Soldier! You have been honored for your support for helping out the Resistance! You are strong! Fearless! Brave! And here you are preparing for war! Your support has been greatly appreciated! Thank you for your bravery and strength! So please enjoy this chapter!

Author's Note: Okay guy, just wanted to inform you that after this chapter is one more chapter! Yes, one more! Crazy, I know! There might be an epilogue, but at the moment it really depends on the flow of the chapter! Please do provide me with feedback! I truly appreciate it (and you don't have to be nice! Tell me about my flaws!) Thanks!

A Moment in Time: As he turned the pages over and over again, he could not help the revolting spirit that remained. All that he had known was taught to be a lie. The Akatsuki, his sight, and Konan were all methods in which he felt he had been betrayed by Madara. The pages felt like lies, but he knew better.

"What are you plotting?" Konan remained gentle and fragile as a flower as she spoke to him, yet there was rebellion in her voice.

"The bridge to peace. I believe this should be our last battle together before we head home."

The answer he provided her was pleasing and discomforting at the same time. The way he spoke 'last' left her nauseous.

"Do you wish to show disloyalty to Madara then?" She questioned him again. It sounded like she was becoming excited.

"It would only be fitting for a traitor like him. He has disgraced Yahiko's dream by wearing the Akatsuki robe." Even if Madara believes that he was the one who founded the Akatsuki, Yahiko was its true leader. "And... I wouldn't allow your death to be left unavenged."

The way he spoke of her death gave way to a feverous state. If that were to be her end, she was satisfied that she had committed it to protecting what she had loved most. "We'll strike when the time is right," Konan concluded. And so they waited for the time to tick by.

Chapter 18- Death of a Hero

It was warm and soft where I laid until the memories of that horrid moment invaded my thoughts. I woke with salted tears rolling down my darkened face. Hiccups continued to form uncontrollably in my throat as the tears continued to shed. They were gone! They had left me now forever!

The moment I realized that I was truly alone was then. I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and the empty hole left in its place had been filling with tainted desires. The large burden of the thought that I could have saved them was by far heart wrecking. That large burden that I could have saved them choked me slowly leaving my pale body on the couch. No other human was left to caress me or love me or hold me in their arms and tell me everything would be fine. Why had I let myself summon such monsters to walk upon this planet?! It was just a selfish dream...

I was suddenly brought back to reality from the daydreams and memories of my past. An odd noise reverberated from the outer halls of the House of Unity. It was then that I decided to do what I should have done first, glance upon my surroundings. There was nobody in the room as I observed it for any signs of the monster that had done this to me.

The thought of him nearing every second left me struck. It would only be mere moments before he would arrive and kill me. I let my gaze stand onto the door to this room awaiting for a sign of his entry. Was I supposed to try to run? Was there a way out now? Could there possibly be a chance where I could make it out alive?!

As the hiccups continued to form in my throat, I held on tightly to my chest for the air wasn't entering my lungs. I knelt onto the couch, sat on the carpeted floor then placed my head on the designed couch with my arms around my head. Coughing slightly, I was able to allow some oxygen into my suffocating respiratory system. I let my eyes close, trying so hard to fall back asleep. I was desperate to escape my reality when all of a sudden, an eerie creak began to emerge from behind me. The sound just echoed in my mind, drastically draining all sense of comfort and life, as I heard the door gently hit the wall. I began to tremble as I heard footsteps enter the room slowly and firmly as they were directly heading my way. Every step sent a shiver down my spine. As my mind fell into this surreal feeling, everything that was happening felt like a horrid nightmare I was unable to awaken from. The air in my lungs had begun to tighten again and I began to count the seconds left for my life. The footsteps stopped behind me then I felt a hand pressure on my shoulder. It felt as if a terrible weight had been placed upon them crushing them gradually.

The hand began to travel to my head as it began to play with strands of my dark hair. It slid back down to my neck then up to my cheeks. It held my face firmly as it began to gradually direct my head to an obscured face. My eyes were met with red blood ones. As if out of instinct, my hand began to slowly wander down my leg and into my boot. I clutched onto the mere drops of hope that were still cradled within my thoughts.

