In the beginning, there was Azathoth. The Blind Idiot God, the Nuclear Chaos, the Daemon Sultan, The Patron Deity of Radiation, the God of Creation, and Destruction. Azathoth exists outside the ordered universe, all universes. At the center of the Multiverse he sleeps to the maddening beating of vile drums and the thin monotonous whine of accursed flutes.
From this blight of nethermost confusion came the Outer Gods. Nyarlathotep, the Nameless Mist, and Darkness were the firstborns of Azathoth. From them came the others. Yog-Sothoth, Shub-Niggurath, Nug, Yeb, and so many others whose very existence defies all that is orderly and right.
It was from the Outer Gods spawned the Great Old Ones, beings of godlike power whose numbers dwarf the stars in the sky and the planets that travel around them by a vast margin. Like the Daemon Sultan many of these beings lay in their death like slumber waiting for that day when the stars are right.
The knowledge of these beings that should not be was collected and placed into a book, a book that was just as strange as the ones who created it. This book would be sought after by the mortal races of the multiverse, for the book contained the truth, ultimate truth that was at it's core, vile and forsaken knowledge on the inner workings of the world in which the book resided and the others beyond the veil and void. The books infinite pages containing great power and greater consequence. Rarely does the book stay in one universe for to long, moving through the walls of reality from one to the other bringing with it a power best left alone. The book, while in a universe, is on occasion found by mortal hands, and inevitably these worlds change, and not for the better. This tale is one of many in which a mortal finds that damned book, believing it the key to untold knowledge and power, but knowledge of this kind has its price. And this Book, The Necronomicon is one to make sure the price is paid in full.
It is a night like most, the streets are empty, its denizens beginning to enter the nocturnal slumber to await a new day. The night is calm and the wind is silent. However this is a night that will change the world, and like most change it can come from the most unlikely of places, in this case a simple orphanage. Where children bereft of the love of a parent, toll away in hopes and dreams that may never come to pass. While most of the children in this orphanage can find companionship with those who find themselves in a similar situation, that is not the case for one child. This child is young Naruto Uzumaki, a young child of three with spiky blond hair the color as bright as the sun and eyes like pools of liquid sapphire. This Child is unusual to most, for he is a container for a being with curious fox-like traits. This creature called a demon by many is locked within the small child after a great battle on the day of the child's birth. While this entity is contained within the child safely, the ignorant masses do not see it as such. The child is a mere scapegoat for the emotional and psychological torment of the masses who in their grief have sunk so low as to berate the container believing him to be the fox-like entity incarnate or under possession of this creature of nine tails. Their misguided hate directed to one so young is bound to have consequences on a developing child, but the child is strong and steadfast in his beliefs. Torture him as they may but to break this child's spirit would require much effort.
An effort most would not be willing to waste on such a child, but every child has their limits and this one, however extraordinary, is no different, so he does what any child would do in his situation, he runs and he hides. Currently the other children of the orphanage are searching for young Naruto, to subject him to the psychological torment. So like any one else would do, the boy hides, though he ides in a most curious spot, beneath the stairs. This hiding spot will bring a change to the world in ways none can imagine.
Naruto peaks between the cracks in the stairs hoping to not be found by those who bully and torment him day in and day out. He is much too young to know why he is treated like this by his peers, though he is smart enough to understand this is not how the others are treated. Silent tears streak down his face, and he can hear the footsteps getting closer s time goes on. In an attempt to keep hidden, young Naruto leans against the wall in a childish attempt to become as small as possible. As he does this however the wall gives away, with a startled gasp he falls into a hidden crawl space. Slowly he looks around the darkness, and as a child of only three, sees opportunity, for this crawl space was a much better place to hide than under the stairs. So he crawls through, replacing the panel behind him as he hides in his new safe place away from the harsh words and the glares.
