A/N: Hello, hello~! Can anyone see this? Yes? No? Maybe so?
The site broke down a day or so back night for everyone across the board; major crashes and everything. I've slept the last twelve hours; hopefully the admins have fixed everything up by now; if not, I'm going to seriously consider stepping away and reassessing my path here. Every time a glitch happens -power outage or otherwise- on their end it throws everything I'v set up way out of wack. The stress isn't good for my heart or head, either.
That's not a healthy setup for a writer, let alone someone of my age.
Case in point, had a whole schedule set up, double and triple update days planned, then everything went barmy and shot my inspiration to hell and back. I LOST THOUSANDS OF WORDS.
Everyone was enjoying Runt of Litter and Forget Me Not until the site broke, now I'm getting next to no feedback for them...*sigh*
Still here, despite the site breaking, and still writing for now. These constant breakdowns are testing my patience...
...but I remain. We'll see where this goes. I've started posting on other sites now as well.
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. Feels like everyone's lost their minds sometimes. 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 tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild, wicked world, one word at a time.
Once more, I own no quotes, references, or memes. Not a wit or a one. NOT! A! THING!
They're all tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me. Disclaimer over.
Now lets see what Gravity Magic can really do...
"Journal entry #8,
"They came from the stars. Monsters of the cosmos. How is that even possible...?
No matter. Gravity is a powerful thing. And I've had time to practice.
...I'll be taking a page out of an old legend's book."
~?
Death From Above
The sky bled fire.
Rennala saw the monster fall from the heavens in a plume of dire fire; even at this distance she felt something clench in her heart. It was something she'd never seen before, yet knew of all the same. She had heard tell of such creatures at her Mother's knee long ago. Legends passed from one Carian Queen to the next, myths and legends recorded in dark tomes bound by pale hides of black-and-white bone. She was sure that, if she were to see the foul creature in person, it would match the illustrations she'd seen.
No.
Not now.
This couldn't be.
It was too soon, too early for their ilk, surely. They weren't due to return for another hundred years. She'd been certain they'd had more time. She was so sure!
"Mother?" Little Ranni peered out over the balcony with her, pointing a finger toward the havoc, "What are those?"
Rennala willed her heart to be still. It wouldn't do to show fear. Not here. "'Tis nothing dearest-
A another streak of fire rocket down from the stars to mock her, this one burning unmistakably scarlet. She recognized a distant shout, a great booming laugh that echoed even from here. Her heart clenched. Not at such a sound, oh no, but rather from who it came.
Radahn and Loretta were out there!
She drew herself up as best she could in her gravid state and summoned a servant. "Send out our finest Carian Knights! Even the Outrider Knights if you have to!I shall lead them myself and...
A sudden searing pain in her belly brought her up short. Of all the times...!
...or not", she tutted softly, sinking back into her seat. "Someone send for a midwife. I believe I'm going into labor." Another thought occurred to her. "And will someone please find my bloody husband!
A faint shimmer of golden light snapped into existence behind her, echoed by a low voice." I am here, dear."
My but Radagon could be sneaky at times. No matter. This worked out quite nicely.
She seized his wrist hard enough to make him wince.
"Don't just stand there! Put that speed of yours to good use! Help your son!"
(.0.0.0.)
Astel wouldn't die.
No matter how hard Naruto slashed or smashed it, nor how many wings he and Loretta lopped off, nor arrows she used, it just kept coming. Snapping and scratching and slashing at them, the demented bug knew no fear, only reckless hate. Even more annoying, it kept warping about trying to grab them for gods knew why. Worse, it knew a facsimile of gravity magic and used it with lethal dispatch, turning the very world -and his spells!- against them more than once.
What was it? Was it the only one of its kind? Were their others?!
Naruto didn't know. Didn't particularly care, either.
He just wanted this thing to die.
Loretta provided stellar support with her astral greatbow and the occasional lunge of her lance, but they knew the bulk of the damage was done by him and him alone. She simply didn't have the staying power to put one of these beasts down. At best she could serve as a distraction, harry the creature, keep it occupied and give him a chance until
There! An opening. The beast had turned to face her, jaws snapping at her steed as she cantered to safety.
If sword and spears wouldn't bring it down, he'd settle for a more primal method.
"Shall we?"
A grin split his face.
