Reviews:

Chapter 1:

Leo-Arctic: Can't say I'm surprised. I didn't like the first one either but I'm glad you liked chapter two.

Naruto Notes: The real ANBU motto/oath was kinda boring so I made my own. I hope you like it.

Dragon Age Notes: None.

Notes: None.

Chapter 3: Think

Two months. Two long months and Naruto was beginning to realize that he couldn't do it all by himself. He needed a team. Well that, and a new sword. His current one looked ready to snap if a gust of wind came at the wrong angle. And that is what brought Naruto the frozen hell that is Haven in the Frostback Mountains. He had the money for a new sword, now he needed someone to craft it for him and rumor has it that Harrit is the best blacksmith this side of the Frostbacks.

Naruto tapped on Harrit's shoulder and the man jumped one foot into the air. Harrit was...less than happy. "Maker's breath, What the hell was that for?! Just because you 're some famous assassin with a mask, doesn't give you the right to scare people like that!"

Naruto chuckled. "Oh, I think it does. If you were my target, I would've cut your throat open and you wouldn't know I was behind you until the knife touched your skin." Harrit paled. "Relax. I'm not here to kill you." Naruto showed Harrit his katana. "Need another one of these. This one's about to snap from overuse."

"Mind if I see that?" Naruto gave him the blade to inspect. "Whoever made this was truly a master. The pommel, handle, and guard are made of Iron for defense and offense, the cord wrap is made of bear hide for grip, and the blade collar looks like it could hold anything. Where on Thedas did you get this?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Ok. I'm assuming the scabbard is fine?" Naruto nodded. "Good." He put his thumb on the blade. "Wow. A single-edged, double-sided blade made of iron and dawnstone to stop it from chipping when it goes through armor."

Naruto had no idea what dawnstone was but decided to go with it. "Yup. Think you can replicate it or should I go with one of your dragon works?"

"I need one week and 18,500 Gold."

That wasn't fast enough for Naruto. He needed it in five days max. "Five days for 22,000 Gold?"

Harrits eyes seemed to turn to gold for a second. "Deal! I'll start right away!"

Naruto gave him the money up front and left to find a place in the frozen dump that is Haven.

Naruto was able to buy a tent that he intended on keeping. His ANBU tent was meant for the summer and winter was coming fast. The tent was an A-frame made of lamb's wool and bear hide with an iron frame so it was very warm. He also purchased two sleeping bags and a blanket. When he got to this new world, he was dressed for the forests of Fire Country, not the mountains of Snow Country.

Suddenly he heard someone slapping his tent door. He wasn't undressed or even unarmored so that didn't bother him in the slightest. "Come in."

A female voice responded. "Sure?"

Naruto sighed heavily. 'You know what they say. You never know your own reputation until it slaps you in the face.' "Relax. I'm not going to hurt you."

The girl looked about sixteen with black hair and she had the standard winter mercenary outfit that almost everyone had even if they weren't mercenaries. "There's someone who wants to see you. Said something about a job."

Naruto was a little stumped. "And why on Thedas would someone from a Chantry shelter want to hire someone like me?"

"N-no i-idea."

Naruto sighed again. "Please, relax. I've taken a lot of assassination contracts but non of them have ever been on innocent people." She still looked hesitant. "Do you remember when the Grand Duke's ex-wife? You know, the elven slave trader?"

"Yes."

"Don't tell anyone, but I was hired by the Grand Duke himself. Something not wanting to be associated with slave-trading scum."

"Wow. I never knew. What happened after that?"

"The Empress used any and all methods to try and kill me. She must've been beyond angry when I vanished on the face of the continent. Remember when people suddenly stopped "disappearing" or "mysteriously killed"? She nodded. Thought so. What's your name?"

"Evelyn Trevelyan."

"I thought your accent sounded familiar. Free Marches or farther east? And how'd you end up here?"

"I got sick and tired of being surrounded by lies and shallow compliments and plumage so thick, you could cut with your sword. I knew that if I stayed, I might end up like them or as an alcoholic and not even know it."

