Disclaimer: Harpooned Whale Speaks Out Against Japanese!
"They don't respect my culture"
'He big fish. We eat, yes?"
And, General Grievous doesn't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!
"It's true. I never really did own them in the first place. Mostly."
All this and more!
Here's the next installment of The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!
The howls and snarls of the plagued Scarlet Crusaders echoed throughout the mountains long after Naruto and the others had left the monastery. They took the route that Tsuwabuki had found, and led Kira through. To her surprise, Fairbanks, the former High Inquisitor who had seen Mograine's betrayal and the corruption of the Scarlet Crusade, was not there. He had vanished completely, and even as they trekked through the cramped, dirty tunnels beneath the monastery they did not encounter him. Upon leaving the monastery, they made sure that the beasts that now inhabited it would never leave. They sealed the only gateway the wall had, and left without another look back.
Their journey down the mountains was silent and slow. Everyone was nursing their wounds, which they retained from their prospective battles, seeing as how Kira was unable to heal them for the moment. Having used the Shadow Word: Seal technique, the chakra in one arm was sealed for the moment, making it impossible for her to make hand seals. The arm hung limply, occasionally bumping into her leg as she walked, making it wing to and fro. Though Naruto was by far the worst off, his wounds were already healing, and probably would be gone before the afternoon.
Each member of the group were lost in their own thoughts, whether replaying the events that took place only moments before, or focusing their mind on events to come.
Kira was wondering why she felt at all sorry for Whitemane. The woman had done things so horrible that forgiving her seemed to be a crime. And yet, Kira wanted to forgive her. Her final words had sounded so sincere; words that before, Kira had disregarded as nothing more than lies to get Kira to open up to the woman. But Kira now realized that such emotion couldn't be faked. Whitemane had had no training in the mental arts—she could not generate or inspire emotions like other priestesses could.
That meant her words had been the absolute truth.
And Kira didn't know how to react to that.
She wanted to just put the woman's face behind her. She was gone, and the world was better off without her. She wanted to believe that her father's spirit could now rest, for his killer was no longer among the living.
But she couldn't. Something was making her dwell on the woman whom she had for so long thought was responsible for her father's death. And it was not just the fact that she might have been wrong.
Whitemane's words came back to her. She believed that it was someone named the Scarlet Oracle who had been responsible for her father's death. But why would she think that? Who was this person? What grudge, if Whitemane's words had been true, could this Oracle have against her father and Stormwind?
But the thought of Stormwind brought other concerns to her mind. What was happening now to her people? Had they made it to the Argent Dawn's camp? Were they safe? She then thought of the bodies of the people that lay beneath, and now within the Scarlet Monastery. She wanted so much to go back, to do something for those unfortunate souls.
Her concern and worry for her people did not leave her, the entire trip out of the mountains. Her mind, so concerned for those that she had left behind, did not dwell on the most important issue at that moment. She did not think of what they were to do next. For once, she was not thinking of the future.
But Naruto was.
In fact, it was all he could think about. He saw, each time he so much as blinked, the courtyard of the monastery, littered with the dying and dead citizens of Stormwind. He thought of Fen's words, and the creatures that had appeared out of nowhere. He thought of Sylvanas' cold smile, and her white, emotionless eyes.
And he grew frighteningly angry. Now that Mograine was dead, and the battle was over, Naruto could barely contain the rage that had built up since Fen had alerted him of Sylvanas' intentions. He stomped down the path, his whole body rigid in silent anger. The Kyuubi, deep within him, was laughing softly.
He could not imagine how someone, especially a ruler of a nation, could have such a blatant disregard for life. What had been her purpose in sending the Plague at that moment? Hadn't Sylvanas said that she could rid herself of the Scarlet Crusade without a thought? So why had she sent Fenritt and Myrdraxxis to release the Plague at that point, when they had just arrived?
Because of that, they had had little time to find a way to get them out, as quickly as possible. They had been forced to fight the Scarlet Crusade, without any sort of plan, and because of that, many innocents had been killed. If it hadn't been for Fen, too, then were wouldn't have been any survivors. They would have all been victims of the plague, or the beasts that had been spawned by it.
Though there had been few casualties, in the long run, it didn't matter to Naruto. Her intentions had been to wipe them all out, and that was just as bad as the act itself. What she had done was put the lives of hundreds in jeopardy, willingly. Something like that, in Naruto's eyes, was unforgivable. And he intended to let her know that.
Kylia watched the other two worriedly. Kira seemed to be troubled, and Naruto quite furious. But she did nothing to assuage or cool them; she simply stayed by their side, ready to do anything. While she was quick to help Kira in everything, she had found a grudging respect for Naruto, after seeing his fight with the Scarlet Commander. She knew that Kira needed him, and so if the situation called for it, she would do as much as she could for Naruto as well.
Tsuwabuki simply padded alongside Naruto, saying nothing, but nonetheless doing her best to temper the blonde's hot wrath, and simply be with him.
Things continued this way the whole way down the sloping paths. They reached the bottom at dawn, though it was unlike any dawn they had ever seen. Instead of the burning orange of the sun, rising to bring the day, there was nothing but poisonous green smog, glowing with the light of the sun behind it. Above, it remained dark and smoky, and as the day passed, the rest of the sky would return to this darkness that they had become accustomed to.
But as they left, Tsuwabuki's ears suddenly pricked up. She gave a soft growl, alerting Naruto. The silver fox, with her sharp ears, had picked up the sound of footsteps long ago. Naruto heard them too, suddenly. He must have been so lost in his thoughts that not even his enhanced hearing had been able to pick them up.
There was no smell accompanying the sound, and Naruto, therefore, knew exactly who it was before they even became visible.
"You got them out?"
Fen emerged from the forest beside the path, looking tired. Though it was hard to tell, Naruto could see some semblance of relief on the Forsaken's face. Myrdraxxis moved silently behind him, stopping and leaning against a tree.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Thanks…but why did you…?"
Fen shrugged. "I'm Forsaken, yes, but that doesn't mean I enjoy killing innocent people. Believe me when I say that this is the first time this has ever happened—I didn't expect Sylvanas to go this far. Of course, you guys were lucky that I was such a nice guy, and that the plague didn't work."
Kira, now, was shaken from her thoughts. "It didn't work? Then what…?"
Fen sighed. "The Plague that Sylvanas was intending to create would kill one-hundred percent of the people and creatures that it infected. As you saw, or didn't," he added, noticing Kira's confused look. "This did nothing but transform them into horrible monsters. I'm sure she'll be both thrilled and furious that it didn't work out properly, but the plague that Faranell created wasn't at all perfect. It didn't appear to be contagious, at least, and that was the biggest element she was putting into it." He jerked his head over to Myrdraxxis, and Naruto suddenly noticed a large sack tied at his waste. "We got a sample, just to prove it. I can't wait for Faranell's chewing out."
Naruto grunted. The blonde was looking through the trees, in the direction of the Undercity. Fen watched him.
"I take it you aren't going to the Argent Dawn, then?"
Naruto looked at him, eyes a set and strong as steel. Kira was looking at Naruto in confusion. It then occurred to her that they really had no plan of what to do or where to go. She opened her mouth, ready to speak, but Naruto spoke first, and the words were slain where they stood.
