Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto

Author's Notes: Sing on, oh valkyrie, and guide me on to the shining halls of Valhalla.

"So, do you have anything to say?"

The question fell on seemingly dead ears as the subject stood, head hung, a veil of shadow cast across his eyes. No motion was given that he was heard, that the question had reached him in the least. A moment past, then another, before at last the silence was taken as his only answer.

"So be it." There was a hiss of frustration as the words left those lips, and Homura Mitokado turned his head, away before he looked out onto a gathering crowd, and again he repeated the words with no small amount of uncertainty. "So be it."

"He still refuses to speak?" Koharu Utatane's voice was soft as she glanced down at the figure bound to his knees on the stand.

"Not a single word." Homura confirmed as he then glanced down at the boy and shook his head.

"Not surprising." A third figure spoke up, as his face half hidden by bandages, as half of his body was hidden behind a half cloak. "He managed to resist even Root's techniques... and since both Yamanaka techniques and chemical persuasion is useless..."

"Then there is no other choice?" Homura frowned slightly as he hesitated a moment, uncertainty written across his features. "You know that the Hokage will not forgive us for this."

"She is an inexperienced fool, blinded by her nostalgia." Koharu cut in with thin lips pressed into a tight line. "She cannot be counted on to do what is best for Konoha in this matter."

"Such a waste." Homura sighed slightly before he took a moment to study Danzo quietly. "We are placing our faith in you then, Danzo. To keep Konoha safe even when the Hokage cannot."

"I shall do as I always have." Stiff and resolute, Danzo paused before bowing low to the pair. "And I will make sure that Konoha is grateful for your sacrifice."

"Then go." Koharu spoke up swiftly. "You cannot be associated with this, not if you are to be able to continue your work."

Wordlessly, Danzo bowed once more, before vanishing in a silent swirl of the wind.

Standing resolutely, Koharu turned her head and nodded to her long time teammate who went through a series of seals, before striking firmly on one of the four posts surrounding the platform. In response, a sudden, shimmering barrier arose, a wall surrounding them. Turning his head, he bowed quietly back to her. "It is done."

"And so do the pieces move, too late." The elderly woman muttered quietly under her breath as a swarm of ninja appeared before them, lead by the irate figure of Tsunade Senju, their village's current Hokage.

"Koharu! Homura! What the HELL do you two think you're doing?" Anger was flashing through her eyes, before she suddenly caught sight of the blonde figure forced to kneel next to them. "Naruto! What have you done to him?"

"The vessel is no longer your concern." Koharu spoke up in a cold voice as she stared impassively back at the woman. "We are simply doing what is best for our beloved village when you could not."

"Best for the village?" Anger flashed through the woman's eyes as no small hint of fear raced like a snake down her spine, as she suddenly slammed her fist against the barrier. "You DARE!"

The councilors remained impassive as the force of the blow sent a sudden ripple through the translucent wall's length. Homura looked at her with a grudging tinge of respect as he lightly nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Impressive and to be expected from the granddaughter of our great founder. If given the time, I'm certain there's nothing we could do to stop you from breaking through it."

"However." Koharu picked up right behind him as she looked back at the blonde woman with thin, slitted eyes. "Time isn't something we're willing to give you." Standing up, straighter, those eyes suddenly burned with determination as she glared back at the woman. "As you wouldn't stand up and protect our village, we're going to do what you wouldn't."

"You know as well as we do, that not only did the container fail to retrieve the traitor, but he succumbed to the power of the Kyuubi sealed inside of him." Homura agreed as he adjusted his glasses slightly at the look of disbelief on Tsunade's face. "With all that power at his disposal, and he still failed to return with the filth. And tell me, Tsunade, how does a jinchuuriki, the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, fail to defeat one, single genin when using the power of the demon he contains?"

"By not wanting to kill his friend." There wasn't even an ounce of hesitation in the woman's voice as she stared back at the boy. "Naruto... Naruto, please, please say something."

"He hasn't said a word since he was taken into custody." There was a grudging respect in Homura's voice. "Not even during his interrogation."

