A/N: EDIT: Doh! Made a few mistakes. Sorry about that. Hopefully everyone enjoys the story...
Once more, I'll say it plain, if this email opt-in business with the site doesn't get resolved soon, I'm probably going to retire.
It HURTS to say that, but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, authors are leaving the site in droves.
If you're not already aware of it, ever since the 16th of November, you now have to turn ON your email alerts in account settings -AND MAKE SURE YOU CLICK SAVE SETTINGS!- else you won't be notified when anyone updates. No alerts, no email, no nothing. Apparently that's a thing we all have to do every ninety days or so, now. Alas, not many are aware of it...which is a problem. As things stand this new "fix" as it were, has cut everyone's viewership/reviewers in half because most folks don't know about it.
Sometimes opting in works. Sometimes it doesn't. Really depends.
I hope the admins tweak/update this system. This sudden change is driving authors away in droves; because no one knows, since not all of us have Twitter, which means most aren't even aware; as a result, they think we're not updating, and they don't read or review...which makes us write even less...
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this story, and all others.
As ever, the Embers rule remains. Meaning, if folks don't enjoy this, I'll not continue it. Working two jobs leaves me with precious little time these days and I can't bear to write something no one likes. Moreover, I don't have the time to. So by all means, speak up! Every bit of feedback matters here! Truly, it does! That's no joke!
No questions this time. Gotta keep it interesting.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one. They're merely tributes to legends far greater than I.
Hope you're ready, because the plot is about to thicken where you least expect it...
Also, we're going with the "Omen" theme for chapter titles now.
"You cannot be serious, Godwyn! You mustn't go down there! They'll eat you alive."
...he is my blood. He will listen to me, I'm sure. I must try."
"I shan't let you go alone. I'm coming with you."
...very well, then. You'd best wear this."
You knew I'd follow, didn't you?"
~?
Omen of Death
The Omenkillers arrived under cover of darkness.
Seven in all, they came in force, their fell purpose painfully clear.
For once, they were not accompanied them. Six men. Four women.
Seventeen in all. A sizable force had never graced the sewers in some time.
They would not be enough.
Not by a long shot.
Mohg considered their foolish nighttime-attack something a misnomer really; for the subterranean shunning grounds were often bathed in the dark these days. Little in the way of light reached down here in the depths. Were it not for torches and the odd spell cast by the occasional kindly mage, one would flounder endlessly in the gloom. After all, it was easy to lose one's way in the sewers if one didn't know where they were going. Even an unwary Omen might find themselves lost if they didn't keep their wits about that.
Truly, it would be a pity if an...accident were to befall these honored guests.
The Formless Mother rarely spoke to him these days. Her attention was with his nephew. Yet even know he knew her will.
Protect the boy. Safeguard him. Shelter him from those who would to him harm. Whatever his brother's madness, one could not expect the world to wait for them.
His trident tapped down. Once. Twice. Thrice now. A hollow chime rang through the sewers, echoing endless in on itself. Deep-yet-soft, it reverberated across the space and time, seeking not the intruders, not these foul mindless men and women with their twisted masks an horned cleavers. No, he sought a more...subtle target.
One by one.
The lights.
Died.
The world plunged into the abyss. He heard their startled murmurs in the dark as they shuffled forward. Their gasps now, as the mages tried to conjure light, only to falter and fail. None noticed the black mist he'd created in the gloom; their flailing gave him time to observe them closely. Odd that the bestial brutes had brought their more enlightened kin. Or perhaps it was the other way around. Perhaps the brutes were being guided by the mages. Led, like the leashed beasts they were...
.
..
...this was the work of Gideon, wasn't it? Only that oaf wold be so bold -foolish!- to strike here in the heart of their power.
Morgott would not care. He adored such agents of the Golden Order. He would welcome Gideon's men with open arms. The All-Knowing would have but to ask, and he would gladly give him anything he wished. Even the if head of his own son.
Young Naruto was not ready for Gideon's mad machinations. He must be prepared. And so it fell to him.
