Seamus: Hey everyone, since Ranger just got hit with a knife I'll be handling this junk. Okay first on the agenda the art contest ends tonight at midnight. All entries must be in by then and preferably posted on Devieant art since Ranger normaly checks there. Okay then on with the chapter.
Rolo'mono: Ahem.
Seamus: What the heck are you doing here?
Rolo'mono: Making sure you don't make an idiot out of your self. Oh to late.
Seamus: Up your's split lip.
Chapter 31: Living legacy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Naruto opened his eyes. There was a fire going. His head wasn't bugging him anymore but his ribs hurt like hell. He glanced at Cortana who's chains were off and wings raised in her usual defensive manner.
Naruto: Are you okay?
Cortana: Yes but you and Ranger aren't.
Naruto: You didn't make that fire did you and you couldn't have gotten those chains off by yourself could you?
Cortana: Nope. He did.
Naruto glanced up to see a young man with spikey orange hair, blue eyes, and a black kimono siting on the other side of the fire. He had a large sword in the shape of a butcher knife on his back, a bow in hand, and a hunting horn at his side. Naruto rose to his knees, as he was still tied up.
Naruto: Who are you?
The young man shifted his sword to a better position on his back.
??: Ichigo. I would have tried to help you with your wounds sooner but your dragon wouldn't let me near you.
Naruto: Her name is Cortana.
Naruto sucked in his breath drawing on magic.
Naruto: Jerda.
The ropes snapped but Naruto winced in pain as the pain is his ribs grew.
Naruto: Now let him by. I need some help.
Cortana lowered her wings letting Ichigo walked over to Naruto.
Naruto: How did you find us?
Ichigo: You aren't the only enemies the Echoplasmares have.
Naruto: You know who they are?
Ichigo: Yeah now hold still.
He pulled up Naruto's shirt and winced.
Ichigo: Ouch.
Naruto: Yeah ouch.
Where the Echoplasmare had kicked him was a large purple bruise. Ichigo poked it and Naruto winced again.
Ichigo: I'd say you've got two or three broken ribs.
He brought out some bandages from a bag and bound up Naruto's chest to prevent further damage to the bones.
Naruto: How's Ranger?
Ichigo: You mean the old guy? Bad. They got him with a knife in the chest, even with a curse mark he still has one nasty wound. On top of that he's running a high fever. I'm thinking the Echoplasmare might have posioned that knife. Add to that using a curse mark and I'd say he's luck to be breathing.
Naruto: Let me see him.
Naruto rose to his feet.
Ichigo: Easy! Don't want you passing out on me.
Naruto strod over to Ranger who was not tied up and the knife had been removed. Naruto pulled up Ranger's shirt revealing blood caked bandages. Ranger was pale and his breathing irregular but he still had a pulse.
Naruto: We need to find somewhere to hide.
Ichigo: What about him?
Naruto glanced at Cortana.
Naruto: If we made a litter like the one you used to carry Hohenheim could you carry Ranger in the air?
Cortana blinked.
Cortana: Of course.
Naruto turned to Ichigo.
Naruto: Could you make a litter. Cortana can carry Ranger in the air.
Ichigo: I'm on it.
He hefted his sword and left he fire light for about two minutes before returning with two halves of a small tree. Together they used old blankets to support Ranger and then tied it all to Cortana's saddle. Naruto then tied Al and Demon wings reins together.
Naruto: Do you have a mount of you own?
Ichigo nodded pulling forward another Rapidash with grey spots on it's mane.
Naruto: Alright lets go.
Ichigo: You sure you want to ride in your condition?
Naruto: Not much else I can really do now. Sparing, magic, and twiddling my thumbs aren't really good options right now. So I choose to ride.
Ichigo nodded and doused the fire. Cortana took off into the sky to also search for a hiding spot to rest and heal Ranger, if it was possible. They mounted up and rode out into the night staying close together. Naruto felt every bump in the path they traveled on but ignored the pain. It was nearing dawn when Cortana finally sent him a message along with the image of a large sandstone cliff.
Cortana: Come.
When they reached the cliff Naruto and Ichigo had to push and pull the pokemon up towards the cave Cortana had chosen as their hiding spot. When they finally did get up into the cave Naruto found that it was spacious enough for three people, the pokemon, and Cortana who had set Ranger down a rock. Naruto rushed over to the old man, Ichigo was setting up camp. Naruto quickly made out a bed with Ranger's stretcher and bed roll. Then he pulled up Ranger's shirt, the bandages looked even bloodier now. Ichigo took one look at Ranger and shook his.
Ichigo: I'm not sure if he's going to make it through even to mid day.
Naruto: Get me some food would you. I'm going to need all I've got.
Ichigo nodded and started dig through the bags for some food.
Naruto: Cortana?
Cortana: I'm here. Don't worry we'll do everything we can to help him.
Cortana came up next to him and Naruto began to remove the bandages. The wound was small but probably deep. Blood slowly ozzed from the small hole the knife the Echoplasmare had thrown made. He pulled the glove off his right hand and gathered up his strength.
Naruto: Weise heli.
Light glowed at the tips of Naruto's fingers and the Gedwey Ignasia. Slowly the wound began to close with a light steam but it was rapidly sucking away Naruto's strength. Cortana lent him some of her own and after two and a half minute's the wound sealed.
