Chapter 15: Trials 2: Electric boogaloo

(1st POV)

The world shifts as I find myself in a white space

(Hm?)

Within a blink, the white space changes to the destroyed Uzu

(This type of thing!? Shit...) I look around the familiar Uzu

The nightmares resurface already

I start breathing heavily

(This isn't rea-)

*boom*

I hear in the distance as the world shifts again

I now stand in the middle of a battle between the Uzumaki and the enemy

Nobody seems to see me

But between the people participating in the battle, I see the apartment building I grew up in

It feels like that place grabs my vision as I can't move my head or eyes

Just staring at my dead mother

Again.

I feel like a string gets cut in my mind-

(Huh? Where am I?) I think looking around, seeing a battle

(What!? When did I get here?)

Some people seem to notice as they swing their swords at me

''Woah'' I dodge back as I start fighting them, hand to hand

(What's going on here? Who are these people... Who am I...?) Thoughts run through my head but I can't focus on them as I dodge another strike

.

.

.

It feels like hours pass as the enemy numbers dwindle

Until it is just me and the last enemy, everyone else on the ground, dead

''Ha!'' I throw a punch with all of my remaining strength as I knock him out

*pant*

*pant*

Seeing the corpses of the red-haired people stirs something within me, but I can't pinpoint it

Visions, without color, pass through my mind

(What... Is going on?) I think as I hold my head

Something clicks as I turn my head instantly toward a specific direction

My feet start moving by themselves

Until it turns into a full sprint

I stop

A red-haired woman under some rubble, dead

(Who... are you?) I think while looking at the corpse

(Why do I... feel so sad?) Confused I look at her face, I feel like a fire has started burning in my stomach

(I said I'd protect them, never let this hap- What? What am I thinking? Protect who?) I am now even more confused

(Now, I see this again, I fai- What did I fail???) Tears somehow stream down my face, the fire becoming bigger and bigger

(I let them die, it was my fault- Let who die?!)

(Wake up... Huh?

Wake up... But I'm awake...?

WAKE UP!)

*crack*

Cracks appear out of nowhere

(This is just a genjutsu... I will protect them, I won't let them suffer like this ever again!) The heat of the fire spreads through my body

*crack*

(I WILL PROTECT MY FAMILY!)

*shatter*

The world shatters like glass

I sit up, breathing heavily

My throat was dry, my skin burning

''Hm? I almost thought you weren't gonna make it'' Asahi says, seeing me looking around confused

I hold my head (Did I lose my memory or something? My head hurts... At least I remember everything now)

I feel the sun bearing down on my back

''Let's get you to the oasis'' Asahi says as he picks me up and puts me on his back and flies toward said oasis

Without even waiting for him to land, I jump off and land right next to it as I greedily dip my head into the water and begin drinking

I hear Asahi land behind me alongside wings being put on my back

A warm sensation spreads through my body as I feel the pain go away

Finishing my drink, I sigh as I sit on the ground

''Even just a few minutes later and you would have died to the sun burning you. You did better than most...'' Asahi says as I look toward him

''The master is probably waiting for you, time to go'' Asahi says as he picks me up and we fly toward the giant temple.

.

Hopping off of him, I look towards Harue who was looking at me curiously.

''What was that genjutsu about exactly?'' I ask both of them

''That was the genjutsu that our ancestors made tens of thousands of years ago. Only those with a will and passion burning like a fire may break the genjutsu and be able to summon us. When your mind has a goal that it wants to accomplish on all levels of consciousness, can you break out of it.

The genjutsu cuts off your memories of your main or 'first' consciousness, only leaving sub-consciousnesses.

The genjutsu then makes a scene that goes against your goals and what you live for, the foundation of you, and when your goals and wants are so powerfully against it, your subconsciousness steps in, and breaks the genjutsu.'' Harue responds

(A/N Don't even try to say how this is inaccurate or this isn't how it works, just stfu and keep reading, it's fiction. Also, the waterfall of truth Darkruto, it's something like that.)

I blink ''Very advanced...''

''Now that you have passed the trial, you can sign our contract''

*poof*

A big bright red scroll appears in front of me

I crouch down and unroll it, revealing many empty slots, except for one

(Hagoromo Otsutsuki...)

I copy the signature but instead write Yuki Uzumaki with my blood

''You have signed our contract and now become our official summoner. The Phoenix clan shall aid you when you are in need'' Harue says as Asahi nods

The scroll *poofs* away

''Cool, but how do I get back?'' I scratch my head

''We phoenixes are fast, no? Asahi can bring you home'' Harue says, Asahi just bows to Harue and moves close to me, but instead of picking me up, he extends his wing, giving me a way to climb onto his back.

I run up his wing as we take off

.

.

.

(He has an impressive future...) Harue thinks as he lets out a very rare laugh and lies down to sleep.

//Flashback end//

I clench my fist

(It will never happen until the day I die...) I think as I look toward the setting sun and then turn to head back to camp

(A/N Cool trial, I read about phoenixes only allowing themselves to be tamed by those with a burning passion equal to fire so I tried to incorporate that into it. Word count: 1052)