He brought his hands together and conjured a massive rasenshuriken between his palms, bristling with magic intricately layered atop his chakra. It burned with a keening wail, violently unstable, ready to burst the second anyone else touched it. That was the point. It was akin to throwing a bomb in someone's face.
Then he let it fly.
Astel pivoted like some kind of deranged dog, tried to catch it with his claws and actually managed the feat...right up until he snapped his fingers and detonated the jutsu in his face. The beast from the stars screamed out in pain; a ghastly wail of agony that made his ears ring and Loretta double over in pain.
As the smoke cleared it crashed down, missing most of its head.
Good," he rumbled that's done-
"Behind you!"
Another abomination hurtled down from heavens, landing down atop the corpse of its comrade. It clacked its jaws at him furiously.
Loretta's greatbow nailed it in the eye and it fell with an agonized gurgle.
...right up until a third came crashing down out the clouds.
Oh. This was going to be a long night, wasn't it?
He grit his teeth and rushed forth, blades in hand. The abomination saw him coming and spat a wave of light his way, a searing beam that smoldered a this arm. He cut right through it, never breaking stride. Light splayed over his armor and he marched forward, cutting through the blast bit by brutal bit, close, closer, closest until-
NOW!
He burst the last of the light and then he was upon it. The bastard of the stars reared back in shock, lone eye swiveling hatefully-fearfully!- toward him. He thrust both blades into his skull, intent on skewering the seething iris, only for it to twist its skull aside and deny him the killing blow. Steel scraped across bone as a raspy laugh fled from its flexing jaw.
Far from being frustrated, he grinned right back.
"Found that funny, did you?" He flung a hand forward, body blazing gold; The black light of a bijudama building in his palm. "Lets see you survive this one!"
Astel made an annoyed noise and tried to skewer him with its tail. Child's play. He craned his neck aside, letting it sway harmlessly over his shoulder before catching it under his free arm. His limb clamped down viciously, trapping the prehensile appendage against his side.
Let there be light.
The bastard of the void vanished in a yowl of light, leaving him clutching the tattered stump of its tail. Three times he'd killed it now. How many were were.
He looked up and scowled.
More were falling from the skies. Dozens of them, bleeding fire as they fell from the stars. And all of them were headed for him.
Loretta rode up beside him, her mount nearly as anxious as she looked. "We can't beat that many."
"Yes, we can." He cracked his neck side to side. I'll give them nine seconds to reach me.
They tried. They really did.
Loretta looked up at him, baffled "My Lord? Are you really letting them-
"Shhh." he pressed a finger to her lips, then looked toward the starry sky. "I want to test something."
He reached up with his chakra, then his gravity magic, seamlessly blending the two together in a whorl of violet azure. Past the falling monsters. Past the falling clouds. Up into the atmosphere. Higher now, until he found what he was looking for. A small smile twitched at his lips as he took ahold of the object with his mind.
A hand rose.
His eyes flashed.
Heaven answered him.
Loretta heard the low rumble first, then looked up, aghast. Balked openly, as something massive crashed down through the clouds. She made a rather unladylike whimper in that moment. He couldn't blame her. After all, this went well beyond mere magic, past demigods, and stepped into the realm of actual gods.
"Is that...?"
Naruto grinned. "Yup."
Madara would've been proud.
A massive slab of rock came roaring down out of the atmosphere, targeting the swarm of Starborn. Each Astel looked up in confusion, their jaws clacking in anger, then fear as that titanic shadow swallowed them up. The world held its breath for a moment. Naruto heard Loretta utter an utterly unprofessional oath-
He clenched his hand and brought it crashing down.
His meteor accelerated and struck the beasts at speed, crushing them beneath its vast bulk. Not quite satisfied, he gave his fist a twist, igniting the energy he'd stored within. The explosion that followed was quite nice he thought, as was the billowing mushroom cloud that followed. Nothing was surviving that. Dust and dirt blasted their way, the air turned searing hot.
Loretta coughed into it, warding a hand before her face. "How did you...?!"
It really was too easy to tease her. "Gravity magic."
"Radhan, that's much more than mere magic!"
He cocked his head. "Is it? Is it really?"
Loretta made angry Loretta noises.
"Relax." he laid a large hand on her shoulder. "The technique takes time. I had to pull down one of the asteroids I had in orbit. I don't really have all that many of them." Asteroids he had made of course, great beasts of pitted stone forged for a singular purpose; his caution had paid off this time around.