Naruto nodded. "Then thank the Maker you didn't have my job. I spent my life either killing or lying. Whether it was convincing someone to commit treason or seduction, yes, I used to do seduction, depended on the circumstances but point is; I spent I'd say 50% of my time telling those lies. "

Evelyn looked down. "Yeah. I don't think I could handle that and I don't how you could. What about you? How'd you end up here?"

"I need a new sword. Mine would crack if someone sneezed on it. Paid the blacksmith 22,000 to have it done in five days or less. Although if you want to hear my life story, I think I can indulge you."

"Yeah, I would like that."

"Then sit down. Being on your feet too long is bad for you. Take it from someone who made the trip from the Hinterlands to Haven in four days and 12 hours in the cold without the proper gear."

Naruto was about to ease her worries when a woman with black hair with Inquisition armor and a sword and shield came. "Where are-you! How dare you show your face on holy grounds!?"

He saw that she was about to attack and that Evelyn was in the way. Naruto grabbed her and body flickered out just in time so that she was a little sick but unharmed. Naruto then punched Cassandra in the face...hard and then lifted her by the neck. "How stupid are you?! Do you hate me so much that you would kill an innocent bystander?!" Naruto slammed her against the outside wall of one of the houses while ignoring the choking sounds. "I would kill you right now but I have enough bounty hunters trying to fry my ass and I don't need any more." Naruto slammed her against the wall again. "Think, you moron. Think, before you get someone other than your target killed because of your stupidity." He dropped her unceremoniously on the ground. And looked at the crowd he seemed to gather. "Relax. She's still alive, unfortunately." He looked back at her. "Someone clean that up."

Naruto's EMS must have activated because he was scaring the living shit out of people with them and in his anger, he never noticed his new friend hugging him from behind. "It's okay. She's gone now."

Naruto took several deep breaths and stopped his EMS. "I'm sorry you had to see that. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But what about you?"

Naruto stiffened. "Me?"

"Yes, you. I don't know a lot about your past but I'll bet coin that hardly anyone bothered to ask how you were doing or how your last mission went." She hugged him tighter. "When you showed up for breakfast in the morning and wondered why you bothered to wake up, did anyone ask you what was wrong?"

"No…" Naruto looked at the snow below him. "No one ever did." He scoffed bitterly. "But it wouldn't have mattered. Most of them either died within a few weeks or left because they didn't like working with the village's resident weapon. Please let me go. I need to be alone." She let him go and Naruto left a stunned Haven behind.

Lilliana finally arrived to find everyone gathered around Naruto's empty tent. "What the hell happened here?!"

Evellyn glared at her. "I don't know. Ask the Seeker. I'm sure she'll be able to tell you why the Chantry's about to have a very ruthless and very angry assassin kicking down its door." She glared at Cassandra's unconscious form. "Don't look at me when the body count becomes unacceptably high in the next few days." Lilliana picked up Cassandra fireman style and dropped her off at the infirmary.

A few hours later

Seeker Pentaghast woke up with a groan. The last thing she remembered was having a lesson literally beaten into her and it left her reeling both physically and mentally. His words still rang in her head. "Think, you moron. Think, before you get someone other than your target killed because of your stupidity." She slowly sat up and ignored Lilliana when she walked in.

The Left Hand of the Divine sighed. "I got the details and I know what he said. Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Was he right? Was I about to kill someone I shouldn't have killed?"

Lilliana hesitated but knew Cassandra needed the truth. "I'd be lying if I agreed with his teaching methods but yes, he's right. I won't lecture you on something that was literally beaten into your neck." She sighed. "He hasn't left Haven but he's not causing trouble."

"Where is he now?"

"In his tent trying to make a stick figure out of knives. His mask is still on but I can tell it's therapeutic for him."

"What do I do now?"

"Apologize to the girl."

Cassandra looked confused. "What about the assassin?"

"Apologize to him as well. Although I would wait about a week so he doesn't cut your head off out of anger."

With Naruto

Naruto was in his tent trying to make a stick figure out of kunai and shuriken and he'd gotten up to the sternum when Evelyn knocked. "Hey. You wanna talk?"

"Yeah...sure…" His voice was raspy and dead.

'He sounds so dead. Maybe now isn't the best time to talk but I know what I can do.' Evelyn hugged Naruto from behind and felt him tense. "Shshshsh. No one is going to hurt you." 'I don't think anyone can hurt you.' "I am here for you."

