The Astray Knight

Sun Jan 26, 2020 2:07 am

"It's been awhile."

A tall figure emerges from the contours of one of the many narrow cave systems guiding to the destination further ahead. Wreathed in a beige, tattered cloak, Nameless shifts their attention around the setting. Only a little larger than the very tunnel they came through, the area features numerous sources of vegetation, supported by the light seeping through several thin cracks in the earthen walls. Other than the plethora of plants lining the cave in small patches, there isn't much else that's of notice. It's the ideal place for Nameless to be.

Upon the back of Nameless' cloak is a large, dull green backpack containing bare necessities. Dried food for staying on the move, water, three washclothes and other small items. The Pendragon elevates one sleeved arm from beneath the ripped clothing. A gloved hand clenches upon one of the backpack's straps, sliding it off of their shoulder while Nameless proceeds to shift their body in order to let the other strap slide off. Dropping the bag down onto the cold, rugged floor, they begin to search through it. One gloved hand reaches in, sifting about until finally, what they're searching for is found.

Nothing more than a small scroll, which the Pendragon unravels with both hands as they settle back into a sitting position. Folding both of their legs, Nameless proceeds to read through what's been inscribed upon the parchment. They're nothing more than instructions on performing a technique, instructions that the nukenin had copied down while in a settlement close to one of the major shinobi villages. For a nukenin without, or incapable of recalling that they possess the Transformation Technique, it would've been a tough operation.

But, the power of chakra is something that comes to extensively good use in circumstances such as this. It doesn't take long for Nameless to refresh their memory on the Storage Displacement technique. They'd spent plenty of years mostly wandering, and it's for that reason that their capabilities deterioated. In the same way a missing in action shinobi would find their ability in combat and melding chakra dwindled, years worth of out-of-combat experience had taken a toll. Finding it in themselves to start conjuring the energy in them again, Nameless clasps onto the scroll in one hand.

Chakra is summoned up from their core after some elementary efforts, and it's then that the Pendragon finally presses the scroll to their other open palm. Pressing the item between both gloved hands, the chakra summoned up is injected into the item at point blank, preemptively molded to influence the scroll accordingly. The item begins to seemingly dissipate on a molecular level, with particles rapidly 'popping' out of existence. What would seem to be a feat of steady Dust Release usage to the inexperienced, inebriated or outright naive is in fact a display of Space-Time, as each individual particle of the scroll is being steadily transferred to an alternate plane as a whole.

Once all the particles have dissipated and Nameless is left with both of their hands pressed between nothing more than air, it's more than enough of a telltale sign that the technique's been completed, successfully at that. Brushing their gloved palms off, the Pendragon rises from their seated poise, retrieving the bag in the midst of that. 'Still got it.' The cloaked figure mutters, having tucked away the scroll into a pocket in space and time. Starting to trail through the cave system again, Nameless begins to close in upon their destination again, putting good use to their chakra again in the meantime.

It's flowed into the backpack this time, focusing on breaking down its particles bit by bit. Nameless could already tell that at the pace it was going that they'd need to tune their physique as soon as possible. While they'd never reached their peak, they most certainly weren't this weak. Even some random, nameless (hehe) fodder Jounin could give them a run for their money at the moment. Once the backpack's fully broken down, Nameless rolls their shoulders, reprieved of the extra weight it was placing upon their back. Free of the accessory for the time being, the Pendragon focuses on continuing to jog their memory of techniques.

It isn't until the nukenin reaches the next small opening in one of the many paths and winding tunnels that Nameless recalls some more Space-Time tricks. While it's also capable of being used with other forms such as Bukijutsu or even Ninjutsu, both of which Nameless is capable of using, the method the Pendragon is most familiar with is through Space-Time. With the scroll that Nameless had previously tested the Storage Displacement technique on being a perfect segway into using this technique again, there'd be no need for the Pendragon to go searching for a twig or something to grab onto and tuck away prior.

Chakra is drawn from the Pendragon's cobweb-coated pathway system, being tugged out of its procrastination space and into activity. Beckoned by Nameless as they impose their will upon it, the inner essence is brought to their wrist and directly in alignment with the end of the nukenin's shirt sleeve and wrist. It's localised there, promptly flowing into the limb in preparation to use the Hidden Arms technique. Drawing somewhat of a portal or distortion guiding into the pocket the scroll was tucked away into just a few minutes ago, the Pendragon connects the alternate plane back to reality.