"No. I'm going to the Undercity," Naruto said.
Fen chuckled. "Thought so. We saw you walking down. You looked pretty steamed. Might I inquire why you are returning?"
Naruto glared at him. "That super old hag did something that I just can't let slide. She nearly caused the deaths of hundreds of people. I can't forgive that. And I still haven't forgiven her for the first time we met." His glared became harder, more icy. "Someone's gotta prove her wrong, and someone's gotta show her that Kira-chan's dream isn't just a child's fantasy. And I have to show her the consequences of trying to kill so many people. I can't let her get away with any of it."
Fen looked at the blonde awhile, the wrinkled, rotten flesh that was his face hung loosely, making no emotion visible.
What can I say?
The kid had a good heart, and a definite fighting spirit. It got him through a lot, or so I've heard, and in this case, I couldn't help but marvel at it. Was he stupid? No. That much was clear. The brat just had a very strong sense of justice, and morals up the wazoo.
But there was something about him, too.
One had to admire that spirit of his. To possess such a strong one, in such a circumstance, is something that even I have to tip my hat to. The kid, even after nearly dying in a fight against the Scarlet Crusade's most brutal leaders, was willing to return to a place where not only was he not wanted, but would probably be killed on sight.
Why was he doing it?
Because he thought it was right, and unlike myself, he had the backbone to do what was right, not simply ponder it. And the brat had an air of knowledge to his words. It was as if he knew something that we all didn't, and that thing he knew was going to help him tip the scales in his favor.
But, I still had to wonder. What could he teach someone who has lived for millennia? How much wiser could a young boy be than a two thousand year old Banshee Queen?
Well, I would find out, wouldn't I?
Finally, Fen spoke.
"I like you, Naruto."
Naruto blinked at him. "Huh?"
The Forsaken grinned. "I bet, since you left the Undercity, you haven't thought a thing other than what you just said to me. You've got real spirit, so much that I doubt anyone could turn you from your path, once you have decided upon it. That's a trait I think more people should have. You don't let anything get in your way. You set out to help the little miss over there, and until you have finished helping, you aren't going to stop, are you?"
Naruto grinned, shaking his head.
Fen nodded, and then looked sideways at Kira. "And you. Do you still want Lady Sylvanas' alliance, even after all she has done?"
Kira was silent for a moment. She had been thinking far too much on the safety of her people, and not on the reason she had left them in the first place. But Sylvanas' words slowly came back to her, and the experiences between those words and Fen's question flooded the girl's mind.
Finally, she let out a shaky breath.
"I…I do. But after hearing her words, and knowing what she believes and thinks, I can not expect anything but a political alliance, if anything. I don't believe she will—"
"You can't think like that, Kira-chan."
Kira stopped, looking at Naruto.
The blonde continued. "You came here wanting to get her allegiance not just for politics or anything like that, but also for the people itself. If you try to do that, then it will fail as she said. The people are what's needed, right?"
Kira looked at Naruto now in a whole new light. The blonde's words were just as correct as Sylvanas' had been, but instead of feeling like she had been punched in the gut, she felt as if her whole body was covered in a blanket of the warmest and softest material. She suddenly felt safe; she felt secure and happy and warm. She smiled widely at him.
"Yes." They were the only words she could find.
Fen nodded approvingly. The blonde brat certainly knew a lot more about this sort of thing than he let on, didn't he? Maybe they stood a chance.
"Well that's great. The two of you probably have what it takes to convince Sylvie," he paused at Myrdraxxis' slight noise of irritation, but continued anyways. "But, you have a slight problem." He looked meaningfully at Naruto. "Not stopping for anything in your path is all well and good, but what happens when the obstacle that you must overcome is several thousand undead warriors, a few hundred Abominations, a Dreadlord, and a very powerful Banshee Queen?"
Naruto blinked, opening his mouth to find words to respond. He found none.
Fen continued, rolling his eyes (figuratively). "You should probably think about those sort of things, shouldn't you? They're not going to just let you in, you know. The Abominations have orders to exterminate humans on sight, and I imagine she gave them specific orders about a short, spiky haired boy with a fox, and two pretty girls. Now, tell me how you are going to get past that, in order to speak with her?"
Naruto once again opened his mouth, before closing it. He glowered at the Forsaken. "I'll find a way," he said, petulantly.
Fen grinned. "Why not let me help?"
The three humans now looked at him in confusion. So, he elaborated. "I know a way to get you guys in, without any hassle or threat, other than when you actually get inside. The best part about it is that you don't need to repay me. I want this as bad as you, I think."
Kira's eyes widened, and a great smile bloomed across her face. "You'd do that?"
Fen grinned. "Yep."
Naruto was grinning too, but he stopped suddenly, and looked back at Myrdraxxis. "And what about you? Are you going to let us go?"
Myrdraxxis' glowing yellow eyes fell on Naruto, and he gave an indifferent shrug. "What do I care if you wish to meet your death that much swifter? I have no reason to stop you, because I know there is nothing you can do to truly harm my lady."
Fen chortled at the Forsaken's response, winking at the blonde. "That's his way of saying, 'I support you in every way that I can.' Myr' and I had a long talk before you arrived. He may not say it, but he's just as annoyed by Sylvie's actions as me."
Myrdraxxis said nothing to confirm or deny his partner's words. He leaned back against the tree, and was silent once more. Fen smirked at the Forsaken again, and then returned his attention to Naruto.
"Let's get going, shall we?"
Naruto nodded. His cheer died, and once more, the burning determination that had before inspired so many people, returned.
Fen smiled, turning. 'What a kid.' He thought, as a true convert.
"So, this is the result of all your hard work, Faranell?"
Sylvanas Windrunner held the head (or what should have been the head) of one of the creatures birthed by her plague. She turned it around, observing every angle of it she could, and handled it like it was a toy of some sort. The blood had long clotted, and therefore she didn't seem concerned about infection. Master Apothecary Faranell had prostrated himself before her throne, and was shaking madly. He looked utterly terrified.
And Fen was enjoying every moment of it.
They had just returned from their sojourn to the Scarlet Monastery, and had immediately been sent to see Sylvanas. The Royal Quarter had been just as quiet as ever, when they arrived. Faranell was already there, rubbing his hands together anxiously; he hoped that the news they had was good for him. Fen had never enjoyed something more than revealing to Sylvanas the unquestionable failure of her Master Apothecary.
Faranell gulped at her words. "M-my lady, I-I w-was sure…I-I d-do n-not know w-what happened. P-please, I-if I-I had m-more time, t-then I m-might…!"
The Dark Lady waved his words off; they were like flies to her. "Save it. As disappointed I am in your failure, it is not a total loss. This plague that you accidentally created might still be of use. I want it preserved, and studied. Can you manage that, Faranell, or do I have to find another Master Apothecary?"
Faranell shook his head, his greasy hair flailing, making Fen take a step back, as if afraid the grease would fly off and cover him. "I c-can m-manage it, milady. I-I p-promise, v-very s-soon I w-will h-have for y-you a w-working P-plague, l-like you w-wanted."
Sylvanas gave him soft, cold smile. "I would expect nothing less, Faranell. You are dismissed."
