There was nothing for as far as his ringed gaze could see. Just a pitch black that seemed infinite. Apparently he was standing, though, a solidness below his feet that matched his front: nothing.

So there he stood, eyes closing in resigned acceptance of his fate. If this were his eternity – to forever wander in darkness, alone – then so be it. No form of dispute would leave his person. Instead, Nagato reflected.

And God help him, his thoughts could not wander to anything but the countless mistakes that were made since his second tragic run-in with the pain that festered in the world of ninja. So many sacrifices, so many deaths, all ironically given and taken in the name of bringing peace.

'God of Peace,' Nagato thought with disgust, a sneer taking over his expression. He was no such thing. The very opposite in fact. Not a single benefit came from his actions. Even his last one, though being his single right decision in so long, had been necessitated by his supposed just slaughtering.

A coldness settled over his body, becoming ever-more encompassing as his thoughts continued their downward spiral. He knew well what it was.

Shame. For his failure to protect his precious people. For his departure from the path he'd been trekking. For the lives lost in his radical vision for the future.

Nagato was well aware of the water running from his ringed eyes, was even more conscious to the vicious tugs pulling at his chest. With each new thought, Nagato's guilt steadily rose, until he openly sobbed, right hand pushing so fiercely against his eyes, teeth grinding as he hopelessly tried to stifle the overwhelming emotions.

They would not be squelched.

Somehow his mind managed to continue the train of thought, uncaring of the Uzumaki's current state. It's new focus, however, trumped all others beyond measure.

Before it could be thought upon, though, his gaze picked up a shift in the darkness. Nagato opened them further, watching the setting through teary eyes as it began to brighten. The ground, he noted, was still just as bottomless a pit as before, though eventually there were rays of light mixed in there. Following came a… crackling. A fire?

Light as it was, he still heard the chuckle emanate from his rear. And though it may have not been much, recognition came all the same. So frozen to the spot was he that he couldn't even breathe. That same pain in his chest returned, but now so excruciating. A shaky breath was taken as his feet gave in before the monumental burn of shame running rampant through each and every piece of his being. To his knees he went, eyes unable to stop their overflowing guilt's trails as he miraculously braced a hand to the floor.

He could see his master upon the slab of rock once more, impaled so gruesomely with those horrendous black rods. Could remember his brutal finish of him, sending the man to a bloody death at the bottom of a lake. The memory only served to worsen his gasps for air through his pathetic breakdown, so raw were the emotions.

So much had been given to him by his master. Only for Nagato to strike him down in cold blood in return. His very own student.

"Nagato..." his near-father called to him, voice somber, yet… cracking?

He was worth something to him still. Now it was a stab. He couldn't even see the pit.

The words came out by force. No matter anything, he owed him this.

"I'm sorry."

It could not stop flowing. The words just wouldn't stop. By the fourth, he'd begun pathetically yelling it, his voice telling every sign of his congestion, the following containing the addition of "so". Before this man, he was humbled by even being within proximity.

A strong tug and intense embrace were felt. Abrupt interrupted blankness, unfortunately, followed.