A/N: We're back! With a double update at that!
This, and another Elden Ring story. Hope you appreciate all our hard work!
In that regard, No Strings on Me and I Want it All are nearly ready. Other stories are fighting us tooth and nail.
Make no mistake, my muse WANTS to update RWBY, heck, I have several updates primed and ready to go on that front, but folks would complain if I favored it overmuch. Sorry.
With my fifteen year anniversary on this site finally here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this story, and all others.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a one.
They're tributes to legends far greater than I.
And now...oh, poor, poor Ranni...
What have you done?
"Thy reckoning is nigh. What will your choice be?
Will you betray? Will you save?
Or...will you...shatter?"
~?
Thy Fight
Ranni was hiding something.
Naruto wasn't sure who, what, or why exactly, only that she was. When questioned on her brief disappearance, her separation from their party, she did not answer him directly. Instead, she made excuses. Insisted that it was nothing he need concern himself with. When he tried to press the matter she fobbed him off with words and gentle touches designed to distract.
"Nothing is amiss," she said.
"I'm quite alright," she said.
"Let us go to bed," she said.
She was lying.
He rolled over in bed to glare at the ceiling avoce, displeased with himself as much as the thought. The high, vaulted stones held no answers for him. And so he rolled over again. Times like these almost made him wish he didn't have this damn ability. Sensing negative emotions was usually a boon to him -always had been- but now it did him more harm than good.
Still, he'd gone to bed with Ranni once they returned home, if only to ease the tensions from his mind.
A bit of sleep usually put things to rights.
.
..
...it hadn't worked this time.
A sleepy mumble recaptured his attention. Four hands grasped at his chest, found a handhold, and yanked him closer. Heh. Who would've thought she'd be the little spoon? He let her and ran a hand through her smooth hair then dipped lower, idly stroking her cheek. Ranni didn't stir from her sleep, though she did hold him tighter and snuggled her head into his chest. Poor girl. She looked so peaceful. So serene. Her body was pleasantly warm against his through her thin gown, no longer made of wood and string but flesh and bone, skin soft as satin as her hair tickled his chin.
He wanted to close his eyes and fall back asleep, wrap his arms around her and forget all about this.
And yet she had lied to him.
Damnit.
He planted a restless kiss atop Ranni's head and slipped out her grasp. She let him go with a soft sigh, more a whimper, really. He nearly faltered for a moment, nearly gave up, nearly went back. It would be so easy. Just trust in her as he always had, blindly believe that she knew best, that they were doing what was best for the world.
No. He needed to think.
And he couldn't do that when he was holding her.
Kurama heaved a small sigh. "Oi. Don't do anything stupid."
"M'not." he muttered in annoyed aside of his own. "Just need to think."
Silent footsteps carried him toward the door. It opened easily, making nary a sound. He slipped through and was gone.
There was no destination in mind, no clandestine meeting to attend. He simply wandered the halls, taking the turns as they came. No one barred his path. Rennala and the rest were either busy making plans or sleeping; likewise, he could sense Blaidd and Iiji in the northern wing, far away from him.
All the while, his mind churned.
Ranni was keeping secrets. Too many secrets. He'd accepted that before; it wasn't any of his concern and he'd believed in her. But that belief had been rattled by her mysterious absence and subsequent silence upon her return. It might take some time on his part, and quite possibly a nudge from Blaidd besides, but he was certain she'd tell him what was ailing her eventually...if he waited.
Could he wait?
He wasn't sure he wanted to.
Meanwhile, their course was clear. The capital awaited.
He doubted it would be quite so simple as Rykard envisioned, but they gained nothing by lingering in Raya Lucaria further. They needed to make a move. There was also the matter of these baleful shadows Ranni spoke of, whatever those damn things were, but he was sure he at least, could deal with them.
"Are you certain?"
Naruto grit his teeth and nearly walked into a wall. He caught himself against it, fingers digging into the pale mortar. That voice again. It made his head hurt. Blaidd seemed right as rain since he'd broken the connection between him and the Greater Will, but these odd pulses persisted. They were annoying at the least of times, downright distracting at the worst.
"You were foolish to do that. It is aware of you now. The eye of a god is upon you. Be wary."
Blasted voice. And here he thought he was finally rid of it once and for all. Even now he couldn't tell who it was? Man or woman, boy or girl, or perhaps some eldritch beast. Whatever it was, it seemed intent on driving its every point home, which wouldn't have been a bother...if he didn't disagreed with everything it said.
