The Ancient Claymore...

Rating: M for gore, blood, language, and death
Author: Soul Teller
A/N: You know I've been seriously thinking about chapter 79 and a lot of theories sprang into my mind those theories are going to be expressed later on in this story in the form of Naruto. I think you might agree with them after you read it, also what Naruto is showing Inuyasha is what Miria discovered in chapter 79.

If you had the power to destroy the evil tormenting your family and neighbors, would you?
Akumetsu...

Chapter 4, Part 4
The Holy City

Clare stood on shaky legs her breath coming in her pants, blood dripping from the wound in her side however there was nothing she could do about it. The Yoma pulled the sword out of it's now destroyed eye blood dripped from the wound. It then vanished. "It's gone!" Sid cried out, how idiotic Clare knew it wasn't going to leave, and that it didn't leave. She whirled around and gave a powerful round house kick into his stomach sending him flying backward. He landed with a THUD! on the ground. "Hey! You bi-" He was cut off by the monstrous Yoma coming to crash in the spot he had just been seconds earlier. Sid's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

Clare swung at the monster with her other remaining sword the monster blocked it with her arm but the blade sank deep into it's arm injuring it. Galk ran forward at the monster his longsword held ready in his hands as he charged. "You!"

"Stay back! There's nothing you can do!" She said however the monster swung it's arm at him and struck the sword. It shattered as if it was made of glass.

"Wha?" The monster didn't even give him time to react as it held out a hand and it's finger suddenly stretched forward at tremendous speeds at Galks face. He was seconds away from death when the fingers suddenly fell from his sights. Clare had leaped on the monster's arm forcing it's attack to go off course.

"Run! Get out of the way!" She shouted. There was a horrible squelching sound as finger like claws pierced through Clare. She gave an involuntary cough and blood escaped her lips. The monster had struck her with it's other hand, Clare shuddered and twitched then she went slightly limp. The monster gave a triumphant roar as it lifted her up into the air, she twitched and coughed again blood falling again from her mouth onto the floor. The monster threw her to the side, where she lay on the floor, still. The monster's body seemed to pulse from the kill, and it took a step forward while Sid and Galk took a step back. It looked at them it's single eye glinting maliciously. BAM! The door flew open and soldiers began to crowd around the open door.

"Hurry!"

"Did you round up every available soldier?"

"Yes sir!" Sid looked behind him to see a crowd of soldiers standing there. The soldiers saw the Yoma.

"Whoa!"

"What on earth is that!?"

"Is it a Yoma?" The yoma looked at them then seemed to give a 'tch' and it vanished once again.

"W-WAIT!" Sid cried but the Yoma had long been gone. 'SHIT! It's gone!' Sid cursed in his mind, it was then he noticed Galk turn. Sid glanced at him and watched as Galk walked to the fallen body of the Claymore he crouched. Sid walked next to Galk keeping a considerable distance away from the body. "Is she dead?" his voice was cold. Galk pressed the side of his head to her chest any other man would've been too embarrassed but not Galk. No, Galk didn't see her as a woman, he saw her as a warrior of great caliber and felt no shame in his current action. He stayed silent, then he raised his head.

"No, her hearts still beating." In one swift movement he grabbed her and was now holding her in his arms.

"! Galk! What are you doing? Why don't you forget about her? She's part monster!" Sid yelled his disgust obvious, Galk stayed silent then.

"She saved my life. I owe her... even if she is part monster." Sid said nothing, and Galk knew he wouldn't it was the truth. She had saved Galk's life... and Sid's.

Morning came, in the light a hooded figure walked toward Rabona Gate, when he saw the guards he leaped over them onto the wall. Naruto pulled down his hood he surveyed the city with his keen eye's. Like he had planned the buildings were mostly cracked though some had fallen. He could see various people running left and right some soldiers were helping them removing rubble and pulling crumpled bodies. Naruto observed this for a while then he turned his head to where the inn that Raki was resting was and jumped into the air.

Raki sat on the bed his knees pulled tight to his chest, his gaze never leaving the window. 'Clare... are you safe?' he thought glumly. It was then that he heard noises, a crash and a groan. "!" Raki stood up quickly and opened his door, he peered out the door. Good thing too or he would've fallen and probably of broken his leg as the floor now had an enormous hole in the center. Raki looked and saw... "Pumpkin Head!" he shouted anger welling up in him. Indeed Sid was lying underneath a slight pile of wood he was rubbing the top of his head when he heard the cry of 'Pumpkin Head.' Sid growled.

"Stupid brat! I suggest you start treating me with respect if you want your 'sister' to live!" Sid said. Raki's eye's widened and he was no time in getting on clothes. All the while his thoughts were focused on one person.

'Clare!'

Naruto watched as the Pumpkin Head lead Raki to the Cathedral he was holding Raki rather roughly that if Naruto had been there as a fox he would've bitten him already. However that wasn't part of the plan... then again... when did Naruto really, ever follow plans? A foxy grin lit his features as his bones cracked and snapped and he once again became the small gray fox, with the gold tipped tail. He ran down the roof and landed softly and followed the boy and his 'captor' silently.