"How much of you is still sane?" His dark voice shattered the silence then questioned my sanity.

As his hand fell onto my throat, my fingertips touched something cold, hard and metallic. It was my last hope for survival. With the slightest squeeze of his hand upon my throat, I grabbed onto my hidden weapon and shot a bullet into his abdomen without thought. The sound of the gunshot comforted my mind. The smell of the gunpowder invaded my nostrils. Then the silence presumed and I felt safe.

Breathing hard, I watched him. He was unmoved. Standing centimeters above me, he slowly realized that I had just shot him with a pistol that was hidden in my shoe. It was silent for a while as his grip on my throat loosened. A spark of hope filled within me and I felt a smirk ready to curve on the edges of my face when a chuckle escaped his lips.

"You're so pathetic. Did you really believe that would work?" He questioned with amusement as a portal engulfed the gun sending it to another dimension.

My mouth hung wide open in disbelief. It only took me brief seconds before I decided to try and scamper away from him. By far, it was useless. He grabbed onto my wrist, lifted me harshly off the ground then held me closed to him, my back to his chest.

"You seem traumatized, little one", he spoke gently into my ear, "I could take away the pain little agonized child."

I shook in his arms as he spoke to me. "Why?", was all I was able to mutter before the ache returned into my chest. "My family", the tears began to flow. "You needed me, not them."

The hate in my chest grew as he answered, "You now feel only a fraction of what I felt."

This wasn't about him! What he felt was none of my concern! He truly had no right to force suffering upon me to endure what he had felt in his past. "Who gave you the right to force hate on other people?" I countered bitterly.

"Do you hate me Nora?" He questioned the obvious, "Hate," he continued, "takes away from the pain. When you don't feel hate, you only suffer."

Was this his explanation of mercy?! "Give me your card Tobi and I'll take away your pain," I soothed.

He laughed. "That's not what I was wishing you to comprehend. You must understand pain to realize the nature of humanity. When we love, we only suffer. When we thrive, we only fall. And when we attempt, our hopes shatter. As humans, we care not about others. We only care for ourselves. If we are content then the world could be hurting on its own. You do not care for me to take my pain away nor do you care about others. You only want to burn my card for the glory of my defeat. The recognition you will gain instead of the hateful stares. You are selfish and wicked. Even death will not cleanse your soul!" He spoke with passion and rage. "You, like everyone on this earth, wish for nothing more than wealth, fame, and recognition. Insignificant desires. You all need to be helped and I will be your savior."

"Doesn't that make you selfish... savior?" I contradicted him. "Savior is a title of recognition."

With a rough squeeze on my body, he corrected, "I do not desire rewards for this deed. I only wish to better mankind."

"But you already achieved that," I noted quietly, "Everyone on earth is working toward one goal and that is to kill you."

"Then what will happen once I am gone?!" He snarled, "Chaos! They will return to their previous selves. People don't change, they need guidance."

"You lure people with desires and you think that that will help people better themselves?!" I mocked cruelly. "You wish for them to have all their dreams given to them without the hard work and effort! How do you think we will end up if we had everything we wanted?! If you give us all our desiree, how will we be expected to better ourselves?! If this is want your goal is then I don't want to take part in it."

"You are misunderstanding," he retorted, "I will only provide you with a world that will help you thrive with no hate or war. You will work for everything you desire, but you will no fear a thing. You will not hate others, you will not suffer, and you will not fall. You will be in a dream and in reality their would be no hate. Everyone will be united and everything will be truly perfect. I will guide everyone through the right path. There will be no chaos, no uprising, no disorder. Everything will be at peace."

"Why do you torture me then?" I wondered.

"To understand me, you must feel pain first. Only once you have felt pain will you taste true peace." I allowed his words to sink in. The still sounded hollow. "And.." he broke the silence, "So you could realize that you could still save everyone you love." His words sang into my mind. The strain on my heart began to lessen as its beat relaxed. Now I felt comfort in his hands. He was here to save me.

