AN: A bit of a history lesson in the beginning (sorry if it bores you). I didn't go into too much detail about the history just a general overview so if I missed some things I either left it out on purpose or I may have overlooked some information, but the start of Diablo III cannon is definitely here.
On another note, there will be times that I slightly stray from Naruto canon, if you couldn't already tell, and I may add or subtract something. In this case I will be adding something that wasn't there, but not to spoil anything, even if I don't think it's a big deal, I'll leave a brief note at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 7
"The last of the visions I had came to me as words. 'The End Times draw near. The last of the Lords of Hell will rise to conquer the mortal realm. In order to ensure the salvation of Sanctuary the great warriors must return to the beginning, to where the Lord of Terror was unleashed."
"That… sounds ominous. So… um, I'm a little hazy on my world history. Can someone remind me who the Lords of Hell are and where the Lord of Terror was unleashed? Just to… refresh my memory."
"You are definitely no Sage we have ever heard of are you?" said Queen Xaera.
"That's what I keep trying to tell everybody."
"Well you are aware of the realms of Heaven and Hell are you not?" asked Queen Celestia.
"Of course! You know… Heaven has all the clouds… and stuff, and Hell… has the fire and… the flames?"
Everyone just stared at Naruto trying to blink the astonishment out of their eyes but Celestia chose to press forward. "Yes, well the High Heavens are home to the Angels who are led by the Angiris Council who are the five Archangels. Not too much else is known about the Angels except the Archangel Tyrael who created the Horadrim on Sanctuary. The Burning Hells were once ruled over by the Greater Evils who were the seven most powerful demons created by Hell, but they are also divided into what we know as the three Prime Evils and the four Lesser Evils. The Prime Evils and Lesser Evils are not only the arch enemies of the Heavens but are also rivals with each other, which caused them to be in a near constant state of civil war."
"Well that's good right? With all that infighting it would be pretty hard to win a war over your primary enemy. If they were really united I bet the Angels would have had a harder time dealing with them right?"
"Yes, that is true. But at some point in their civil war, two of the Lesser Evils, Belial and Azmodan, were able overcome and banish the Prime Evils from the Burning Hells. The three great demons became stranded here on Sanctuary for a time, which created a serious problem for the people of that era. That became known as the Dark Exile."
"Oh, well that's bad."
"Very. It was some time after the Dark Exile that Tyrael wanted to give aid to Sanctuary by creating the Horadrim who were a group of mortal warriors given the task of imprisoning the Prime Evils within the Soulstones. These stones were crafted to contain the essences of the three Prime Evils. It was over a quarter of a millennium ago that the Horadrim finally succeeded in capturing the Prime Evils who were known as Mephisto the Lord of Hatred, Baal the Lord of Destruction, and Diablo the Lord of Terror."
"That last one, the Lord of Terror, is the one from your visions isn't it?"
"Yes, the very same. Diablo was captured and imprisoned within his soulstone to the west of the southern mountains of Khanduras. As the years went by, a Horadric cathedral with extensive catacombs was built over Diablo's burial grounds and the town of Tristram was built around it. As several more decades passed, the people abandoned the cathedral and what lay beneath it went forgotten. It would be close to two-hundred years later and just over twenty years ago from now that the Lord of Terror would be freed from his prison and what became known as the Darkening of Tristram would set in motion the events to come for Sanctuary."
"That, is some heavy stuff."
"That isn't even the half of it Naruto. I apologize for our friend's ignorance in these matters my Queen, but I can inform him of the rest when we continue our journey. I wouldn't want to keep yourself and Queen Xaera awake any further just to give a history lesson that we all should know."
"It's not my fault I hated reading when I was a kid; little miss know-it-all." Naruto said in a whiny tone towards Li-Ming while mumbling the last part.
"What was that Naruto?" Li-Ming said in and eerily cheery voice and a wide smile that made Naruto nervous.
"Nothing! I said nothing, no one heard anything!" Naruto quickly said while avoiding her gaze and whistling innocently to himself.
Queen Celestia couldn't help but laugh at their antics as she addressed Li-Ming. "I thank you for your assistance Li-Ming; knowing your enemy is a valuable asset in war. I leave further explanations in your hands."
"Don't worry Queen Celestia, you can count on me."
"I know we can. These visions had brought much fear to me initially, but as I look at the brave warriors in front of me, my fear is lessened significantly. The Lords of Hell have been defeated before and I believe that all of you who stand before us will ensure the safety of Sanctuary once more."
"Yes, I agree with Celestia. I believe our future is in capable hands. I must thank you again Sage, and Demon Hunter for all you have done for our country. If you ever need aid from the Askari people, you will have it." said Queen Xaera.
"I am honored my Queen."
"Thank you Queen Xaera, I greatly appreciate that. And likewise, if you and your people ever need my help again I would gladly give it." Naruto bent down a few feet in front of the Queens' thrones as placed a Hiraishin marker for them to use. "This marker I put here can be used for emergencies if you ever need it. Either you two or any of the Amazons or Oracles, if you're indisposed, can just push a little of your energies into this seal and I will be quickly made aware and I can transport myself here instantly."
"That is very generous of you Naruto. We will be sure to use this if we are ever in dire need of your help." said Queen Celestia and Queen Xaera nodded her head to him in thanks as well.
"You're welcome. I know we probably won't see each other again for a while, cuz I'll definitely be back to visit one day! And aside from all the Coven and pirate business, I enjoyed my time in your country greatly. So I'll be seeing you all later!" Naruto and his group said their farewells to the Queens and Zarae Amazons as they did so in return, and he and his group began to leave deciding to just get on with their journey since they were all awake already. But before he exits the throne room Naruto turns back to the Queens almost forgetting something. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot. About those two giant demon horns on the beach, I decided that I'll leave them with you. I figured since those demons caused your people so much trouble that you should keep them as trophies to put on display or use however you want. Unless they bring you bad memories then I could just destroy them and be done with it. Whatever you want me to do, I'll be happy with your choice."
The Queens considered his words and had a brief discussion with each other and Xaera gave their answer with a smile on her face. "Very well Sage, we believe the people will appreciate the sentiment; giving them a form of closure for what we have lost and what has been given back to us. We may have a few ideas for what to do with them, so we will accept your offer. You have our thanks."
"No problem! They're all yours. Well, wish us luck!" With that Naruto left the chambers with the Queens giving him and his group silent prayers for what they will endure.
Naruto and his group had left the Skovos Isles just before dawn to continue their journey but this time with a real destination in mind from Queen Celestia's visions. This time his journey had a lot more at stake due to the implications of her visions. They had been on the ocean for a few hours now with everyone deciding to get some more sleep when they departed; leaving Naruto's clones to handle the ship in the early hours of the morning much to their annoyance, which they voiced to Naruto, keeping him awake a while longer than the others. Naruto also had made sure to create two more rooms on the boat, making it a little larger, for Sonya and Johanna so everyone still had their own rooms to sleep in.
It was late in the morning when everyone was up and about on the ship trying to keep busy since they had a far longer trek on the ocean than from the first time Naruto, Li-Ming, and Nazeebo set sail from the Marshlands. It was decided that they would sail to Aranoch Bay which was north northwest from Philios instead of going to Kingsport like Li-Ming had mentioned to the Queens when they first arrived on Philios. Kingsport to Tristram would be a longer journey on land than it would be from the bay, so they would save some time this way. Naruto looked around at all the new friends he was surrounded by and when he spotted Nazeebo standing in a meditative posture towards the rear of the ship he walked over to him and put his arm around his shoulder and started speaking to him in a dramatic tone.
