The Third Son

Chapter 1

Death of a Savior

"Father, I'm back."

The young man's voice cut through the dark stillness of the room like a sharp knife. The room had not seen or heard much activity for days.

The young man quickly and quietly made his way across the tatami mats to the center of the room. Lying on a large futon illuminated by two small candles lay an obviously-sick, older man.

The man was in his fifties, evident by his mostly gray hair, yet he retained the musculature and look of a man that had known great strength in his life. Though the man possessed a strong mind and body, his strength had been robbed by the illness that was slowly killing him now.

Reaching the older man's side, the young man reached over and brought a bowl filled with cool water closer to him. He grabbed the wet cloth in the bowl, wrung it out, and began to dab the sick man's face. He could see that the man was suffering from a very high fever, as his white robe was soaked with perspiration. His breathing was heavy as he lifted his right hand out from beneath the covers.

"Sanmaru. Were you successful? Did you speak with your brothers?"

The man's voice was weak, strained, and sounded desperate. The situation he spoke of had to be serious. Very serious.

The young man bowed his head at the question, dejected and disappointed.

"I did Father…but I failed. They wouldn't listen to me. After their fight, they stopped talking and neither one will yield their position on the issue. I fear this dispute between them is going to turn into a full-blown feud."

"There is no chance of them mending this rift that has grown between them?"

"I talked to both of them alone, Father. There is no chance, at least none that I can see."

The sick man closed his eyes, grimacing from pain having nothing to do with his illness, and he spoke again.

"This is my fault. This is a direct result of the choice that I made. And now, I am too weak to fix this mess of mine."

Sanmaru looked into his Father's eyes and spoke.

"I wish there was something more that I could do, Father."

"My son, I must make a request of you…a request that I have no right to ask of you. I cannot ask you to fix this mess that I have caused, but there is something I need you to do for me."

The young man grabbed his father's hand gently with both hands.

"What is it, Father? Whatever you ask, I will do it."

"Watch over this world when I am gone."

"Watch over it, Father?"

"I have preached my philosophies on the true nature of chakra…of Ninjutsu...to the world. I have tried to quell the war and chaos that has consumed our world and lead the world to peace. I can only hope that the people of the world will share in my beliefs. Your brothers and you…I have taught you three all that I know and all that I believe in. It was my wish that you three would help guide the people of the world into a new era of peace. But now, because I chose your older brother over your oldest brother to become my successor when I die, this great rift has grown between them."

"Father, it was your decision to make, and no one else's. Even though it is not my place to say, I believe that you made the right choice. Love is the key to peace, not power. Power by itself only brings pain. My older brother was the right choice."

The young man's father smiled slightly at the words of his youngest son.

"Promise me…promise that you will watch over the world when I pass…please." Reaching up with his other hand, he grasped Sanmaru's hands firmly with both of his hands.

Bowing his head again, the young man spoke with great regret in his voice.

"Father…my oldest brother was born with your "eyes", your powerful chakra and spiritual energy, and my older brother was born with your "body", your willpower and physical energy. But me…you and I both know that I've never been as good or as talented as my brothers. How can I possibly watch over the entire world?"

"You can do it, because you will have a part of me with you as well my son. You have been loyal to me your entire life. You have always embraced the ways of Ninjutsu and tried your best to live by them. Most of all, you understand that strength alone cannot bring peace. Peace will only come when we truly understand one another, through love. Please my son…promise me you will do this…no one else can."

"I…I promise Father…I will do my best."

"I know that you are worthy of this gift, my son. Now kneel."

Sanmaru scooted back from his father's resting place slightly, put his hands on the floor in front of him, and bowed his head.

Grimacing, the old man struggled to sit up fully. Fighting against the pain, he managed to sit up and face his son. His breathing became more and more ragged.

"Father, don't strain yourself. Your body can't take it."

"This…this…must be…be done my son."

Steadying his breathing, the old man closed his eyes and laid his hands on his son's head. His hands began to glow with a bright blue energy, and the energy began to pass from him to his son.

"My son…I have given my 'eyes' and my 'body' to your two older brothers, but now I give you my 'mind'. I give you my experience, my wisdom, and my extensive knowledge of chakra. Use this gift to protect yourself and to protect this world from those that would bring darkness to it."

After speaking these words, the light from his hands faded, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.

Rushing to help his father, Sanmaru laid his father back down and covered him up.

Between his gasping breaths, Sanmaru's father tried to speak.

"My son…your existence…will soon fade…from history…but you must…must always keep watch. It's…it's up to…to you now. Goodbye…my son. Remember…me as…I was."

With a final smile for the young man clutching his hands, the old man's eyes glassed over and he breathed his last.

Fighting back tears, Sanmaru carefully laid his father's head down carefully on the pillows. He closed his father's eyelids, so that he looked like he was only sleeping. Bringing the blankets up to cover his father's lifeless body, Sanmaru spoke his parting words.

"Goodbye, Father. You will be missed, but none will miss you more than me."

And so, from this world, passed the Rikudou Sennin. Sage of the Six Paths. Savior of the World. God of Shinobi. Father of Ninjutsu.