Alright here's the next chapter for you guys. Hope you enjoy. :) Also, sorry for the long wait, I had this chapter almost done a few days ago, I had to deal with some nasty weather that knocked out the power for a while and fucked up my computer. Issues been fixed and chapter now back up and running so I'm sorry for the time delay.
Broken Angel
Chapter 76
"It's unbelievable." Draco noted, as he stared down at the capitol.
"They're being massacred." Goyle stated, he held a set of binoculars to his eyes, and was staring down at a street where Darkness Serpents and tentacles were tearing their way through a horde of Earth Soldiers.
He watched as fountains of blood erupted into the air. Dozens of serpents lashed out with monstrous teeth. Each one capable of biting clean through bone. The serpent's attack was unlike anything seen in nature. The force behind each bite tore right through flesh, muscle and bone, like a knife through air. The end result was blood, flesh and bone fragments showering the air, spraying carnage across every street and pathway.
Alongside the serpent heads were the Darkness Tentacles, each one shot out and coiled around their victims, sometimes crushing them like a python, other times, they would
pull targets into the waiting maw of the serpent heads, and even others still, worked together to tear men apart, sending limbs flying.
Elsewhere, Daphne stood on the wall gazing out across the city. A red haze was rising from it, and to her mind, it almost looked like a blood-filled mist. Next to her was Alucard. The Vampire let out a malicious cackle as his enhanced vampiric sight, took in the carnage and slaughter.
He also basked in the radiant darkness, brought on by the void appearing over the sun.
"This level of rage… I haven't felt it since Katie's mother died." Daphne noted aloud.
"Only love, it seems, can unleash the Archdemon's wrath, in it's entirety." Alucard noted with a smirk. Daphne glanced over at him, suspecting that there was more to his words, then him simply noting something of interest.
Finally it dawned on her and she quickly reached out through the bond for her fellow mates.
"Ladies… are you alright?" Daphne inquired.
"Yes… a spy attempted to kidnap Katie with a portkey, but Luna stopped him before he could do it. I zink Riley is aware of ze attempt." Fleur replied to her.
Daphne let out a curse and nodded. The screams, echoing throughout the city were growing in intensity as more and more, people began flooding towards the outer wall.
It was an odd thing to see, Citizens of the Land of Wind, coupled with Iwa and Earth soldiers, all running for their lives. While the Darkness was only attacking the enemy, that didn't mean the average citizen felt at ease amongst the slaughter.
-With Riley-
"Do you feel it, lord Tsuchikage? The death and slaughter, boiling around you. Does it make you feel alive?" Riley snarled as she side stepped a punch from the enraged Jinchuriki. Her eyes blazed red with her Rinne Sharingan, her Byakugan was quick to also spring to life as she took the moment she was dodging Roshi's strike, to extend her sight to her mates.
She quickly spotted them, and spotted the unconcious man, bound and tied up nearby. Recognizing him as the spy, Roshi had ordered to kidnap one of Riley's mates, Riley could allow a bit of the tension she was feeling to slip away. Her mates weren't in immediate danger if the spy was already dealt with, so Riley could focus on Roshi.
Roshi himself, was unique among his fellow Jinchuriki. He had the control necessary to temper the Ape's wrath. So even in a tailed beast state, like the one he was currently in, his attacks were focused and direct.
A blast of boiling hot air, erupted from each punch, each kick, and every movement the Tsuchikage made. His body was alight with lava, and a red haze of demonic Youki covered his form like a shroud. He dashed at her with extreme speed and ruthlessness. His combat proficiency while utilizing demonic energy was probably second only to Killer Bee, when it came to the Jinchuriki.
Riley danced around his offensive, laughing maniacally as she did. Facing down a full powered Jinchuriki, it made her feel so alive. Knowing that her mates were out of immediate danger, allowed her to delve into her own chaotic hate. Her senses were peaked, a feeling of euphoria washed over as the death and carnage of the city, filled her senses.