The scroll within the aforementioned plane is tugged away from the clutches of space and time, dragged back into Nameless' sleeve. There's no blink of light, or fancy 'yoink' of the item from further up into the sleeve. In a matter of mere dexterity with one's own chakra, the scroll is brought back into being. Naturally, with where it was brought back at, the scroll slides from the sleeve. Having preemptively half-clenched their fingers though, the scroll lands perfectly within the Pendragon's gloved grasp.

'Perfect.' Recollection of Space-Time jutsu was coming back to the nukenin much quicker than they thought it would, because it isn't long before Nameless starts to recall the few other techniques they'd learned in their very early days of practicing Ninshu. For such an advanced form of chakra transformation, the techniques that Nameless had learned to acclimate to Space-Time were surprisingly easy. They'd actually be surprised now if they were struggling with using them, be it with or without instruction. Mass Shift, Snatch Steal, Flicker Movement.. and boy that was only tracing the surface of what Nameless had left behind with their title as a Takigakure shinobi.

And speaking of Takigakure, the Pendragon emerges from the cavern paths at last into a clearing. As a soft breeze of wind sweeps by to cast Nameless' cloak to the side, their gaze shifts about the assembly of trees lining the broad, barren pathway of sand. They could remember both the first time they entered and the last time they left this path, along with the many times inbetween that they rushed off to a mission while moving along it. In all honesty, the nukenin had missed this place, but the chance to return was thrown away by hastiness, and the eventual destruction of the village as a whole. Something that Nameless doesn't find hard to notice.

Far up ahead where the center of Takigakure culminated, the signs were obvious. Where the giant tree once stood as a pillar of the village were simply scorch marks upon soil rendered infertile. Among that, the place was just unkept in general. Grass had begun to grow along the path, having risen deeply over the years and left it more akin to an ornate lining of bushes rather than an actual walkway like it once was. It's a sad sight, one that the Pendragon doesn't try to stay present in for too long as they pace through what remains of what was once a village, tossing the scroll up and down as they pace along. Their sensory doesn't pick anything up at least.

Nameless doesn't stop moving up until they come to where the tree once stood tall and brave, now left as marred, blackened earth. Not even a root remains stabbed into the ground below -- it's all gone with the only trace being blackness. 'Must have been the work of chakra..' Nameless comes to the most obvious conclusion, as they toss the scroll into the air again. Briefly shifting their attention, their gaze locks upon the item as it soars into the air, before beginning to channel chakra to that location. As soon as it's been essentially 'marked' by the Pendragon's vision, a golden glow starts to dance around it.

Once it's become flush and vibrant, that's when the technique is employed. The chakra-coated object is steadily brought down from above Nameless, controlled solely by the use of the technique. It's brought down linearly, at a dramatically slower pace than what gravity would allow if it was controlling it at the moment. Eventually growing tired of the pace it was moving at, Nameless dismisses the technique, letting the object fall right back into their waiting hand. Catching it out of the air, the Pendragon drifts their sights back down, and this time starts to look around at the other greenery-filled paths, left unmaintained by the abandonment of Takigakure's remaining people most likely scattered throughout the countries.

It's a sad sight, really, one that the Pendragon finds disheartening to their very lineage. The place they once called home was now nothing more than a relic laced in moss and vines. Nameless wistfully moves onward, their gaze pivoting about their surroundings as they maneuver through the ruins. "Holding onto the past..." Nameless mutters faintly, beginning to draw out chakra from their core once more. A minute one that would suffice for the technique that they plan on rekindling with next. Channeling it through their arm, they let it circulate about, tenketsu becoming re-associated with the energies. Even if their chakra network may be metaphorically coated in the rust of neglect, they still remember what lead up to the scenario they're in.

And that disturbs them, in a way.

The chakra fizzles out, returning to their core. They let their arm flop down to their side shortly after, emitting a faint exhale. ".. There's no point." The Pendragon mutters, before turning upon their heel. Nameless begins to maneuver back along the root in which they came. Padding along in silence, Nameless seeks to leave the ruins that they approached in the first place. Through the cave system they go again, weaving through the complicated route again. Only time would tell if they'd ever come back to this place. Be it of their own will or someone else'.s. But as they see it now, there's no reason to hold on.

At least onto what's gone.
(Exit)

[1,808 WC]
[9 Stats, 4 to Chakra, 5 to Speed.]
[Storage Displacement, Hidden Arms and Mass Shift Learned.]
[308 words gone to [url=http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t41042-chakra-shroud]Chakra Shroud[/url.]