"What happened to us Nazeebo? We used to be the proud masters of this journey. Great halls filled with red meats and no vegetables in sight, the ramen flowing like rivers with no end, beautiful maidens happily waiting on us hand and foot, the robust stench of man filling the air with our tenacity and vigor! But now look at us, we have been overrun by the fairer gender, outnumbered, and falling to the wayside. Where did it all go wrong?"
"I do not believe any of those things have occurred on this journey."
"Don't listen to him Nazeebo. He's just being an idiot again, as usual. And there's certainly a stench of something, but it's definitely not tenacity or vigor."
"Are you sure this is the man the Crusaders have been searching for? For your sake I certainly hope not."
"I… do not know. The signs were there but… he is not what I had quite envisioned to be the one to light the path of the crusade."
"Hahaha! I have missed this. The bonding of comrades is a wonderful thing. I will enjoy this journey greatly!"
"Hehehe! Well at least someone knows how to take a joke, right Sonya? The rest of you ladies need to liven up a bit more. Quit being so serious all the time and enjoy life while you can!"
"I'll enjoy life when the Burning Hells can no longer infest this world."
"I'll hold you to that Valla."
"I enjoy life plenty thank you very much. It's just that you seem to make it a little more dim-witted sometimes, and I would rather not lose anymore of my intelligence than I already have with you around."
"Really laying it on thick Li-Ming."
"Hahaha! You know I'm not completely serious Naruto."
"Yeah, that makes me feel so much better."
"After what we just discussed with the Queens I don't think this is the time for merriment. The Lords of Hell are on the move once again and the crusade has just become far more ominous."
"I understand what you mean Johanna but we aren't going to be fighting this alone. I know most of us don't know each other too well, but we'll get to know each other with time. I mean Valla is just starting to get used to me."
"Unfortunately."
"Yes, well, what I'm trying to get at is everyone here is someone who can be relied on. All of us are capable of holding our own, but together I don't think there's anything that can really stop us from succeeding. Whatever comes from these visions of Queen Celestia, we'll put a stop to them."
"I agree! Wars cannot be fought alone, but with comrades the day is sure to be won! I will not fail to protect and defend my companions!"
"Well said Sonya. I'll do everything I can to protect those who can't protect themselves and everyone who is precious to me, but you can't let all these heavy visions and prophecies weigh you down. The time to get serious will come soon enough, so I think it's best to enjoy what little peace we have while we can, when we can. We are all human too, so you shouldn't force yourselves to be on edge all the time. That's just a quick way to burn yourselves out."
They all listened to his words and took them into consideration. Maybe it was okay to relax a little when they could, but none of them could really drop their guards completely with the way their world was. Perhaps a time would come when they could live a more peaceful life, but that time would not come for a while yet.
It was near dusk as the sun was getting ready to set and their first day out on the sea from leaving the Skovos Isles was coming to an end. The group of warriors had just finished eating their dinner and they were all now just relaxing in the common area sitting in cushioned chairs ready to restart the conversation of Sanctuary's history.
"Well Li-Ming, I think we should finish that history lesson Queen Celestia left off from. I'd like to know more about what happened just over twenty years ago."
"Are you truly not aware of these things? Many historians and scholars have made several books noting the events of Tristram. Most notably being the works of Deckard Cain who has first hand accounts of what the town of Tristram went through. They should be readily accessible to anyone who wish to learn." said Johanna.
"Let's just say I've been preoccupied and never had a chance to learn about it. Like I said before, I'm not really a huge fan of books."
"I am unaware of these events as well. The Umbaru are aware of our world's history from past centuries because of the few Umbaru who have ventured out from the Teganze on their own have come back with that knowledge, or the few outsiders who come into our lands share their wisdom like you yourself did Li-Ming. But I am afraid that no one has ventured outside of our lands for quite some time to learn of these events over two decades ago. So I would like to learn of these events as well."
"That is understandable Nazeebo. Well then, I believe Queen Celestia left off when Diablo was released from his prison beneath Tristram Cathedral. But I should give you a little more background before I get to that. You see after the Cathedral was abandoned for nearly two-hundred years, the ruler of Khanduras, known as King Leoric, decided that he would move the seat of his kingdom to be centered around Tristram. So just over twenty-five years ago, King Leoric commissioned a new manor to be built, for him and his family, a small distance from the cathedral, which would ultimately be his undoing."
Li-Ming continued to explain what happened a few years after Leoric and his family settled into his newly built castle. They learned that Leoric slowly started to go mad as Diablo's Soulstone began to corrupt him. This led King Leoric to become increasingly paranoid as he started executing everyone around who he thought was against him. He even started a futile war with the by far larger armies of Westmarch sending his eldest son, Aidan, and his men seemingly to their deaths. After the deaths of so many innocents under his rule, Leoric was finally killed by his own men for his increasing madness, and cursed them all as he died.
Aidan had survived and returned from his father's war against Westmarch, only to find his kingdom in ruins because of the recently slain mad king. He also found out that his mother was executed as well by her own husband. Aidan then learned that his younger brother Albrecht had been missing and vowed to save him beneath the cathedral where he was told he was taken. Aidan along with two others by the names of Moreina and Jazreth, a rogue and a sorcerer, ventured beneath the labyrinth of Tristram Cathedral and fought the evils within. This included his own father whose vengeful spirit would not rest as he became the Skeleton King with the help of the power from Diablo's Soulstone. They eventually met with the Lord of Terror himself and they defeated him as well with Aidan giving the final blow.
Their victory was a hollow one for Aidan as he saw that his brother was the one who Diablo used as his vessel after he removed the Soulstone. During their battle, Diablo's Soulstone had been cracked and could no longer completely contain his essence. So Aidan took it upon himself to suppress the demon by plunging the Soulstone into his forehead. Aidan was unable to completely suppress Diablo as he was plagued with nightmares and was slowly becoming corrupted. He later left Tristram with demons left behind in his wake as they destroyed the town and its inhabitants and would become known as the Dark Wanderer as he moved east. Under the guidance of Diablo, the Dark Wanderer moved to release his brothers Baal in the deserts of Lut Gholein and Mephisto beneath the Temple of Kurast.
Another group of warriors began trailing the Dark Wanderer as they moved east defeating the two Lesser Evils of Andariel and Duriel along the way. After the Dark Wanderer freed Baal and Mephisto, Diablo completely took over his vessel's body to complete his transformation. The warriors were able to defeat Mephisto and later Diablo and destroyed their Soulstones on the Hellforge which would seemingly banish their souls to the Black Abyss never to return, but Baal had been freed from his Soulstone and the stone itself was lost before the warriors found his prison.
About a year later Baal revealed himself to have moved on Mount Arreat with his armies that held the Worldstone within to corrupt it with his own Soulstone that fell under his control. Baal was ultimately defeated as well but he succeeded in corrupting the Worldstone and the Archangel Tyrael had no choice but to destroy it. But destroying the Worldstone lead to a devastation Sanctuary had never witnessed before. The resulting destruction broke the surrounding lands and the once great Mount Arreat soon became known as Arreat Crater.
"And here we are twenty years after the destruction of Mount Arreat going back to where Diablo was first released, to the old town of Tristram which is in ruins now."
"Man… I don't even know what to say about all that, but what was the Worldstone?"