Her enemy threw another punch, intent on taking her head off with a burning hot strike. Riley was quick to catch Roshi's hand in her own, her veins igniting with flame as they came into contact with the Lava that coated his flesh. He let out a snarl and kicked at her, separating the two, and sending Riley sliding back. Even for missing some fingers, and part of one of his hands, Roshi still fought extremely well.
She found herself laughing harder, her eyes glowing a demonic red. This was the first real dance she'd had since fighting briefly with Han in the mountains. It wasn't often that Riley was allowed the chance to truly let loose and satiate her carnal desires. Killing was fun, but it was the joy she got from winning, that made it more worthwhile. If her enemies provided her with a bit of sport before their end, it made it so much more enjoyable.
With a mad dash, she vanished in a burst of speed.
"This isn't right. She isn't human..." Roshi gasped out as Riley appeared in a rush of speed, right in front of him and delivered a bone crushing kick to his chest.
The force of the impact sent the man flying through the air. He soared over several buildings and then slammed into a taller structure.
"I told you… we should have run. Now you've gone and killed us both." The Ape noted with a rueful chuckle.
Roshi merely grunted in reply. The black rod that had been lodged in his hand, was ejected the moment he began to channel the Ape's chakra in full. He had control of his chakra again, but he was still missing most of the fingers on one of his hands.
"Are you just going to sit in there all day and sing the 'I told you so.' song or are you gonna help me?" Roshi demanded as he jumped away from the building he had impacted and made a dash down into some back alleys.
"I warned you. I told you, we should have just run. You refused to heed my warning, now guess what? She's read your mind, and believes her mates are being targeted. She isn't playing around anymore. She unleashed her power, and she's now focused on killing you and me for daring to even think of harming the only people that truly matter to her." The Ape explained to it's host.
"When did you get so insightful?" Roshi inquired as he rounded a corner, and just barely avoided a flying kick from Riley whom had somehow gotten ahead of him.
"I know now what she is. When she revealed her power, she let me in on the secret, you as well. Magic can obscure a lot, and she's done a very good job keeping the true nature of her power hidden, but she's enraged now. She either can't or wont hide it any longer. She's a demon… plain and simple. How? Why? I do not know. What I do know is this, Demons are fiercely loyal and protective of what they view as theirs. It goes so far beyond simple care or love… a human like you would never understand the way she feels for her mates. The simple act of targeting them, has put us firmly at the top of her shit-list. I had a bad feeling about this before, but had I known she was actually a demon, I would have refused to aid you in anyway what so ever." The Ape explained very simply to it's host, while also letting out a sigh, knowing what fate probably awaited it, once Riley killed Roshi.
"If she really is a demon, then how do we beat her? There must be a way. You're a tailed beast for goodness sake. You must know something?" Roshi demanded as he performed some one-handed handsigns and spat out a ball of lava at Riley who released a burst of lightning from her palm, splattering the thick glob of molten rock. She then quickly dashed after him as he turned to continue running. As he did, he passed the shredded bodies comrades, all over the place.
"I may be a tailed beast, but she dwarfs even me in strength. The only thing I can think of, is that the Nine Tails somehow had a hand in this, which might be my only saving grace. Hopefully my brother will allow me to come back after she kills me and convinces her not to eat my soul." The Ape responded.
"You've been an amazing help." Roshi noted dryly, more then a little unnerved by how easily the Ape had thrown in the towel. If the Great Fire Ape was convinced it was going to die, then what chance did Roshi have?
Right then, Roshi rounded a corner and came upon a horrifying sight. There before him, was more then thirty Iwa nin, their bodies were being chewed on by Darkness Serpents. A sea of glowing purple eyes turned to him, as if sensing his presence. Dangled bits of flesh and sinew, hung from their mouths as the creatures stared at him.