"You would be rid of me? I have given you sound advice thus far."
He paused, leaning against a wall. Shut up.
"I will not, dear boy."
His fist cratered the stone. "What do you want?!"
"I want you to see the Witch for what she is. And you will. I shall make sure of it. I shall save you."
"Save me?" he barked a laugh. "Me? I think you're confused. I'm the one who saves people. I don't need saving."
"Yes, you do. Ranni will betray you, as she betrayed us, as she betrayed everyone on that fateful night. The woman you know is a lie. Her smile is a lie. Her love is a lie. Everything about her is a lie. She tells falsehoods as easily as she breathes."
He bit his tongue to stifle a retort.
The Voice sensed his hesitation and pounced. "But you know this now, don't you? Has she lied to you at last?"
No, no, no. He wasn't rising to the bait; he refused to give it -her?- anymore fuel for the fire.
"Shall I tell you what she intends?" but the Voice had enough and it pressed on with a mournful sigh. "She will leave you. First to seek the baleful shadows, then the Two fFngers, again and again, until she ascends to the stars and never returns. You will be alone."
His fist swung out with a harsh crack, obliterating the wall entirely. It didn't nothing for his doubt. "Liar!"
"Ask her then. You only know a small portion of her schmes. In the end...
Spectral lips brushed his ears.
You...
...are...
...expendable."
(.0.0.0.)
Ranni woke alone and found a specter stood at the foot of her bed.
She should've felt panic. Fear. Anger, at least.
Instead she felt only...regret.
"He trusted you." the ghost growled at her, its voice an angry, low, hollow rasp. " Just as I did. Will you betray him, too?"
She recognized them with a jolt. She dearly wished she hadn't. Another of her brothers. No, not hers. Not truly. They shared only blood. Nothing more. Whatever had once been between them was dust, ashes in the wind, nothing ore, and nothing less.
In truth, she should have expected it. How ironic, for her old regrets to manifest themselves in such a form on the eve of her triumph.
Ignoring them, she rose and rounded her bed, stepped to her chest, then began to dress herself.
...you're not real, Godwyn."
"Aren't I?" the specter spread their arms, eyes hidden in the gloom. "It matters not I suppose. Believe what you will." he scoffed at her as she donned her clothes. "There's nowhere you can hide, Ranni. Put as much distance between you and the truth as you want...it changes nothing. Pretend to be everything you are not; witch, wife, mother-to-be...
She glowered darkly at the last word, tugging on a pale breastplate of wrought silver over her white dress.
...but there is one unavoidable truth you will never escape." the specter before her sneered as she completed her preparations. "You cannot change. You made a deal with the devil, and you know it. You will always be...
Ranni knelt and unwrapped the last parcel within. The Darkmoon Greatsword gazed back at her within the chest, gleaming with blue moonlight.
...a monster."
She retrieved the blade reverently. A monster, her said?
She knew this. Of course she did.
She was one.
After all, she had been selfish that night. She realized that now. In her hubris, she could have sought a different path. A better path. It would've been difficult perhaps, taken more time certainly, but at the end of the day, she hadn't. The fault was hers. She had chosen poorly. Taken the easy way out, the path of least resistance, and the Lands Between had paid for it.
By might and miracle her family had been reunited for the most part, but they would never truly be whole.
She would bear that sin for the rest of her days. Such was her burden.
"'Tis true, I know." the witch stood, staff in one hand, spell in another, sword now sheathed upon her back. She planned to give it to Naruto once she found him. To atone for...a great many things. "But I am your monster no longer." steeling herself, she lifted her chin at him. After all, it takes one to know one." She pivoted to face them fully. "Begone, brother. Remain where you belong, in my memories."
She expected shock or anger from them.
Worringly, she received neither of these things.
"So you say." The specter smiled grimly. "You will try, dear sister. Very well, if words will not sway you...then you shall see. And know your sin."
Ranni bristled. "What?"
"Look, foul witch."
Without warning, the world swam around her as she was granted vision, her sigh piercing the floors of stone, drilling to the deepest depths of the earth itself. Past fire, past rock, past water. Past it all. There was something down there. Something large. Something massive.
Ranni didn't want do look at the thing. Didn't want to see. But she did.
"Look upon your work. Look at what you have made of me."
She saw Godwyn's ruined, bloated corpse.