Mohg had chosen his waiting well, a narrow walkway leading from one end of the sewers to another; a perilous drop with naught but the abyss on either side. Anyone who sought to approach would be forced to do so one at a time in single file. Their spells would be useless in the mist he'd conjured. Unless they'd thought to bring archers; in which case, he might find himself rather harried.
Ah, but here they came, and he must greet them like a good host, no?
"Welcome, honored guests." Mohg chortled softly, stepping out of the shadows. "To the birthplace of our dynasty. Unfortunately, you've a tad early for the...festivities. As such, you cannot pass." He tapped his trident against the ground, the metal ringing hollowly across the walkway. Mentally, he marshaled his power, preparing his trident. "Our hope lies beyond here. Turn back! You shall not have him."
Tres.
"We know our duty, omen scum." A growl pierced the gloom. "Stand aside or die with your fellows-ack?!"
Duo.
The one-eyed Omen skewered him and flung him shrieking into the abyss.
UNUS.
He turned to face the others."You. Shall not. Pass!"
Rings of blood encircled their bodies.
He thrust his trident upward.
"NIHIL!"
The survivors fell in a cacophony of shrieks, drowning in a torrent of their own blood. All of them perished to a man...all save one.
One, whose wounds Mohg healed and plucked from the brink of the death. He seized the survivor's ankle -a woman- and began to drag her away. A fitting prize.
An insensate groan greeted his ears. He considered waking her. Decided against it.
It was well that she slept...for now. Soon, she would never sleep again.
"Now then, let us see what secrets your blood holds...
(.0.0.0.)
Guests had come to the sewers.
Visitors were not uncommon in the depths, but seldom did they linger. Outcasts and the odd merchants, those who used the forgotten paths, travelers who ventured where they shouldn't, adventures too bold for their own good. Some entered the underground. Few returned. For you see, down here in the underground there was only one rule, one creed that had survived through decades and would for a great many yet. The weak died. The strong survived.
For anything to change, such a creed would have to be broken, shattered, destroyed utterly; not from without, but within.
Ah, but he digressed. But these were rare guests indeed. Not travelers or merchants, these.
For you see, the Demigods had arrived.
Naruto heard it in the whispers of his brothers and sisters among the Omen. Saw it in their furtive glances and hurried steps as they clamored for cover in the dark. Not him. He didn't run away from the danger. He walked towards it. Most sprinted in the opposite direction; they wanted nothing more than to hide, stick their heads in the sand and pretend nothing had changed.
Honestly, he pitied them.
Gods didn't come down here. He'd never so much as glimpsed one until today. Not once. None living at any rate. Maybe the old man was slipping. Maybe Morgott had failed to find these two in time. Or maybe...
"Maybe," the Formless Mother cooed in the back of his head, "He meant for you to discover them first."
Morgott? Unlikely. He had an ironclad grip down here. No way did he intend for this to happen...
He had to find them. He must. This might be his chance to change things.
What did it matter if they came from above-ground? He didn't care who they were. They'd not done him any wrong; he'd been born down here, unlike the rest. This was a chance to wipe away the old prejudices and maybe, just maybe, start anew. If only he could make them see.
He had to make them see. That was his hope. His dream.
Naruto did not run from destiny like so may others. He ran towards it. He'd have to thank Mohg for this opportunity. Nothing else made sense. Whatever he was doing had Morgott distracted; rather, he was the only one who COULD distract the so-called Omen King. He wouldn't waste this opportunity. But how to go about it? He knew how they must look in their eyes, and convincing hem to talk would be a problem...
"My lord?" a gentle, silken voice tugged at his consciousness. "Why have we stopped?"
He paused in midstep, drawn from his thoughts by Albedo's words.
Three years after that fateful day and she was lovelier than ever. Life had been kind to her since they'd met; no, that wasn't entirely fair. Life would've seen her caught by that Omenkiller and pounded into a pulp. That she had survived -thrived!- down here was due to him and him alone.