Raki saw the petite form lying on the bed, in her stealth clothes and fear gripped him when he saw the bandages around her chest and arms. "Clare!" he ran forward his hands grasping her arms and shaking her slightly. "Clare! Wake up! Say something!" He cried however Clare didn't move. Raki turned his head to Father Vincent who was standing by the bed, "Father what happened!? Is she alright!?" however the aged man could only shake his head in disappointment.

"I tried to help her but given her physiology I didn't know what to do. All I could was bandage her wounds." Raki could only stare open-mouthed at this statement.

"But... if that's all then Clare will..." Raki said hesitating at the last sentence.

"Will die..." Sid brutally finished. All eye's turned to Sid... all opened eye's at least. Sid stood there his arms crossed a smug smirk on his face. "Like I said she's dying, treating her won't do more than comfort her.

It's just monsters and half-breeds killing each other." Naruto could feel his anger rising and his lips raised slightly revealing his sharp teeth. Raki had clenched his fists, Galk looked outraged, and the priest was stunned. "Nothing to get worked up about right?" Naruto was about to bite off Sid's leg when Raki's fist collided with Sid's face. While the punch didn't exactly send Sid flying Sid did stumble slightly. This caught everybody by surprise. "Damn! You!" Sid growled.

"SHUT UP! What do you know about Clare!?" Raki said a fire blazing in his eye's, Naruto looked up at him if anybody could of read the fox's face it would've been surprised and pleasantly pleased, he settled back down and watched the boy with the calculating eye of a warrior. "She's prepared to die fighting! She's risking her life to protect us... humans!"

"Sonuva-!" Sid punched Raki, who soon retaliated. The two were soon rubbing their faces from their blows.

"Clare took me in when a Yoma killed my family and my village threw me out! When I had no one and nothing left she was the one who told me I could come with her! Do you... do you understand how happy I felt!? Clare is kinder and more gentle than any normal person!" Sid growing tired of Raki's rants, gave a Raki a final powerful punch that sent Raki sliding into the wall. Sid shook his hand slightly then he popped the knuckles in his hands and turned.

"Tch! This is pathetic! I'm going back to my post." Sid said opening the door and slamming. Naruto glared wearily at Sid's retreating back, then he turned his attention to Raki. Father Vincent was kneeling down and head extended his hand to Raki.

"Are you all right my boy?" He asked concern in his voice. He was answered by sniffs and the soft 'plat plat' of tears. Naruto looked sadly at the boy and was about to move to comfort him when...

"Stop crying. It's not over yet." Said the strong voice of Galk, they looked at him. He was staring outside the window his gaze seeing more than what was out there. "I owe her my life too. I can't let her die before my debt is repaid." he paused letting these words sink in or perhaps to gather his thoughts whichever it was the next words would inspire one forever and remind one forever. "A faithful heart draws strength, however faintly it may beat there is still hope." He then turned his eye's to Raki. "So have faith! It's the only way you can help her now!" He said. Raki stared at him with his tear stained face and then nodded.

For the day's that Clare would spend asleep Raki would kneel by the side of her bed his forehead rested over his fists as he silently prayed. He refused to move from his spot even going so far as to eat very minimal amounts of food, then returning to his prayer. 2 day's had passed, then it happened... Clare gave a wheeze and opened her eye's slightly. They fluttered in the light. "Clare! Clare wake up! Clare!" He called. She blinked and turned her eye's to Raki, they were a slightly duller silver but they brightened slightly when she saw him.

"Raki..." she said simply. It was then that the tears he had been holding back for 2 days straight were coming in at full force as he sobbed. He threw himself onto her bed and hugged her tight as he sobbed and gasped. Naruto who was awoken by Raki's cries looked up from his perch in the corner.

'Hmph... She's tougher than she looks though that's because... You truly lover her... don't you?' He thought as he eyed Raki still sobbing into the Clare's covers. His ears twitched as he heard hurrying footsteps he turned to see Father Vincent run in looking harassed. He calmed when he saw Raki and Clare.

"Ah... so she's awake. Good." Clare turned her eye's slightly to Father Vincent.

"Forgive me Father, I've caused you trouble apparently." she said in her monotone voice.

"Not at all. I'm just glad that you are alive." He said jovially, Clare stayed silent for about a minute.

"Tell me what's going on. How long have I been here?" She needed to know if the Yoma had eaten anybody else.

"It's been two days since you were attacked. Galk and Sid carried you out. They bumped into me, and we brought you to my room." It was then that his face softened and he looked warmly at her. "Raki has been at your side ever since. He prayed the whole time for you to wake up, he never left your side for even a second. Clare was silent letting all of this sink in, then she pulled on hand out from under the blankets and caressed Raki's head.

"Forgive me Father. But I have a request..."

Shorter than what I normally do but hey I want to get this up. I'm losing the Claymore Update race. XD

All joking aside, the big church fight is going to come up and it's probably going to be one of the longest fights that I write. Also Naruto will not become major until the chapter after that, in which case his past will be explained a bit.

Soul Teller the Corrupt Soul Weaver