The answer to Naruto's question did not come from Li-Ming but Sonya who spoke up to him. "The Worldstone was an artifact of immense size and power that was said whoever could control it would be able to alter reality and create life. It was said that it was even used to create Sanctuary itself. My people, the Children of Bul-Kathos, were given the sacred duty of protecting what lay beneath Mount Arreat. And we had done so for countless centuries fighting back any who would encroach upon our lands with evil intentions. All that was put to an end when Baal invaded and corrupted the sacred Worldstone, forcing the Archangel of Justice to destroy it. With the destruction of Mount Arreat the majority of my people lost their lives and the survivors lost their purpose. Our lands were devastated and our people broken, many of the Barbarians grew mad, unable to cope with the failure to protect the Worldstone and became the savage flesh-eaters known as the Unclean. I was but a babe, encroaching on my fourth winter when Arreat fell. The once united tribes scattered to the cold dead winds of what are now the Dreadlands just wandering the lands aimlessly and struggling to survive."
"I'm sorry for what your people went through Sonya and are still going through, but I stand by my promise. I'll help you however I can with restoring your fallen capital to what it once was. And maybe that will help push your people to reclaim their lives back."
"You have my sincerest thanks. From the stories Nazeebo has shared of you saving his people, and for what you did for the people of Skovos, I know your word can be trusted. So I will follow you to the bitter end my companion, and should I fall, then I hope you will continue to keep your word."
"Don't talk like that. I'll make sure you are there to see your people rise once again." Sonya just nodded her head in thanks, there was nothing further she could say for his generosity.
"Well there you go again Naruto, trying to fulfill another one of Johanna's prophecies." said Li-Ming with a wide grin spread across her face.
"What do you mean?"
"Many scholars have been referring to the scattered Barbarians as the 'Broken People,' and just as the Crusader's prophecy said that the one they search for, being you, 'will restore the glory of the Broken People.'"
"(sigh) Like I said, I just want to help anyone that I can alright. I won't be able to help the Barbarians for some time since it looks like we have the remaining Lords of Hell to deal with, but prophecy or no prophecy I would have done everything the same cuz that's just who I am. I don't need anyone to dictate what my actions will be." Naruto looked out one of the windows in the common room and saw that it was well into the night. "Well that took a little longer than I thought it would. Let's all get some rest, we still have somewhere close to two weeks before we hit land again. We should get all the rest we can because I'm sure we won't have much time to rest when things really start to heat up."
Everyone nodded in agreement to his words, things were going to start to get more dangerous from now on. But they all couldn't help but think about what the future has in store for them. They would have to push themselves further than they have ever done before just to survive, while keeping those who couldn't fight safe at the same time. It seemed like a daunting journey before them, but with their new friends standing alongside them, they knew their chances of succeeding were much greater.
The days on the ocean moved passed and everyone steadily grew more acquainted with each other and were all using the time to train in their respective fields. Sonya and Johanna spent most of their time sparring with each other as well as with Naruto since they were the only real close range fighters in their group. Johanna learned just as Sonya did that Naruto was a far better physical fighter than herself, especially with his speed. Often times the two women would work together against Naruto and they developed a good sense of teamwork while doing so. None of them could really go all out in their spars since the boat didn't have that much space to spare and they didn't want anyone close by to get caught in the crossfire. It didn't really matter if they damaged the ship since he could easily repair it, which he had to do several times since their spars caused quite a bit of collateral damage. Naruto always kept his speed and strength lowered to be closer to their levels so as not to hurt or overwhelm them too badly and they managed to get in good hits on him but he gave back as good as he got. Sonya and Johanna didn't always win their spars against him but they could definitely feel themselves getting stronger after each training session. They especially saw results in their endurance as each spar was always longer than the last.
Valla was continuing her own training that she was allowed to receive from the Amazons with the Queens' blessings. Her Amazon teachers showed her the way they use their bows when channeling their physical energies to be able to use bursts of rapid fire shots. Valla could already use her magic energies to create projectiles using her crossbows as mediums but this particular technique is what she wanted to learn. Before training with the Amazons she could only fire one shot at a time but a continuous stream of arrows was outside of her mastery. Valla had the theory and practice down so she was steadily progressing but it did deplete her energies fairly quickly so she could only use it in very short bursts, not nearly as long as her Amazon teachers could hold it for. But with her continued training she was steadily growing her reserves of energies as well as lessening the drain it caused, and would eventually be able to use that technique longer than she normally would.
Valla had later approached Naruto to ask him if he could make her some targets since his ability to manipulate wood became known to her, but Naruto didn't quite understand the targets she was implying so he just made her a few dozen clones to shoot at while they ran on the ocean around the ship. She was initially going to correct him on what she wanted but then realized how much better this would be since the clones would be moving targets which would help her greatly, and also help relieve some of her previous frustrations on the blonde without actually hurting him. Naruto had made the clones for Valla without even thinking really because he remembered doing the same for Tenten many decades ago when she wanted to increase the level of difficulty for her target practice through the use of his clones. Valla soon found out that her frustrations would just increase since some of the clones would taunt her when she would miss them. One clone even had the nerve to bend over and start slapping his ass while mocking her. She gave the clone no remorse as she shot him where the sun don't shine dispelling him and leaving her somewhat satisfied. Naruto however did not enjoy that particular memory and knew his clone did that on purpose just to mess with him.
Nazeebo was not idle either. He was older than the others and one of the more experienced warriors on the ship, aside from Naruto, so he didn't need to necessarily learn anything new. However, remembering how poorly he thought he did against those demonic squid made him want to push himself further in his training. He spent a lot more time meditating and sometimes in what he would call a Ghost Trance as he allowed more of the energies of the spirits to imbue him. The results of his training made more of his standard attacks and abilities more potent than they had been before; his Mana reserves became larger, his fires became hotter, his poisons became more deadly, his curses became more potent, and his connection with Mbwiru Eikura became even stronger. Ever since Naruto helped unite his people, the spirits have even become more powerful and motivated to help their brethren. So when Nazeebo calls upon them they too would be far more deadly to their enemies.
Li-Ming was also driven to improve herself since she knew the Lords of Hell wouldn't hold anything back against them, she would have to be in top form to survive the upcoming conflict. One of her most powerful techniques she has struggled to master is what she spent most of her time working on that she simply called Disintegrate. It was a technique similar to her Ray of Frost in that it was a beam of highly condensed energy that is shot in a straight line, but that is where the similarities end. This technique was comprised of purely Arcane energies that was very volatile and would be dangerous to the user until they learned to completely control it.
The problem Li-Ming had with this technique was that she had to literally hold it in her hands while focusing on firing it outwards, but holding it for too long could irreparably damage her hands. Just like with her Ray of Frost her hands could potentially become wrought with frostbite but she uses a layer of magic over her hands to prevent that from happening. The Disintegrate is on another level however and the layer of magic she places over her hands doesn't last very long, so the most she can do at this point just looks like she is firing lasers out of her hands instead of a steady stream like it was meant to be. Since she was the only one who understood the properties of Arcane magics there wasn't anything anyone else could do to help her. The few times she pushed herself to the brink, Naruto had to heal her hands to prevent them from becoming useless.
Now was such a time where she sat within the barrier Naruto erected to heal her hands once more. "I can admire your dedication and persistence, but I think you need to take it easy for a little while. This is like the fourth time this week I've had to heal your hands."
"Fifth actually. But I can't afford to slow down now, everyone else is working to improve themselves so I need to do my part as well. Like you told me before Naruto, things are only going to become more difficult, and this technique will give me the edge I need to ensure our enemies are defeated."