She'd been fed the best food he could find down here, bathed in actual water, washed her hair with his own homemade shampoo. He'd even found her passable clothes to replace her rags as she outgrew them; in place of her once tattered attire she now wore a pale white robe burnished with faded gold trimmings, the better to contrast her dark hair and striking golden eyes alongside her horns. She was happy and healthy...insomuch as one could be down here. He'd scrimped and saved and scrounged for her sake, sacrificing his own health to give her -and others!- a decent life down in the depths.
...its nothing." a keen blue eye blinked over his shoulder, squinting beneath his crown of horns. "Just thinking.
"Might I inquire as to what?"
Curious as ever. "...the future." he said at last.
"I see!" Her lively golden eyes flashed as she misunderstood him spectacularly. "You must've seen this coming! As expected of my master~!"
Naruto narrowly resisted the urge to balk. No. Surely she didn't think this was his doing. Suspension of disbelief only went so far. "Eh?"
"Now, now," she patted his arm, wings flapping in thinly disguised glee. "There's no need to be so humble...
...right." he raised a hand and muffled a groan against his palm. Albedo really did overestimate him. "Because I somehow saw this coming.
"But of course~!"
Did she not understand sarcasm?!
No, no, there was no point trying to argue wth her." ...lets go."
His second made a pleased noise and followed him wholeheartedly. Even so his gaze traced back to her, watching her out the corner of his eye. Albedo's smile worried him, even as she trailed behind him. She looked a little too smug today. Almost dangerously so. Her hips swung with every step; she didn't so much walk as she did strut. And her smile...yikes. The last time she'd worn that smile...she had come back to him covered in blood. Which especially worried him, given she didn't have so much as a speck of blood on her at present.
"Alright," he sighed, threading his way around a bit of broken pipe. "I'll bite. What did you do, and to whom did you do it?"
Albedo only giggled, wings twitching in glee. "It's a surprise. I'm sure you'll be pleased~!"
"I like her."
Naruto sighed. 'You would!'
They found their quarry before he could think to pry further.
He spied them from afar; two hooded figures in the distance, tucked in an alcove. Heard their words echoing through the subterranean shunning grounds:
...is foolish. We should turn back."
"Came this far...
"Nonsense."
He took them in at a glance. They were but two. One was a man, tall of broad shoulders. The other as...not a woman, but not a child either, by her build. Each wore fine cloaks, too fine for any but gods to have. Many an omen sneered at them in passing, but they remained unbowed. Odd. He wondered what cause they had to be here-no, nevermind that! This was his chance.
Where most Omens might scoff and sneer, he saw an opportunity.
They still hadn't noticed them. He coughed into his fist to catch their attention. "Looking for something...?"
The taller of the duo turned, alarmed, but only for a moment. He glimpsed wide golden eyes beneath the cowl, locked firmly on him. "You look just like...
He blinked. "Like...?
...my apologies." The man comported himself quickly, and the moment was lost."Greetings, young omen." he sketched a genteel bow. "Please forgive our intrusion. Might you know where we can find the lord of this realm, perchance?"
Morgott? No, no, no. No way in hell was he sending them to his old man. "Depends on what you need. We might be able to help ya."
The man's companion huffed, her voice the softest of sighs. "This is pointless, Godwyn."
Naruto stiffened. Godwyn the Golden?!
"Well, well." the Formless Mother hummed. "What brings a scion of the Golden lineage down here?"
"Pointless?" Albedo bridled, utterly missing the byplay. "Choose your words carefully when speaking to my lord."
"Lord of what?" the hooded girl scoffed. "All I see is an empire of dirt."
"Why you...?!"
Naruto grabbed her by the arm. "Relax."
"Patience, sister." Godwyn cautioned his companion in the same instant. "They may be able to help us. Let us tell them our purpose here."
He asked as much. Godwyn's companion beat him to the punch.
"Very well." she huffed. "If the two of thee must know, we seek a murderer who has taken shelter here; a man wanted for high treason in Leyndell and crimes most foul. You may know him as the Dung Eater. We have been tasked with bringing this fiend to justice."
Naruto made a disgusted noise, one he felt in the very pit of his soul. "Never heard of him."
