From Ashes, I shall Rise.

Episode One: Maelstrom.

When a strong currents fight each other, in the middle, a swirl is made. A melting pot, a combination, a symbiosis. The power of that combination is all determined by the will of nature. Perhaps, the maelstrom formed is not even strong enough move leaves sitting on the water. Maybe, just maybe, it could swallow whole fleets. Time could only tell what must happen, and when. Nature, for her all efforts, must provide the means.

In death, when a Maelstrom disperses, all the energy flows. However, when the energy flows, it never truly goes away. No matter how much someone tries, how many times, or even the effort of Death itself. A Maelstrom will always reform when conditions are met.

No matter what.

Lightning raced across the sky, a massive raged into the night. With sprites lighting up the cold, rainy, darkness. A pair of blue eyes illuminated from the darkness. Sparks of clattering flint revealed the form of a tan skinned child. A small firepit soon ignited, illuminating the cave walls. The walls covered in primitive paintings, depicting Nine Beasts centered around one individual. That individual was then depicted igniting in flames, battling two Dragons with the help of one other.

A crude drawing of a Moon and Sun over the two individuals. The one with the moon was the first to fall in battle, and with it, the one bearing the sun fell shortly afterward. The Nine Beasts escaped, spirited away by the one bearing the sun. That is where cave drawings ended, a tragedy.

With the small child, a sun mark on his hand, he leaned back and gathered warmth from the fire. The pine sap ignited easily under the sparks. Leaning closer to the fire, his skin heating up from it, the child's round face was exposed in the light. His face bear three whisker marks on both cheeks, blonde hair flowing down past his ears in minor spikes. Crystal blue eyes gaze into the fire, which flickered with the passing of the wind.

The child wore a faded coat, a few sizes too large for himself. He had one some torn shorts, it hardly alleviated the damp coolness of the cave. He had no undershirt on, and when he bent over to reach for something the coat slid down to reveal a tattoo of a tetragram on his stomach.

He didn't know he received the mark, but the tattoo on his stomach had been on him since he was born. Sitting in the cold, damp, darkness of the cave. The blonde-haired child just placed his hands over the fire, gathering its warmth.

On the cave walls opposite to the ones behind him, he looked up to see The Dark Dragon's face against The Light Dragon's. As if they were dueling, it struck The Old Man that had been on The Island as well. Sadly, as the child looked toward the gear, The Old Man was no longer a factor.

A picture near the bag was of the shirtless child, and him. The picture was placed in a small pouch, and on occasion, the blonde would look at it.

By the child was a pack, containing clothes, and gear. Reaching over to his left side, the blonde got some fish he caught earlier and began to place them on sticks. As he stabbed through the fish, his eyes widened when he felt a rumble. Placing the fish where needed them to cook, the blonde moved toward the cave entrance. There, his horrorstruck gaze fell upon a massive creature slithering its way through the forest.

Black skin, with bone-white armor, the eight-headed serpent glided through the forest. It made his skin crawl, he backed away from the entrance. His dream pointed him here, he felt compelled to be here, for whatever reason. Amongst monsters, among the wild, the hunt began for meaning. The child got his fish, pulling them off the sticks and letting them cool on the rocks.

Getting out his journal, the young child writes.

Today is May-8th.

Lost track of the time, one moment it was sunny, the next it was all stormy. The Old Man I had been caring for passed away last month. His body is buried at the Giant Cherry Blossom. His sword thingy and some of his gear was in good condition. Don't know how to pronounce his name, it is too hard. He died from Green Rot, I tried, and failed.

Old Man taught me how to write, so I practice now. He told me to write every day, and I try.

Naga swims through the trees again, must be careful. Naga does not like fire, must always keep Pine Sap with me. Dark Wolves prowl the shore every other day. The cave is still safe, may have to move to The Giant Cherry Blossom where Old Man's house was.

I still hear the call in my dreams, he calls to me, I must find him!

P.S Remember to fix rowboat Old Man came on dumb-dumb!

The child sighed, walking over toward the gear pack. He opened it up, there was a grabbling hook The Old Man had taught him to use before he passed away. Apparently, the man had meant to come to this island, for whatever reason.

