his way toward the bench Xyxer had claimed. He would rest Kozata's body on the closest empty bench, and look toward Xyxer.

"Lord Kage. I'm sorry. Kozata Shinkou passed in the Abyss village. Though no one is at fault. He went mad at the center of the abyss. It took his life. There was nothing I could do." Altar would say. His face was stoic, but inside he was shaken. He could use get home and seek comfort. This couldn't get any worse, at least.

Listening to what was said, he nodded his head knowingly. "So you believe this was caused by the, say.. 'warp' of the Abyss? It's power too overwhelming for him and thus claimed his life?" Rubbing his chin a little, he would ponder for a second on how to break the news but decided to simply poke at the male, "When was the last time you talked to Youta? What was it about?"

Altar would nod solemnly at Xyxer's questioning.

"When we entered the village, we were greeted as hostiles. Before a fight started, Kozata warped us to the heart of the abyss. I'm supposing the voice of the abyss got inside his head. Controlled him, then killed him when it couldn't feed on him. The abyss desired a sacrifice, and when it discovered we didn't have one..." Altar would trail off and motion to Kozata's body.

"I haven't spoken to Youta in...god, what seems like forever. We were just talking about normal things. Why do you ask, Xyxer?" Altar would reply to the kage's questions warily. When the three of them were together, bad things happened without fail. He didn't want another scenario like last time. He was stronger, sure, but if he couldn't handle Haru, there was no way he'd be able to fight Xyxer.

A faint smile almost appeared on his face at the notion of what he was about to say. He had never really taken Youta as an.. affectionate person. She was extremely devoted the way of a shinobi, yet she had found a way into being in a relationship. Repressing the smile somewhat, he looked back towards him. "I hope it was 'I love you' or something. There's some bad news regarding her."

Altar's previously stoic face would fade into a mix of worry, distrust and anger. No, no. There wasn't a god in heaven that would let this happen. The day had been hell enough, carrying a friend and family member over your shoulder, dead because you couldn't save them. Now something had happened to Youta? This wasn't possible.

Surely it couldn't be anything too bad, right? She was an incredibly capable ninja, more capable that he was. And she was in perfect health when he had last seen her. There was no way something terrible could've happened. No way in hell.

"I...I never told her that. What happened to her? Where is she? Is she alright? How bad is it, Xyxer?" Altar's questions would come in a flurry.

Hearing how Altar handled the loss of a close one was rather foreign to Xyxer. When he had been, well, when he had seen the death of Sameonna.. he had not asked multiple questions. He had asked why, after the violence of course. Was this true love? Making a mental note on this, he shrugged a little. "It's pretty bad. In fact, she's much like our pal Kozata over there. Reports suggest she was walking through the village then suddenly collapsed. A strange way for two of our shinobi to go, soon after one another, dont you think?"

Altar's eyes would widen. His vision would flash images before him like he was dying as well. His mind erupted and shut out all logical thought. His face would contort and his mouth would open, a guttural roar erupting from him. He didn't notice they were in an abandoned children's park. A great place for an episode.

Turning, Altar would draw his sword and swing it for the nearest object, cleaving cleanly through a spring loaded horse, severing the head from the base. Altar would stab the sword into the ground and turn again to a tree barely a meter away from him. Taking a small start, Altar would let out another yell and swing his fist hard into the tree. The wood gave way fairly easily, Altar's arm embedding itself in the wood, his fist coming out through the other side.

Pulling his arm from the tree trunk, Altar would inhale heavily, before snatching his weapon from the ground and sheathing it, and returning to the kage, a bleak dark now spread across his face.

"Very strange indeed, Xyxer. Do you suspect some foul play? Could someone be at fault for this? I saw Kozata pass, and I believe my reasoning is sound, but as for...Youta...there could be a number of causes."

Ah, violence. That was what Xyxer had been waiting for. A decapitated horse that put up no fight, and a poor tree that had found itself punched for no reason. The hippies would surely be outraged at this man's actions. Soon after, he came back towards him and so it appeared it was time. He listened to his words before simply adding his own interpretation, "Both of these people have been alone with you, Altar. Kozata was to be your escort, and Youta was to be your lover. Now they both are mysteriously deceased from.. what seems to be the same thing." Pausing for another short while, he'd look upwards towards the standing Kozata, a neutral expression upon his features and his voice stoic, "Would you care to explain to me why that may be? Because that's an awful lot of unfortunate events to surround you.]