"I understand that, but I've seen the last few attempts you were making and I could see the frustration starting to build up, and each attempt you made was a little sloppier than the last. When you try to master a dangerous technique like yours with a clouded mind, you'll probably end up damaging more than just your hands. I'm not really one to talk since I used to be the most impatient guy there was but I learned that slowing down a bit to clear your head can really make a world of difference."
"Yes, that is something my master used to tell me as well, but everything just came to me so easy when I was younger, so I've never really felt I needed to slow down. I just don't want to end up being useless again like last time, so I need to figure this out quickly."
Naruto finished healing Li-Ming's hands so he stopped using Sixth Paths Sage Mode and dropped the barrier as he responded to her. "Are you talking about the two giant squid? Those things would have caught any warrior flat-footed and even fewer would have been able to fend them off. Humans aren't exactly equipped to fight underwater. You can't afford to be reckless now Li-Ming, just take some time and meditate or something to clear your head. None of us are fighting this alone so there's no need to rush things, just pace yourself. I remember you saying that you were years ahead of your former peers and even some of your previous teachers right? You'll get it, I have complete and utter faith in you Li-Ming. After all, you're the greatest Wizard I know!" Naruto exclaimed as he walked off with a giant smile on his face.
"Idiot, I'm sure I'm the only Wizard you know." Li-Ming said to herself as she sat on the rear deck thinking over what Naruto told her. She knew he was right, she could hear her master telling her the same thing, that she needed to slow down and clear her mind. She has come a long way from the young aspiring Wizard she once was so she needed to do this the right way. So with a renewed sense of determination, Li-Ming decided she would take a moment to focus her thoughts and go over everything she knows about the Arcane before trying to master that technique. It would take a bit longer but it felt like the right thing to do now.
It was the middle of the afternoon and the six warriors have been getting ready for the past hour as the coast was quickly coming upon them; ending the first part of their journey to Tristram. Naruto supplied more sealing scrolls, and explained their function and how to use them, to his newest friends which they were thankful for; it would lessen their burdens greatly. Everyone was more than ready to depart the oceans and get back on land. They all really wanted to test themselves after training for the past two weeks to see the improvements in their skills firsthand, so they were ready for any fights headed their way.
Once they were all back on land, Naruto sealed away his ship inside a large scroll, that he then sealed into a smaller one, since he didn't want to just leave it floating on the ocean. His friends couldn't quite believe he could seal away such a large item as it was just a little hard to grasp that something so big could just be carried around inside his pocket. Sealing away their personal items was one thing but what was essentially an entire structure was just a little beyond believing if they didn't just see it happen before them. Li-Ming and Nazeebo, the two who have been with Naruto the longest, just wrote it off as another one of those things he can just do, while the rest were just a little more than baffled but decided it was not worth dwelling on.
After sealing the ship, Naruto jogged his way back on the beach to reach his companions so they can continue their journey. "Okay, looks like we're all set. We're still heading north northwest right?"
"That's right. Depending on how fast we travel or what trouble we run into, it will most likely take us a week or two to reach New Tristram." said Valla.
"New Tristram? What happened to the old one?"
"They built another town not too far from the old one sometime after it was destroyed and decided to name it New Tristram. They had very fertile farmlands around Tristram and many people didn't want to abandon those lands so they built a new town. However, many believed the ruins of Old Tristram to be cursed so they tend to stay away from there and the cathedral."
"Have you been there before Valla?"
"Yes. I stayed one night there at the town's inn, perhaps a little more than two months ago, when I was traveling to Kingsport to get to Skovos. Only one of the locals didn't seem intimidated by my presence so she started a conversation with me, and she told me a little about their town the night I was there. I didn't stay long however as I was just passing through and left early in the morning, so I didn't take the time to explore the historical sight of Old Tristram."
"I was there as well when I was a young girl with my master. She took me to see the ruins of Old Tristram. We couldn't stay long either as demons were still lurking about and I wasn't quite ready to defend myself against so many, so we had to abandon that little excursion." said Li-Ming.
"At least we have two people who are a little familiar with either the New or Old Tristram. Well, let's not delay anymore. If the Queen's prophecy was anything to go by, New Tristram will probably be seeing some trouble very soon or they might already be in trouble."
Everyone nodded in agreement as they set off at a light run to try to get to New Tristram at a quicker pace but not exhaust themselves too quickly. Everyone made sure to have their weapons at the ready in case of any trouble they would run into while traveling. Nazeebo also took a moment to summon his Gargantuan as a safety precaution since its overall senses were more heightened than a normal humans. The height advantage it had over everyone would also allow it to see over the terrain as they moved and would be able to alert them of any incoming danger. Of course that didn't mean everyone else's senses weren't focused as well; no one wanted to take the chance of being caught off guard.
The journey on land towards New Tristram was very insightful for Naruto. They again ran into some more goatmen along the way but he also got to see many of the different dangerous beasts that roamed the countryside. There were packs of what looked like miniature werewolves close to the size of Great Danes that they called Scavengers. They were very vicious and quick with sharp teeth and claws and were able to burrow and travel underground but they were really only a nuisance to their group. Another unique animal he saw looked like a mutated porcupine called a Quill Fiend that shot quills out of its back from a distance. The several they saw left their group alone for the most part but some of the more aggressive ones attacked them but they were either killed or scared off when they knew these group of people were more dangerous than others.
Another group of animals that were starting to get on his nerves were Carrion Bats and their nests that were actually immobile living creatures rooted to the ground that spawned the bats, and wouldn't stop until it was killed itself. These bats and nests were scattered all over the countryside and they would run into at least a dozen per day. When he was told that they also carried and spread disease, he used clones to fan out in a wide area to search for more to destroy as many they could find and to burn the nests and dead bats to make sure whatever disease they carried couldn't spread.
Probably the most memorable encounter with the wildlife that Naruto and his group experienced was when they were ambushed by a group of very large insects, close to the size of an average human adult, that sprung up from the ground when they were walking past. However, a few moments prior to the ambush, this group of insects had caught one of the Biju's interest as they all had their senses open to the environment around them. Chomei wanted to make contact with these particular insects since he felt a more familiar connection to these than any others. So he decided to ask his container to prevent any violence on his behalf.
'Naruto, don't allow your comrades to attack these creatures lying in wait a few yards ahead.'
'Huh, why?'
'Just do it as a favor to me and allow me to spread out my chakra and use you as a medium for a moment.'
'Okay Chomei. I'll leave it to you.'
'Thank you.'
Just before the ambush was sprung everyone felt Naruto's chakra spread out from his body but they could tell that it felt different from his usual chakra. Before anyone could question what he was doing several bursts from the ground stopped them and they were all surrounded by at least a dozen Withermoths that everyone but Naruto was familiar with. As they were getting ready to attack, Naruto quickly turned to them almost yelling and raising his hands in a gesture to stop.
"Hold on! Don't attack them okay!"
Everyone gave him questioning looks and still had their guards up and weapons drawn even though these creatures seemed to be docile for the moment, since the potent energy in the air made them realize they were in the presence of a much greater insect, but Li-Ming was the one to voice their question. "Why, Naruto? Withermoths can be potentially dangerous especially in such a large group like this. I actually don't think I've ever seen this many at one time before."
"Just give me a moment okay. I uh… wanna try something. Just don't attack them unless they attack you first."