She tossed him the head, so suddenly that he gave a squawk, just barely catching it. He scurried from the room as soon as he had, ignoring the tongue that Fen was sticking out at him.
Sylvanas then turned her attention to the Forsaken in front of her. Myrdraxxis was bowing his head, as normal, and Fen was too. But he seemed a little anxious, to her. He would constantly shift his weight, ever so slightly, and his head would quiver, as if he was going to turn it, but he never did.
She spoke.
"Fenritt, what of the little humans? You did not mention them in your report."
Fen looked up. "We didn't encounter them. I went to the Library, and Myrdraxxis went to the Armory. We didn't see any of them there."
Sylvanas nodded. "And what do you suppose happened to them? How many Crusaders were turned?"
Fen mulled it over a moment, frowning. "Quite a few. All of the trainees in the Armory, according to Myrdraxxis, and a large group of scholars in the Library. It's safe to say that there were plenty of the things to not only tear up an army of Scarlet Crusaders, but a couple of innocent humans, too."
Sylvanas nodded. "I see. I wonder, then, how the majority of said innocent humans managed to escape."
Fen blinked (again figuratively). "Pardon?"
She smiled coldly at him. "I would have thought you smarter, Fenritt. I have spies all over this area. It is not hard to see several hundred live humans walking along the road towards the Plaguelands. It made me wonder, how they could have escaped with so many still alive. Unless they knew of the attack before it took place, then surely quite a few more would have perished, yes?"
Fen gave a slight nod. If he could sweat, he'd be doing it. "I suppose so."
Sylvanas stood, not taking her snow-white eyes off of him. "You are really a terrible liar, Fenritt. I should have guessed this would happen the moment I sent you on this mission. You were, no doubt, still bitter over my refusal to rejoin the Horde, yes? I'll admit, that was partly the reason I sent you two specifically on this mission. I wanted to see what you would do. It seems that you betrayed me. Is that right?"
Fen gulped. "I wouldn't use the word betray."
"What word would you use?"
"Disobey, I suppose."
Sylvanas chuckled, softly. "Is that right? Wouldn't that require me to have forbidden you from doing something before the mission? I don't recall doing such a thing."
"Maybe it was implied, my lady."
"Ah, maybe it was."
They fell silent. Fen was shaking. Sylvanas didn't seem to be severely angry, and he knew quite well what that was like. Her passive anger was nothing at all compared to the fiery temper she had displayed in the battles against the Dreadlords for control of Lordaeron. Nonetheless, Fen wanted that anger more than he wanted the fury she was directing at him now. It was easier to predict. She'd either kill you, or severely maim you, and then it was over, and you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. This anger was different. He had no idea what she was thinking. It made him want to cry, and he would have, if his tear ducts had rotted away long ago, along with his eyes.
Finally, Sylvanas spoke again. "And what, I ask you, did you do with the blonde brat and the little princess? Did they go and join the other innocent humans at the Argent Dawn?"
Fen shook his head. "I'll admit, my lady, that I did meet them once. I don't honestly know what happened to them after I told them the attack. I imagine, given the blonde kid's personality, he fought the leaders, and bought the time to allow the innocents to escape. After that, I really have no idea."
Sylvanas quirked an eyebrow. "Really, lying again, are we? If you intend to lie, let Myrdraxxis speak it. At least then you might have a chance."
Fen gulped. He really did want to tell her. But for some reason, under the spotlight that was her hard gaze, he couldn't find words coherent enough to tell her. So he just lied. He would have lied again, if Myrdraxxis had not come to his aid.
"My lady, we encountered them at the bottom of the trail leading to the monastery. They were wounded and tired, having just fought and defeated the High Inquisitor and her dog, The Scarlet Commander," he said, looking up, his glowing yellow eyes fixated intensely on Sylvanas.
Sylvanas smiled, nodding. "And what did you do with them?"
"We let them go."
"Ah. Why?"
"Because you gave us no orders on what to do if we encountered them. You simply told us to release the plague, gather data on its effects, and return, after leading them to the monastery. We did not feel they deserved to die, so we released them."
Fen almost sighed in relief. Myrdraxxis was the king of the using people's own words against them. Well, second only to Sylvanas, that is. Fen guessed that somewhere along the line, Sylvanas had taught him a thing or two about it, and he had just gone with it from there. Nevertheless, what had been said was quite true, and because Myrdraxxis had said it, quite truer. He then realized that no matter what, he'd be punished for what he had done. Why on earth was he feeling relieved?
Sylvanas nodded slowly. "You are correct, I did not tell you what to do if I saw them there. But, then again, I never did tell you to tell them of the attack, did I? I wonder if you did really let them go. Fenritt, I must ask, did you say anything to them in that little meeting?"
Fen opened his mouth. Then, he closed it. He looked puzzled for a moment, before he said. "If I said yes, would I be in more trouble if I said no?"
The Dark Lady gave him a much tighter smile. "I'll let you use your own judgment on that, my dear Fenritt."
"Ah," he said, nodding. "Well then yes."
She smiled. "What did you say?"
He opened his mouth again, words ready, but then faltered and closed up again. A moment passed, and after much deliberating, he said, "It was nice meeting you? No? Then, how about…"
"I suppose you told them of the secret passages to enter the Undercity, known only to the Forsaken?"
Fen held up a finger, a lie on his lips already. Then, remembering the tight-lipped smile from before, he just nodded.
"And so," said Sylvanas, clasping her hands in front of her. "Given that you yourself drew up the plans to the many secret tunnels throughout this city, I'm guessing you showed them the one that led directly beneath this very room, yes? I suspect they are already here."
Fen swallowed. That was what he had been afraid of. He knew he should have played dumb a bit longer, and let Myrdraxxis do the talking. He hung his head.
Meanwhile, the Royal Deathguards that had been stationed all around the room were moving into a large bunch behind Fen. Sylvanas gave a slight nod, and they hurried to the back of the gigantic room towards a large candelabrum behind Sylvanas' throne. Everyone knew that was where the tunnel was. Sylvanas did not like the thought of being snuck up on, so she made sure all of her Royal Deathguards knew of it.
As the Deathguards gathered, Fen calmly got down on his knees, and bowed. "I won't try to explain my actions, my lady. I disobeyed you, and therefore, I will take whatever punishment you decide for me."
Sylvanas watched him, silent. She ignored the Deathguards for a moment, simply staring at Fenritt.
"I am disappointed in you. You are without a doubt one of my most loyal and strongest warriors. Killing you is what I should do. But I will not. You are lucky, for you have done nothing detrimental to our nation, and you merely disobeyed my orders on a simple test. You have been with me from almost the very beginning, and never once have you been disloyal. I will put this little incident up to simply your emotions getting the better of you. You are no rogue, after all. But," she turned, looking at the Deathguards behind her. They were all ready to do as she asked. "You will not lift a finger, or say a word of protest, as I administer the punishment to these—"
"Oi! Super hag!"
Sylvanas turned her head in a swift, graceful arc, not towards the back, but towards the entrance. Fen did too, nearly tripping in surprise at the voice. 'It couldn't be…!' he thought.