"In the world I have been meaning to create. They will prosper forever along with you."

"I want to..." my unconscious mind questioned. But Itachi was against this... there has to be a reason. Once I realized the feelings that awoke me, I blurted out, "I can't!"

His grip on my body strengthened and my struggle against him resumed. "You can't escape me, child. Why don't you surrender and submit to me?"

I felt his warm chest pressed against my back as I tried to move away from him. I avoided eye contact from him for I was far too terrified to look him straight in the eye.

"I don't want to sleep and dream forever where everything around me will be fake! I want to live life the way it was meant to be!"

"You will die!" He retorted.

"He'll save me."

"He'll leave you", he corrected. My struggle ended and he commenced to clarify. "He is only here to save your precious world, but then what? He has nothing to keep him here."

"He has me", the words hung there as I slowly began to comprehend what he was saying to me. My fears were to come true. He was to leave and I was to stay.

"I could make him yours", he voice became so alluring and gentle. "He could stay here forever with you if you give in."

The thoughts of being with him everyday forever. Holding him in my arms. Brushing his smooth black hair with my fingers. The memories we could create, the moments we could have. He dragged me far too deep into the dark world he was ready to create. He was mere seconds from fulfilling his dreams while providing others with their dreams. He wasn't a bad guy! He was just... misunderstood! And with my help, he could create a world with peace and equality for all. No wars. No hate. No loss.

Everything he said felt so right. Like it was a privilege we were meant to have. Why fight the bitter end when I am incapable of preventing it?!

My mind was set as I uttered the words of defeat, "I surrender..." The deal was placed. The world is his to claim.

With a titter, he spoke, "You've done well."

Right then, Itachi walked through the door to see me in his enemies arms, held against my will. But what was I supposed to do? I was like an egg, easily broken. He stood there preparing himself for anything Madara might have planned.

"Release her", Itachi demanded calmly.

I could feel his pull on me closing the distance that was present between our bodies. I could feel his warm chest on my back as I was drawn right in it.

"Why would I let her go when I finally have her back in my grasp?" He inquired mischievously.

"You have to stop this. This earth will not be able to handle much more negative energy concentrated in one area for so long", he pleaded, "We'll all die if you don't stop this."

A knot formed in my gut as he had finished his sentence. Madara was sacrificing this everyone for peace.

"Please stop", I regretted the deal we had conducted, "You could just kill me! Don't hurt anyone else!"

That familiar chuckle always left me belittled. "I was to kill you either way, I only wanted you to cooperate quietly", he drawled lowly into my ear. Right then I realized the flaw in my mistake. He lured me in to trust him. Allowed me to submit to him. And now it all felt like he was just lying to me! Like he was never planning on giving me what I desired most! He only wanted to manipulate my feelings and like he had done so finely! Getting me to utter my words of defeat. My heart filled with plea.

With that, Itachi took another step then quickly halted watching in horror as I felt this slight pinch on my neck and a trickle of something wet slithering down to my chest.

"See what you did", Madara spoke with a false sense of disappointment, "now you made her bleed."

Itachi fell silent. "Next time, I won't hold back", Madara threatened with me as his bait. I could see Itachi's pained expression and I felt guilt consume me. "Why don't you give me your card Itachi before I decide to slaughter her," he demanded.

Shock ran through me. "What?!" I questioned in surprise, "I thought he had your card... What's going on Itachi?"

Silence formed between us and I could feel Madara stirring oddly behind me. "You told her I had your card?" He inquired suspiciously.

Itachi did not speak. He remained silent. Then Madara began to laugh as if he knew perfectly well what Itachi was plotting. "I don't have his card little child...", he motioned his head toward my ears, "I have his family."

"His family...", I couldn't help but mumble. The same horrid feeling began to engulf me. Itachi's family was in trouble. His family mean everything to him, especially... Sasuke.

I knew exactly how Itachi was feeling, but... why didn't he tell me that his family was held captive? Why did he have to lie to me to bring me here?! "Why?" I asked him aloud shaking my head with uncertainty.