They all stood there perplexed on what he could possibly want to try against these insects, but they gave him the benefit of the doubt and just observed for now. Naruto nodded his head to them in thanks and allowed Chomei to take over his body. Naruto seemed to be giving off more of the unique feeling chakra and everyone noticed a sudden change in his eyes. Once blue eyes turned into dark green, almost black eyes with no iris, pupils, or sclera and when they saw the complete change they all noticed that they became compounded just like an insect's. What came next really threw them for a loop as they heard him make clicking noises that sounded completely unnatural coming from a human mouth.
The Withermoths started reacting to the clicking noises as they flew around the clearing excitedly and they as well began to communicate back. Naruto's group started to back away from him as the insects began to fly around him more closely and animatedly as they continued to communicate with each other. Chomei started using his affinity for lightning and sparks of electricity began running over Naruto's body. The Withermoths suddenly stopped, forming a small dome around Naruto as they as well began coursing lightning through their bodies and all the electricity began connecting together, creating a dome of lightning. Naruto's companions stared at the admittedly beautiful display, having no idea what was going on, but since he wasn't crying out in pain they made no move to interfere. After a few more moments, the lightning display ended and the Withermoths scattered into the surrounding area, leaving the group alone. The chakra Naruto was giving off dispersed throughout the air and his eyes turned to their normal blue and he could see all his friends continue to stare at him unsure of what to say. Chomei explained everything that went on to Naruto since he had no idea what they were saying to each other, and he then explained it to his friends.
"Well, I did what I wanted to do so, we can go now. Those giant bug things shouldn't give us trouble anymore. I guess they can communicate over really long distances so that lightning display was kind of like a warning to the rest of their kind about me. They actually have like a hive mind that they can communicate from, and I think they'll even help out from time to time working as scouts. So don't attack those guys anymore okay."
Naruto just turned to keep walking in the same direction they were headed without any further explanation figuring they will catch up soon enough. They all eventually came out of their stupors and moved to catch up and Li-Ming being the most inquisitive of the group was soon bombarding Naruto with all manner of questions. The group would have to endure another one of Li-Ming's interrogations and Naruto's irritatingly vague answers.
They were traveling for ten days through the wilderness when they reached a dirt road that Valla had recognized being the one she took when she left New Tristram, so it was safe to assume they were on the right path that led straight to their destination. Unfortunately she told them that they were about a half a day away so they still had some distance to travel. They were making good time because they ran into a few groups of wandering demons that they were most familiar with and came to the conclusion that more of the Coven were nearby probably heading for Tristram as well, or they were already there. When they came to that notion they decided to push themselves to keep up a steady sprint most often while taking short breaks to recover. They all felt the sooner they get to New Tristram the better because they could all feel that something was about to happen.
The sun was down and it was evening when they were going to rest for the night, they had a few more hours on the road before they reached Tristram and decided to finish their journey in the morning. Naruto had created another temporary house for everyone to sleep in off the side of the road and most of them were already settled into bed. They weren't able to rest for long as Li-Ming, while reading, saw something outside of her window that caused her to slam open her room door yelling for everyone to get up while banging on their doors as she ran outside.
"Everyone get up, we have to move, now!" A lot of scrambling could be heard from a few of the rooms as they all rushed out with weapons drawn to see what was going on.
"What is it? What happened?" said Johanna. By this time everyone was heading outside where they saw Li-Ming standing looking at something in the sky. When they all got out they saw what she was looking at. Most people would assume it was a flaming comet falling from the sky but considering their circumstances they knew that it couldn't be something as simple as that.
"Look, there's no doubt in my mind whatever that is, is heading for Tristram. Whatever is supposed to happen in Tristram is happening now! We have to move!"
"Li-Ming's right. This just screams trouble. Everyone go on ahead, I'll catch up to you." said Naruto.
"What?! Why are you staying behind?!" demanded Li-Ming.
"We got trouble coming behind us, I can feel it. Whatever that thing was that fell is attracting more demons and probably the more vicious wildlife, they feel really agitated and volatile. I'll cover all of you, I can catch up faster than anyone here. Get going, I'll get whatever supplies you all left in your rooms when I head back, but you should probably put your armors on to protect yourselves more."
They all noticed that they were only wearing their casual clothes since they were about to go to sleep and they all moved quickly to get themselves properly suited for a fight. After a few minutes they all ran back out the door sprinting to Tristram, that is everyone except for Valla and Johanna as they casually walked out prepared, but not heading for Tristram.
"What are you two doing? You should catch up to the others."
"I said I would fight by your side and that is what I intend to do." said Johanna.
"We're not leaving you behind to fight alone, the others had the same idea but we decided that the two of us would stay with you." said Valla.
"Awwwwww Valla, I knew you cared!"
"Don't make me shoot you."
"Hehehe, I'm just messing with you. Alright then, get ready ladies, they'll be here in a moment. We can't let them get to Tristram, that town is most likely already under attack, so we can't let it get in more danger than it is."
"We understand, they will not get passed us." As soon as Johanna finished her statement they could hear the various growls and grunts of both beast and demon alike. It was not but a moment later that the various creatures came into view and once they spotted the three humans on the road they began to converge on them.
Johanna started things off by launching herself up into the air to come crashing down on a group of ghouls and goatmen that caused a small shock wave that threw several demons into the ground while killing the ones closest to her. As soon as she landed she stood her ground as more charged towards her and she began using her flail and slashing the enemies around her. Her attack seemed to ignite the air before her and everything she hit was scarred with scorch marks. She still had expert use of her shield and defended herself well, while also using it as a weapon, bashing her foes away. When it seemed like she was getting overwhelmed she would use her Wrath to generate mystic shields that erupted outwards from her body in a cross pattern that knocked them back or killed off the already injured demons and animals.
Before the various creatures charged at them, Valla quickly laid out four traps around her that she could trigger herself when an enemy came in range. A large pack of scavengers came rushing towards her and she immediately began firing a spread of bolts from her crossbows, quickly putting down the scavengers after a few shots. When more started pouring out from the ground and bushes and got close to her, she triggered her traps that exploded in a short burst of spines that impaled the incoming animals, killing them. She continued to cover Naruto and Johanna as best she could using her range, targeting down quill fiends, carrion bats, and goatmen who were throwing spears, but when some enemies got close to her she used her agility to backflip a short distance and finished them off after she created space between them.
Naruto immediately created shadow clones but they did not stay in their area to help fight, instead they went to cover the other areas around Tristram since he figured that these frenzied demons and animals weren't just coming from one direction following that falling ball of fire. Speaking of fire, Naruto ran through hand signs deciding to use a different technique with Matatabi's help, one she had helped use with her previous container Yugito. When he finished, he spat out three hairballs in the shape of mice covered in blue flame that scattered in different directions going for a group of enemies. When the three mice got close enough to their targets they each split into a dozen more smaller mice that each exploded on a different creature. The animals they attacked were killed but the demons were tougher, although they still took heavy damage as well. He then joined Johanna on the front line, killing various demons and animals with kunai and assisting Valla by throwing a volley of shuriken when needed.
Naruto had spoken to the Biju before about getting them a little more involved with the fighting or just helping him out in any way. He wanted them all to be able to unleash their chakras every once in a while to stave off the boredom. They all agreed emphatically and were glad that he was thinking about them. Gyuki and Shukaku would be sated for a while longer since they already helped Naruto before, so letting the others have a hand in the action now wouldn't bother them. Kurama had said he would like to relax for a while longer since he's had more than enough adventures with Naruto over the years and would just like to watch his siblings get into the thick of things. But he did not want to miss out on any of the really big battles that he knew his container would eventually get into.