Uzumaki Naruto, Tsuwabuki at his side and Kira and Kylia behind him, had walked into the room. Through the front entrance. Not the secret tunnel that both Sylvanas and Fen had expected him to. He was glaring hotly at Sylvanas, who showed only a little surprise in seeing him.
Fen was gaping. 'Did that idiot…actually go in through the front?'
Sylvanas stood, crossing her arms.
"Ah, we meet again."
"Yeah," said Naruto, angrily. "We do."
Sylvanas briefly turned back to the Deathguards, who were staring at the blonde in wonder. "You have quite a bit of…guts, is it? To come through the entrance. I wonder, did you hear our conversation, just now?"
Naruto shook is head, his eyes never leaving her. "Nope. We got lost. So I just picked a place to come out, and we appeared just outside this place. Fen didn't do a good job telling us where to go."
Sylvanas looked at Fen briefly, who was glaring murderously at Naruto. She gave a soft chuckle.
"Then how did you get past the other guards? They are quite a few of them between here and there."
Naruto flashed her a devilish grin. "Heh, I used one of the strongest techniques I have. I was afraid it wouldn't work, but even undead guys can be perverts."
Sylvanas raised an eyebrow, while Fen and Myrdraxxis frowned, looking at each other. Kira and Kylia, on the other hand, looked like they were about to be sick.
"Naruto," muttered Kira, glaring at him. "I've lost a lot of respect for you, after seeing that. I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life."
Naruto frowned back at her. "It worked, didn't it?" He was just surprised that Kira hadn't struck him in any way yet. That's what Sakura would have done, at least.
Kylia, who had been warming up to the blonde's presence considerably since they had arrived, and had seen him do and say so much for Kira, had gone full-circle and was back to being extremely wary of him. As soon as all of this was over, she'd get Kira and run as far away from this strange boy with an even stranger mind as fast as they could.
Naruto then glared right back at Sylvanas, his blue eyes brittle and sharp. His anger seeped into the room, so palpable that it was impossible not to feel.
"I have something to say to you," he said.
"Oh?" said Sylvanas, sliding back down into her throne. "I suspected as much. It would have been rather foolish for you to have come back here for no reason at all. You may speak all you wish." She gave a soft nod, then, so subtle that only the one whom she was directing it at really noticed. "However…."
There was a movement behind Naruto, so quick and sudden that the blonde couldn't even manage a quarter-turn before a massive hand closed over his face, and he was hurled across the room. He struck the wall between two large candelabra, and the air was driven from his lungs, rendering him immobile. As he slid down the wall, he got a glimpse of what had attacked him.
Varimathras the Dreadlord, hulking and terrifying, his wings extended, now stood where Naruto had, his eyes glowing a demonic red.
Sylvanas watched the proceedings with a smile, finishing her sentence as Varimathras moved in great strides across the room, towards Naruto.
"What makes you think I'll listen? I told you never to return. You did, and now you must suffer the consequences."
Kira gasped. "Naruto!"
Fen, stunned momentarily by the Dreadlord's sudden appearance, suddenly started to move. He began to rush towards Varimathras, only to have Sylvanas' words stop him.
"Fenritt, do you wish to get in more trouble? This will be part of your punishment. Sit and watch, but do not say a word, or move an inch." She then looked at Kira and the others. "The same goes for you, children. Move an inch, and your childish dream with die here."
Kira gulped, staring in slight horror at the woman. Her whole body was quivering, wanting to move, but rendered immobile by Sylvanas' words. She looked at Kylia and Tsuwabuki, who were as stiff as she was.
Naruto managed to get to his feet, breathing heavily, only to have Varimathras suddenly looming over him, his face twisted into a mask of pure devilish hate.
"Death comes swift to those who disobey my lady, boy."
Varimathras' hand swung down, smashing into Naruto's face and jettisoning him away. The force of the blow hit hard enough to cause spots of white and purple to explode in front of his eyes, and blood to gush from his nose. He landed in a heap yards away from the Dreadlord, who had already begun to advance once more.
Gritting his teeth, Naruto stood as the creature came upon him again. Varimathras readied another strike, but this time Naruto avoided it with a leap backwards. As soon as he landed, however, he shot forwards again, kicking Varimathras directly in the face before the gigantic demon could pull back.
But it felt like kicking solid iron. Varimathras barely felt the hit, and responded by grabbing Naruto's leg and lifting the blonde high above his head. He then swung Naruto face first into the stone floor, making it burst from the impact. Varimathras pulled back, satisfied that his quarry was finished, but found that he was clutching only a candelabrum, twisted greatly from the impact.
The Dreadlord growled, his eyes flitting to every shadow or potential hiding spot in the room. His eyes flicked by every candelabrum and the crevices they were set up in, seeing nothing out of place.
It was a second too late that he realized that slight mistake.
The candelabrum behind him suddenly burst in a cloud of smoke, which Naruto emerged from. The blonde shot forwards, and rammed his open palm into Varimathras' back, between his massive leathery wings. Explosive chakra seeped from Naruto's tenketsu, and exploded on contact with the demon's flesh. Varimathras stumbled forwards, emitting a grunt, but did not topple. Blood dribbled from the wound, but it hardly seemed to pain the giant. He swung around, spreading his wings, and slashed at Naruto with his claws. Naruto dodged back again, out of range.
Varimathras persisted, however, his claws flashing through the air. His movements were swift and powerful, and Naruto knew that the Dreadlord had to only make a few more hits like that for the battle to end. Already his body was exhausted, and ached with every movement he made.
But Naruto wouldn't give in, either. Naruto's hands suddenly clapped together, making a swift, momentary hand seal. Three clones popped into existence, and in a heartbeat, scattered. Naruto went with them, suddenly disappearing into the shadows, black markings rising up across his face and arms.
Varimathras growled, stopping his assault. The boy's underhanded tactics were annoying him greatly. His red eyes suddenly stopped being red, and became a strange, electric blue. He scanned the room again, now grinning. The brat could not use the same tactic as he had before, by transforming into objects. He could see all forms of life now; no matter what power they were using to hide themselves.
His eyes were using a technique that all Dreadlords and higher demonic beings could utilize. It was merely a different form of vision; he could see chakra now, no matter where it was. It made up for his lack of being able to sense it, like his mistress. A demon's eyes were their most important organs.
He spotted all four of his quarries, each of them in a prime spot to attack him when he least expected it. The brat was cleverer than he had thought. For a child, it was impressive indeed that he could stand up to a Dreadlord with little fear.
But, it would not be enough to beat him.
Thrusting out his hands, Varimathras suddenly let loose an awesome bellow. It was for a single moment, so loud and piercing that even Sylvanas flinched slightly. It was suddenly cut off, however, by a loud buzzing.
From the demon's mouth, a black cloud emerged, twisting unnaturally around his head and slowly gathering in mass in the air above him. The buzzing grew louder and louder, and it soon became clear what the cloud truly was.
A swarm of demonic insects.
Varimathras then thrust his hand out and a portion of the shot off, heading immediately for one of the clones. He repeated the gesture three more times, until the swarm had completely divided itself.
