AN: I clearly have no idea what to name this chapter, so be my guest and suggest some cool titles. A few things to make clear. Naruto will not be making an appearance in this story. The Naruto characters that do make an appearance are there for a reason, not because they are my fav character. The romance I promised is gonna come much later in the story. I really suck at romance. And finally, just because two people have similar past does not mean they're best buds or they'd fall for each other. If you've read/watched Naruto, then you should know what they'd usually do to each other first. (Hint: Try to kill each other)

There's one line in this chapter which is the property of From Software's Dark Souls. From my favorite DS NPC, Hawkeye Gough, the badass Dragonslaying Giant, who for some reason shoots down Kalameet despite being blind, but nobody cares cause that cinematic was plain awesome.

My respect for dragons have also skyrocketed simply because I get OHK every single fucking time. Hats off to anyone whose managed to kill the ancient dragon. Now, on with the story.

Tiffania woke up to see that the boy was doing something strange to her body. Naturally, she screamed. The boy, annoyed at the reaction, put his hand on her mouth to silence her. She struggled, and apparently succeeded on getting away from the single armed boy. By getting away in actuality, she fell off the bed. On instinct, she made the most distance she could make from him. The boy made no move. He just stared at her with his eyes narrowed. The jolt of adrenaline wore off and she realized. She could move her body without any trouble. It was apparent that she cried herself to sleep but, for how long was she out? Judging from the light outside, it was night. There was no way she could heal that fast, elven blood or no.

She also realized her clothes, or lack thereof and swiftly covered herself. The bandages that covered her once before were missing, and the boy had his shirt removed. Yet she didn't think he was doing what one would usually think he was doing, though it didn't stop her heart from beating like crazy. He got off the bed and threw the bed sheets at her, which she hurriedly took and covered herself. Then he waited for a few seconds before moving in front of her.

"Your left hand", he gently said and motioned for the said appendage. Without any motion he just stayed there with his lone hand out. It seemed like he wasn't going to take no for an answer, so reluctantly, she gave in.

A green glow enveloped his palm and in proxy, her own. The glow seemed to sooth her hand, which from what she remembered, was skewered in her fight against the red haired boy. It felt like healing magic, yet at the same time, it didn't. It was warm, whereas the healing water magic was cool. He must have been healing her all this time, and by the sweat she could see on his brows, it must be something he wasn't used to. Why would he go out of his way to heal her? That truly confused her, but she didn't think she could question him.

That was what her mind thought, but her heart was still beating hard, which would explain why she suddenly made her thoughts known.

"Why?"

He didn't answer, just kept focusing on the green glow. She figured he wouldn't answer and just sighed to herself.

The weird healing technique lasted for a few minutes, yet it felt like hours. She just couldn't stop her heart from racing. When he was finally done, he handed her a few clothes. She didn't know his intentions, but any clothes were a welcome at this point. Without a word she put them on. She figured him to keep watching like he did before, but he only faced away and started clothing himself. She was thankful of this and quickly finished dressing herself. It were the same clothes he gave her before, albeit washed.

She didn't know what had changed so suddenly in the boy. His aura of coldness had surprisingly turned into that of warmth and kindness. Perhaps she had misjudged him. Perhaps he was kind and gentle and she just judged him far too quickly.

"Thank you", she voiced out softly. He didn't answer, but it didn't dishearten her. She realized that it was just how he was.

It seemed like he had plans to go outside and he intended to take her with him. It wasn't like she had a choice in the matter. Hiding her ears behind a hooded cloak. She followed him in the dead of night. At least the two moons hanging from the cloudless sky was a welcomed sight.

The boy didn't make any conversation, simply opting to lead the way instead. He led her through several narrow alleys and finally stopped before a rundown tavern. It wasn't grand or anything, just a simple tavern in the middle of nowhere which looked like it needed some major cleaning. The place looked like someplace commoners would frequent and she just realized that she hadn't had the chance to eat anything for two days. Her stomach made it loud and clear. Embarrassing as it was, she kept in mind that she was in the company of a brick wall.

Abruptly, the same brick wall which seemed to have been warming up to her turned icy cold in a heartbeat. It was subtle, but she could feel the boy's aura turn vicious. It was like he was putting on a façade of unapproachableness, though she wasn't really sure why. Perhaps he was just uncomfortable with crowds so he put up a mask of indifference. Perhaps he was doing so to avoid attention. Or maybe, just maybe, he wasn't putting on a mask but rather, removing the mask of kindness. She really hoped it to be the former.