Taking a moment, the child checked the pod things The Old Man had brought with him. The pods helped clean water, making it drinkable, no matter what. Naga made it hard to drink water, its slithering body always left behind a black mucus. The mucus was poisonous, enough to kill a full-grown monkey in one gulp of water.

Rather not wishing to move out into the storm, he walked back over to the firepit. Getting his cooled fish, taking large bites out of the entire morsel.

Crunch…Crunch…Crunch.

The fish's bones snapped under his teeth, made brittle by fire. Spitting out the bones as he seared the meat off, the blonde soon began to amass a small pile. However, he wouldn't let them go to waste, and it didn't take him long to finish his meal of three fish. It would've been more, much more, if it wasn't for the sudden storm.

As he wiped his mouth with coat's forearm, he sat about grabbing any durable fishbone. Using a stone, he sharpens the fishbones, tying them together into caltrops. The blonde reached over to the gear pack, putting the caltrops into a special pouch he made. They weren't the greatest things in the world, but they did the job.

Getting up from the ground, the blonde grabbed his pack, dragging it over to a makeshift bed made of leaves and dried moss. Laying down on it, he yawned, taking some of the caltrops he made and placing them at the entrance of the cave by tossing them over near the entrance.

He pulled his coat closer to his body, falling asleep as the storm raged on outside.

"Nnnnnnnn..u...ar….to…"
"Naaaaruuuuuto….."
"Naruto…"

The child floated around in a void, his eyes fluttering open. He saw a red orb floating above him, he could make out the shape of fox inside of the red orb. His eyes struggled to stay open, he saw the orb pulsing. Reaching out with the palm with the Sun Mark on it, the child. It was a like, an amphibian's egg, the shell so clear to where you could see the embryo inside.

The child looked up at it, answering its call, "Where are you?"

"Inside The Broken Mountain," The Orb told him, "Past The Giant Cherry Blossom."

Naruto, the child, looked at the orb incredulously. Miffed at its constant ruining of his sleep, the child lashed out.

"You keep throwing me into these dreams, who are you, what are you?! I cannot go to The Broken Mountain, Naga is there, Naga will kill me!" Naruto yelled as he thrashed about the void, "Just leave me alone!"

"I can't do it, I couldn't save The Old Man. I'm so scared, every day I wake up alone…I can't do it…I just can't keep doing this!" The child screamed out to the orb.

The orb's pulse of energy filled the void with red light, it approached Naruto, showing him the face of a giant fox encased in the orb. It reached a paw against the glass, Naruto gathered himself with a deep breath, placing his pal, against it.

The Orb stayed silent, and then sighed, "You must endure, for that is who you are…One Who Endures."

Grimacing, the child just closed his eyes, "I can't…I want to get to you, I just can't…I'm scared."

"Do not be afraid, I'll wait for you, I believe in you…Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto's eyes shot open and he slammed upward. Breathing hard, sweat rolling down his body, morning had come at last. The storm had passed, birds chirping outside of the cave meant the night past by uneventfully save for the storm. Getting up, he dusted himself off, dried moss and dead leaves falling to the floor near the makeshift bed.

Walking over to the gear pack, Naruto bent down, grabbing the gear. His groggy expression signaled his lack of sleep, sighing, he strapped the pack onto his back. He reached behind, grabbing the hilt of the blade and pulling it out. The blade was nearly worn out, part nicks and notches in the metal had begun to rust due to exposure to the elements. With a click, Naruto slid the blade back into the scabbard. Grunting, popping his shoulders, the blonde made his way toward the cave's entrance.

A morning rainbow hanged over the sky.

Launching himself toward a tree, he landed on a thick branch able to support his weight. It bounced slightly from the force of his impact. Moving side to side and shaking loose leaves from the storm's winds. He placed a hand over his brow, shading his eyes from the sun for him to see clearer. Seeing nothing along the forest floor, no Dark Wolves at least. With his observation completed, he launched himself again.

Inhuman strength launching him forward, his eyes focusing on his landing spot. Slamming down onto the branch, the brittle tree branch snapped. Backflipping off the falling branch, Naruto landed on his feet, crouched down slightly. Breathing, his breath suddenly became cold, making his hair stand up. His eyes widened as he rolled out of the way of a Dark Wolf launching itself at him.