"That name...?" Albedo tilted her head and touched a finger to her lips. "Dung Eater, you say...oh!" Comprehension smacked a fist into an open palm. "I believe I know of whom you speak. I encountered someone just the other who referred to himself by such a title. He was quit the cantankerous fellow."
Naruto heaved a sigh. The reason for her earlier smile suddenly became all too clear. "...you already killed him didn't you?"
She recoiled, touching one hand to her bosom. "Of course not! I would never be so gauche."
"Great." he released a quick breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Then you can-
"I just tortured him a little and took his sword as a trophy."
He flung up his arms with a cry. "Albedo!"
"What? It was a nice sword."
"Godwyn" chuckled softly at his plight. "Worry not. I take no offense. Although...may I have a look at you?"
Naruto stiffened. "Excuse me?"
"Careful now...
She didn't have to tell him twice!
Godwyn leaned closer, considering him as one might a fine jewel.
"As I thought," he said at last. "You resemble him. Forgive my secrecy but its so nice to finally meet you." much to Naruto's chagrin, the man smiled and tugged back his hood, revealing his face. Here at last, he saw the resemblance to Morgott. "I had not thought my brother would be so quick to sire a child. Nevertheless, here you are. Remarkable." A hand clapped his shoulder. "I'm sorry we left you here, Nephew."
His world fractured. Cracked. Shattered, now. Godwyn was his uncle?! For once, his silver tongue finally failed him.
The Formless Mother hummed a sigh. "This is certainly an unexpected development. Are...are you alright?"
Naruto tried to speak. He really did. All that emerged was gibberish. And then. "I have an uncle."
Albedo looked left. Right. Left again. Frowned now. "There does seem to be a resemblance...
"Indeed you do." Godwyn's smile lived up to his namesake. "I wish we could have met sooner." he noticed Albedo a moment later. "And who is this?"
Albedo stood on the very tips of her toes, trying to making herself appear taller. Naruto didn't miss the pleading, anguished look in her eyes. How could he possibly deny her before all these people?
...someone very dear to me."
"Ah, I see. Your consort then?" Naruto squawked. Albedo squeaked. Godwyn barreled right through it all. "Then she is as family to us."
The hooded girl scoffed. "What nonsense is this?! Surely you jest, Godwyn. The boy I could understand but the girl? You cannot simply declare such a thing-
"This is no jest." the Firstborn of the Demigods took his hand away and straightened. "Come now," Godwyn's gaze slid to the hooded woman -more a girl, really- who'd come down here with him. "Don't be shy. We are all family here."
The younger demigod scoffed. "You have a strange definition of the word...
"Ranni!"
"Pah!" she harrumphed. "Very well."
Nevertheless, she tugged aside her hood...
Dazzling scarlet hair spilled forth to frame a young face before tapering off into a long braid flowing down her left shoulder. Piercing emerald eyes glared green daggers at them. Naruto felt himself taken aback by the sight of her. There was wisdom in her gaze, a keen intellect lurking behind that imperious beauty. Despite his best efforts to remain impartial, he found himself struck by the sight of her. Albedo noticed and made a displeased noise behind him, but even she stared.
And then Ranni ruined it all by opening her mouth.
"Nephew, was it? You will take us to where you last saw this "Dung Eater" at once." she demanded of them. "We would have words with him. Do so, and we might show you some small modicum of leniency, perhaps even liberate you from this...hovel."
Bitch. His right eye twitched. Any awe Naruto might've felt for her died in a ditch. His smile turned positively saccharine. "Sure thing...right after you get that stick out your ass."
The Formless Mother's howling laughter in his head nearly drowned out the spectacle that followed.
Albedo smirked. Godwyn snorted, muffling a bark of laughter behind his right palm.
The witch turned redder than absolutely sputtered. "I beg your pardon?!"
As far as first impressions went, theirs was certainly a memorable one.
A/N: Aaaaand scene. The plot thickens!
To be clear, that's IS Ranni. She looks quite different in her true body. I was quite surprised!
Well? Should this be a story? Yay or nay? Your input determine's this story's fate~!