Naruto slowly relaxed into her hug but his mind still wondered and he wanted to get something off his chest. "During the 4th Great War, we received word of rogue mages in the area and my team was sent to kill them….but it was a trap. The rogue mages were dead and we were greeted by Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. Itachi was wanted for killing his entire clan and Kisame was wanted for the attempted assassination of his leader. Both bastards loved killing."

His voice trembled. "We got suckered in to urban combat because of my mistake and the whole city as well as my team paid for it in blood. My whole team was killed as well as about 5,000 innocent people…" Naruto clenched his fists. "All because I didn't think things through." He punched the side of the tent. "My hardheadedness turned a city into a bloody battlefield and got an entire team of special forces killed."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out pictures of that day. "Even without these pictures, I still remember what a civilian looks like when a building the size of Haven's Chantry explodes and collapses on top of his head." He showed her another one. "I still remember the smell of blood, burning flesh, fire, and ash." He pulled out another. "I remember when my teammate took my place when the mayor's mansion fell on our heads. In the end, Kisame Hoshigaki was killed after killing the last two members of my team and Itachi got away like the rat he is."

The pictures made the poor Trevallyn sick to her stomach but could only imagine the pain her friend felt. "Is that why you were so harsh with Cassandra?"

"Yes. I don't want anyone to have to go to bed at night and hear their screams of terror and see their mangled bodies on the streets."

"That is very kind of you."

Neither said anything for many hours.

The next day

Naruto woke up feeling better than he had in a long time. For the first time in years, he had dreamless sleep that was not drug induced. He also had a woman on top of him. Evelyn Trevallyn. 'Oh, shit. I gotta get out of here or I'll have better luck explaining to the Tsuchikage what I was really doing in his office ten years ago.' "Evellyn. Please wake up." No response. "Please wake up. I don't want to explain why I have a disheaved girl in my tent when I don't have a shirt on." Still no response. Naruto gave and Hiraishin'd to a kunai he threw outside while ignoring her cries of annoyance and putting on his armored ANBU uniform. "Yeah, yeah, I make a nice pillow, now give me my chestplate before I come in there and bash your skull in with it." He was expecting a lot of things but he was not expecting his upper armor to smack him in the face and leave him slightly dazed. "Ow. Someone remind me to never let her get a hold of shuriken." He put on his armor and went to Harrit. The cold was getting to him and he needed some warm clothes.

Naruto was two steps away from the forge when his danger sense went off. Someone tried to attack him from behind. Faster than the eye could blink, he drew his still used sword and blocked the attacker's attack. Or he would have if it wasn't Evellyn trying to smack him upside the head with the flat side of the blade. He was able to catch her before she hit the ground. "Oh Maker, are you okay?!"

She seemed a little dazed. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Naruto hugged her. "I almost killed you…"

"It's okay. I shouldn't have tried to surprise you like that."

"Now it's my turn to tell you that it's okay." He turned serious. "Don't ever do that again. I do things like that out of reflex and next time, I might now know who it is in time." He hugged her again. "Never do that again please."

"I won't." She smiled. "What are you doing at the forge?"

"I need to order some armor. The cold is starting to get to me."

"About damn time. Most people would've died from hypothermia."

Naruto knocked on the stone fence a few times. "Harrit? You in?"

"Coming!" The blacksmith came in with a cloth on his neck and frowned when he saw Naruto. "I heard what happened and I want to say that I'm-"

Naruto put his hand up. "Relax. I only got made because the consequences of her actions would have been so bad, not even the Maker could make everything right. Something about killing a noble. That and I see her as a friend."

"Fair enough. You short on friends?"

"If I had to live on all the friends I have, I'd be dead. If I had one copper for every enemy I had, I could retire and live the rest of my life in the middle of nowhere in a nice house and do nothing. How's my sword?"

"I haven't gone to sleep and it looks great so far. 16 hours and it's yours."

"There's an extra 1,000 Gold if you actually do that. One more thing. Can you winterize what I have on right now?"

"Thank you and yes. I'll need a day of rest after your sword and 12 hours for 100 Gold."