When the first swarm struck its target, Naruto realized that Varimathras knew exactly where he was. Disengaging the Kagesui, Naruto leapt from the sealing. His hands wove more seals, and he discharged a burst of flames from his mouth. They engulfed the swarm heading for him, destroying it instantly.
But his clones were not so fortunate. Two found themselves swamped by the demonic bugs, and toppled from their perches. The swarms engulfed them, obscuring their forms. The final clone leapt towards the ground, spinning around in mid-air and flinging a mass of shuriken at the approaching swarm of insects. The bladed weapons sliced through numerous bugs, but many more got through, and suddenly it was covered too.
Naruto landed lightly on the ground, grunting. He didn't know why, but after using the Kagesui and the Goukakyuu no jutsu, he felt exhausted. It was not the sort of exhaustion from physical exertion, but rather, it felt like he had used far too much chakra. But he had used only little in this fight, so why, then…?
Varimathras grinned at his opponent. He gave a guttural chuckle, and said. "You're outnumbered, brat."
Naruto's brows knitted together at once in confusion. What the hell was he talking about? He wasn't outnumbered.
A quick look, however, told him otherwise.
His clones had formed a circle around him. Their eyes glowed an evil green, and the buzzing of insects could be heard all around them. Naruto growled, trying to dispel them. It didn't work.
"They're mine now," said Varimathras. "My corruption swarm has made them into my servants. It will not be long before this battle ends."
"Bastard, don't think you've won yet. I may just surprise you!" Naruto called back, glancing around him.
"Varimathras, do it, or you may destroy my Royal Quarter before you kill him," Sylvanas called. The entire room was fixated on the fight. Sylvanas herself was watching it keenly, her lips twitched into a cold, familiar smile. Naruto gritted his teeth, his anger rising at the sight.
The clones converged on Naruto, their weapons drawn and ready. Naruto's sword came out, and miraculously, it moved, guiding Naruto's hand in blocking each of their strikes in quick successive movements, as he spun around. His foot followed as he began a second circle, kicking one away, dispelling it in a cloud of smoke and insects. He jabbed another in the stomach with an elbow, and then destroyed the final one with a sword slash. The buzzing stopped, the ground now littered with dead bugs, slain when their hosts had disappeared. He finished his second spin, coming around just in time to block a strike from Varimathras' claws.
The force of the hit knocked him slightly off balance, which allowed Varimathras to suddenly reach in and grab Naruto by the neck with his other hand. The Dreadlord swung, and slammed the blonde into the wall with everything he had. This time, Naruto had no time for Kawarimi. The attack struck so hard that Naruto nearly passed out from the pain and shock. He belched up a surprising amount of blood, staining Varimathras' hand with it.
The demon leaned in close. "Try to escape from this, brat. My Vampiric Aura has been draining you dry of your chakra and life force. You have no energy left to resist, do you?"
Naruto, the life being choked out of him, couldn't respond. His friends and partner watched in horror at the proceedings. Tsuwabuki began to move, suddenly uncaring of Sylvanas' threat.
Sylvanas herself was far too busy staring at the fight to notice the silver blur. Her and Naruto's eyes met. And Naruto saw something, then, that he couldn't believe.
He then heard the voice of the Kyuubi, deep in the back of his thoughts.
'YOU HAVE PLENTY, BRAT. LET US SHOW THIS INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE ANT WHAT TRUE POWER IS.'
Naruto hesitated, briefly. He thought of the chasm, the bottomless abyss that he had been so close to falling into, back when he last used the Kyuubi's chakra.
'YOU WISH TO SPEAK WITH HER, DO YOU NOT? SHOW HER THEN, HOW POWERFUL YOU TRULY ARE.'
That did it.
Naruto's eyes suddenly became red, the pupils animalistic slits. His canines lengthened, and his face became a mask of primal fury, that no human or humanoid could match. Boiling red chakra exploded from his body, and Varimathras let go, roaring in agony as the foreign chakra invaded his body so suddenly that he had no chance to stop it. He was thrown backwards from the force of Naruto's sudden release of chakra, but he stopped himself by extending his wings, catching the air in the leathery skin that bound them.
He looked up, just in time to see Naruto complete his transformation. Three long, fox-like tails swished behind the blonde, who was on all fours. The fox-shaped aura was darker than ever before, and it clung to Naruto's body like a second skin. It was growing slowly darker, too.
Sylvanas stared wide-eyed at the blonde. The power he was emanating was so terrifying awesome that she found herself wondering where it had all come from. How could such a tiny boy hold such a monstrous chakra?
Kira shook in fear. This wasn't good at all. Naruto had chosen the worst absolute time to unleash the power of the demon. They were in a city, and that meant there were thousands of potential casualties if Naruto couldn't stop himself. She gulped, hoping that Naruto hadn't totally lost it.
Growling, Varimathras stood and sucked in a deep breath, his chest inflating like a balloon. He gave a thunderous roar, and expelled a sphere of purplish chakra from his mouth, which zipped as fast a bullet towards the Naruto.
Naruto, roaring, lashed out and grabbed the ball in mid-air, stopping it where it was. He was moved back a few feet by the force, but was uninjured. He crushed the chakra between his red claws, and then sprang at Varimathras. The Dreadlord crossed his arms in defense, but Naruto' first hit broke the guard, and the second his ribs. The chakra claws shattered Varimathras' chest plate, ripping deep into his white flesh. Varimathras roared in agony, grabbing Naruto's hand, and attempting to crush it.
It only succeeded in boiling his own hands, inside and out. His vampiric aura had not stopped draining the blonde's chakra, and so his entire body had been flooded with corrosive, foreign chakra, so different from his own. Every portion of his body felt like it was on fire, now, and it only continued to worsen.
Naruto was getting stronger. The chakra on his legs and hands was now so dark it was almost black. It was spreading, slowly, towards his chest and head. It wouldn't be long before it covered his whole body.
Ripping his claws from Varimathras' chest, his long claws wrapped around the Dreadlord's head, and with a bestial roar, Naruto drove him into the floor. Varimathras lost consciousness instantly, his head hitting the ground so hard that the stone became dust.
Naruto then stood, eyes demonic red eyes searching for more. His eyes eventually found Sylvanas', and suddenly he stopped.
Within his mind, the demon was howling in joy. Just a bit longer. Just a bit…
Naruto was suddenly there, staring up at him through the bars of his cage.
"Oi, fox! Stop. It's over, and I have something I gotta do."
The Kyuubi's crimson gaze fell on Naruto, and it regarded him quietly for a moment. There was that unflinching spirit again, just like the stupid brat, the Fourth.
But he conceded. His fun was over. He would just have to wait for another chance.
Outside, the scarlet aura had died away, and the heavy, nearly black chakra began to recede. When it was completely gone, Naruto remained, standing, his posture slouched and exhausted. It did not take any sort of medical knowledge to know that he was in pain.
Every pain receptor in his body was screaming at him for even breathing. He could barely move, and so he just stood there, looking straight at Sylvanas. The only thing that remained strong in him was the fire in his eyes. They, even now, were not wavering from Sylvanas'.
And then, he spoke.
"You piss me off."
Sylvanas' brows knitted together. She frowned. "What?"