The interior was very jolly for its outer appearance, with several waitresses running about, serving without a doubt a large number of commoners. He sat before a secluded table and lowered his hood. She followed his lead and sat beside him but didn't deem to take her hood off. It wasn't like she had done anything wrong but strangely so, she could feel the glares of several people behind her back, no doubt the immediate females in the vicinity. His cold aura just appeared to arouse the opposite sex, though she had to admit, it would take a special type of courage to take his order. People really shouldn't take everything for face value.

One brave waitress decided to take a leap of faith and take his order. Her courage was in vain as the boy didn't reply whatsoever. He just ignored everything in his surrounding area and waved the poor girl away. Much to the half-elf's immediate displeasure, she didn't even get to order anything. Why would he take her to a tavern and order nothing? Hungry as she was, watching other people enjoy their food was a mental torture.

"You're drooling", he said in that same emotionless tone, which was something close to a deadpan, yet refined enough to look condescending.

Tiffania averted her eyes from the others and further lowered her hood in embarrassment. Why did the boy had to be so mean? Doesn't he have any idea why she was ogling at the meals? It seemed that being hungry was in her fate, but that didn't mean she was going to further embarrass herself. So with a heavy heart, she tried her best to control her pleading stomach.

It was sudden, for just a split second, barely enough to blink her eyes, but she felt a spin chilling aura, an aura that no doubt came from the boy beside her and from the looks of the people around them, they'd felt it to. It was like an expansion of the coldness he was exuding. Doubtlessly, it made everyone in the tavern flinch. It would have certainly caused an uproar but everyone just dismissed it. So immersed was she in the feeling that she didn't notice a little girl, maybe a few years younger than her, sit before the boy.

She looked noble by appearance, with blond hair and hazel eyes and her hair done up in twin tails. By any means, she didn't belong here. She must have taken a liking to the boy's appearance and thought him to be a commoner with unnatural good looks. A spoilt noble girl by the looks of it. That is what Tiffania thought, but the look of understanding on the little girl's eyes said otherwise.

"This place seem crowded, don't you think?", she purred and Tiffania felt morally wrong at what was happening. How old was this girl? 12? 13?, Yet she was without a doubt trying to flirt with the boy. That in itself was a very unbelievable thing to witness but what happened next made her jaw drop.

"Perhaps"

The boy actually replied. Why? What in the world was he thinking? Does he have a thing for little girls? What a way to destroy her innocence.

Tiffania looked worriedly at the little girl who just smirked and did something strange. The closest way to describe it was to compare it to the boy's abrupt expulsion of his cold aura. However, it went beyond that. The aura she felt wasn't as large as the boy's, but it was dense, uncontrolled and finally, disgusting. Half of the people in the tavern ran out the door, gagging on the way. The other half almost killed themselves with the knife and forks they held. She was suddenly glad her stomach was devoid of anything and had half the mind to get the hell out of there, but a firm hand belonging to the boy held her back. The girl in front of her wasn't a child, it was a monster.

"Now we have this place all to ourselves", the monster declared with a smile that made Tiffania's blood run cold. Before she was afraid of the little girl conversing with the boy, now it was the other way around. Neither able to stay or leave, she just silently crept close to the boy. She would take his coldness to that sickening feeling any day and was glad that the boy didn't fret about it.

"Orochimaru", the boy acknowledged.

"Ku ku ku…", the monster chuckled and said something in the boy's strange language.

"I had stolen your powers once. I'd know your chakra anywhere", the boy replied in the same language, his voice as cold as it could get.

It seemed like she could only understand the boy's speech, not the language. How convenient, though she wasn't going to let the boy find out. It seemed like the two knew each other. She couldn't help but be interested. The boy was an anomaly on his own but now that she could understand him, maybe she could figure something out. Yes, this conversation was the key. She had to listen closely to connect the dots, though the monster in the little girl's skin was looking too happy to be healthy.

"The reanimated shinobi", he continued. "Explain"

It seems like she was too hopeful. She should have known the boy to be as vague as possible and whatever the girl in front of her was saying was lost to her. Nevertheless, she listened diligently. There was something weird going on here and she'd get to the bottom of it.

The boy's eyes widened in what looked like surprise. It seems like whatever he heard was even enough to shock him. His eyes narrowed.

"You don't have your summons, are you sure you can defeat me?"

The girl crossed her arms in a condescending way and started to speak again, no fear in her stature. Whatever she said seem to be something important for the boy to back down in his verbal assault.