Grabbing the tanto, holding it backward, Naruto and the Dark Wolf circled each other. Its thin, bony armor and red eyes gleamed at the potential meal in front of it. Launching itself again, Naruto parried it by sliding underneath and holding the blade up, slicing down its entire midsection.

It cried out in pain, dying while thrashing on the ground, turning into black dust soon after. Clicking the tanto back into the scabbard, Naruto sniffed the air, it was strange. The noxious fumes off the mucus of Naga affected his smelling, he couldn't tell if Dark Wolves were hidden in the area or not.

Jumping back into a tree, he began to crouch-walk along the branches. Testing them every so often so he wouldn't fall back down again. His plan was to get to The Giant Cherry Blossom. Along the way he'd have to hunt, if he could run across a deer, he'd have to kill it to survive.

Carefully keeping his noisemaking to a minimum, Naruto snuck up behind a Dark Wolf that was below him. Sniffing the air, the beast suddenly shook its head, it seemed that it was also by the noxious mucus of The Naga. He readied the tanto, gripping it with both his hands as he fell, stabbing the beast right through the head. No single thump on the ground being made, and with the instant death of the beast, it couldn't utter out a warning call to the others.

Skulking close to the ground on all fours, Naruto hid the shrubs, just in time to watch a Fast Lizard run into the area. Biting his lip, nervousness took hold of the boy. It wasn't as strong as Dark Wolf, but it was much faster. Once he saw the Fast Lizard dash away, he clicked the tanto back into its scabbard. Taking the breath that he had been needing for a moment, Naruto jumped up from the shrubs and into a tree.

As he went through the canopy, the trees became thicker and thicker. He found himself going back to his basic running on all fours, gliding through the trees as if he was a ghost amongst the forest. His coat fluttered in the wind, and with a large leap up, he drowned in the view of the forest.

The pines and oaks scattered randomly, the nearby river he dubbed Dark Wolf River, due to the wolves running constantly there. Falling back into the canopy, he caught a branch and swung off it. Backflipping back up and out of the canopy, Naruto watched as hawks joined him in the air. Falling back toward the trees, he imagined himself as one of those birds, able to fly away from this place.

A giant cherry blossom tree stood proudly over a large clearing, the thick forest in front it offered little room for large Grimm to roam. Landing in the clearing, Naruto walked toward the small cabin, he had helped The Old Man when he had first started building it. The man had been on The Island for about six months before contracting Green Rot from a cut he was given by Naga when he pushed Naruto out of the way.

He suffered, two weeks, in agony. Naruto had to the watch, slowly, as his only friend slipped away. It broke something in the child, it hurt him, and for the last month, he had been moving slowly through the woods. Unsure of what to do, unsure of where to go, and the voice now invading every single dream.

Frustratingly, he lugged himself in the clearing, sliding the pack across the ground. He had been looking out for deer, something, anything that was game. However, passing one of Naga's mucus trails put the blonde in anger, when Naga came everything else ran.

Unable to find a deer, the blonde was frustrated with himself. 'I can't do anything right, can I?'

The blonde walked toward his grave. It was a mildly deep grave, and there was a small seed from The Giant Cherry Blossom planted on top of it. Feeling burdened, he threw down the pack and just sank to his knees near the grave. Bowing at it, closing his eyes, saying a small prayer his mind faintly heard his mother tell him every night.

That had been seven winters ago. The only thing he could remember from his parents was that his father had blonde hair, and his mother had whiskers on her face as he did. He couldn't remember how, but it was a night that monsters attacked. He still had nightmares occasionally about it, but during that attack, he got separated from his family. The day that he washed up on The Island and no one else did. He never got the chance to see them again. That's when the dreams started, and the voice calling out to him.

To him, The Old Man buried underground, had been the last source of a long-forgotten feeling. Staring at the grave, the blonde felt something run down his face. Breathing harder, and harder, he started sobbing. Burying his face into the dirt, hitting it with his fists.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry…" He repeated, choking each verse of it.