While they were still fighting, thundering footsteps could be heard off in the distance getting closer to the three and Naruto's acute hearing heard another distinctive sound coming from it as well.
"Does anyone else hear a bull coming towards us, or is that just me?"
"Sorry, a little busy at the moment, but I can't really hear anything other than these vermin around us."
"A bull?" Valla had a thought occur to her after Naruto's question, as she remembered that very large and dangerous creatures liked to roam around the open valleys of Tristram. Her eyes widened once she realized what Naruto was hearing and yelled out to her companions. "We have to move! That Savage Beast will trample over everything!"
Not a moment later they could hear the loud bull-like roar coming towards them along with crashing trees and other animals and demons crying out as they were killed by a massive beast that was charging straight towards Johanna and Naruto at a speed that should not be possible for such a large creature. There was a lull in the fighting as all the creatures still alive became distracted by the rampaging beast. Johanna, thinking about Naruto's safety took a defensive stance with her shield to take the blow but Naruto knew she would still be thrown like a rag doll by the large beast. He jumped in front of her just as it reached them but not before yelling in his head for some back up.
'Kokuo!'
'I'm on it!'
Naruto had Kokuo's chakra running through his system using her Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength, as wafts of steam started rolling off his body, and he caught the creature by the horns that curved low below its jaw, stopping it dead in its tracks. Naruto, not wanting to extend the fight with this beast as it was already in his grasp used his enhanced strength with Kokuo's chakra and violently twisted his arms in a counterclockwise rotation, breaking its neck. As if the loud crack of the beast's broken neck was an unknown signal to stop the fighting, the animals that were still alive seemed to have regained their senses and ran away from the three warriors. The few demons still there had no such sense of self preservation and they continued to assault the three but were finished quickly since there were only a few left. The three stood there while Valla and Johanna were taking time to catch their breaths from the skirmish and Naruto spoke to Johanna.
"You shouldn't put yourself in danger like that Johanna. Both of us were quick enough to get out of the way of this thing. If you took that hit it would have thrown you clear across the field over there."
"Sorry, it's just in the middle of battle it is difficult to remember how fast you can be. All I really thought about in that moment is how important you are to the crusade Naruto, and I will do all I can to ensure your survival."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but the last person you need to worry about is me. I've been hit by worse things than this giant bull thing. My past teammate and her master's fists are just two of those things."
"I understand, I suppose with more time fighting alongside you I will become accustomed to such things."
"Yup, just give it time and you'll see how much damage I can take. Well, I think the energies coming off that falling ball of fire caused the animals to go berserk and it finally dissipated in the air causing them to regain their senses, but I can't say the same for the area it crashed in. It's probably worse around wherever it landed. Let's get our stuff from the rooms and catch up to the others."
The two women nodded in agreement and went back into the temporary abode Naruto created to gather the rest of their belongings as well as their other comrades' things that went ahead. After Naruto dispelled his wooden house he took a moment to look at the large creature lying in the road and voiced another question to his friends.
"Hey, this thing is like beef right?"
"No one is really sure from what I've heard. It has some similarities to the bovine family, but its distinct claws and sharp teeth clearly show that it is a carnivore. But it is edible if that is what you are implying, it's just not really on the target list of hunters to kill for food."
"Well, I'm sure everyone's gonna be hungry again after all this fighting. So that's all I need to know! I'm taking it!" Without another word Naruto was shrouded in steam again as he lifted the large beast on his back and began running down the road giving a juvenile-like yell as if to pump himself up, leaving the two women to catch up with him.
"Why did he not just seal the beast away like everything else instead of carrying it?" asked Johanna.
"I do not presume to know what goes on in that man's head, nor do I really wish to know."
"After getting to know him these past few weeks, I suppose that can be quite the disturbing thought."
"Very. (sigh) Let's catch up to him, before we lose sight of him. He's like a child on a sugar high sometimes."
"Hahaha, agreed, on both accounts."
Li-Ming, Nazeebo, and Sonya were running down the road, each using their own unique energies to increase their speed to get to Tristram as quickly as possible. While running they ran into several enemies both animal and demon. Sonya led their charge as they continued to run without stopping and she hacked away at any beast charging straight towards their group, and when a larger group came at them she used her Whirlwind technique as she rapidly spun around with her two blades deeply cutting into everything in front of her. Li-Ming and Nazeebo covered the flanks with Li-Ming launching spectral blades that electrocuted and stunned their enemies, and Nazeebo summoned groups of yellow toads that poisoned the incoming creatures while also causing them to lose their senses and prevented some from continuing to pursue them.
The closer they got to Tristram they noticed that a new type of enemy was starting to emerge around them; whatever fell from the sky had started to awaken the dead. Many people were killed during the time of King Leoric's madness so there was much of the undead rising from their graves or whatever fields Leoric had them buried in. These zombies weren't particularly difficult to deal with for the three since they were so slow but there didn't seem to be an end in sight so far. They continued to run while killing as many as they could along the way and soon they could see a glimmer of light up ahead just a little further beyond the trees. When they finally got past the grove of trees they were in, they came along a short cliff overlooking a town and saw a sign saying 'Welcome to New Tristram.'
They could see the civilians were frantically running around trying to reinforce their town walls and the militia were outside defending the gates of their town but with the few militia they had they would be overrun soon. So the three warriors wasted no more time and quickly ran down the sloping pathway to the main gates to give them aid against more zombies. The three companions made quick work of them before anymore of the militia could get hurt and they just stood in awe of the fighting prowess of the three who took over and made it look easy in comparison to themselves.
"I don't know who you three are but thank the gods you arrived when you did! So many of our militia has already fallen. I doubt we would have survived the night without your aid."
"You're welcome. Quickly gather everyone back into the town walls. We'll continue to help defend your town while you rest a bit." said Li-Ming.
"Thank you. My men could really use the rest, I'll just have them perched up in the wood towers to keep a look out. I am Captain Rumford by the way, may I know your names as well."
"My name is Sonya."
"I am Nazeebo."
"And I am Li-Ming. Can you tell us what happened here?"
"Those zombies just came out of nowhere a couple hours ago when that Falling Star came crashing into the Cathedral. We sent out a scouting party to where it landed but I was the only one who survived. Leah and her uncle were the only ones in that accursed place, don't know why they would ever want to stay there, but Leah was the only one we found. She's back at the Slaughtered Calf Inn if you wish to speak to her, I can go fetch her if you like? I would appreciate it if you could continue to defend the main gates."
"Of course, that is fine. We are more than capable, but we are still waiting for our three other companions to join us. They stayed back because it looked like the wildlife and other demons were in a craze and they covered us so we could get here to help as quickly as we could."
"I hope they are as strong as you three, otherwise I fear the worse."
"No need to worry about them. They are just as capable as we are. They should be along in a little while."
"That is good news to hear. We will need all the capable warriors we can get. I'll be back shortly."
The three stayed outside the gates to defend against any further attacks and to give the town's militia a bit of respite from the fighting as they waited for Naruto, Valla and Johanna as well as the survivor the captain was retrieving. A few minutes later the captain came back with a young woman in tow who had short brown hair with her bangs framing the right side of her face and wearing a red shirt with a brown vest and pants with no armor, indicating she was not a seasoned warrior, but she did carry a bow with a quiver of arrows showing she could still fight if needed. Li-Ming approached them when they opened the gate, being the designated speaker for the group while Nazeebo and Sonya continued to keep a look out.