"Very well, but first I want information"

The little girl smirked in delight. She chuckled in that uncanny way and proceeded to say something which the boy listened in fascination. Tiffania didn't understand a thing, but what she could make out were names. Names like Louise, Henrietta, Vittorio, Joseph, Sheffield and finally, Karin. The girl glanced at her and she was suddenly filled with fear. Those once hazel eyes turned yellow scrutinizing her, taking all of her appearance in delight and thinking of several ways to defile her. If vandalism had eyes, Tiffania knew right then and there, what they'd look like. The little girl licked her lips, as if appreciating the specimen before her.

Of course, it didn't bode well with the boy. He gently placed his hand on the table, a gesture as non-threatening as it could get, but nevertheless the girl flinched and averted her eyes.

"I would get her myself, but as you can see her pet is a nuisance", she said in in an understandable language this time. "Gallia will attack soon. It'll be the perfect time to get her. Of course, provided that you take care of our leader-sama first. So, what do you say?"

The boy closed his eyes in contemplation for a few seconds and finally opened them with a reply. "Don't get me wrong, we are not allies. We just have similar goals"

"Then we have a deal", she smirked and passed a rolled parchment to the boy, which he unrolled to find a diagram of a symbol circled by several smaller symbols. He raised his eyebrow in question.

"The original Kusanagi Blade", she declared which elicited the boy's eyes to narrow. "Just like you treasure your eyes, I treasure this blade. I'll be expecting its return"

The boy pocketed the parchment and got up to leave. Tiffania quietly followed. She didn't want to stay anywhere near the little girl, however the said wolf in sheep's clothing wasn't finished.

"With eyes like those, you should already know how to remove that seal", she said with a smirk. "What's stopping you?"

The boy didn't answer.

Saito plucked another grass from the courtyard which was previously a battleground. Personally, yanking the few remaining greenery of the toasted courtyard wasn't what you'd call healthy, but he had nothing better to do. Well, there lied the problem. There was nothing he could do. Reality was something he took for granted while facing the Albion army. That same reality came to torture him in a way where throwing his life away wasn't an option. Although, being suicidal never helped anyone.

Nobody had approached him after the commotion in the sick bay, which he was grateful to. He didn't want to see the sad looks on his friend's faces and remind himself how useless he was. His back was devoid of any sentient weapon and before him was the weapon he'd feel too sick to use.

True, the kunai was handy in many ways. Melee or ranged, anything went as the user wanted it to. A Swiss army knife among all weapons. Albeit small, it was sturdy enough to parry almost all attacks. Which lead to the topic of his disgust from the weapon. A sword can be highlighted as a weapon to protect and that's how he felt about Derfflinger, but this thing. He didn't give it a second thought in the heat of the battle but when he touched this weapon, he would know every weak spot in a human body. How to kill in the most unorthodox methods and how to make sure the target was dead. Which would be okay in his book considering that it was a weapon but it went a step further for his liking. What tendons to sever in order to cause intense agonizing pain, how to put someone within the grasp of death and how to cause pain without having to kill the opponent. Truly, a decent weapon at its worst, a torture weapon at its best. The weapon wasn't meant for protecting, it was solely meant to make someone's life as miserable as possible. The thought of one of his friends held captive by the owner of such a weapon. The thought of being helpless while Tiffania could very well be in a state worse than death. It

made him sick to his stomach.

"Saito", a soft voice called out from behind him. He turned to find Siesta with a somewhat weary smile on her face. He really didn't want to see another smile like that but Siesta wasn't what you'd normally call a fighter so he was okay with her.

"Are you okay?", she asked with worry. He could clearly read the mood, she had come to check up on him, and they called him dense.

"Yes", he answered with a sigh and went back to uprooting more grasses. She frowned and sat beside him. After what looked like giving it some thought she spoke with finality.

"No, you're not", a soft hand gripped his own and stopped him in his action. For someone who wouldn't normally be called a fighter, she had quite the grip. "Tell me, what's bothering you?"

Saito didn't know if it was Siesta's caring nature, but he practically felt like telling her everything. He didn't have the strength to stop himself, and like a dam finally breaking under the pressure, he explained everything. She didn't stop him, just nodded along to everything he had to say. She had probably heard everything from someone else by this point, nevertheless she only listened without a word.

"I don't think I have it in me to make a sacrifice when the time comes", he said in unhidden frustration. "I really shouldn't make promises I can't keep"

The hand holding his hand suddenly tightened. He turned to see Siesta with firm determination on her face.