T'was a rotten and wretched thing, festering in the roots of the Erdtree, grotesque and hideous. Clouds of hideous flies buzzed about it. Yet she recognized it. The blond hair, the filmy eyes set in that twisted face, the blue cloth set about its waist, a waist which had since grown into a terrible tail like some sort of creature. And yet for all that, for all its deathly pallor...it was alive.
It -Godwyn!- turned its head toward her. Saw her, somehow. "Hello, sister...
She recoiled. "No, I never wanted that for you!"
"And yet I became it all the same. Prepare yourself. Just as you took everything from me, so too, shall I take everything from you.
Something in her broke. It was her resolve.
The vision receded, leaving her reeling.
She had done this.
She...had. No other. She'd thought Godwyn gone, slain perhaps, but not living as that...thing. That grotesque creature, that abomination...!
It was too much.
Ranni turned on her heel and bolted.
No, that wasn't the right word for it. She ran.
Where didn't matter, so long as it was away from Godwyn, away from that god awful vision, away from it all. She crashed into the hall, tripped, righted herself and started running. Guilt hounded her every step. Her heart hammered in her ears, drumming relentlessly. Away. She had to get away. She must get away. Away from here and find him, face him down, before it was too late.
Because she hadn't known!
But it was still her fault.
All her fault-
She collided with someone and bounced backward.
"Hey!" strong arms caught her, righting her at the last second. Naruto's startled face stared back at her, looking just as frazzled as she felt. "Ranni? Are you alright? What in blazes are you doing? Where are you going?"
"I...!" She shook herself free and took a moment to master herself. "Nowhere."
Her beloved didn't budge. "Doesn't look like nowhere to me."
She forced a smile to her lips. "I was merely going for a walk."
"You weren't." He looked aside, muttering to himself. "...too many lies."
The words were a knife of dread in her heart. She trembled a little. "Pardon?"
His face closed down blue eyes flinty and hard. "You've been keeping secrets. What're you hiding?"
So that was it. Her spirits plummeted yet further. Naruto knew. Knew, or suspected something. Whatever it was, it had aroused his anger.
"I am hiding nothing!" she was hiding everything! She had made Godwyn a monster and must make things right! "You needn't concern yourself-
"Concerned?!" Anger sparked in his expression, his brow furrowing. "I AM concerned." then noticed she had her staff. "Were you planning to leave? Without telling me?"
"I-
"Don't lie to me!"
...I thought it for the best." she relented. "This is for the good of the world. I have wrongs I must right. You would only try to stop me."
His eyes hardened, and his expression with them. "You thought right."
Ranni tried to dart around him. He wasn't having it and grabbed one of her wrists.
Her eyes flitted to his fingers. "Unhand me."
"Not until we talk about this."
"Careful." her voice fell to a low snarl. "I am stronger now, stronger than you can possibly imagine."
"Are you, now?" he scoffed, not believing her. "You won't hurt me. Just as I won't hurt you-
The last fraying thread of her temper snapped. "I SAID LET GO!"
Smack.
A wave of blue light blasted Naruto out of the room, down the hall, and through a wall.
Ranni froze, horrified with herself. No! She hadn't meant to...
.
..
...ow." Naruto righted himself with a groan. "Fine. Guess we're having our first fight."
Foolish boy! She hissed at him. "This is something I must do alone! Stay down!"
"Nope." he rose with a sigh. "I promised never to leave you alone."
His body burned like the son. Hers shone with the stars.
Golden light met blazing azure.
A/N: First fight indeed.
Aaaaand scene. Hope you liked our work.
Well? What say you? Hope you're enjoying this, so by all means, lemme know!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this little tale. Sad to say, but if folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well, I'll love the drive to continue it! I'm working two jobs during the holidays so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
And have some previews.
Mostly the same here.
Don't want to spoil anything.
(Previews)
He raised a hand. This world is too dark and too ugly with you in it. Go away."
Their vision burst into light.
Miquella is mine and mine alone! My dynasty shall reign supre-ack?!"
"Heed my words. I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella. And I have never known defeat.
Naruto smiled. It was not a nice smile. "You're about to. I brought friends."
The doorway shimmered behind him. "Hello...sister."
Fortissax roared.
Naruto snarled back at the dread dragon. "COME ON THEN!"
"Usurper! Smoldering with thy meager flame of ambition! You shall not pass!"
Footsteps resounded behind him.
...I already have. I'll just be taking a look at the tree now...
Morgott rounded on them. How had he gotten past?!
In a frantic fit, he lunged at him!
EDIT: Hey, you made it!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well, it won't be continued. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy.
So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back~! Have a great day~!
R&R~!