Alright, I'm back with a new chapter...Firstly Thank you for the reviews, I understand some of your points...However also understand that I am trying to weave christianity into a world of non. I did take a moment to go back and read the ENTIRE story and even though I intended to introduce the different christian elements slowly, I seemed to have dumped it on my audience like a bucket of cold water, my apologies. This is not biblically accurate, nor does it follow Naruto cannon..It's actually more inspired by a combination of Lady Death and Naruto. On the presumption that the world is not black and white, merely shades of grey. In closing I will say that the christian tones will be leaving the scene, leaving nothing but a story of betrayal, friendship, and love...My friend told me that I was dancing on a sensitive subject when I presented this story idea to him...I had no idea how right he was. A good bit of symbolism in this chapter for Serimochi and Naruto (two main characters) and a reveal on whom Serimochi was before he became an angel.

I would like to apologize for the insufferable delay, not of my doing

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-Chapter 7-

Sakura paced anxiously up and down the hallway of the hospital, "Please Sakura-san, you are making me dizzy," pleaded a slightly miffed Itachi

The pink haired girl looked up at elder uchiha and glared, "Shut up, I don't want to hear it from you! It's half your fault all of this is happening!"

"Don't be so hasty Sakura," interupted Kakashi, before she began one of her rage filled assaults, "the past is the past, but more recently he's the reason that Naruto is not impaled on a lance."

Kisame slapped Itachi on the back and then threw an arm around him, "See we're not so bad, just misunderstood." His smile faded as everyone stared at him as though he was insane, "Alright alright, maybe we're just a little bad."

Before he could push the point any further he was cut off by Tsunade exiting the operating room. As she rounded the corner she came face to face with the expectant faces of her shinobi, "I don't know," she stated with a heavy heart. "This is beyond me, his blood is so thick it shouldn't move through his veins, and his heart hardly beats, and his lungs are actually atrophied from disuse-"

"What is your point?" questioned Itachi, "Naruto-kun is technically dead, we understand that. Is there any indication that he will recover from his current state in a prompt manner?"

Tsunade glared, "Why is it so important that he wake up."

Kisame shrugged, "You're forgetting the original reason we're here, the bad guys are still coming...and Naruto is a monster on the battlefield."

"And I assume that without the Angel your power is cut in half," interjected Shikamaru, "perhaps expelling him from the village was a bit rash Hokage-sama."

The fifth sighed in exhaspiration, "I stand behind my decision." She flopped uncerimoniously down into a lobby chair and attempted to mull over the situation. On the one hand they could attempt to evacuate the village, but if the information from Naruto's group was right it wouldn't matter, they would just be postponing the inevitable.

"Besides he wouldn't have left if he didn't want to," added Jiraiya, "the only reason someone that strong moves from their current target is because they want to." The toad sannin took a heaving sigh and stood up, "We should fortify the village so tha-"

"Won't work," interupted Kisame, "Tried that in Rain, they were through the walls in four seconds flat. They have these HUGE things with them, they look like dragons, with loooong teeth and reeeeally sharp fangs, and-"

Itachi sighed, Kisame was off on a tangent and if he continued in his vivid description then even the great copy ninja and the two sannin would be heading for a place of refuge, "What he's trying to say is that walls are like rice paper to them."

"Are you suggesting we run out and meet them?" questioned Asuma, "that's just asinine."

Sasuke groaned, "Naruto isn't even here and we're making up his plan...How does he do that?"

Gaara leaned against a wall and began speaking, "It's irrelivant, Naruto is unconcious and that man will not return. Therefore this battle will have to consist of the sand and leaf." After recieving a nod from the Godaime he continued, "We will send the villagers from both villages into the safe houses, then we will fortify the walls-"

Ino raised her hand, "Why not send the villagers east, that way we could at least be sure they're safe."

"If the enemy overtakes Konoha then there is no one left to protect them," replied Neji, "this is the last shinobi village still standing that has any sort of power, if we fall..." He trailed off, not quite able to finish his sentence, they all knew what was at stake, but to put it into words would be like adding extra weight to an already overloaded ship.

"Then we'll fight!" Shouted Ino with a look of determination in her eyes, "We have to, come on! This is the same village that defeated the nine-tailed demon...sort of." She gave a nervous smile and stopped her speech quite short.

A door slowly opened, so quietly no one noticed, and a barefoot stepped into the hallway. Then another and another till the person was positioned directly behind the blonde kunoichi. The person was garbed in black with dark grey armoring in strategic places, as to not inhibit movement or agility. Finally after not being noticed for several moments the person spoke, "You're right Ino, this village destroyed the Nine-tails...And we'll beat back whatever this is." Everyone turned to see Naruto standing in the hall, looking as disheveled as ever, but wearing a smile. His teeth were still elongated and his whisker marks remained, but now his eyes were back to the clear blue they were when he was still containing the kyuubi and not part of it. "Sorry I made you guys wait..." He gazed at the form of his old team leader, "..I got lost on the road of life."