Naruto's breaths were still ragged and short, and it looked like the blonde was having trouble staying conscious. Still, he continued, never once looking away from Sylvanas. "What you did…trying to kill so many people, trying to make Kira-chan suffer, is something that can't be forgiven. And for the reason that you did it…that's even worse."
"I care nothing for them," she said, coldly. "Their lives mean nothing to me."
"And that's the god damn problem!" Naruto thundered. "You don't care about them, or anything! Just because you're jealous of them doesn't mean you have the right to kill them without a single thought!"
Naruto's words, long after he had finished speaking them, hung in the air. Fen gaped, but not so much at Naruto for what he said, but at Sylvanas, for the reaction his words were having.
Gone was the sardonic smile, the unflappable emotionless gaze, the mask that Sylvanas wore everywhere. Replacing it was a look of pure astonishment. On Sylvanas' face, astonishment looked as out of place as three humans and a fox did among thousands of undead.
"What did you say?" the astonishment disappeared, and another emotion took its place. Fury. But again, it was a different sort of fury than ever before. It was mixed in with something Fen never thought he'd see on Sylvanas' beautiful face.
Pain.
"You heard me…" Naruto growled, panting ever faster. He was only a few scant decibels from yelling now. "You're jealous of their lives! You're jealous because they have what you don't! Life! That's why you don't care about them! You want to make them suffer just as you have!"
"Shut up," hissed Sylvanas.
"No," Naruto snarled right back. "I don't understand you at all! You're the queen of this entire city, which you brought up out of nothing! You turned these people from self-loathing whiners into ones that have identities, ones that have found their place in this world as Forsaken! They don't think of themselves as humans that are dead, anymore, they think of themselves as Forsaken! You're the only one in this room that doesn't believe that!"
Sylvanas was standing, her white eyes blazing against Naruto's blue. "Stop it!"
Naruto continued. "I can't respect a person like you. You say things that you don't believe; you're the worst kind of hypocrite. I used to think I could respect someone like you, who gave so much to these people, but I now know that you don't deserve that respect."
Sylvanas didn't respond. The look of hurt anger remained however, and seemed only to intensify the longer she stared at him.
Naruto took another long, ragged breath, and began again, even louder than before.
"It's no wonder you thought Kira-chan's dream was childish. You can't believe it's possible because you yourself aren't willing to accept what you are. If you can't, then how can everyone else? What you're doing is just being stupid! It's just being childish!"
Every word Naruto spoke was laden with his own feelings, his own experiences. Unless he had felt these things, then he wouldn't have had the right to speak them. In his youth, there wasn't a day that had gone by that he hadn't envied those who'd led normal lives. Those that had parents who loved them, had a warm home, and were acknowledged every day with a smile or a nod or a word of greeting, all laced with warmth and kindness. He had envied them because he had nothing. Nobody had acknowledged him, or loved him or cared for him. He had felt inhuman, treated with nothing but scorn and apathy.
But somewhere along the line, that had changed. Naruto had taken that disgusting jealously and turned it into a burning ambition; an ambition to make those whom he had once envied, and make them acknowledge and accept him for who and what he was. And it had worked.
Now, staring into Sylvanas' eyes, he couldn't stand to see such a powerful leader do something that a petulant child might. How could he respect someone like that? How could he even tolerate looking at someone who reminded him of what had himself had been like, many, many years ago?
But the last word he had used struck home. Sylvanas stared at the boy in numb shock, a look mirrored by nearly everyone conscious in the room. The words lanced straight through Sylvanas, through the layers and layers of barriers she had kept on her emotions and feelings. She felt things, and displayed them for the world to see on her face, that she hadn't wanted anyone to know. But this boy had read her very soul, and had seen her for who she truly was.
Naruto had finished speaking. He had said everything his heart and wanted him too, and it had done its work. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious, and lay very still. Kira gasped, and with hardly a second thought, rushed to him. Tsuwabuki was there when she arrived, and she dropped to her knees and called forth healing chakra to mend the blonde's wounds. She ignored Sylvanas' previous threat in lieu of attending to her friend. Kylia hurried up behind her, still staring wide-eyed at the boy.
Fen just stared at his prone body, looking between him and the stunned Sylvanas.
Wow.
That was probably the shocker of my un-lifetime.
I couldn't believe it. Honestly, when the kid had first started spouting those words, I expected my Dark Lady to laugh at him. I expected her to just shake her head, and then probably kill him.
But she didn't.
She adopted an expression that I had never once seen on her face. The words had not only had an effect, but they he had intended them to have.
And now that I think about it, they were right as proverbial rain. Somehow, the rather obnoxious, young, spiky-haired kid had learned something about dear ol' Sylvie that nobody else had. And to make matters worse, he had directed the very same words that Sylvanas had used to deliver the also proverbial whiplash to Kira on their first meeting. He had called her childish.
While I couldn't think of anyone being less childish than Sylvanas, being nearly six feet tall and having probably the best rack among our kind, I saw what he meant, and I knew that it was true. And I couldn't have been more shocked.
But what had really affected me, and perhaps everyone else the most was the fact that Sylvanas hadn't truly believed, all this time, what she had told us from the very beginning. We were a race all our own; we were not undead humans or elves, we were Forsaken, and proud of it. She had given us back our spirit, and it was quite the shocker to suddenly realize that she had just been saying all of that.
But it fit her character, I think. Sylvanas was always a rather political-minded person, and I suppose I should have realized that not everything she said she truly believed. Everything she did or said, I should have realized, had gone to the betterment of our nation and race.
And also, now that I think about it, when I looked at Myrdraxxis, I saw that his face was a schooled as ever. I couldn't decide whether it was simply his roguish instincts kicking in, and preventing him from showing his emotions, or whether he was unsurprised by the news. Perhaps, I think, he had always known about it. It would be just like him, to figure out something that shocking and then not tell anyone about it.
At the time, I saw Sylvanas in a way I had never before. She was not the unattainable goddess, the Queen of the Banshee, our leader; she was an elf who had lost her life to a monster, and had never been able to come to terms with that. She had gone from being the highest of the high—a High Elf, one of the most beautiful and well-known races on Azeroth, to the lowest of the low—a banshee, a remnant of her former self. So she had lashed out at everything, with revenge as the only thing on her mind. She had locked everything else away inside of her.
Until Naruto brought it back up.
Makes me smile every time I think about it. That day changed everything, I think.
It also, I know realize, explained why I had not seen a single mirror in any part of the Royal Quarter since I had arrived.
Sylvanas, too, watched the still form of the boy. He had awakened in her something that she didn't want to feel. He had made her face something she hadn't wanted to face.
She turned, very slowly, and looked over at the group of stunned Deathguards. "Take them to the holding cells," she said, wearily. Her voice sounded soft, and carried none of the force or power that it usually did. They obeyed nonetheless. They surrounded Kira and Kylia, and took hold of them, gently, leading them away, while another lifted up Naruto and carried him over his back. Tsuwabuki simply followed them, knowing that they wouldn't do much to harm the blonde after that. As deadly and skilled as they were, after a revelation such as that, nobody felt like fighting.
Another two lifted Varimathras' prone body from where it lay, and dragged him off as well.
Fen and Myrdraxxis stood still, waiting for their orders. Sylvanas barely looked at them. She said calmly. "Leave."