"Don't talk like that", she said in anger. He really didn't think she was capable of such an emotion, which made him astonishingly surprised. She held his hand between her own.

"If there's anyone who always keeps his promises, it's you"

He would have cheered up on the spot if he hadn't heard that one before. But still, for her to come up with the most cliché line in the movies on her own was impressive.

"What if I have to choose between two promises I've made? What if choosing one would doom the other? I don't think I have it in me to sacrifice one for another", he sighed in exhaustion. "There's even a chance that I don't keep any of my promises. A chance that I can't save Tiffania, or anyone for that matter"

He retracted his hand from her grasp and leaned back on them, giving the sky a clearly defeated look. He didn't want to make Siesta sad, but he really wasn't feeling like the one she had on her mind. She got up from her spot, presumably leaving when she suddenly hugged him from behind.

"Then don't choose", she said in a soft tone, like singing a lullaby. He'd be lying if he said that didn't surprise him. "You're forgetting that there's also a chance that you keep all your promises and you save everyone. It may be hard and at times you may fail, but learning from our mistakes is how we progress"

"But, how can I save anyone when I clearly don't stand a chance", he voiced out his dismay.

"That didn't stop you from coming to rescue me, did it?"

His eyes widened. The incident with Count Mott was so long ago that he'd all but forgotten what he did back then.

"Even when the odds were against you, you stood up for me and now, we're here, together. I couldn't imagine what would have happened to me if it weren't for you", she chuckled in the thought. "You didn't think of how or what. You were very rash. Always influencing the world around you whereas others would have simply gotten influenced by the world instead. It's why I lo…"

She stopped in her words. He didn't know what she was about to tell but he had heard enough. She was right, there was no use in pondering in self-pity. Just when had he turned this way? Whatever it may be, he had no intention of moping around.

He got up and faced Siesta with a smile, who for some reason had a full blown blush on her face. "I thought me being rash was a bad thing?"

She quickly composed herself and got up as well. "What's bravery without a dash of recklessness?"

"Thanks Siesta, that's just what I needed to hear", he thanked and picked up the kunai. Sure he hated what the runes were feeding him, but that never stopped him from using it the way he wanted. After all, it was just a tool. The wielder determined the way it's to be used. With another heart filled thanks to Siesta, he set off towards the direction of the Cathedral. First, he had to make amends with Louise.

Only when he was in speaking range of the void mage did he realize that it wasn't gonna be so easy. Tabitha and Kirche were with her so his difficulty only doubled. She being naturally angry at him, ignored his presence whereas the two other beside her just looked on in anticipation. Apologizing was harder than it seemed to be.

"Louise", he called, took a deep breath and shouted out. "I'M SORRY"

The look on Louise's face softened a bit, then redden at the realization of their audience. Shouting it out was really embarrassing, but it looked well worth it. Tabitha seems to lighten up, but he didn't want to think about it. His relationship with her was weird at best. Kirche just smiled in approval.

"S-Saito…"

That was all she could stutter before a man appeared behind her. A man with noble features wearing a cloak and piercings all over his face. He grabbed her in a vice grip and disappeared in thin air. It happened before Louise could even utter a word, further cementing that Saito's life was truly getting shot to hell. He just stared at the spot Louise was in in utter astonishment. Of course, Kirche wasn't so awestricken at the display but did summaries the whole fiasco in one word.

"Fuck"

Small and unnoticeable Tabitha may be, but everyone knew that she was always serious. Making a baby was way too unexpected to be considered seriousness on her part, but in matters of life and death, people followed her like mice following the piper.

"Gallian", she stated and Saito was now officially involved in this war. To give insult to injury, he recognized the eyes of the culprit with the piercings. They were the same uncanny ringed eyes of the pale red haired boy. Another anomaly in the already growing doubt in his resolve.

"W-We…", he stuttered at first, then said out in firm determination. "We need to inform this to the Pope"

Now both Louise and Tiffania were MIA and he didn't want to waste time in self-pity. He remembered what Siesta told him and although they sounded doubtful from what he thought a few seconds ago, he would try his best even if the odds were against him.

Naturally the Pope didn't take kidnapping of yet another of the void mage very well. By now, he would probably be thinking that he'd be next. Even Henrietta looked overly worried. But that wasn't the immediate concern right now. What was important right then was the action they'd take.

"We can't sit by idly anymore", he pronounced. "This has gotten too far"

A chorus of approval came from everyone.

"What do you propose then?", Henrietta interjected. "We should attack now?"

