New chapter, maybe the villain will be revealed, maybe he or she won't. I don't own Naruto or HOTD.

The dead were closing in, swarming from every corner, pouring from every doorway. Naruto's breathing was heavy, his eyelids heavier. He tried to summon up enough chakra for a Rasengan but cried out in pain as his pathways violently refused.

They were all dead. Haru, The Sergeant, Saya, Saeko, Takashi, Rei, Kohta, Alice, the former remnants of Shido's group. Their blood spilled everywhere, coating him and everything around him. Colin's face floated in front of him, begging him to stand, to fight, and to survive. But Naruto can't, he's tired…so very tired. Eventually, Colin's face and Irish voice faded under a chorus of moans that threatened to swallow him down to his very soul.

Their broken teeth loomed closer, their stench becoming more apparent. It was over and he had failed.

"This is how you're going to let it end, lad? So pathetically? What about the people who need you? The people out there still fighting? Survive Naruto! Fucking survive!" Colin's voice pierced the moans and hit his skull like a spike.

The pep talk was too late as a rotting mouth wrapped around his throat and he felt cracked teeth tear into his jugular.

*Reality*

Naruto woke with a start, his body wracked with spasms as he tried to rid his mind of the images. Kohta slid down from a hole in the roof of the Humvee to check on the thrashing blonde and was relieved when the spasms stopped and Naruto opened his eyes a crack.

"We're across the river, Naruto" Shizuka said in a monotone as she steered the massive vehicle up onto land.

Takashi's dirt bike was on the roof, secured by his and Rei's combined weight as they slept peacefully in a tight embrace.

Saeko stared at the churning water while rubbing Saya's shoulder in a big sister like manner.

The Humvee came to a stop against a tall stone wall and all the survivors shuffled out, eyes on their feet.

Naruto stood on the roof," Losing Colin was a massive blow, I won't sugarcoat that. We lost a big part of us and for that, I apologize. I was distracted and didn't react quick enough to save him, but his sacrifice saved little Alice here. Colin will be sorely missed and I'm sure he's up in Heaven right now giving Kami herself a headache."

Some of the tension left as the group laughed at their memories of Colin, no matter how brief they were.

"He wouldn't want us to break down now, not after all we've survived. We have to carry on, we have to survive because if we don't he will have died in vain. Now…who's with me?" Naruto extended his arms out wide.

The survivors cheered, some morale restored, but it would be awhile before the wound of Colin's death closed and healed. Saya especially.

"Now, Saya's house is the closest thing we have to a fortress if the pictures I've seen are accurate at all" Takashi grabbed two bags from the back of the Humvee and chucked one to the girls and one to the guys.

"We've got some time to kill before we move so, I'd like to know more about you guys" Naruto motioned to Shido's former group.

"I'm Kawamoto Ishiama" said a girl with red hair and golden brown eyes.

"I'm Kurokami Ioda" a smaller teen with black hair and over dilated eyes waved his hand.

"Hi, the name's Yuuki Miku" the orange-haired girl chirped and threw up a peace sign.

"H-hey, my name's Miura To" said a timid, brown haired kid.

Naruto stopped a girl with twin braided pigtails," I already know who you are."

"Oh, really?" the girl raised an eyebrow.

"Taniuchi Kouchi, Kohta talks about you a lot" Naruto winked making the girl blush and look at the nerdy but brave gunman.

"What's up? Name's Tsunoda Kishiama" a taller boy with a shock of yellow on top of his brown hair.

"H-h-hello, my name is Yamada Tadahada" squeaked a bow with black hair and brown eyes before he bowed slightly.

"It's nice to meet you all, I wish we could have met under better circumstances" Naruto smiled goofily.

"Likewise" said Yamada.

"Hey, Naruto! We're getting changed" Takashi called to Naruto from the front of the Humvee.

"Alright, guys in front, girls in back. No peeking" Naruto wagged his finger, making all present blush.

Takashi had changed into a black motorcycle jacket with padded shoulders, metal plated riding gloves, jeans, and a pair of black and white Vans.

"Where did you guys get this stuff?" Naruto rooted through the bag.

"We raided the apartments next to the duplex and found a bunch of extra clothes and figured they'd be nice to change into" Takashi tied his shoe.

Kohta settled on a bullet-proof ammo vest over a black dress shirt, jeans, and shiny, black combat boots. He tied a white headband onto his head.

"Damn, I might have to stop calling you Kohta-hime if you keep being badass" Naruto chuckled as he put on something…more combat oriented.

He copied Kohta to a point. A bullet-proof vest, with a side holster for his revolver with Tsunade's necklace dangling down over it. An black undershirt with orange flames dancing up one arm. A close fitting pair of black cargo pants tucked into mid-shin high combat boots.

"Well…you know what they say. If you're going to die, leave a beautiful corpse" Kohta shouldered his rifle and handed the M-37 shotgun to Takashi and the M1A rifle to Naruto after telling them both how to operate the weapons.

The other guys dress in different variations of civilian clothes and their school uniforms except for Haru and Rose.