"Why only 100?"

"Because I don't need metal. All I'm doing is adding cloth, leather, and fur. Things that are a silver per dozen."

"Thank you. I'll be off now."

Evellyn looked confused. "Where are you going?"

"Listen, I just traveled from the Hinterlands all the way to the Frostback Mountains in four days and I'm still low on mana. If there's anyone who can do better, I'd really like to meet him. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my tent to fall asleep until Harrit is done with my sword and armor." Naruto went back to his tent and fell asleep quickly.

48 hours later

Naruto looked at his new sword and armor with happiness. "It's perfect. The sword is sturdy and sharper than a demon's claw." Naruto patted his new armor. "And the armor is sturdy and warm as well." He gave Harrit the needed payment plus 200 Gold. "Oh and, do keep quiet about this please."

Harrit could feel the threat in his voice even though it sounded genuine. "Will do. Where are you headed?"

"Back to the Hinterlands."

One hour later

Naruto was about to leave the property when Evelyn stopped him. "Where are you going...?"

Naruto knew what she was really asking. "If you come with me, your parents will change your title from runaway to criminal. Even worse, you'll be associated with me. I have 20,000,000 Gold bounty for my death and 40,000,000 if I'm brought back alive."

"I don't care. You can't go through life all on your own. You need friends, comrades, even a lover if you wish."

"You'll be an international criminal guilty by association."

"Then let me be a criminal!"

Naruto sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Evelyn. I'll visit as often as I can."

"Wha-"

Naruto knocked her out before she could blink and left her on a bench with a blanket over her. "I'm sorry…"

One week later

Naruto took his time getting to the Hinterlands and went straight to the Gull and Lanteen. Latest rumor was that a warden committed treason and got his whole squad killed but then disappeared. His name was Tom Reiner. 'That's worth investigating.' Wardens have the lowest treason rate in all of Thedas so either something was very wrong or something was very right. Either way, Naruto needed to look into this. He did some digging and found a warden named Blackwall. Odd because Blackwall is supposed to be dead.

Naruto tracked him to a cave in Dead Ram Grove. "Hello Blackwall. Or is Tom? Which do you prefer?"

He must've startled him because Tom jumped for his sword but two shadow clones pinned him. "Are you here to kill me? If so, get on with it. I know of your reputation and I know it will be quick." He closed his eyes.

Naruto shook his head. "Pick him up." His shadow clones lifted the warden. "No. There is still use for you, there is still good in you."

"Yeah, and I'm an archdemon. I tricked an entire squad while I pretended to be the better man! I let my greed get the better of me and five men paid for it with their lives!" He lowered his head. "I'm worthless. A criminal as well and I'm sure there's a bounty on my head. I deserve to die."

"Maybe. But I can give you worth and you can find redemption in death. If you wish to die, then die in the shadows hidden behind a mask. No one will ever know you died. Choose wisely because there is no going back."

Tom hesitated but nodded. "I choose to die in the shadows."

Naruto nodded back. "Then repeat after me. I am the shadow that serves the light."

"I am the shadow that serves the light."

"I am the dagger that protects the light."

"I am the dagger that protects the light."

"I am the shadow that blinds the weak"

"I am the shadow that blinds the weak"

"I am the dagger that no one sees coming."

"I am the dagger that no one sees coming."

"My name is-" Naruto gestured for Tom to say his name.

Tom replied. "My name is Tom."

"And I am the shadow that serves the light."

"And I am the shadow that serves the light."

"Welcome, Agent Dog, to the Order of the Shadows."

Well? What do you think? Better or worse? Leave a review please. They really help.

Preview:

Naruto looked at the depressed man next to him at the bar. "Rough day?"

"I don't wanna talk about it." _'s voice was dead and defeated.

"Figures. Your clothes and general hygiene indicate you're short on money."

"Yeah, what's it to you?"

"I'm here to offer you a job. There's a place in this world for people like you and I know exactly where it is."

_ scoffed. "And where is that?"

"In the shadows of course. If you wish to die, come with die in the shadows and be remembered. Or you can stay and die in the light and be forgotten. I'll be back in two days. I expect you to be alive and I expect you to answer."