"The war is inevitable now. The only question is, which side will attack first? Our troops are ready to face the Gallian airships, but the close proximity to Aquileia is making the soldiers uneasy. We must evacuate the city first and ensure the safety of the civilians", the Captain from before stated his thoughts.

"Do as you must Captain", the Pope approved.

"His holiness", the Captain called. "We've also received information that Moon-eyes will be involved in this war"

"And where did you get this information", Agnès questioned.

"The source is unknown, but if this information do prove to be right…"

"Then Tiffania will be in Aquileia", Saito finished.

Everyone contemplated in silence for a while then Agnès spoke up.

"Sounds like a trap"

"Yes, it does", the Pope added. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I think", Saito spoke up. "We should send a small group of people to infiltrate the main Gallian airship"

Everyone were surprised at the boy. He wasn't a planner in their books and it was weird to see him come up with a plan for once.

"That", the Captain exclaimed. "Is actually a very good idea. The sooner we end the war, the better"

"And with its end, we can contribute more manpower in finding Tiffa…"

"But the problem lies here", the Captain interrupted. "How will we identify the airship?"

"Leave that to me, I can find it", Saito spoke up again and explained his plan to everyone present. When he finally finished, he was getting weird looks from everyone. Agnès summed up everyone's thoughts with one sentence.

"You're either really brave or just plain stupid"

Saito smiled.

"What's bravery without a dash of recklessness?"

Sheffield was one of those people who always knew her situation. She had grown up with many betrayals, treachery and hardships in her early life. Pretty soon, she was the one who was doing the betraying rather than the other way around. So numbed was she with the world that she lost all emotions towards others. She hated her life then, and when she was summoned by Prince Joseph, who was more or less in her same position, her thoughts were to use the man to her advantage. However, as the years passed by, she soon felt love towards the man. A love created by the familiar runes, but never the less, it made her happy.

She knew early on that the only individual that she'd ever love was herself, the runes altered that and made her fall for the man. A false love it may be, but she was content with it as she never thought she would ever love anybody other than herself. Even though the Prince became a King, even though he had a child with someone else, she was just happy to feel the emotion she'd probably never have felt. The emotion called love.

But her relationship with Pain was a different story altogether. The pale boy materialized out of thin air from a magical container she accidentally opened. A magical artifact that even her familiar runes couldn't fully discern. The Totsaka Blade.

She couldn't fathom how her runes told her that it was a blade despite clearly being some kind of container, but she gave it up as a lost cause. But the boy, he was different. When she touched him her familiar runes glowed as if reacting to a magical artifact, despite the boy not being an artifact. One thing led to another and she suspected him to have the same kind of feelings to their relationship as she had with Joseph. Only, he turned out entirely different after one failed mission. She didn't think she had control over him after then, but thankfully, the unbelievably strong humanoid magical artifact declared himself to be god and her, his angel.

She was careful after that encounter. He was like a different person altogether after then. Before he used to care for everyone around him. But now, he had a goal, world peace he said and refused to disclose anything more. Now, he didn't care about the little things and she knew for a fact that he would whole heartedly agree on the means, so long as they give results.

So, he could make it rain, he could raise the dead as a manifestation of himself, he could survive being blasted to oblivion, it really didn't come close to how he so readily killed in the name of world peace. Fortunately, his goals seem to intertwine with Joseph's so she didn't care.

"I have secured the girl", he said through one of his undead bodies, the Deva Path as it was known.

"Good, we can initiate our plans now", she declared and folded her arms. "What about the Moon-eyed boy? My spy has confirmed that he'll be in Aquileia"

The undead body did not show any emotion.

"He is strong enough, perhaps even stronger than me"

This shocked her. Clearly she thought the failed mission was just a lucky fluke.

"He'll still be healing at this point", she advised. "You can send your disposable undead to finish him off"

The fake Pain stood silent, this meant the real one was going through a myriad of emotions. She had a feeling he was probably laughing at her.

"He is strong", she said in irritation. "Shouldn't we eliminate him before he becomes a threat?"

"No", he said firmly. "I remember him. He's someone who would go to any length to achieve his goals"

So basically, Moon-eyes was just the same as Pain. She wasn't sure what he was planning by ignoring a clear threat to himself. She wasn't sure why she even cared. Pain trusted her, but she couldn't say the same about him. After all, only idiots trusted her, but Pain was no fool. He could probably anticipate her every thoughts and actions. Unnerving it may be, she felt a little happy for being trusted even though her nature was so apparent.

He smiled, an action she thought was beyond the undead Pain's ability and faced her.

"We shall recruit him to our cause"

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