Fen looked unsure for a moment, but then nodded and turned to go. Myrdraxxis didn't. He stood still for a moment, and then gave a soft bow, and said to her.
"My lady, know that no matter what you decide to do, I shall support it with everything that I have."
Sylvanas looked briefly at him.
Fen nodded. "Same here."
The remaining Deathguards turned, and without a thought, saluted to their queen. Then, they departed, and for the first time in many years, Sylvanas found herself alone in her chamber. She sat upon her throne, her chin resting on her collarbone, her body limp She remained like that for a long time.
She did nothing but think.
Finally, she reached slowly into her robes, and withdrew a small, glittering object. It was circular, and only about four inches in diameter. The soft light of the dimming chandelier bounced off it, reflecting it back.
It was a mirror.
For the first time since she had died, Sylvanas gazed at the face she saw within it.
What she saw nobody would ever know.
Kira had no idea what time it was.
The small holding cell that they had been taken to was dirty, cramped, and smelled worse than anything she had ever smelt. The bars were old and caked with slime. It was obvious, both from the location of the cell (behind a series of laboratories), and from the state, that people did not likely stay there for long.
She had no idea how long it had been since she, Kylia, Naruto and Tsuwabuki had been brought there. It felt like days. Being several hundred feet under ground, there were no windows, and certainly no way of telling what time it was. Nobody had entered since they had arrived, though she could hear the sounds of movement behind the steel door at the opposite end of the room.
Kylia lay propped up against the bars next to Kira, and had nodded off a little while ago. Her head rested against Kira's shoulder. It had been ages since any of them had ever had any rest. But Kira couldn't sleep, and consequently, she was the only one out of the group that was had remained in the conscious world.
Naruto lay next to her, his head resting near enough to her leg that she could feel the slight touch of his spiky hair against it. He was fast asleep, and had not awoken since the deliverance of his speech. Tsuwabuki lay at his feet, also asleep.
Kira smiled, looking down at him fondly. She couldn't believe some of the things he had said, nor could she believe the effect they had had on Sylvanas. She, even with her empathic and telepathic abilities, had not been able to glean a single thing from the Banshee Queen.
And yet, without those, Naruto had been able to see Sylvanas' most guarded secret. It was as if his eyes could look into people's souls. He saw what people truly were, and Kira realized that was probably his greatest weapon. His eyes put the Ashbringer to shame.
Naruto rolled over, muttering something. In the process, his head came to rest on top of her thigh now, making her blush a little. She knew there was something indecent about this.
She didn't mind it that much, however.
"Mmm…" the blonde slurred in his sleep, a big, goofy smile stretching over his face. Her blush grew. What was he thinking about?
"Mmmmm…date? Sakura-chan, you really wanna go on a date with me?" the boy muttered, his grin widening.
Kira didn't know why, but the blush disappeared, and a slight vein popped onto her forehead instead. Furthermore, for some reason she couldn't fathom, her hand reached down and squeezed Naruto's nose shut, as well as blocking his mouth.
His eyes shot open at the very moment Kira released her grip. He sat up, blinking wildly.
"Huh?" he said, disoriented.
"You were talking in your sleep," Kira told him, with a smile that didn't look too appealing.
"I was…? About what…?" He knew that before he had been awoken, he had been having a nice dream, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was about.
Kira's fake smile grew. "…Embarrassing things."
Naruto blinked, and then blushed a little. He mumbled an apology, to which Kira just nodded. He then looked around at the dirty, cramped cell.
"Where are we?"
"Near the labs of the Royal Apothecary Society, I think. This is just a holding cell. I don't imagine people are intended to stay here very long, given what Fen has told us."
Naruto nodded, rubbing his eyes. Tsuwabuki had awoken from the movement and voices, and watched Naruto with a single amber eye.
'Would you like me to tell you what you were really talking about?'
Naruto blushed a little, shaking his head. Tsuwabuki just rolled her eyes, and laid her head back on the floor.
"Thanks."
Naruto looked over the wayward princess of Stormwind, blinking in surprise. "Huh?"
She looked at him, offering a much truer smile than before. "For what you did. If that didn't convince her, then nothing will."
Naruto nodded, slowly. Memories of the fight and following speech returned to him quite suddenly. He sat up straighter. If that didn't convince her, he thought, then he was dead meat.
Almost on cue with that thought, the door opened. In came a very greasy looking Forsaken with no lower jaw. He was dressed in faded black robes and was clutching a vial of smoking green liquid in his bony hand.
"Awake, I see!" he said, in perfectly understandable Orcish. Kira and Naruto blinked in wonder at the undead, pondering just how he could speak with no tongue or jaw. Kylia awoke at the sound of the voice, trying to look as alert and ready as possible.
Faranell seemed to smile. "Well, the Dark Lady didn't say I couldn't make use of you. I'm sure she won't mind if I take a limb or two, do you? I'll start with the scarred girl. You seem accustomed to losing body parts."
Kylia's hand went to her ruined ear, while Kira glared hotly at the Forsaken. Tsuwabuki growled, and Naruto made to stand up.
A voice, however, halted those actions.
"Oi! Greasy bones! Lay one hand on those kids' heads and you'll have a lot to explain to the Dark Lady!"
Fen's singsong voice reached the occupants of the room long before he was visible. Faranell made an irritated noise, and turned.
"What do you want, ingrate? Can't you go bother someone el—"
He was cut off as Fen pushed past him, looking happier than they had ever seen him. He was wearing the biggest smile his face could make, and he was even dressed in the most outlandish, cheery looking robes they had ever seen. They were bright pink and orange, and stuck out so much in the gloom that Naruto had to shield his eyes from the intense colors.
"Come on, everyone!" he said, happily. "Sylvie's requested a meeting with you! Best not keep her waiting, eh?"
Everyone traded glances of astonishment. They weren't able to do much else, for Fen had already unlocked the door, and was beckoning them to follow.
"Come on! Come on!" he reached into his pocket, and pulled something that looked like cookie crumbs. "I've got a treat for you! Come on! Let's go little ones!"
The four travelers glowered at him, making him chuckle. They slowly got up, and followed him out of the room. He marched straight past Faranell, who was glaring angrily at him. Fen stuck his tongue out at the Master Apothecary as he walked by.
The room they entered was a typical lab. There were three tables, all covered in various beakers and vials filled with all colors of liquids and powders, and all emitting even stranger fumes and smells. Tsuwabuki and Naruto wrinkled their noses in disgust as they walked by.
They left the lab though a large metal door at the far end of the room, and walked up a series of long, winding staircases. They reappeared on a street, which lay beside the flowing river of odorless slime, as shockingly green as they remembered. Fen led them down the road, nearly skipping.
He grinned at Naruto. "Whistle."
Naruto blinked at him. "Huh?"
"Whistle!" said Fen, happily. "I don't have lips, so I can't. I'd borrow yours, but that sounds vaguely sexual. So just whistle. I'm in a very good mood!"
The three humans sweat dropped. "We can see that."
Fen laughed again, and said nothing more until they reached their destination, again guarded by the crimson clad Royal Deathguards. Upon sighting Naruto, they turned their heads away, embarrassed, remembering the technique he had employed to get past them before. They hadn't been able to live it up, having been discovered by their companions a little later, unconscious, with streams of ichor flowing from their noses. Fen snickered a little at their expense.