Shaking from the crying, clutching the dirt in his palms, he sobbed before laying down. It had merely been a week, but a week on The Island felt like an eternity. He had been here since the night he lost his parents, and it weighed on him being alone. No one to talk to, and only fading memories to keep the child company.

Slowly, the tears dried from his eyes. He stood back up, on his knees, looking down at the grave. Standing up, he turned to where the sun would be setting, toward The Broken Mountain. The mountain was giant compared to the others on The Island, the difference was night and day.

For years he heard the directions, the same words. He had to hide for years in caves, struggle to survive against monsters. Yet, here and now, he lost his one and only friend to them. Something filled him, it wasn't sadness anymore.

White hot frustration, boiling determination and making him shake his balled fists. Staring at the mountain, the boy took a deep breath.

'Past The Giant Cherry Blossom,' Naruto clenched his hands tighter, "And inside of The Broken Mountain…"

Uncountable times, a number he couldn't name, the voice asked him to head toward The Broken Mountain.

He pumped himself up, "Alright…voice in my head, I got nothing left to lose, so screw it."

Turning back toward the grave, the blonde bowed, "Thank you, Old Man. I'll never forget your kindness, please watch over me, if you are, just a little bit more."

Walking into the cabin. The blonde rummaged through it, gathering pieces of metal before breaking them apart and folding them into more caltrops. He grabbed The Old Man's larger pack, which weighed a lot more. However, Naruto would need every bit he could carry. Grabbing a hunting knife, he began the arduous job of making sure he would be ready.

Taking stuff out of the smaller pack, Naruto began to transfer contents into the larger pack. Using the hunting knife, he cuts a large hole in one of the pouches on the pack, sewing a button and using a flimsy cloth to cover gutted pouch, he threads a string toward the top. Biting his lip, he placed the string near where he'd tie the scabbard and tanto at.

Clattering the makeshift metal and bone caltrops into the pouch, Naruto took a deep breath before pulling the string. The string popped the button on the pouch, causing the caltrops to drop. In relief, it worked, as he intended it to.

Sewing the button back on, placing the caltrops back in, Naruto went about making new tools. The Old Man some hardware tools in his effects. Wasting nothing, the blonde found a small screwdriver and looked at it. Nodding to himself, thinking it over, he saw some nuts laying near an open bin. The nuts had been there a few weeks, but they were still edible. However, it wasn't what Naruto wanted them for, instead, he grabbed a few of them.

Slowly using the screwdriver to drill a small hole at the top of the first nut. Naruto looked at it, grabbing a small little hook that The Old Man used on a fishing pole. Bending the hook, he then used it to dig out the insides of it slowly.

Humming in frustration, Naruto moved toward a small object that The Old Man had used to light up the room. Pressing the button at the button a bright light shined out of the top, pointing it at the nut and angling his head the right way, he saw that the nut was hollow.

Getting an old, worn out, rag to tear up. The blonde used the hunting knife to cut it further into strings. With the task complete, Naruto grabbed a glass vial, walking out. Holding the hunting knife, Naruto walked out and quickly made his way toward a pine tree. Taking a deep breath, he thrusted the knife deep into the bark, using all his strength to twist the blade. Slowly, Pine Tree Sap bled from the old wood, and the blonde collected some of it in the vial.

Walking back into the cabin, he empties the vial's contents into the shell of the nut. Placing a string inside of it that stuck to the glue-like sap, Naruto puts a very small dab of sap on the very tip of the exposed string.

Reaching over into the smaller pack that still had some stuff in it, Naruto pulled out two flint stones. Grinding the stones together, Naruto got a good spark, and the tip of the string ignited. Slowly, but surely, the string began to burn. Picking up the walnut shell, the blonde ran outside and threw it into the clearing. The shell filled with pine sap blew up, producing a loud bang.

The blonde watched as several birds flew away, making him smile. It was a dawning moment, and he ran back in.

With the sun hanging low, Naruto threw three nuts tied together with a burning string. When they landed, all three exploded soon afterward, the bang produced was much louder. His ears slighting ringed, his bright blue eyes were closed from the small flash it produced.

Smiling, for the first time in a long time, Naruto nodded and walked back into the cabin. There were many of those things now strewn on the floor, all of them had their holes sealed up by mud Naruto made using the fresh rain that had come last night.