His eyes were pained and dark. They lost their luster and gleam. And when he spoke, I could sense his words were too heavy from the burden he was carrying. "Just trust me. You don't need to know why", was all he told me.

I didn't like that answer, yet I knew that I should trust him.

Suddenly, Madara interrupted the silence, "Why don't you tell her the truth Itachi. Why don't you tell her that your plan was to sacrificed her family to save yours?!"

"No! I don't believe it!" Madara was lying! He had to be lying!

"He lied to you to save his family."

"Don't listen to him Nora! I didn't even know that he had your family!" Itachi clarified.

"But it's unfair that his family still lives, while yours is dead. Let him feel the same pain as you. I could make it come true."

On his own, Madara was right. It wasn't fair that I was to remain lonely for the rest of my life, but... this wasn't Itachi's fault.

"Nora, Madara's playing you", Itachi warned, "You're at a fragile state of mind. Don't let him mess with your thoughts."

"Me?!" Madara burst with surprise, "I am telling her the truth while you are trying to save your family. You don't care about poor little Nora", he held my face with his dirty hands then forced me to look at Itachi, "that's why you brought her here."

"No more", my voice was broken, "please just stop talking... I don't want to hear any excuses... No more excuses." I was confused and aching. "I don't... want... anyone to... feel this way!" I yelled in tears.

"I'll give you my card." My head jerked up in surprise when I heard Itachi say those words. I gazed at him. The pain Itachi felt seeped its way into my body. He was agonized having to choose between his life and mine. He wished for us both to live. "Let's make a trade", Itachi began to bargain with the criminal who held me in his clutches, "My card for Nora."

Horror spread across my face and my lungs began to burn. It took me a while until I was able to grasp what had just happened. "Itachi don't!" I gasped and shook, "It's not your fault..." I lied to myself, but I knew I was confused and hurt. I had to trust Itachi no matter how I felt. My emotions were clouded.

Without an agreement or sound from Madara, Itachi's hand proceeded down his cloak into his pocket then revealed a card. He disclosed its appearance to us and for sure, it was his. Watching him, he looked confident and strong as if giving up his life for me was nothing compared to keeping me alive.

He observed our reactions then tossed the card smoothly through the air toward Madara. Madara hoisted the flying card into his filthy clutches, perfectly aware not to avert his cautious stare from Itachi.

The words of desperation were choked into my throat unable to come out. This was not how I wanted it to end.

I felt like I was being dragged to the depths of Hades.

"Release her", Itachi spoke with severity for a second time.

Madara shook his head with disapproval. "I cannot release her until I am convinced that this is your card." Heading toward the fireplace to toss Itachi's card to burn, I held onto Madara's arm with all my strength and tried my hardest to pull him away from the flaming heat.

"NO!" I yelled in desperation as I sank my teeth into his arm with all my might. At first, I heard him grimace in pain when suddenly my whole body fell through his arm and onto the hard cold marble ground of the House. His hand was now above the flames. Time slowed as he released the card. It made contact with the flames! It began to crumble and burn into ashes of nothingness!

I lost all of my sanity as I heard the wails of Itachi from behind me. I stood in shock, turned around as fast as I could then faced his dying self. I dashed to him, colliding both of our bodies then grabbing onto his body with my arms. I dug my face into his chest and let the tears that welled within my eyes out and onto his tattering clothes. The smell of death and decay invaded my nostrils. His body was extremely hot and burning gradually from the inside out. It was evident from the blood red cracks that had formed across his face that he wasn't going to make it. I could smell the smoke of his burning skin and I could see skin flakes cracking off of his face then fall lightly to the ground, turning to ashes before reaching it.

There was a sinking feeling in my stomach as I spoke with all defeat and guilt the miserable word of denial, "Why?"

His gaze into my eyes, the false smile plastered upon his face, his gentle voice that had been trying to keep me strong was now fading. "I wouldn't forgive myself if I saw him hurt you. You're a part of my family." I felt guilt. He was my family too.

"It will only be a matter of time", my voice fell to a mumble as I hid my face within his smoky clothes.