Curiosity however gets the best of the child. He wipes his tears and begins to explore. The rotted wood and cobwebs adorns the walls highlighting the fact that Naruto had been the first to set foot here in quite some time. As he crawls deeper into the darkness, he begins to hear a low, steady ringing in is ears. Ignoring it for the time being he crawls deeper within. Then he stops. The ringing begins to grow, going from a near silent ringing to many whispering voices quietly shouting in alien tongues.
"Hello", Says Naruto.
The whispers come to an abrupt stop. Thinking it over the child convinces himself they are the voices of the neglectful caretakers talking to one another behind the walls. He decides to crawl deeper into the abandoned area. As he does the whispers return. Keeping to his theory of the caretakers, he ignores the sound. As he reaches the end, Naruto sees a small door just large enough for him to walk through fade into sight. He reaches for the knob and slowly turns it. The whispers quiet themselves as the small door creaks open. Crawling through Naruto can see a dimly lit room with molded paper and rotted wood adorning the walls and floor. A decomposing wooden desk against the wall. Naruto walks to the desk inspecting this new curiosity. He reaches out and brushes the dust and grime aside. Looking to the drawers of the desk he begins to open them. The first drawer reveals a collection of papers in a better condition than the ones on the walls. He closes it before reaching the next drawer. As he pulls the whispers begin again causing Naruto to pause. As such he lets go of the handle and looks around a shiver creeping up his spine as the once alien voices become recognizable.
"Look Inside", whispers a small voice, so low it could have been a trick of the mind.
Never the less Naruto unknowingly obeys and opens the drawer. It was the most harmless of things, a large, if somewhat ornate black book. Curious Naruto takes the book out, the voices stop. Naruto looks at the Silver decorations adorning the cover of the book. The metal insignia attached to it's front appears as the top half of a skull with circling tentacles coming out the bottom of the skull, where the teeth should be. The holes for eyes hold blood red gems that while beautiful, seem dull, an do not sparkle as rubies should. A sudden feeling of calm flows over him as he stares back at the ruby eyes.
"Open it", commands the whispers.
Not put off by the voice Naruto opens the book to it's first page. He stares at the symbols within. Symbols impossible in any natural world fly around the page like shadows on the wall. A Flat square sphere, triangular octagons, and other such impossible symbols and shapes that gnaw and chew at the boys mind. A headache begins to form and his vision blurs as he looks at the impossible symbols on the ages of this book. His eyes grow heavy as he hers the sounds of footsteps and whispers behind him The last thing Naruto sees before the world goes dark, is a man, draped in shadows cast from seemingly nothing standing over him.
This shadowed man stares down at the boy, before he melts away into the shadows. As for Naruto, in his unconsciousness his impressionable mind rips and grows, being crafted by unseen tendrils that burrow deep within his mind, unraveling it by the seems, before I is weaved and twisted into a new form, giving him the tools to use the book in the future. These unseen tendrils emerge from the pages of the black book, wrapping around the young child's unconscious head cradling it as if it were the most precious of things. Unusually the mind heals the mental damage but the change is done.
"This one will be most interesting", speaks a disembodied voice emanating from the shadows.
As the unseen tendrils retract into the book it shuts itself of it's own accord, waiting for the child to awaken. No evidence anything happened remained, except the black book that lies still upon the floor.
Several minutes later Naruto awakens from a restless sleep. He rubs the dust from his eyes, before they catch that old book in their gaze. Suddenly, Naruto found himself captivated. He picks it up inspecting its cover, running his finger around the silver décor slowly, finding oddly enough the book was bereft of dust. Though Naruto thinks very little about it before shoving the large book in his small pocket, still too young to know such things are not possible, yet against all logic the book fits. Naruto exits the room back to the crawl space. As he exits he places his hands over his eyes from the silver light coming from a nearby window. Naruto stares out that window. Captivated by the night sky he stares at the stars and the full moon. He breaks his stare s he begins walking down the hall. Not consciously aware of the world around him, e seemingly travels with no destination in mind. As he regains himself he sees he has made his way to the orphanages library, though it was not deliberate, the boy finds his attention was now focused on several of the books on the shelves. A sudden curiosity comes over him. He reaches out to a small blue book and looks at it's title.