The bed, much like the one in the cave, was made of greenery and moss. However, this one had a blanket. Stripping his jacket off, Naruto laid on the makeshift bed. His gear near the door, he would make for The Broken Mountain in the morning. It would be a few hours journey, but he knew that Naga hanged around the area. It was like that giant hydra was guarding something, and if it meant anything, perhaps there was something to the voice in his head.

Yawning, Naruto cuddled into the blanket. The child began to look up, reaching over toward his journal. He grabbed the pencil that had been laying near him, ready to jot down his thoughts for the day.

Today is May-9th

It hurts coming to The Giant Cherry Blossom. I buried The Old Man good, no wild animals dug him up. I miss him, my only friend. Tomorrow, in the morning, I'll make for The Broken Mountain. I have been here for many winters now, and I can't resist the call of the voice anymore.

The scary part is, Naga hangs around The Broken Mountain. It was my fault The Old Man got grazed by Naga's teeth. I had convinced him to take me near Broken Mountain and we got trapped. I still cry I don't like this feeling in me, being all alone.

Mama, Papa, can you hear me as I cry? I only remember your hair and eyes, I'm so sorry if it was my fault you went away. I'm terrified, I need you here, Old Man, I want you here. You'd been proud, I made some tools like you made, I made something with nuts, it goes BANG!

You always called me something, a Nutter? Can't really remember how you said it, so I'll just say you meant Dumb-Dumb. I promised you that I'd get off The Island, and for you, I'll never give up.

You didn't abandon me, and I'll not break my promise. Thank you, and if things go wrong, I'll at least not to worry about this anymore. You will have some flowers on your grave tomorrow.

Finishing his entry, Naruto tossed the journal toward the pack. Yawning, cuddling into the blanket, the child soon fell asleep.

"C…hild…"
"Chiiiilld…."
"Child…"

Naruto's eyes opened to the dark void once again, looking up at the orb, "What now?"

"I await you. You shall know where to go. The Mark shall show you, let it guide you, child, and there we will see each other. Be afraid, but do not let fear consume you, let it empower you. When you arrive, you will find that you're not crazed. My name will be spoken from your heart, and I shall free of this wretched existence." The Orb spoke to the child, placing its palm against the inner confines.

Nervously, Naruto placed his palm against the being's, only separated by the substance of the sphere.

The blonde took a deep breath, "Are you a monster, like them?"

"I am not, but to them, I am the monster. Once you free me, Naga shall fall. Be brave, child, there will be a hardship for you. However, I see into you, I see that you are ready for this trial. If you shall fall, do with a fire in your breast, and a scream of rage echoing out of the throat." The Orb Creature's red eye met Naruto's blue, "That is all I ask, in the event of failure."

It was a cloudy day. The sun did not pierce the clouds. Wearing the jacket, Naruto leaped into a tree. Quickly, the blonde maneuvered through the thick forest. He had been cautious the last three hours of the journey, but Broken Mountain was in sight. Landing near a cliff face, the child stood at the edge. He saw trees growing out of the side of the mountain he was on.

Just a couple of months ago, by some miracle of strength, he managed to lug himself and The Old Man across the treetops. This was right before Naga attacked them, and his hairs stood up at the pungent smell in the air. Getting the grappling hook out from the pack, his tanto jangling a little bit, he formulated the best course of action.

Getting out the grappling hook, Naruto got a running start before leaping over the edge. Throwing the claw out, he caught a branch before swinging upward. Tugging hard on the rope, the claw detached, allowing Naruto to gain some air and launch the grappling hook to the next tree. The swing toward the wall of the mountain, the blonde bounded along the side to keep from smacking into it before hitting the apex of his swing. Throwing himself upward with a tug, the claw detached and followed him.

It was a ballet between life and death, one wrong move meant a fall toward the gulley below. Coming to the final tree on the side of the mountain, Naruto launched grappling claw, connecting just right. However, as he reached the apex, he tugged and felt no give. His eyes widened; the claw had gotten stuck!

