A/N: I'm really sorry about the long wait but the best ideals come with time and lives must be had.

Zero

Chapter 4: The Sun and Shadows

Two figures walked the now thinning market street of Konoha. Lathius stood a full head tall than Rei. His presence seemed to cut a path through the few villagers left. All the other shopkeeper's1eyes were no longer questioning Rei instead all were turned to glare at Lathius. Wow, he is less popular than me. Rei's awe had slowed his pace, he jogged up behind Lathius, "hey, mind if we stop at my place?" There was a flurry of whispers and new glares for Rei. Rei paused again wondering what he had done now.

"Sorry hanging out with me is not going to put you very well with these people," Lathius said over his shoulder.

"Oh well, their loss", Rei cared little for what there cruel people thought, "but my place?" Lathius motioned for Rei to lead the way. As the two weaved their way back to Naruto's apartment Rei noticed that Lathius induce similar behavior all over the village, accept in the older ninjas. Even before he made it through the door Rei could hear Naruto snoring. Asleep already? It's not even dusk. Rei passed the living room and saw Naruto's sleeping form sprawled out on the couch remote still in hand. Chuckling, Rei dumped his new ninja garb in his depressingly empty room. He opened his backpack and pulled out the true reason for coming back, his samurai armor. The gold trim that lined the blood red plates seemed to catch the light of the fading sun. He quickly donned the suit pausing only to run his fingers over the1black wings painted on to the back plate. Rei returned to the door scrawled a note to Naruto and left just as silently as he came.

"You live with Naruto?" Lathius asked from the railing across from Naruto's front door.

"For now I am," Rei said, "I just got in to town today."

Lathius nodded, "nice armor" with that his grinning face disappeared over the railing and dropped the two stories to the street below the instant he hit the ground he started to move. Rei took off after him leaping form roof to roof. The chase leads the two into the darkening woods. After a few seconds of dogging tree trunks Rei burst into a clearing. Rei scanned the area quickly, must be a local training ground. His eyes fell on Lathius who had stopped in front of a large kunai shaped stone.

Rei came to a stop a few feet away, "What is that?" Rei asked.

"It is called the Hero's Monument," Rei saw that the stone had writing carved into it. "It's covered with the name of every ninja that has perished in the service of Konoha." Rei kneeled in front of the stone and let his eyes scan over the names.

One name caught his eye, it was a name he knew well, his mother's name. "My mother's name is on here."

"You should be proud of that," said Lathius. Rei rose to his feet and looked at the setting sun.

"I am," he said. He slowly drew his katana. I have to finish this before the sunset or my chakra will return to normal. Rei looked Lathius over once more, and something tells me this guy is not going to be a push over. Rei moved his feet to his offensive stance and raised the sword next to his face, parallel to the ground, "ready?" Lathius nodded, locking eyes with his new friend. There was a few seconds of silence before Rei began. Lathius easily sidestepped Rei's downward slash. Rei smiled Lathius had fallen for his feint. He quick drew his wakizashi and slashed at his opponent's chest. The sound of steel on steel echoed through out the clearing. A weapon! Rei jumped back to reassess the situation. Lathius now stood low to the ground in a mantis stance. Rei scanned the hands of his opponent for a weapon but saw none. Instead on the end of each finger was a crystalline talon. Ok that's new. Rei didn't hesitate he continued his onslaught. Lathius keep on the defense; his exceptional speed was just enough block the rapid sword attacks. Rei's eyes flicked to the setting sun, I have to finish this now! Rei dropped back a few feet, sheathing the short sword and leveled his blade again, "Hikaru Sentan!" (Shining Point) Rei burst forward at a blinding speed. The edge of his katana began to glow like molten metal. He lunged as fire streaked from the guard to the tip of the exquisite blade. The shadows enclosed Lathius as the flaming sword plunged into his chest. Seconds of silence passed before it was broken by a loud hissing noise. Rei sighed deeply pulling the blade from the basketball-sized hole in the mirror in front of him. Rei began intently spinning look for his razor clawed opponent.

Lathius's voice floated out of the darkest parts of the night. "Wow, look at the number you did on my Ice Mirror. Your pretty serous about this aren't you?"

"I want to see what you can do," Rei said calmly, "so, yes, I am. Now come at me with everything you've got!" He shifted his stance; he now held his sword in his hand very close to his body his left leg was in front with his other arm hovering defensively over it. Shit, it feels like he is everywhere. Rei's eyes flicked form one group of shadows to the next. He found his target standing calmly just at the edge of the tree line. Rei charged in with a ferocious slash only to connect with another mirror. Rei still could not pin point his location with any of his senses only his eyes could catch the ghostly figure. Lathius moved through the dark trees appearing here are there as the red faded from the sky and the stars came out. Rei struck at every target he could but every hit that connected just shattered another mirror. "Stop running!" Rei shouted. A small breeze answered carrying two long needles one in the other's shadow at Rei dodged the first and cleaved the second in half. Flying Needles! Before he could regain his bearings the shadow in front of his seemed he spring to life. Two claws came down Rei blocked one with his forearm but the other left five silver groves in his breastplate. Damn he's quick. I can't take many more like that. Needle after needle now flewfrom the shadows, Rei calmly attempted to fend off the hail but it was too much. His opponent's aim finally struck true as a needle sank deep into Rei's shoulder. Cold raced through the wound, the needles are ice too? "That's it, I'm done dancing in the dark" Rei clenched his left fist as if crushing some unseen item. As his fingers receded they reveled a small ball of light. The shadows shifted, altered by the miniature sun, but still Lathius was no were to be seen.

The mocking laugh that returned seemed to float on the new night wind, "That won't work. You see I'm not the shadows…" all at once the dark sky itself seemed to fall in on Rei, "I'm the night." The last thing Rei saw was a pair of blood red eyes and a set of fangs.