Rose ops to keep his uniform mostly whole after he tears of the sleeves and unbuttons it.

Haru wears a sleeveless white shirt, a pair of tan cargo shorts, and sneakers. As he takes off his shirt, Naruto spots a small mark on his back, in the shape of a scythe.

'A scythe? What could that mean?' Naruto asked his tenant.

'That's an ancient symbol, Naruto. Of a religion long dead and that should always remain dead' Kyuubi growled furiously.

'Do you think it has anything to do with the outbreak?'

'It would seem so. That symbol belongs to an ancient race of people called The Darkened. For centuries they terrorized entire towns, cities, countries even with their Satanic and unholy rituals. It seems they finally fulfilled their part of the prophecy that Kami informed me of.'

'Prophecy? Haven't there been enough prophecies already? What does this one say?'

'Battered and broken they shall answer the call.'

'The world shall fall if The Dark claims them all.'

'One shall lead them to Salvation.'

'Or curse them to Damnation.'

'Six stand among the rest.'

'All having passed their demons' test.'

'The Violet Genocide.'

'The Man not right inside.'

'The Bright Innocence.'

'The Sun with a 7th Sense.'

'The Eagle Eye.'

'The Half-Demon with his head in the Sky.'

'The Sun will Rise to the East and set in the West.'

'There he shall rest.'

'For how long is not known.'

'Will he wither to bone?'

'Sleep for a day?'

'It falls on the choices he makes along the way.'

'Well that's…comforting.'

'This prophecy was the first piece of literature ever discovered from the ruins of The Darkened cities that were destroyed in a purge…It was discovered over Thirty-thousand years ago.'

Naruto was snapped out of his conversation by Takashi's voice telling him they were moving out.

The blonde nodded and thanked Kyuubi for his help before approaching Haru, who was cleaning his nails of blood.

"We really need to talk."

*One Explanation Later*

"Can you get the thing off of me?" Haru tried to look at the mark on his back before Naruto grabbed his shoulder.

"I don't know if it's good or bad, so for the time being it shall remain where it is."

Haru whimpered slightly before nodding and followed beside Naruto as he walked up the hill.

Takashi was on the dirt bike, as the advanced scout and the Humvee followed a small distance away in case Takashi spotted something. Naruto and Haru walked beside it, Naruto with his sword out and Haru flexing his fingers as if eager to sink them into skin.

"We're clear!" Takashi signaled the Humvee forward and Haru ducked into the backseat while Naruto lay on the roof with Saeko.

"How's she taking it?" he asked.

"Badly, but she's a strong girl. She'll be fine after a while but…she'll miss him" Saeko pulled something from her pocket.

It was a small, metal shamrock keychain. Something so insignificant, that meant so much.

She reached her hand out and Naruto placed his sword in her palm and smiled when she attached the charm to the handle.

"They say these are good luck" she smiled.

"Well, we're gonna need it…thanks" Naruto chuckled before sheathing his sword. Saeko blushed slightly and turned to look at the sakura trees.

Sakura…

He wondered how things were going back home, Kami hadn't contacted him after he destroyed the village and he prayed everything was okay.

As if in answer, he felt a gentle hand on his face and heard a whisper,' All is fine. We will talk soon.'

"It looks like we're all clear" Shizuka smiled at Sgt. Rose who sat in the passenger seat.

"Wrong! They're over there!" Takashi pointed to the left and sure enough there was couple dozen clogging the streets.

"Right! Right! Right!" Rose let loose with his rifle out the window and scored a multitude of headshots.

Shizuka jerked the wheel and the Humvee's wheels screeched against the asphalt and they swung wide around the corner.

"Take the highway!" Saya gave Shizuka directions.

"Why are the fuckers so thick here?" Kurokami yelled.

Something in the distance caught Naruto's eye. Wire, strung across the traffic lines.

"Shizuka, watch out!" he shouted down the hatch.

The other blonds slammed the brakes and locked the wheels.

"Let of the brakes and push the gas!" Kohta gave her directions as he hurriedly loaded ammo magazines into the pouches of his vest.

Shizuka complied but much too late as the side of the Humvee slammed into the wires, before the tires caught and hurtled them towards a wall. Although the impact was minor, all inside were jarred and Takashi skidded to a stop next to them.

"We have to move! They're all converging on us!" he shouldered his M-37 and took off the scalps of twelve oncoming undead.

"Sae-chan, we need to distract them while the others get on the other side of that wire barricade with the supplies. We're the fastest and we can get past Them easily" Naruto drew his tanto, its new charm wrapping around his wrist.

She nodded and drew her Bokken with a flourish.

"Takashi, get the others there safely. Saeko and I will follow when these things are far enough away" Naruto and Saeko took off towards a set of stairs in the distance, banging every noisy object on the way.

"We're the house on the hill! Get there, Naruto!" Saya shouted at the pair's receding forms.

"We'll be there! Believe it!" Naruto used a phrase he hadn't used in years…it felt good.

'I'll protect them…for Colin.'

Two chapters in two days…not bad. See you later bro's.