"Hello, Captain Rumford told me you three warriors came and saved us. I just want to say thank… you. Oh, wow."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Oh! Sorry, it's just that I never imagined that three warriors of such different cultures would show up together like this. A Wizard, a Witch Doctor, and a Barbarian; you three just come from such diverse backgrounds, it's nearly unheard of to find a group like yours come together."
"Hahaha! Well, you're in for a real treat because we have others coming on the way."
"Really? That's amazing! It just reminds me of the stories my uncle used to tell me when groups of warriors just as unique as the next would come together when Sanctuary needed it most. (gasp) Uncle Deckard! He's still out there! Please, you have to help me save him!"
"Leah, I'm sorry but, from what you described I doubt he could survive a fall like that. Deckard is..." Captain Rumford was cut off from his morose words by Leah.
"No! I know he's still alive! If no one will help me, then I'll go back on my own if I have to!"
"Don't worry Leah. We'll help you save your uncle but we should wait for the rest of our group to show up to let them know what's going on. It shouldn't be much longer now."
"Captain Rumford! A Savage Beast is charging down the hill!"
"Well don't just stand there! Shoot it down!"
The militia began raining arrows down on the beast, piercing its large back, including Leah who took her bow out as well to help. The three veteran warriors were about to jump in as well but as it came closer they could all hear a distinctive yell that sounded very familiar.
"Don't aim for the back! It's all just muscle and will only anger it! Aim for the head!" Yelled out Leah as she was lining up her shot to take it down. She wasn't the best archer but with a beast that big she couldn't really miss, right?
"Wait! Hold on! Hold your fire!" Li-Ming shouted to the archers to stop but it was too late when Leah's arrow caused the creature to come tumbling down.
"Gahhhh!" Leah's arrow was indeed the one to take the charging beast down but she didn't quite hit the target she was aiming for. The beast fell on its limp legs and slid down the rest of the slope just stopping before the warriors outside the gates. Trailing right behind the downed beast was Valla and Johanna as they caught up to their fallen comrade and figured out what happened when they saw all the arrows stuck in the back of the large creature. They could only shake their heads in exasperation; they should've known something like this would happen. The ones in the unknown were cheering for taking down the massive animal but they all stopped when they heard a muffled voice that they could not detect whom it came from.
"What the shit Valla! I haven't even annoyed you today!"
"That isn't true, you annoy me every day."
"Hmph! Whatever!"
"Besides, I didn't shoot you you idiot. That arrow came from the front. How do you expect me to hit you from that direction when I was trailing behind you?"
"I dunno. A secret magic arrow that changes direction?"
"Idiot… Although, that might be something worth looking into. Thanks for the idea."
"Anytime!"
"(sigh) Naruto. Just what are you doing this time?"
"Li-Ming! Is that you?! Are Nazeebo and Sonya with you?!"
""We're right here my friend/comrade!""
"Oh good! The gang's all here! Well I brought food if anyone's hungry!"
"What the hell is going on?! Who are you all talking too?! That beast isn't talking is it?!"
"Leah, I would like you to meet our friends that we were waiting for. The woman with the crossbows is Valla, and the other with flail and shield is Johanna."
""Hello.""
"Hello, I thought Captain Rumford said you had three other companions, and you still haven't told us what's going on. Where did that other voice come from?"
"That would be the numbskull who thought it would be a good idea to carry this Savage Beast while running down the road to your village entrance yelling at the top of his lungs like an idiot. Thank you for taking him down by the way. You just made my day with that shot."
"I am so glad that my pain amuses you Valla."
"How thoughtful of you." Valla said with a smile that everyone but Naruto could see, clearly having fun at his expense.
"Do you need help Naruto? I thought you would have unearthed yourself by now, but if you need assistance, you have my arms."
"No, no. I'm alright. Thanks for the thought Sonya. I just… wanted to hide my shame for a little while."
"Well please do hurry up Naruto. This young woman's uncle is in danger and she would like our help to find him."
"O-kay!" They all watched as the front of the beast began to shift, causing the militia men to get nervous thinking it was still alive. It was then lifted up partially as a man began to crawl out from underneath it and finally standing up in front of them revealing himself. Those who didn't know him were just staring at him in bewilderment, still not quite understanding what just happened.
"Wha- You- you were really carrying that thing?!" said Leah.
"Sure was! I thought we'd all be hungry again from fighting so much, so I figured, why let it go to waste?" Naruto then proceeded to step on one of the horns of the beast to lift his leg up for a better angle as he ripped out the broken arrow from his left thigh where it hit him. "Ow."
"Oh my god, I am so sorry! I think that was my arrow that hit you! Let me help you bandage it up."
"It's alright. I heal fast so no need to worry about me, and Valla was right. Not my brightest idea to come running towards a group of people with a giant beast on my back. And I couldn't really see that well with its shaggy fur impairing my vision, so no need to take the blame. I'm Naruto by the way, Naruto Uzumaki."
"I'm Leah."
"Well Leah, your uncle's in danger right? We'll definitely help you find him, but is there anyone who needs to be healed right away? I am a healer so I would like to take care of anyone who needs immediate attention first."
"Well, Brother Malachi has done everything he could to help those who need it, but many have been showing symptoms of illness after being attacked by the undead. I don't know if there's much more you can do for them."
"I would still like to try. Can you please take me to them?"
"Of course."
Leah led Naruto back to the inn where several people were laid out on the floor with both injuries and symptoms of illness. They seemed to be in great pain and a few other villagers were tending to them. Naruto quickly threw his barrier kunai into the walls of the inn's common room and entered Sixth Paths Sage Mode. Those who didn't need medical attention immediately felt overwhelmed by his presence and collapsed to their knees. They weren't warriors, just regular civilians so they couldn't really handle this form he took as it became difficult to just breathe. Naruto saw what he was doing to them and several chakra arms moved quickly to heal those who need it.
"Shit, I'm really sorry everybody! I'll be as fast as I can." It took Naruto a little longer than usual since the symptoms he was healing felt like they were more like a curse since he could feel an evil presence within them. He also noticed that Leah was taking his presence far better than the others as she stood her ground but it was still hard for her to move, but that wasn't the only thing he felt from her. There was something within her that caught his interest that he felt he should look into later when he had the time. After another minute the people's symptoms began to clear and he felt that he destroyed whatever was infecting them. He immediately dropped his form and retrieved his kunai to give everyone affected by his presence a chance to recover.
"What the heck was that?! I've never felt anything like it before." Leah then looked down to those he healed and saw that they were coming to, looking perfectly healthy compared to earlier. "Amazing, you completely healed them. Brother Malachi is our best healer but he couldn't do something like this."
"Sorry about that. I've never really used that form around conscious civilians before so I didn't know it would affect everyone so greatly. I guess the people I heal in that form are usually unconscious or are in so much pain or discomfort that they can ignore the feeling I give off. Seasoned fighters handle it better than others but that's because they are more resilient than regular citizens. I'll know better next time."
"No, it's okay. Everyone looks fine now. Thank you so much, I was afraid they wouldn't last another day. Oh! There are others who need help as well! They are in the town cellar, please hurry! I'll take you to them!"
Leah led Naruto back outside the inn to get to the others who need his help but they were stopped when an older man's cart was broken down and blocking the street. "Mayor Holus, you're blocking the path! Please, we have to get through!"
"What?! How da..."
"No time old man! We got people in need over there!" Naruto cut off the mayor before he could start raging and suddenly picked up Leah in a bridal carry and jumped over his cart. "Quick, just point me in the direction we need to go!"