Down the long passage they went, and soon they had reached the Royal Quarter once more. The room had been repaired spectacularly, and nothing was out of place. It was amazing.
"Best stonemasons who aren't dwarves," said Fen, noticing their looks. He skipped ahead of them, and stopped just beside Myrdraxxis, who was off to the side, glaring at him in annoyance.
Ahead of them, Sylvanas sat on her throne, with Varimathras, as massive as ever, by her side. The Dreadlord was perfectly unharmed, and though his face remained stony and passive, his eyes burned brightly at the sight of the blonde shinobi.
Sylvanas' face was perfectly blank. Her mask had returned, and it seemed that any emotion that they had seen on her face in their last meeting had been their imaginations. She clasped her hands in front of her, and merely stared at them, hard. They all stared straight back, in their own ways.
"I accept."
Kira blinked, the woman's words startling her. "What?"
Sylvanas leaned forwards a little, regarding her. "I accept the terms of your alliance."
Kira stared at her. The words were so simply spoken, so direct, that she was having a difficult time accepting whether they were true or not. Besides, after hearing Sylvanas shoot down her previous offer with cold logic, hearing her accept it without a single complaint or explanation was startling to say the least.
"You do?" she said dumbly.
"Yes," said the Dark Lady. "And I will not confirm it again."
The smile that ripped across Kira's face was as blinding as Fen's new vestments. And after a great deal of this uncontrollable grinning, Kira found her voice again.
"But why…?"
Sylvanas answered simply. "Do you have to ask?"
No, Kira realized, she didn't. She looked back at Naruto, who was grinning brightly as well.
It seemed so simple. There was no long speech; no explanations of how Sylvanas had come to her decision, or even any warnings on the functionality of the alliance. Nothing needed to be said, for at one point or another, it had all been discussed. The simple truth was that Naruto's words had done their work, and because of them, Sylvanas had changed her mind. Kira knew, somehow, that it hadn't been so simple, and nor were Sylvanas' reasons so cut and dry. She knew that Sylvanas had other plans for this alliance, and would be extremely reserved about what she said and did.
But hearing her say those two words had once again brought back the hope that she had held in heart from the very beginning. Her dream was quickly becoming a reality.
Sylvanas then looked at Naruto, standing. Her emotionless features softened a little, and what she said bore none of the neutrality that her previous words had. They were words spoken from Sylvanas' very heart.
"Boy."
Naruto squared his shoulders a little. "Yeah?"
"You do know," she said softly. "That they will never accept us, don't you?"
Naruto flashed her the mischievous, vulpine, completely Naruto grin that he was so famous for.
"If I believed that, I wouldn't be here today."
Sylvanas did not retort; and before her mask shifted back into place, she held a look in her eyes that satisfied the blonde. It was of respect.
She reached into her robes, drawing something out, and then tossed it into the air. It landed with a dull thump at Naruto's feet. The blonde blinked, looking down at a small, leather-bound, black book. It was the size of a journal or diary, and was quite thin. It had some strange words embroidered in white on the front, in a language Naruto had never seen before. He looked up at Sylvanas, confused.
"Open it," she ordered.
He bent down, and picked it up. He opened it to the first page, and discovered, to his surprise, Sylvanas Windrunner's name, written in what was obviously blood, next to a handprint. He stared at it a moment, before realizing what it was.
"This is…!"
"A summoning contract."
Naruto stared up at her, stunned. She gave him one of her typical sardonic smiles. "It is a reward, for slaying the Scarlet Commander. As easily as it could have been done, I feel it is necessary to thank you nonetheless."
Naruto flipped the pages. There were only a few signatures after her. "What does it summon?" he asked.
"The undead, of course. I am the Banshee Queen, and thus it would do no good if it summoned creatures that weren't of my own kind. I had it created, after I freed a Frost wyrm from control of the Lich King. Even in death, the Blue Dragons possess remarkable technique with their chakra. He made for me this book, and using his power, sealed into the world of summons hundreds of beasts, including himself, for me to summon. Whoever signs the contract will be able to call forth all sorts of undead: from plagued swarms of insects and blighthounds to undead horses and birds, to mighty Abominations, cunning banshees and even Forsaken who offered their lives to become useful to me for eternity. He controls them all, as their master. Perhaps you will make good use of this."
Naruto stared at the book in wonder, again. This, he realized, would be dead useful. He grinned in thanks at the Banshee Queen, who offered nothing in return.
"You will stay here, I suspect, until you can call Matthias back. If this alliance is to work, then I imagine you will have to gain an idea of what life is like for us." She said this to Kira in particular, who nodded and stood straighter at the attention.
"And, I will get to resume my duties as ambassador, right?" Fen suddenly broke in, unable to control his elation any longer.
Sylvanas glanced at him. "Indeed. After you've served your punishment for betraying me."
Fen's mood suddenly plummeted. He gulped.
Sylvanas gave him a very passive, but nonetheless vicious, smile.
"I'm sure Faranell will be pleased to have an assistant, wouldn't you say?"
Fen didn't stop screaming for quite some time, after that.
You would too, if you knew Faranell like I did! Don't you dare laugh! Bastards!
Done.
Now, the bad news, first.
On Saturday, July 1st, I will be leaving for a three-week trip to Ethiopia, which means that I will certainly have no access to a computer. I am going to work at an orphanage that a family in my town has established, and hence will be occupied. Therefore, regrettably, there will be no updates until I get back on the 23rd of July.
Sorry.
I made this chapter as cliffhangerless as possible, because I knew that if I ended on something else, you guys would've murdered me, or worse, stopped reading. Hopefully, this will satiate you guys for at least the time that I am gone.
There will be at least one more chapter in the Forsaken arc, but the action is pretty much over. There are two more arcs left in this part of the story. Then the real fun begins.
A few things—
I hope you guys enjoyed my portrayal of Sylvanas. I hope it was not only convincing, but it didn't seem forced or fake to you. I think Naruto would have said exactly those things in that situation. It is never easy, I think, to come to terms with ones defects. Sylvanas, especially, would have quite a bit of difficulty in doing that. But it seems to me that she did all she had done both for revenge, and because of an intense amount of self-loathing. When you feel bad, or when something bad happens to you, do you not want something bad to happen to all those around you?
The summoning contract—I have been waiting to implement this. It came to me quite a while back, when I was doing the Blood arc. I mean, how cool would that be, to summon undead creatures to do your bidding? I can't wait for Naruto to start using this ability. It's going to be awesome.
I hope that's it. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and when I get back, expect a new chapter every few days! I'll have loads of time on my hands!
General Grievous
Spellbook-Vampiric Aura- An aura that surrounds all Dreadlords. It drains the chakra and life force of those near it, feeding and making the Dreadlord stronger. If you don't know it exists, it is an incredibly dangerous thing to face.
Swarm of Corruption- Demonic bugs that inhabit every Dreadlord's body, are used to take control of their opponents. The bugs establish a symbiotic relationship with their host, and if it dies, so do they. Extremely effective in large battles, against many opponents.