With no choice, he lets go of the rope and managed to catch the branch of another tree just above him on the flatter ground of the cliff face that had been opposite of where he started. Looking down, he winced as the grappling hook fluttered in the high winds, hanging off the tree.

There was no going back this time unless he wanted to brave The Caustic Basin. The Caustic Basin was where Naga's home was, and Naga no doubt would have other monsters there as well. Breathing hard, he caught his breath and swallowed the fear in his throat.

Dropping down from the tree, Naruto saw The Giant Cherry Blossom in the distance. Swearing he saw someone on the tree by the claw and smiled once he saw the figure fade away. Nodding to himself, the blonde checked his gear before walking into the forest.

The road would be long to The Broken Mountain, an easy six-mile hike through the thick. What would make it significantly longer than need be would be Naga and her minions. Running over a few logs, the child saw the forest increase in thickness. Everything stopped when he smelt the foul mucus of Naga.

Finding a large, hollowed out tree, Naruto dived right in and calmed himself. Naga slithered, knocking down a couple of trees in its wake. The four heads of the hydra looked around in all directions. It settled on near Naruto's tree, the blonde's eyes widened, and he struggled to keep his heart rate down.

A fawn ran out in front of the tree. The blonde bit his lip, he wanted to warn it away. However, he looked away as Naga crashed its mouth around it. Black mucus dropped from its jaws as the fawn screamed in agony, but the blonde watched as small lump traveled upward into Naga's body.

Naruto watched as the mother deer came running toward Naga in disbelief. It only lasted for a moment as the beast lunged to snatch her up as well. His fists balled up in anger, and at that moment, he looked right at the beast. Anger filling him, Naga began to slither away, knocking more trees over. The black heads of the snake searching for more prey.

Counting to himself, Naruto knew how fast Naga was. When he reached thirty, the blonde dashed out of the hollow tree, into the canopy of the trees above. Quickly climbing through them, looking around frantically to make sure he wasn't being followed.

The child breathed a sigh of relief. He was zipping through the trees, using his size to squeeze through small spaces where he could. He stopped near a mucus trail. Naga wasn't known to come back to the same place in one day anyhow. Looking toward The Broken Mountain, Naruto sat on top of the tree.

This is the closest he's ever been to it, that's when he felt a burn on his right palm. Looking down at it, Naruto's glowing mark pulsed.

"Let it guide you…" He heard inside his head.

No sooner than the pulse started, Naruto heard trees crashing. Without wasting a moment, he began to sprint, looking at his palm. The voice said for it let it guide him, and as the pulsing increased, the crashing of the trees behind him did as well.

He found his chance of escape as he came across a smaller gulley, turning around just in time to see Naga crash through. Within the last second possible, Naruto sidestepped, leaping to one side. Naga screeched as it fell over the cliff wall, crashing into the gulley below. He looked down, watching the hydra slither in the water.

It wasn't dead, but it would be preoccupied for the moment!

Turning around, Naruto barely dropped down in time to dodge a Dark Wolf lunging at him. Grabbing the tanto's hilt, Naruto pulled the blade out and got up. Running hard, the boy looked at the pulsing on his hand. Jumping up toward tree, he almost gets intercepted by a very large Dark Wolf.

Landing on the tree branch, Naruto quickly got out one of the clustered nut bombs he made. Taking a flint in the bag as the large Dark Wolf reared to lunge again, he lights it before throwing it hard at the beast. The beast was about to jump when the flash and loud noise filled the area. It became disoriented, stumbling about, allowing the blonde to jump down and stab through the neck.

It clawed with its back paws at first, however, it was done. With a twist, Naruto severed the beast's head with a mighty yell. Breathing hard, shaking his head, he watched as it turned to black dust. Clicking the tanto back into the sheath, Naruto got back into the trees. Running through them, as fast as possible.

Hearing the screeching of Naga behind him, the blonde knew that the beast would be back hunting him within twenty minutes. Looking at his pulsating palm, he took a deep breath. He jumped back into the trees, hoping to more distance between him and any monsters coming. Occasionally, stopping and grabbing the clustered nut bombs from his pack to throw them. He hoped the explosions would throw them off his trail, allowing him to continue unimpeded.