"How many do you have?
Naruto's grin grew. "...enough."
"Remind me never to anger you."
He laughed. "Now, now, you could never do that-
One of Astel's mangled corpses rose from the rubble behind him.
"Persistent...!" He flicked a hand their way. Paused now, as he sensed something else.
Movement flicked overhead His eyes flitted up and he smiled. The light died in his hands. Astel tilted its head and clacked its mandibles in confusion. A shadow fell over it.
The bastard looked up.
Friede fell from the sky in a comet of black and white death, cloaked in flame. Astel never stood a chance; it didn't even have time to move before she slammed down on the beast's head. A vicious crunch filled the air. The foul bastard crumpled with a wet gurgle, skull shattering, eye bursting like an overripe grape. Its body went limp like a puppet cut from its strings and moved no more.
"Apologies for my tardiness." His "prophet" hopped off his head and landed at his feet with a graceful curtsy. "Seems I missed all the fun."
Loretta gulped. "What is she...?
"Merely a humble servant of our Lord Radahn," she stepped back, beaming, her smile somewhat offset by the blue blood on her robes. "As are we all."
"Humble my arse...
"Did you say something, little Loretta?"
"No, no, not at all. You must be hearing things.
Naruto tried to hold back a laugh and failed. His blood was still up after that slaughter; he couldn't help but find their banter amusing. "Oi, don't torment the poor girl." and because it looked like they were about to scrap again, he sought to distract her further, "That was an impressive spell back there. Is it possible to learn such power?"
Friede smiled softly. "Not from the Golden Order."
Well that wasn't a problem at all now, was it? He'd always been loyal to his family first, the Lands Between second, and the Golden Order last. If there truly were threats within the stars, then he wold find a way to deal with them. And that power might help in a pinch. After all, it was his duty as the eldest. He had the power to do so, so why not him? The only question was how best to go about it.
Thoughts for later, he supposed.
Now was a time to celebrate a well fought battle.
He cast a look back to the twisted, shattered corpses sprawled around them. "Best bring these back with us...
A crackle of golden light heralded Radagon's arrival, blade in hand. "...What did I miss?"
Naruto heaved a sigh. "You're late, old man...
(.0.0.0.)
Naruto returned to find a most pleasant surprise waiting for him.
He finally had a baby brother.
Rykard was born.
(.0.0.0.)
...he's so small."
"But he doesn't lack for lungs!"
"Why is he so noisy, mama? Is he sick?
"Not at all, little Ranni, this is just his way of saying hello...
So many words washed over him as he held his baby brother in his arms. Naruto -Radahn!- ignored them all. He had to be careful of course, he was terribly tall and the boy was quite small. It wouldn't do for him to drop him now, would it? He marveled at him regardless, quietly bemused by the little life nestled against him. That said, Rykard had come into the world loudly, and he didn't want to be quiet.
"Shh," he crooned at the fussy babe, rocking him to and fro. "You're alright. Welcome to the world."
Remarkably, the babe quieted down at once. What were the chances.
Rennala hummed from her bedside. "Seems he likes you, dear."
Ranni tugged at him. "My turn, my turn! I want to hold him!
He gave him up gladly.
This was his family, after all.
He'd defend them with his very life.
(.0.0.0.)
Gwynevere considered herself in the mirror.
It had been...a rather eventful evening all things considered.
Still she finally felt confident enough to begin the next step of her plan.
Could she woo him? Could she win him? Could she triumph? Logic said she should. They'd been courting one another for some time now and Radahn had been the perfect gentleman throughout. Was it so wrong to want more of him? She hoped not. This would be terribly forward of her...but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Her mirror chimed, telling herself someone was trying to make contact with her.
It wouldn't be Friede at this hour, and certainly not Loretta. Which meant...
.
..
...oh gods, she wasn't ready for this!
No! No fear! Only courage!
It was time.
A/N: Wonder if anyone caught that hint with the Outrider Knights-hint hint Dark Souls 3 Vordt and the Dancer hint.
Should we pick up here next chapter or move onto a timeskip? I have two drafts written and await your feedback.
Should this remain a story, then? Yay or nay! Do let me know~!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't like this, it will remain...but it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular, it will fall further and further back in the update schedule. 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 my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.
So In the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
They keeps an old man inspired and alive.
Previews are mostly the same.
Didn't have time to make new ones with the site BREAKING.