Before anyone else could move another voice broke through the hallway, "Indeed, it's quite a long road...even for those of us that have wandered it for what seems like an eternity." Everyone turned to see Serimochi removing an ornate helmet and smiling at them, immediately they were on guard. He held up his hands to show that he meant no harm, "I apologize for my actions earlier, a long time ago I was a man of defiance...that got me killed. Then I was an angel of utmost obedience, and that has me blinded..." his mouth curved into a grin and he dropped his hands, "ignorant loyalty has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth it seems."

"What changed your mind?" questioned Naruto as he stepped out into the hallway to get a clear view of the angel. The blonde admired the form of the seraph in his full armor, it was truely a sight to behold. His question though was only answered with a grin.

-Flashback-

"So you intend to follow through with this plan of yours?" questioned a woman garbed in black, "You understand that any help that we could have given was rebuked the moment you defied him." She watched as the raven haired archangel pulled on his armor, still he gave no response. "will you repeat your past mistakes?"

Serimochi paused before clasping his breastplate together, "My past mistakes? My past mistakes were glory and...my obsession with my own legacy." He gave a long stretch, it had been several millenia since he donned his full armor. A short laugh escaped him, "Time is the most destructive thing in existance. She can even obliterate our deeds, no matter how great." He gave a hard tug on his breastplate then his gauntlets, he would definately stand out now that he was dressed in his full seraph armor. In his left hand was his shield perfectly round save at the top and bottom, where it dipped into a half moon shape. Strapped to the inside of that sheild was his blade, the sword given to him when he joined the ranks of heaven, hilt forged from gold and wrapped in white leather. The blade was a mirror silver with blue etchings along it and no more than two and a half feet. And though it was wide at the base, it quickly came to a vicious point, an ideal weapon for slashing or stabbing. He gazed at the woman's shadowed face, "I will not step down...Yuushou." He gave one final check to make sure all was in place and secure before pulling on his helmet, the long black horse hair coming from the mount and grazing the back of his neck.

Yuushou took a hesitant step forward, "You're being foolish..."

Serimochi shrugged, "Perhaps..." a short pause and a sigh, "When I still lived as a man did you know we worshipped many gods? A god for the sun and moon, one for war and another for love, and then there was one to rule them all. I was ignorant then as I am now, so as my death educated me so will this battle and the coming events. Fear not for my safety...there was twice this number when we seiged Troy."

"but that's impossible...," she paused and only managed a disbelieving stare, "if it were true, that would make you..."

Serimochi only graced her with his serene smile, then ripped his spear out of the ground, strapped his sheild and sword to his back, and stepped to the edge of the cliff, "I still have faith that Naruto-kun can beat this." As he looked down he saw the shinobi of Konoha scurrying around the village prepairing for war. "I go into this with a clear heart and a valiant soul," he stated as he looked back over his shoulder, "I...I am not sure we will see each other again Yuushou. Be well and..." he gave a pause and another chuckle, "...sing of my deeds for an eternity." Before he could descend to the village a small hand reached out and gripped him.

Yuushou's hood fell back to reveal a gorgeous woman with striking opal eyes, "I do not know where they originate from, but at the head of every army is a leader, he radiates the aura that gives them life. Strike him down and his minions will fall." Hesitantly she released him, "Though I've never seen an army of this size, the basic rules should apply..." With a swift movement her hood was back in place, "Go now, your humans are dying by the handful." After recieving a grateful nod, Yuushou watched him descend into the impending fray to an uncertian end, most likely death. What of his eternal soul though? Surely he would be cast out of heaven, but to where? Slowly a tear streaked down her face, then another, till she was weeping openly. It was funny, in her human life she was terrified of death, but since becoming an angel she became secure in the knowledge that should you be struck down you would merely be reborn, but this really could be the last time she would see Serimochi. Barely able to make out his form through her tears, a bit of her heart went with him, for he was merely protecting the creator's greatest creation, and maybe for another reason that she could not admit. "Be well and strong..." normally she would have addressed him by his Seraph name, but he had cast that aside and now is more man than ever before. With a cracking voice she uttered the last bit of her prayer, "brave...brave warrior." As the wind blew she disappeared.