Leah yelped when she was literally swept off her feet and carried in such an unfamiliar manner. She wanted to yell at him to put her down but she was so shocked and unsure of what to do that she just pointed in the direction he needed to go. She didn't have time to be any further embarrassed as she was put on her feet since they arrived at the entrance to the cellar and they were already walking down. Still a little embarrassed, she noticed that Naruto wasn't making an issue over carrying her like that so she wouldn't either. She regained her composure and led him down to the large underground room with even more people laying sick than were at the inn and she saw one man tending to his wife in the back. This man was a bit older, probably in his late thirties or early forties with brown hair and a beard and mustache with a bit of a gut on him, wearing regular working clothes.
"Haedrig! I brought someone who has come to help, and there are others with him to defend the town! I'm sure he can help Mira and the others. He healed everyone in the inn, so we can trust him."
Haedrig looked up to see Leah and another man walking behind her, not sure what to think. He's always wary of newcomers to the village until he can measure what kind of person they are. "You should know better than to trust strangers so easily Leah."
"Haedrig!"
"It's alright. He's just trying to look out for everybody. Being wary of visitors isn't a bad policy, it's just when you start getting paranoid is when it becomes a problem."
"I'm sorry lad, I don't mean to be a pain, but this town, both new and old, has just been through so much bad history. I just don't like getting my hopes up."
"I understand. Let me show you with action rather than words that I can help you, and you can decide for yourself if you can trust me."
"Brace yourself Haedrig. This form he takes is a little unnerving but it won't hurt us. It's incredible though! Really something I've never seen before."
Naruto repeated the same process to help heal these people setting up his barrier and entering Sixth Paths Sage Mode. Haedrig was encumbered by the feeling as well but he fought through it to stay by his wife's side. Many more chakra arms sprouted from Naruto's back as they all attached to one of the many sick people as they started to heal them. After several minutes everyone started to look better and once he was finished he released the gathered natural energy and took back his kunai.
Haedrig's wife, Mira, as well as the others started to awaken after a few moments. He held her hand as her pale complexion she once had was gone, the bags under her eyes were clear and her breathing became normal. She was a pretty woman most likely just a few years younger than her husband with brown hair hidden in her tan cowl wearing a matching colored dress. Haedrig couldn't help the tears coming from his eyes as he saw his wife slowly open hers to look up at him.
"Haedrig? What is going on? Oh no! Were you killed as well my love? How did I not foresee this?"
"What? Mira no. We aren't dead. We are very much alive my dearest, the both of us. Why would you say that?"
"How can this be?"
"What is it Mira? What aren't you telling me?"
"I… I had foreseen my demise in a vision. I had turned into one of those wretched undead and… and you were the one to end it."
"What?! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"You know why Haedrig. We both learned from the Vecin that our visions can't be changed. If we try to interfere, only a worse outcome will be the result. I feared if I told you, you would try to save me and you would be the one to take my place. I did not want that for you my love."
"(sigh) Did you think I would want that for you Mira?"
"You are strong Haedrig, stronger than I. I know you could survive without me, but I do not believe I could do the same."
"It doesn't matter now." Haedrig helped his wife sit up as Naruto and Leah have been helping the others get their bearings. "You see that man over there. He helped save you and the others. You should have seen it! He healed everyone almost like it was nothing! I am so glad you are okay Mira, I never want to lose you." The married couple proceeded to embrace each other with tears in their eyes, trying to hold on to that feeling for as long as they could.
After everyone was taken outside and gave their utmost and heartfelt thanks to Naruto, they returned to their homes to get some rest after Naruto assured them they would keep the town safe. Haedrig and Mira approached Naruto and Leah.
"I don't know what to say. You gave my Mira back to me. If there's any weapons or armor that you need made or repaired, you have my hammer and forge. Anything you need. Thank you so much. You have certainly earned my trust."
"You're welcome. So you're a blacksmith huh. I don't really wear armor so I won't need that, maybe some weapons to restock later on, but my other friends have their own armor and weapons that could probably use some mending. I'm sure they'll appreciate it. My name is Naruto Uzumaki by the way."
"Haedrig Eamon, and this is my wife, Mira."
"Hello Naruto, thank you for helping our town."
"Hello Mira, it's no problem. You two should just take it easy for now and get some rest. I'm sure my friends can wait to get their armor repaired for a little while longer. I would love to stay and chat but Leah still needs help saving her uncle. We should get moving."
"Right! Have a good night Haedrig, Mira. Don't worry, the town is in safe hands for now. All Naruto's friends are strong warriors, they will keep us safe." Leah then proceeded to follow Naruto to the town square to meet with his companions when they came up to the still downed cart in their path.
"This thing's still in the way huh?" Naruto simply lifted it by the handles and moved it out of the way to clear the street.
"What ar..."
"Sorry old man! No time to waste, still got others who need our help!"
"Sorry mayor! But my uncle still needs help!"
"In all my years, I have nev…"
The mayor's voice faded away to the background as Naruto and Leah came to the others waiting in front of the inn. "How goes it? Anymore attacks while I was gone?"
"No my friend. There is a lull to the undead's restlessness. The town is safe for now." said Nazeebo.
"That's good. Leah still needs our help to save her uncle. I can leave clones behind to guard the town if everybody wants to go. I know it's really late and we just had a long run from our camp, so if anyone's really tired you shouldn't push yourselves. I'll leave it up to all of you to decide."
"I think we're all more or less fine, but what do you think Naruto, will this require all of us?" said Li-Ming.
"I'm not sure, but let me try something." Naruto then proceeded to call upon some unconventional allies by releasing some of Chomei's chakra into the air. After a few minutes a Withermoth came flying over the gates startling the guards. No one tried to attack it since it landed right in front of Naruto who then allowed Chomei to take over again to speak to it and ask it for help. After some weird clicking noises were exchanged from the two, Naruto again took back control of himself and spoke to the others.
"That Withermoth told me that there's well over a thousand if not maybe a few thousand enemies on the surface of the surrounding areas. I don't know, I think we just might need everyone on this. It also told me that most of the demons are moving away from New Tristram and going towards the Cathedral and a giant manor to the west."
"That's Leoric's Manor. It's definitely cursed from all the lost innocents that he had killed over the years. So I'm not surprised demons would be attracted to it." said Leah.
"Okay, that's good to know. Since the more dangerous of our enemies are moving away, the town should be relatively safe for now, but I'll leave my clones here just in case. There's another problem though, it looks like a group of Withermoths spotted people going into Leoric's Manor and the cathedral. All wearing yellow robes."
"What does that mean?" asked Leah.
"Coven." said Valla.
"That's right, whatever they're doing here can't be good. We'll have to deal with them too eventually. So does everyone want to go, or would some like to stay?"
Everybody looked to each other and came to a silent agreement that Johanna voiced out loud. "We are with you Naruto."
"Okay then. I hope your uncle is resilient Leah, or can at least hide well."
"Uncle Deckard is okay, I know he is. He may be up in years, but he is still as wily as I remember. It wouldn't be the first time he was surrounded by enemies."
"That's good to hear. Well, let's go save us an uncle!"
AN cont.: Yes I added a lightning affinity for Chomei, so in case anyone wants to tell me that I'm wrong and Chomei can't use lightning, then I am telling you right now that: Yes, yes I know, but it works for my story. I might do more stuff like this later on if anyone wants to get on my case about it, just some prior knowledge to think on.