"Cryptography, How to translate secrets codes", speaks Naruto out loud.
For a moment he ponders the title before a realization hits.
"I can read", says Naruto mostly to himself.
Shocked by this realization, Naruto who is only three was never taught to read, and no teacher would be willing to teach him either. Yet somehow he could understand the title, as if his mind suddenly gained comprehension of the written word. Shrugging in childish naiveté he opens the book while moving to a chair near a lit candle and he begins reading. As he reads a familiar headache grows in his head but quickly passes and is forgotten a moment later.
As the morning sun greets her face one of the orphanages caretakers awaken. Quickly dressing she makes her way in the halls. As she walks, she notices the library door is open. She was so sure she closed it last night, so in in attempt to find the reason for the oddity, she peaks inside. Sitting in a chair a Young Naruto sits with his nose in a book, What is unusual of this scene is the book he is reading. It is an advanced book mostly there as a curiosity for the caretakers. Next to Naruto is several other books sitting on the desk, each one just as complex. Not something a child should be capable of reading. She walks in and clears her throat. Naruto looks up at her.
"Oh, Hi Yuki-San", says Naruto.
"Naruto what are you reading", asks Yuki.
"Just a book on The Human brain", says Naruto.
"Naruto those books are very advances, do you expect me to believe you can read them "asks Yuki with disbelief in her voice.
Naruto Smiles. As his mischievous nature takes over if only slightly.
"Wanna see", asks Naruto.
"Verry well, humor me", says Yuki with a shrug.
Naruto clears his thought in an overly dramatic fashion, much like a child his age would do when they found someone giving them attention.
"The Human Cerebral cortex is nearly symmetrical, with the left and the right hemispheres being approximate mirror images of each other. The Brain is divided into four lobes, the Frontal Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Occipital Lobe, and Temporal Lobe. Each lobe is named after the bones of the skull that override it, the Frontal Bone, Parietal Bone, Temporal Bone, and Occipital Bone. The borders between the lobes lie beneath the sutures that link the skull bones together. The exception is the border between the frontal and parietal lobes, which lies behind the corresponding sutures, instead it follows the anatomical boundary of the central sulcus, a deep fold in the brain's structure where the primary somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex meet", reads Naruto.
Not a stutter was said nor were the words mispronounced. Naruto looks from the book staring at Yuki as if waiting for approval.
"B-But, You're only three", says Yuki disbelieving of the event she had just witnessed.
She shakes her head and collects herself.
"How did you learn to read Naruto", asks Yuki.
"I don't know I just picked up a book and then BAM! it was easy to understand. I just could read it, so I did", says Naruto.
"I see, that. Well that makes no since, but I'll take your word for it", says Yuki.
She walks up to Naruto.
"Just put the books back when you are done, Ok", asks Yuki.
"I will don't worry", says Naruto as he continues his reading.
Yuki leaves the room heading down the hall. Walking a short path until se makes it to a door at the far end of the orphanage. Stepping through a door she looks to the face of a much older woman.
"Headmistress I have to speak to you", says Yuki.
The old woman turns to Yuki and smiles.
"Ahh Yuki-chan what can I do for you", asks the woman.
"Yes well I woke up and found Naruto in the library...", says Yuki before being interrupted.
"The Demon child, what has he done, burned the Books", asks the Headmistress with venom in her voice and mistrust in her eyes.
"Demon?", questions Yuki.
"Oh that's right Yuki-Chan you are not from Konoha, I'm sorry but I cannot say more, continue with your story", says the Headmistress.
Somewhat alarmed at the behavior of the headmistress, Yuki pauses for a moment, before continuing her story.