Naruto sighed and slumped against the cave wall as Ichigo walked over with Naruto's canteen and loaf of bread. Naruto drank the water first then at the bread while Ichigo examined Ranger while removing the bloody bandages.
Ichigo: Will he live?
Naruto shrugged.
Naruto: I'm not sure. He lost a lot of blood. And there's the posible poison. Plus he had to use the curse mark twice yesterday. He said it came with a price of some kind.
The price part was what made Naruto worry the most. Ranger had never stated what the price of using the curse mark was. Ichigo nodded.
Ichigo: We'd better get some sleep if it seems like we can't do anything more.
Cortana: I'll keep look out.
Naruto nodded pulling out his bed roll and flopping down on the cave floor. Even as light began to creep towards the cave's entrance he fell fast asleep.
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Cortana: Naruto.
Naruto rolled over his little area between sleeping and being awake, the former being the prefered.
Cortana: Naruto wake up somethings wrong with Ranger.
Naruto: Five more minutes please.
Cortana: Naruto!
Naruto jumped out of his bed roll waking Ichigo who yanked out a knife a threw it at Naruto who ducked just in time! Ichigo blinked in suprise and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Ichigo: Oh sorry.
Naruto rubbed his head. Cortana was looking at Ranger who'd fallen to the cave floor and was twitching uncontrobly!
Naruto: Crap! Give me a hand he'll hurt himself!
Together he and Ichigo lifted Ranger back onto his bed! Naruto felt Ranger's head and yelped from the heat! Naruto pulled down the left sleeve of Ranger's shirt revealing the curse mark of Shadows! It was a flaming red but it's markings hadn't begun to spread yet.
Naruto: He needs water!
Ichigo nodded and ran for a canteen!
Naruto: When did this start?
Cortana: About a minute ago. Up until then he was fine. You guys were sleeping for like six hours.
Then Naruto felt something grab onto his wrist! He glanced down and saw Ranger's eyes wide open! His vision looked blury and the pupils were dialating!
Naruto: Ranger!
Ranger: Bring the wine skin!
Naruto: You really shouldn't drink wine.
Ranger: Just bring it! Just bring it!
Naruto ran to Demonwing looking for the wine canteen Ranger had "burrowed" from the thugs back at Dras Leona.
Naruto: I can't find it!
Ichigo: Here!
Ichigo handed Naruto a black canteen. Naruto ran back to Ranger!
Naruto: I've got the wine!
Ranger: Good, pour it over the palm of my right hand.
Naruto: Huh?
Ranger: Just do it.
Naruto opened Ranger's right hand and poured the wine over it and began rubbing hard!
Ranger: You'll need more.
Naruto poured the whole canteen over Ranger's hand and rubbed even harder as a brown die came free! Naruto gasped droping the empty canteen! There on Ranger's open palm was the gedwey ignasia!
Naruto: You're a rider?
Ranger smiled.
Ranger: Once perhaps that might have been true. During my training I made friends with another rider, Minato.
Ranger struggled for a moment gritting his teeth!
Ranger: But then he betrayed us to Xemnas. My dragon was killed during the fighting at Doru Areba. Her name was Cortana.
He looked Naruto right in the eyes.
Ranger: I am old Naruto. So old. Though my Dragon was killed I lingered on in this wretched exhistence. In all that time I could never forget or forgive what Xemnas and his like did to my Cortana.
He tightend his grip on Naruto's wrist.
Ranger: Don't let what hapened to me happen to you! Guard Cortana with your very life for without her it's hardly worth living.
Naruto: Nothings going to happen to her. I swear it.
Ranger: Perhaps I'm just rambling.
Ranger's grip began to losen.
Naruto: Hey stay with me!
Ranger sat up a little bit wincing.
Ranger: I don't have much time left. This wound is the end of me. Even with curse mark having sapped much of my strength. Keep your honor. You are the living legacy of the riders. My living legacy.
Then he whispered twelve words to Naruto and then told him what they meant.
Ranger: Use them only in the gravest of need. Take care of yourself, Naruto the dragon rider.
Naruto nodded and Ranger lay his head back against his pillow. His eyes brightened with some form of anticipation.
Ranger: And now, for the greatest adventure of all.
Naruto: What do you mean?
Ranger smiled.
Ranger: To some, death is but the last great adventure. To someone like me, its like going to bed after a long hard day.
Naruto stayed by Ranger's sighed for an unknown amount of time. In that time the sun went down and the moon rose. Then as it neared midnight Ranger's breathing slowed. Naruto cried for Ichigo's help but there was nothing they could do. A look of peace came upon Ranger and he smiled at them before he became still. Ranger the rider, cursed warrior, story teller, assassin, teacher, and friend was dead. Cortana gave a moan of sadness as Naruto shakely closed Ranger's aged brown eyes.
Seamus: WHAT? NO! LADDIE!!
Rolo'mono: Calm down.
Seamus: HOW CAN I BE CALM? RANGER'S DEAD!!
Suddenly Ranger enters from the side room.
Ranger24: Hi guys.
Seamus: How the hell are you alive?
Ranger24: Dude I'm only dead in the story.
Seamus: Oh right.
Ranger24: Well ths the last chapter I can write before the end of the school year so... Enjoy summer everyone I'll try and write as much as I can but summer is my slow season. Read and review.