The outrage that shown in the Hokage's eyes as she hissed out a shocked breath. "You had him tortured? A loyal shinobi, a rookie genin and you had him TORTURED? I swear, no matter where you try to hide, I will..."

"Do nothing." Koharu, cut the woman off as she and Homura both made a snake seal. "We will both be beyond your reach soon enough."

Eight seals followed the first, before in unison the pair clapped their hands together, before stiffening together in unison as suddenly a hand erupted out of each of their chests, and grabbed hold of Naruto.

As he suddenly stiffened a moment, Naruto Uzumaki lifted his head, and finally looked up at Tsunade, tears streaming down his dulling blue eyes. "Granny... Sorry... Sorry I couldn't keep my promise... Tell Sakura-chan I... I would have done anything to have been able to keep it."

"Naruto... No..." Realization set into Tsunade's eyes as she stared at the boy with a look of absolute horror as she slumped forward, falling to her knees in absolute shocked disbelief.

"And so, it ends." Koharu stated grimly as she stiffened again, feeling herself being ripped out of her body as for a moment, an impossible moment, the boy, the child resisted the pull of the Death God's arms.

In that moment, Naruto looked out across the growing crowd, and caught familiar, horrified faces watching him, starting to run towards the barrier. And he could see in that moment, the horror wasn't because of what he was, but at the thought of losing him. That thought, brought a slow, soft smile to those lips as he lifted his head fully, and suddenly he seemed to shine so brightly in defiance of even the death god's might.

And with that, suddenly they could only watch in horrified shock as a dark pulsing crimson was ripped out of his body by one of the Death God's hands, as those who understood what it was, could only marvel in sheer disbelief. Watching as the boy, the genin, resisted the Death God beyond what even their living devil couldn't. As there, on his knees, he suddenly seemed as tall as the Hokages themselves.

For a moment, the impossibility of it set their hearts to swell, to dare hope, before they could see the bittersweet sadness in his eyes, as he spoke, his voice, somehow clear as it reached every ear, in one last message. "I am a Leaf in the wind. Watch me Soar."

It was then, that they watched as the soul of Naruto Uzumaki was torn from his mortal form, and for a moment, as his executioners slumped lifelessly next to him, shone with all the brilliance of the sun. In that light, those who had touched his life, who had known him, suddenly felt the sudden, simple pulse of pure and simple emotion. In that moment, each of them, knew that no matter what, they had meant the world to him.

Then, suddenly it was gone, snuffed out, leaving them aching for that light once more as time stretched in a moment of silence before the barrier that separated those three bodies shattered. As the rest of them watched, their Hokage stood, sternly, firmly as she strode forward to the three. With quick, flicks of her wrists, the corpses of the Third Hokage's former teammates were tossed aside like trash, as she knelt down, with a tender care and began to unbind the lifeless body of the boy.

Then, gently cradling the small, lifeless body in her arms, she buried her head in his chest, and let the sobbing stream of tears fall down her cheeks as her whole body convulsed with emotion. Crying tears never ceased to fall into his chest, as slowly the crowd gathered around her, filled with broken, tear streaked faces. She made no move to stop the warm, comforting arm wrapping over her shoulders as she could feel her teammate crouch down with him, tears streaming down his own face as he felt the weight of complete and utter failure digging into his heart like a dagger as he stared at his godson.

It would be, several long, agonizing minutes later that the woman would reach down, and carefully undo the boy's weathered, beaten orange jacket, and with a clinical, almost mechanical motion, reached down to retrieve that cursed necklace. Only it wasn't there. Or, more precisely, only the fading glow of its outline.

For a moment, she was awash with a conflicting storm of emotion. Then, finally, her lips settled on a slight, bitter smile as she bowed her head in quiet acknowledgment. Still cradling his body, she turned her head, and let her face quietly settled into her teammate's chest as she held Naruto's body tightly to her chest.

Miles away, in the depths of shadows, a dark haired boy froze as he suddenly felt an icy stab, digging into his heart. His hand resting on the nearby wall, he stared in shock as for the first time in half a decade, tears fell down his cheeks, and he didn't know why. A biting, sinking drop as suddenly, Sasuke Uchiha knew without a shadow of a doubt, something had gone terribly, horribly wrong.