"Please don't be crazy…please don't be crazy." He chanted repeatedly before leaping to the next tree.

The pulses became much stronger, to the point burned. Stopping, holding his palm, Naruto looked up in front of him. Shuddering, his eyes came to gaze upon the ruins of a very gate. Biting his lip, nervousness took hold of him. Walking forward, Naruto took note of the strange symbols drawn on various ruins. This is the first time he has ever been so deep into The Island's lush woods.

This ruined village, city, whatever it was laid at the foot of The Broken Mountain. He never knew, he never made it this far, The Old Man would've had a joyous time seeing this. Walking slowly, the blonde looked at buildings, mostly made from wood and stone.

Now, they rotted away and broke in the winter.

He found bones, human bones. Backing away from them, he heard the howling of Dark Wolves. Cursing under his breath, the child looked at his palm at kept pulsing more and more. He looked at The Broken Mountain, noticing a large structure at its very base.

Moving cautiously, Naruto stared as several large birds flew in the air above. Hiding behind rubble, the child watched as several Dark Wolves ran out of the gate. He could hear a screech in the distance, did Naga already catch back on the trail and sensed him somehow?

Grabbing his tanto but not removing it from the scabbard. His blue eyes scanned the area, inside of him his heartbeat racing. Nervousness filled him, but the pulse on his hand grew stronger, growing in line with his heartbeat. The child gazed the road with his eyes. He was scared, this was eerily quiet. No other birds, no wildlife, and no other people. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Naruto pressed forward. Stopping, the blonde smelt something, and turned around toward the gate. His eyed widened as the gate smashed to pieces.

A second Naga, this one, pure white in color. It roared out at Naruto, slithering toward him. He sprinted as fast as possible, following the quickening of his pulses.

"Get to the shrine at the base of the mountain, and the mark will guide you!"
"I need help!"
"If you get to me, you'll get the help ever could want…"

Naruto almost fell into a canal, luckily, he saw it at the last minute. Leaping over, rolling forward when he hit the ground, Naruto grabbed the last few clustered nut bombs he had. Lighting them with his flint stones, he threw them as hard as he could. The beast's red eyes filled with blinding flashes of light, and some pieces of the nuts that contained the sap splintered and shredded one of the heads' eyes.

It screeched in pain, slamming its head about. Naruto took the opportunity to sprint, sprint with all his worth. He saw out of the corner of his eye as a Dark Wolf took notice, without thinking much, he started running on all fours. Leaping over a broken bridge, Naruto reached back and pulled the string.

The makeshift bone and some metal caltrops dropped, scattering all over the ground him. The Dark Wolf howled in pain as its palms crashed down onto them. It rolled around the ground, howling, calling in more of its kind. Getting over another bridge, Naruto drew his tanto and sliced at a small Dark Wolf lunging at him. With no armor and the child's strength being inhuman, the dagger glided through the creature.

Its head split open. Running full sprint once he landed, he closed his eyes.

"I need help!"
"Get to me, now!"
"I won't make it!"
"How dare such things, you've endured, push!"
"I don't even know if you're real!"
"You'll know…just get here…"

Behind him, The White Naga and a pack of Dark Wolves ran toward him. Naruto's eyes shed tears of fear, he looked at the temple. The pulsing of his mark began to become a solid light, he got to pass another large structure before watching the doors of The Broken Mountain Temple open.

His eyes filled with wonder, inside the temple, a glowing red orb floated in chains. Running up the temple, Naruto failed to notice the similar looking carvings of The Brother Gods battling The Dragons. Bounding in his steps, focusing solely on the orb, Naruto screamed under stress as he bounded over the steps. Getting inside the temple, Naruto looked at a podium, with a place clearly indicated to place his palm. However, just as he was about to bound over the last stairs, a large Dark Wolf tackled him. thrashing about, Naruto managed to use to his right hand to grab the tanto.

The Dark Wolf, however, tore his left arm off. His eyes widened, screaming bloody murder, Naruto slammed the tanto into the beast's head. Breaking the blade off, crawling up from under it, shaking all over it. He looked podium, something took over, and as blood flowed down his severed left stump he ran.

He thought of The Old Man, 'I'm not gonna die here!'