-End Flashback

Kisame snorted, "So you were some attention seeking, glory-hound when you were alive? That's freaking hilarious, I mean who woulda thought. Quiet little Amatsu-"

He was cut off by Serimochi's light voice, "I single handedly controlled the fate of two countries by my action and my in-actions. I killed a man that was said to be the son of a god. I struck down the Prince and Commander of the most powerful country in the world. In a great war I struck down so many that death approached me, claiming I was killing too many warriors and that the river to the afterlife was being choked off. When my friend was struck down, it took a force of seraphim to halt me from sacking an entire city alone, in my rage. In the end I was hailed as the greatest warrior and many kings claimed lineage to me..." He turned to look at the sharkman's gobsmacked expression, "That is who I was...my earthly name translated in an ancient tongue meant the embodiment of grief and glory in war..."

Itachi smirked and broke the now looming silence, "I am to assume that the transgressions of such a warrior will not go unnoticed then?"

"Or unpunished," Added the Arch Angel as he held his smile. He was not lying by any stretch, the last angel that went against the will of god was cast into the void, perhaps that should have been Serimochi's first sign that all was not well in paradise? Yes, the power of heaven would come crashing down on him, but now was not the time for such thoughts, a battle was looming. Breaking from his thoughts he smiled at Naruto, "That is enough about a forgotten lifetime...I'm glad my faith was well placed Naruto-kun, you seem to have destroyed the darkness...You now shine like the sun."

The young man looked over at Sakura and smiled, "I had too much to protect to be willing to destroy it all." A blur of pink and red collided with him, "Ne, Sakura-chan isn't this a bit rough for a newly recover-mmphf." Her lips stoppped his chiding and he had no desire to protest, finally after a harsh hacking from Jiraiya they broke apart, but only at the lips for Sakura refused to let her light go again. "It was odd," he started, "when the beast came to the surface I was set on annihilating everything, but when I saw your power and felt the sadness in you my mind became muddled." He took a shakey breath, "Then when all of my friends were ready to fight you to protect me it became clear...I was not the monster, monsters have no friends."

Sasuke walked up to him and gave him a once over, "So you sure you're back dobe?"

"I don't know if I'll ever be Naruto again," he held up his hands to stop incoming protests, "not one-hundred percent, but I hope you can love me just like you loved him." Despite his reasonable stature, he tumbled to the ground as his fully grown friends dog piled on top of him.

"Don't be stupid, of course we love you! Naruto-kun!"

"...Back off Ino-pig!"

"Can't you two stop for a minute?"

"Shut it!"

"Troubleso-oooof!"

"Akamaru get off of Shikamaru!"

As the exchange continued Serimochi stepped up next to the Godaime, before she could offer thanks or an apology she was silenced, "They WILL come for me...when they do, please keep your shinobi away. This does not need to go beyond me."

"It's like that then is it?" questioned an eaves dropping Jiraiya, "I can't say we'll be able to restrain Naruto...he loves his friends too much for that. And I dare say that you are one of his most important people."

"Indeed, he's a good man," the angel's voice cracked slightly, "I'm a bit envious.."

Tsunade gave him a bemused smile, "Why is that?"

"By his age I was leading the most fearsome group of warriors in the world and had slain many men," he let out a heaving sigh, "I never got to stop and have a childhood." In a flash his face was back into his schooled mask, "I will go and see to it that the city is fortified and that everyone is moved into the shelter. Though I doubt it will do much good, it will put the people at ease."

"Thank you," replied the Godaime, "..for everything you've done...I wish we could do more for you..." Then it hit her, it wasn't much, but it was the greatest thing she could offer him, "...if something should happen to you...We will carve your name into our memorial stone as a great shinobi.."

He smirked before retrieving his spear from the wall, "...one request Hokage-sama...please put MY name, not this angelic label."

She gave an approving nod, "and what would that be?"

Serimochi's eyes misted a bit before leaning over and whispering it to her. The Godaime couldn't help but blush slightly and nod in agreement. Finally the arch-angel stepped through the doors and was off to begin moving the people to safety along with the other shinobi assigned to do so.

Near the edge of the fire country Two pupiless eyes watched the marching army of the dead. The owner of the eyes stepped from behind the trees and up to the cliff to observe the legion in full, her black cape billowing out behind her. Immediately her scowl deepened and she turned to her hulking companion, "raise the army, we shall join the fray."

"...yes my lady."

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-End Chapter 7-

Read & Review - I was really finding it hard to give Serimochi a past life, but I figured a 10 thousand year old warrior of heaven should have some kind of outstanding background. If you know whom he is awesome! If not it's ok you'll find out soon. Also I will go into a bit more depth on Naruto's turn around next chapter. OH! Sins of the past new chapter is getting proofread right now, soon to be up.

Preview Chapter 8: Of Falling angels