As ever:
POTENTIAL PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
YE BE WARNED!
Some are very far off, mind you.
Obvious references are obvious, of course~!
Someone requested the first preview, and I acquiesced. Guess who~!
(Previews)
"A toast!" Naruto slammed his goblet into the air, wine sloshing in it golden depths. "To victory!"
"Aye!"
"To Raya Lucaria!"
"Aye!"
"To my baby brother!"
"Aye!"
A fresh chorus of shouts answered him from the tables below. The academy was happy to have a chance to feast come morning. It was a feast unlike any other at that, attended by old friends, familiar and otherwise. He noticed more than a few missing scholars. Many were eager to investigate Astel's corpses and they were welcome to them. Still he was warm, happy, and full of wine. Friede was sat on his right and Loretta his left.
The former leaned into him now. "Word has it, a statue is already being commissioned in his honor.
Ugh, more posing.
Well done, son. Radagon clapped him on the back. Those beasts will make a fine trophy.
He nodded halfheartedly.
He left them to it and returned to his quarters. Once there he shut the door behind him and pulled the tarp off his mirror.
It was a massive thing, as large as he was tall
"Gwynevere?"
It rippled for a moment.
And then, quiet suddenly, her face stared back at him. Radahn?
There was an attack.
We dealt with some of them ehre. Father killed three. Sounded like Godfrey.
Her face lit up. I beat one! She seemed most proud of that fact.
I miss you.
Her fac softened and she touched a hand to the glass.
It rippled and for a moment he could've sworn he felt her hand against his.
"And I you. Thankfully That can be remedied, my lord. I've learned a rather useful spell...
Her hand speared through the reflective surface like so much water. Gentle hands found his wrist.
His eyes widened in a brief moment of surprise, then understanding. "Oh."
Gwynevere's gaze gleamed with singular intent. "Get over here."
She yanked him through the mirror to her.
He heard something.
"...a song of conquest and fate..."
"You have a lovely voice, you know. Why not use it more often?"
She nearly jumped clear out of her dark robe; because she knew that voice! Panic! Fear! Why was he here?!
"My lord Radahn!?" she spun to face him, cheeks burning pink. "You mustn't sneak up on me like that! You nearly scared the life out of me!
"I wasn't sneaking." he grinned back at her, utterly unfazed by her anger. "I've been here for the last five minutes. I even tried calling out to you."
Has she truly been that distracted? "Did you...hear me singing?"
A rueful grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he leaned forward settled his weight upon his swords, even now buried in the courtyard. "Saw you dancing, too."
Oh gods, she wanted to die! She wanted to sink into the floor and never be seen again! Would her humiliation never end?! "Please don't tell Lady Friede...
"To be fair, I was training at the other end of the yard." the demigod rumbled a laugh when she groaned. "You just didn't notice me."
The handmaiden buried her face into her hands and prayed for the Greater Will to take her. Alas, it did not.
"I've seen you around the castle a time or two. You're one of Friede's servants. What's your name?"
"Another one?!"
Friede seemed amused.
"I swear, if you told me you saw this coming...
She smiled softly. "The girl is an oddity, one I encountered during my travels before we met. May she serve you well."
Time passed.
...where do you think you're going, old man?"
"I have a duty, son. It must be done."
"Duty, is it? I have a duty, too...
WHAM!
...its called dragging you back to Mom."
"You cannot stop me, or what is to come. Marika is more powerful than either of us."
"Your faith in her is misplaced. As is your faith in the Golden Order."
"You would speak such blasphemy to me?!
"Blasphemy, is it?" Radagon looked on aghast as his son raised his arms. "Poor choice of words." Black flame smoldered within the younger man's palms, danced up his arms, writhing across the seals carved there. One by one they smoldered away and his eldest began to glow gold. "I see only one blasphemer here and it ain't me...
"You DARE-
Burning knuckles slammed into his chin, hurtling him away into the sky. Massive hands closed around either side of his head as he flew. Radahn's scowling face sneered at him, inches from his own. Radagon felt his skull creak beneath those giant palms but still, his son didn't let up. "Time to pay your dues, father of mine!"
They hit the mountain a moment later.
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, I'll discontinue it soon thereafter. I'm working two jobs -holidays are upon us!- with no days ogg so I barely have time to write; what little I do is either before or after work, or occasionally on break.
As such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard!
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back!
R&R~!