Title: Salvation or Damnation

Chapter One: Fading Light

Author's Note: Edited this chapter a little bit (very little) since it has been requested that it be expanded. Awesome. :) I know that I write short chapters, but I find it easier to read. Let me know what you think – read and review please!

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Naruto or the characters within, just the idea.

Fading Light

The heavily wooded forest had been considerably darkened by the ominous looming clouds overhead as they released their contents upon the already moist ground. On this night, the stars had found no reason to shine and the moon lacked the will to part the clouds; the skies reflected hurt, anger and betrayal. Even the wind failed to show its presence which allowed two lone figures to be the only movement and sound emitting through the thick variety of trees. One figure was lying on his back barely able to breath with blood trickling from the corners of his parted lips. His blond hair was matted and coated with mud as was the rest of his body, and his dark sapphire eyes failed to open. The other figure was hunched over him, his face mere inches away from the one lying down, and his breath was labored as his widened onyx eyes stared down at his comrade. He could feel the lack of warmth with great magnitude as the rain pounded against his head and back causing him to shiver slightly. Strands of his raven colored hair clung to his face as he pondered about why he felt so tired, so weak; though, he would have never thought there would come a time when he would think such things. The rain continued to fall in torrents as it streamed down his face, and mingled with the heat of his tears that remained unseen; he began to shake due more to anxiety than the bitter cold. No longer able to bear the sight before him, he attempted to callously look away and convince himself that this is what he needed. But in moments such as these, he always knew that his heart cried out for their touch and the warmth that he felt when they always saved him from himself. Over and over again, they had always shown him trust and that hurt him more than anything else.

Even he knew that he was blinded by his hate; in fact, he was not blind at all, but he chose to only see the growing desire in his heart for revenge. And with this darkening path, he could not help but run away from them and their light. The pain that he felt, he could never explain to anyone else, but his friends had understood and accepted him as he was. All of the demons he fought to keep locked away inside, he hid with his apathy and inability to change, but they saw right through this too. This mere thought had been the one that always kept him awake at night, this one thought of why he had ever left them in the first place.

I can, I can never go back.

He shook his head while climbing to his feet then ran a hand over the dried blood on his shirt before starting in the direction from whence he had come. As much as his friends wanted to accept him and bring him home, he knew better than anyone that the pain of betrayal never relented; it was as he had intended. His one last hope for him had been that they would soon give up on him and begin to hate him, and eventually force themselves to forget him. The pain that he felt, he would have never wished upon anyone save one, but his friends did not deserve it. In fact, he did not deserve most of the people who had come into his life. He paused to give one last look at the fallen figure, he sighed before continuing.

Naruto…

The energetic blond seemed to never be satisfied with anything, and everything he did was to gain attention and yet he was the closest to anything that felt like a strong bond. Though they had been rivals, their unsaid friendship had grown as they competed against each other at everything they did. Naruto never gave up and only grew stronger as time went on because of his love of his friends...

Kakashi-sensei...

The closest thing to a father in his latter years, and a teacher who had shown him everything that he could. Someone who had tried to prove that friendship and companionship were the most important aspects of anyone's life. Kakashi had put his faith in him and was someone who he had let down...

Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru...

A trio of individuals who always seemed to show up at the worst possible moment yet always came when needed the most. The blonde girl with glimmering blue eyes, who annoyed him to no end with her constant hugs and confessions of a crush. The plump kid with messy brown hair and a desire to eat who surprised him the most with his hidden strengths. The lazy boy who was a true genius and was the one person to count on even if he never seemed to care. These three had been active members in his life, who annoyed him during his time in Konohagakure, but he seemed to realize how much they meant to him after he left.

Sakura...

The person he thought he would miss the least was the one person he missed the most once he left. Her pale pink hair and glimmering jade eyes, they had always shone for him and she had been the one who caught him every time he fell. To her, he could do no wrong and that was why she was the hardest one to leave. She loved him and he had known it all along, but the moment she confessed it to him in the middle of the road was when it became fully realized. There were so many things he left unspoken, but he could not speak those words because it would have only made leaving harder. Sakura had always been the light in his life; but to go down the path he had chosen that was consumed with darkness, he would have to extinguish that light. Did he love her? Does he love her? He could not answer those questions, but whatever he felt for her, it was strong and it was complete. It seemed that she could put back the pieces of his broken self and make him whole again, even if only for a moment. Deep down he knew he needed her if he was to ever find salvation, and that was why he had tried to make certain she would never find him.

Sakura…

He could not be saved if he was to carry out what he had spent his life trying to obtain. A part of him wished that he would defeat his brother but would die in the process. Perhaps, in that moment, his heartache would be lifted as well as theirs; but in his eyes, the relief would only be brief. People like him were only permitted into one place once death overcomes them: Hell. And he knew that was where he belonged...he could only wish that he would see his friends in another life where the circumstances would be different and they could follow the same path. As for now, he would have to go it alone and suffer for his transgressions every day until the end.

The rain had dissipated and now only its remnants were trickling from the leaves high overhead, but there was still no light given to him by the moon or the stars. He no longer expected it to be there since he had shut out his light years ago, and now was only accustom to living in darkness.