'I can't…not after everything…please…please…give me…give me power…' Naruto begged as he used the last bit of his strength to lunge at the podium.

"Power…hehehe…I can give you all of that and some. Yell out my name, yell out my name as it enters your heart…and our deal is sealed."

The blonde cried out, the being's named trapped in orb smiled, "KURAMA!"

Naruto roared, slamming his palm against the podium. His body burning a bright orange, flames surrounding him. Screaming in pain as his right arm glowed brighter and brighter, the chains breaking around the orb. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as his palm rested firmly against the podium.

His heartbeat began to slow down, Naruto slipped from the podium, watching as the Dark Wolves closed in. Blood pooling around his small frame, he looked at the chains breaking, one by one.

"Please…save me…" The child breathed before slumping to the ground in shock.

The final chains broke, and a cackle filled the temple, "Hehehe…as you wish, old friend."

When the last chain broke, the orb fell to pieces, a giant fox with nine tails emerged from it. Leaping out and crashing through the front of the temple. It was missing its right arm, and its left eye was scarred. The Dark Wolves backed up, looking at the beast in front them, growling. The White Naga even stopped, the beast was about the same size as it, but its tails even longer.

Red energy flowed from it, covering its body, it growled as forced the monsters to back away. The Black Naga crashed through the ruined village, joining The White Naga. The Nine-Tailed Fox looked at them, turning its head back to the unmoving form of the child at the podium.

Slowly moving forward, The Twin Naga screech in unison, lunging at the Nine-Tailed Fox. Dodging to the left, the fox countered by smacking them away with his tails. The Dark Wolves launched themselves, only to be met by a torrent of flame from his mouth.

Looking around the ruined village, the fox sneered, "You couldn't just stop with them…you erased everything they had built!"

"Your foul creatures, your twisted sense of Divinity. You will remember him, from the ashes we return, a phoenix rising once more!" The Nine-Tailed Fox roared after its observation, launching a torrent of flame into the air.

Thunderheads formed in the sky above, rain began to fall around the area. The Nine-Tailed Fox Demon cackled as the monsters broke through the gate, placing a tail near the temple, a small barrier formed. It raised up on its hind legs, bringing its one fist down like a mighty hammer.

The earth shook, breaking upon its strength, The Broken Mountain fell down the slopes in a massive landslide. Flexing its power, lightning raced across the sky, red in color. Several large groups of Dark Wolves raced toward the giant, only to be subjugated to a barrage of red lightning bolts.

The Hydras launched themselves at the giant fox, only for him to use his tails to suppress their movement. Black bile escaped their mouths as they launched it toward him, splashing it against the giant fox, it shuddered in pain. Backing up, the fox breathed a torrent of fire that engulfed The Black Naga, burning it to cinders, but The White Naga closed the distance.

Wrapping its entire body length around the fox, delivering several bites. The fox barely managed to tear off two its heads with its mouth, ingesting some of the black liquid. Breaking the vice grip, Kurama grabbed and ripped the middle head off the beast.

Roaring out, he slammed his hand into the ground, causing a massive crater to sink. Collapsing into a sinkhole leading to an underground lake, The White Naga screeched as more rubble fell into the lake. Kurama raised his head up, a ball of energy forming just above his snout.

He pointed it down toward The White Naga, "Tailed Beast Bomb!"

Launching the attack, it impacted the underground lake, causing a massive maelstrom. The underside of the lake had been blown open to a further cave system down below, The White Naga struggled, but slowly it was pulled into the drink.

Sneering, Kurama breathed hard, he limped back over toward the temple. He found the boy, the body at least, lying motionless at the podium. Collapsing down from his wounds, poisoned from the black tar, The Nine-Tailed Fox looked at the boy.

He used his claw to gently slice open the coat, exposing the tattoo on his stomach. The Nine-Tails sighed, looking at the dead boy.

"Rise with me, in the next sunrise, Uzumaki Naruto. Together, we shall rise from these ashes. Bonded anew, we shall rise like a phoenix…" Kurama began to fade into a mist of energy, pouring into the seal of the dead child.

He cackled as he did, the seal glowing brightly.

"After…I did promise to save you, and I never go back word…"