"Run", he ordered me.

"I can't leave you... I just can't..."

His graceful face pained and ached as he spoke to me. I smelt the smell of burning coming from him. I watched as smoke was released from his mouth as he was breathing.

He knelt a little closer and I watched as he placed his lips upon my forehead for the last time. The burning sensation that emanated from his lips stung my skin. Once he removed his lips from my forehead, I hoped that it would have lasted much longer.

"You can't stay like this forever", he whispered gently into my ear.

I wish it were forever. I whimpered into his chest.

"Run and hide", I watched him as he coughed a cloud of dark smoke out of his mouth as if he were an engine. "I'll hold him back for as long as I could." He staggered onto his feet as his body and legs shook beneath him unable to carry his weight.

Without an argument, I stood and headed for the door.

"Your little hope is pointless. I will find you where ever you run and where ever you think you could hide", I heard Madara rant. "However, if you still want to try and defy me then go ahead. Cause once you step one foot out of that door and I find you", I heard Madara warn dryly, "I'll make sure that you're mentally broken-down very slowly and very painfully."

A gasp escaped my shivering lips. I stood before the door I could use to try and escape, when what he had just warned rang through my mind. I couldn't move and I wouldn't have moved until I heard Itachi's panicked call for me to run, "RUN OR HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Right then, my legs worked automatically and I ran through the halls hearing my loud footsteps echo. I didn't know where to go or how far I could run. I just ran up some stairs and down others hoping to stumble upon the door that would lead to my freedom.

It was difficult trying to fine my way out in a massive house. It felt like an endless maze and each time I saw the same vase on the same counter. It felt like I had been running in circles... or the House itself had been constantly changing.

In exhaustion, my sides began to ache and my moves began to slow. I knelt on one of the walls of some hall then slid to sit on the cold marble ground to catch my breath. I caught my breath when all of a sudden the sound of footsteps was produced from the hall I had just ran from. They were slow and traumatizing. Every step hit my nerves hard.

"Nora", I heard my name coming from his mouth dripping with the murderous temptation to slaughter me. I stood slowly with the mind wrecking thought of what might happen to me once he caught me. I didn't dare run in fear of him hearing the echoing sound of my footsteps. Right then the sound of chains ran through the air as a kunai was implanted into the wall beside me, missing my face by a mere centimeter. A squeal escaped my throat then I began to run, uncontrollably terrified for my life. He's going to kill me!

I scurried as fast as I could with fear running dangerously in my thoughts. Itachi was dead! But he gave up his life for mine and wanted me to live! I can't left his sacrifice go in vain! And if I stopped, Madara would be able to grab me!

But I couldn't run any farther, my breath was lost. Upon losing breath again, swiftly, I opened one of the doors I had encountered and entered the pitch black room. I sensed around my surroundings till I was sure I was hidden by a large wardrobe.

I awaited in the darkened room as I heard his footsteps approach. The door began to open with an eerie silence, I feared the possibility of him hearing my heartbeat that had been loudly pounding in my chest. Gazing at the light produced from the hallway, I observed his shadow as it stood there unmoved for several moments before the door began to close again.

I wouldn't breath even the slightest of air until I heard his departure from the room. I stood in the darkened room for a long while, or so it felt, afraid to encountered the monster that roamed the halls.

Every now and then, I would hear footsteps emanate from the hall and other times I thought it was merely a figment of my imagination. Air returned to my lungs and I began to relax.

As I stood in the dark, my eye sight slightly began to fixate, allowing me the ability to see close things in the dark. It was then I had realized that there was a face staring defiantly at mine. It was mere centimeters away and I thought it was only a figment of my imagination. When I gained enough courage to stroke the figment before me, my fingertips sensed wood beneath them. I froze, my heart dropped out of my chest and my skin went chalk white when I realized the cruelty of reality.

"I'm going to carve you into an image no human being would wish to see!"

"Spare me!"

"Never!"

Author's Note: Itachi is gone :'(! Who is going to save the world? You will find out in the next and final chapter!