"Yes well I found Naruto in the library and he was reading a few books, most of them much more advanced than a three year old could possibly read, I dismissed it at first but he read the book out loud and shown that he could understand the book, I thought is strange so I decided to bring it to your attention", says Yuki.
The Older woman's
eyes begin to narrow.
"I see you were right to bring this to me Yuki-chan, I shall take care of this situation", says the head mistress.
Yuki bows.
"Yes mam", says Yuki as she departs.
The old woman laces her fingers laying them on the desk. She takes a deep breath as she looks out the window for but a moment before getting up. She makes her way down the hall before stopping at the library. Slowly she opens the door. She looks at the child sitting in the corner reading a very advanced book. Her eyes narrow.
"Demon", says the woman.
Naruto's head shoots up staring at the woman as he slowly backs into his chair with a fearful look on his face. The woman walks up to Naruto before swatting the book from his hand.
"Get out of here you petulant child", says the Woman.
Naruto stands up before quickly fleeing the room.
"And stay out of the Library", she says as he leaves the room as fast as his legs would carry him.
She turns her gaze down to the boon he was reading. Then to the books on the table. She walks out the room to go back to her office.
Yuki starts walking around the orphanage before Naruto bumps into her sending himself tumbling to the ground as she merely sways for a moment.
"Naruto, what are you doing, I thought you were reading", says Yuki.
Naruto looks at her for a moment. He wipes his face on his sleeve looks up at her and smiles lightly.
"I'm sorry Yuki-san, I won't do it again", says Naruto as he runs off.
She looks at him slightly confused.
"What a strange child", says Yuki as she continues down the hall.
Naruto runs to his room. As he sits on his bed he begins to think to himself unknowingly speaking out loud.
"Demon, why do they call Me Demon, They don't call the other kids that", says Naruto to himself.
Unlike any other time Naruto though that same thought, he was not emotional, in fact it id not even bother him, no this was a puzzle, one that as he thought f it seemed illogical, though as he had read before the headmistress kicked him out, humans usually have a reason for doing things, despite seemingly being illogical, there must have been some reason for it, otherwise the amount of people who treated him as such would not be as high as it was.
At the moment however, he is much too tires, so he stretches his arms, before he lays down for a moment as he slowly falls asleep.
2 Years later
Naruto wakes from his sleep. Yawning he stares at the pile of books he left by his bed forgetting to hide them. He stretches his arms as he grabs a few shoving them under his bed. He cracks his knuckles and neck to further awaken himself. He walks out the room into the hallway. As he does he can hear voices coming from down the hall, he walks up close as the voices of Yuki and the Third Hokage speaking to each other He stops walking to listen in on the conversation.
"I hope he will be fine on his own, he is only five", says Yuki.
"Yes but he is very bright for his age, and he will be closely watched. Staying here will only stunt his development, I will visit him when I can, but he cannot be raised here", says the Hokage.
"I know but he has a hard enough time making friends here, he will be ostracized in the village just as bad out there as in here", says Yuki.
"Yes, most likely but he will be closer to the village I can keep an eye on him better there, I am concerned is treatment by his peers here will stunt his development, it's not ideal but at lest I can visit him more often", says the Hokage.
"Ok, Ok I can understand your reasoning but, It won't be quite as bad once I take over", says Yuki.
"You are much to young Yuki-san, by the time you are able to take over Naruto will already be in the academy, this is the best we can do for him. Besides you will be out of the village as you visit your father, how is he by the way", asks the Hokage.
"Fine for the moment", said Yuki.
Naruto begins walking again turning the corner. He smiles at the Hokage, acting as if he never heard their conversation.
"Oh hey old man", says Naruto.
"Hello Naruto, I have some news for you", says the Old man.
He puts away his pipe and walks up to Naruto leaning and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I have decided to get you your own apartment, we will move you in at the end of the week, After seeing how you had to live here I thought it would be for the best, It is being stacked with a months worth of food, and you will have more room to yourself, I will stop by while I can", says the Hokage with a smile.
Naruto begins smiling as well.