Once more, we're sticking with the now infamous "Embers" rule for this particular story, and others.
If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly?
Here, have some previews.
And as ever:
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
HERE BE SPOILERS!
(Preview)
And some old favorites return...
"A pox on you all! I will never yield! The curse is unending!"
"Thanks for savin' my bacon back there." They drew themselves up with a grunt. "Sorry to say that old swords of yers is wrecked beyond fixin', though. You need a proper weapon, ya sonuvabitch!"
Naruto couldn't quite hide his smile as he stowed his ruined tol. "You're an unconventional weaponsmith, aren't you? Bit of a foul-mouth too."
"Bah!" came the grunt. "I ain'ts like my brother. Says it the ways I sees it."
"You have a brother?"
"Eh," a blue hand waved in dismissal. "Sindri's a squeamish little bugger. Don't much like touchin dirty shite. S'why I'm down here rummagin' around for materials, not him."
"What is this?" Albedo sniffed, then leaned back from the forge and its acrid smoke. "Some kind of...dwarf?"
"Aye, I'm a dwarf yer ladyship." the short man squinted at her." Ya ain't never seen one before?"
Her wings twitched happily. "Lady?"
Aaand just like that, the surly old dwarf won her over.
"Well, yer definitely one of the prettier Omens down here." his gaze swept back to Naruto. You want me to fix ya up a weapon or not?!"
"Brok, was it?" He offered him his and with a rueful smile. "...alright. I'd like that very much."
"Got anything in mind?"
He paused. Considered. "I would prefer an ax. If you could enchant it with frost, that'd be great."
"Great! I've got just the thing. You two sit tight. And don't go makin 'pig eyes at my spot here, I saw it first!"
Naruto guffawed outright, finding himself fond of the dwarf already. "Don't suppose you could craft us some armor while you're at it...?"
"Depends." Brok grinned. "Got anything to trade?"
He opened his cloak on one side. The dwarf whistled. "Well ain't that a hoot...?"
Godwyn offered him his hand. "Would you like to see the surface, nephew?"
"Control that boy. He intrudes upon things he does not understand."
"Why are you crying? This is your doing. You said it yourself; you'd rather feel pain yourself than inflict it. You choose to be neutral.
But you know what happens when you play both sides?
In the end, everybody loses.
This is the result. You've learned a lesson few seem to grasp. Sometimes, to protect one thing, you need to have the resolve to let go of another. You're not weak. Break your chains. Even if your decision is wrong, its your decision. You started this, after all."
I'm not wrong. What's wrong is this messed up world! And I'm gonna fix it.
"Maul! Savage! How many times to I have to tell you?! Don't harass the newbloods!"
"Don't dig too deep, lad. You might not like what you find down there in the shunning grounds."
I know what the caravan awoke in the dark.
Shadow and flame."
So this is what sunlight feels like. So much better than a projection...
She sat beside him. Her land came to rest over his. "What happens now?"
EDIT: Hey, you made it!
Once again, I'll say it plain, if this email opt-in business with the site doesn't get resolved soon, I'm probably going to retire.
It HURTS to say that, but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, authors are leaving the site in droves.
If you're not already aware of it, ever since the 16th of November, you now have to turn ON your email alerts in account settings -AND MAKE SURE YOU CLICK SAVE SETTINGS!- else you won't be notified when anyone updates. No alerts, no email, no nothing. Apparently that's a thing we all have to do every ninety days or so, now. Alas, not many are aware of it...which is a problem. As things stand this new "fix" as it were, has cut everyone's viewership/reviewers in half because most folks don't know about it.
Sometimes opting in works. Sometimes it doesn't. Really depends.
As ever, the Embers rule remains. Meaning, if folks don't enjoy this, I'll not continue it. Working two jobs leaves me with precious little time these days and I can't bear to write something no one likes. Moreover, I don't have the time to. So by all means, speak up! Every bit of feedback matters here! Truly, it does! That's no joke!
Seriously, writing only to receive silence hurts. It hurts alot.
Tired,
~Nz.
R&R~!