"Wow! my own place I can't wait", says Naruto.
The Old man chuckles.
"Good to hear, but anyway back to business, Naruto I understand you wish to be a shinobi, and I believe you would make a fine ninja indeed. I was going to allow you to start the ninja program two years early, but I have decided against that to instead allow you to live on your own for that time. If I believe you responsible you may stay there, if not we may have to send you back here, do you understand Naruto", asks the old man.
"Don't worry about it Hokage-sama, I can be frugal, save a bit of money here, set up the place with a study, trust me you won't find a more responsible five year old anywhere in the elemental nations", says Naruto wit a bow.
The Hokage nods.
"Very good, prepare your things for when it is time to go, I will leave you in the care of Yuki-san She will be heading back to the Land of Vegetables, but she will be here until we finish your move", says The Hokage.
Naruto nods before heading back to his room.
"Are you sure of this Hokage-sama?, asks Yuki.
"I have the boy's best interests at heart, I would not do this if it wasn't necessary, but unfortunately roots run deep", Muses the old man.
"Roots?", asks Yuki.
"Just a figure of speech Yuki-san", says the old man.
Naruto runs back to his room quickly packing his clothing as he lifts an old pair of pants mostly for sentimental reasons a large black books falls out. Naruto looks at the book for a moment. He lifts it opening and flipping through the pages. As he flips them not really concentrating on the words he notices the pages never seem to end. As the pages quickly turn a piece of paper falls to the ground. He puts the book in his suitcase slipping it in a hidden pocket. Then lifts the page. He begins to read.
"The Knowledge of the Necronomicon takes it's toll on my mind. I find myself obsessed with it's contents. Why Dr. H. West decided to rid of it I will never know. There is truth in this book, an unbelievable truth beyond my current comprehension. I must know it's secrets, even if it kills me."
As he finishes the passage he turns the page to the other side. More writing can be seen this writing sloppy obviously done in haste. It is the same words over and over again. From the top of the page to the bottom.
"Look to the stars, what does that mean", asks Naruto to himself.
He slips the page back into the book. As he does small voices barely a whisper emanate from the corners of the room. The voices startle Naruto but slowly they begin to comfort him.
"Not ready, read later", says a small voice.
The whispers stop. Naruto looks around the room before looking back into his suitcase. The book was gone. Shaking the fearful thought from his head he closes the case before leaving the room again.
2 years later
Naruto wakes up. He looks around his apartment. He leaves his bed walking to a calendar and begins to smile.
"Only one week till ninja academy", says Naruto.
He walks to his closet sorting through a pile of clothing. He selects a plain black outfit and walks to the bathroom. He observes himself in the mirror. Many would look at his outfit and find it fitting to be worn to a funeral, but those were not the thoughts of the seven year old. He leaves the bathroom before going to his cabinets. Moving piles of books off the floor and onto a nearby desk he grabs an unopened pack of instant Ramen and prepares to begin fixing it to eat when he clenches his head slowly a headache begins to form in his mind. He puts the Ramen on a table before laying on his bed trying to will the headache away. Then the whispers begin. He looks around the room trying to locate the voices.
"It is time", speaks a small voice or countless whispers.
Naruto stops what he is doing fearfully looking around the room. He turns his head to the false bottom in his floor where he hides his most precious treasures. He walks up to it and removes the plank. Underneath he sees a familiar black book that was not there before. As he reaches out to touch it the voices stop. He looks around the room and then back to the book. He lifts it up taking it to a nearby desk. He opens it. Looking at the alien symbols he turns the pages. The alien language confusing him. As he continues to go through the book he begins to recognize patterns.
"Hmmm, seems to be written in some kind of code or cipher. Repeating symbols, not too difficult to figure out the patterns. Though the lexicon is unusual", says Naruto.
He looks around his room pulling a pile of paper and a pen from the drawers of the desk. He smiles to himself.
"Translating it should be fun", says Naruto to himself.