Letting out a snarl, Roshi began to speed through some handsigns. Seeing his comrades torn to shreds, being fed upon by the demonic serpents, had temporarily distracted him from the demon chasing him.
Before he could even finish his handsigns, she was on him. He heard a rushing sound, and turned his head just in time for Riley to deliver a spin kick to his body. The kick stuck his arm, right at the elbow, forcing his arm against his body and then breaking it at the joint. The force from the impact shattered most of the ribs on that side of his body and sent him flying through the air and through several buildings.
After coming to a halt, Roshi struggled to his feet and he found himself in a wide open square. It was roughly fifty yards across, and offered a wide open battlefield for him to finally face the demoness. He felt his bones painfully snap back into place, and he quickly called upon more demonic chakra. Soon three tails had covered his body, along with his lava cloak. To any human being, he would have been a monstrously intimidating sight. To a demon like Riley, he was just another opponent.
She landed casually in front of him, almost as if slowly drifting down. Her face was twisted in a manic grin. The maliciousness in her eyes, spoke volumes to the evil that lurked within. How no one had seen it, astounded him. She was so clearly a monster. It was almost laughably obvious. Roshi couldn't understand how no one had ever noticed it about her. How no one made the connection. It was only in the back of his mind, that he recalled what the ape had said, and realized that she had purposely made it a magical secret.
"Are you ready to die, Lord Tsuchikage?" Riley growled out, inhumanly. Her face split wide by a demonic grin that revealed a sea of twisted jagged teeth, meant for ripping flesh.
"You are a monster. Even if it kills me… I will destroy you. Iwa is my home… I will do whatever I have too, to ensure it's prosperity." The Tsuchikage bellowed back in reply.
"Even if it always treated you like dirt? You're a Jinchuriki… just like I am. I know the life you lived." Riley replied, eyeing him maniacally.
"I am a Jinchuriki. I am the sacrifice that ensures Iwa's continued survival. It was always my fate to suffer for my people. I accepted it long ago. Tell me something, demon? Why did you go there, to Konoha? Your wrath is unmistakable. If you lived the life of a Jinchuriki… why did you go back? Is it because you too accepted your place in the world?" Roshi inquired.
Riley stared at him for a moment before she started to laugh. Her laughter was maddening. It rolled through the air, and bombarded Roshi's sense. It was inhuman laughter. Menacing, and revolting.
"What is so funny?" Roshi demanded as he prepared to launch his offensive. He felt his bones finish healing and knew that it was now or never.
"That you haven't figured it out yet. I'd have thought it was obvious, given my past with them. I was sure Iwa had spies in Konoha. You must have known how little I thought of them. I find it funny that you can't seem to see it." Riley replied with a chuckle as her tails unfurled from beneath her cloak and hung at her feet.
Roshi was quick to notice them, and so was the Ape.
"Eight… she has eight tails." Roshi noted.
"Crap… if Kurama had a hand in this and she's anything like a tailed beast, then we are more screwed then I thought. She might have as much power as the Eight Tails. I don't think your failsafe is going to work." The Ape noted.
Having heard him, Roshi could only let out a string of curses. Riley merely grinned wider as she noticed the shock and fear in his eyes.
Roshi was quick to start flashing through handsigns, his chakra flowing and churning in such incredibly forceful ways, that it was quite obvious that he was preparing for an incredibly powerful jutsu. Riley could see his chakra flow rapidly with her eyes. The way if churned like a great sea, during a storm, tipped her off to be ready to dodge.
"Lava Release: Raging Cataclysm!" Roshi shouted as he jumped up and started spewing lava at the ground. The Lava quickly spread out in every direction, covering all in it's path.
Riley stared at the oncoming rush of lava, her eyes alight with glee. Right before it slammed into her however, a wall of sand surrounded and encased her.
Riley looked around in confusion for a moment as she felt sand gather under her feet and begin to lift her up. For several moments she heard Lava flowing around her.
The Sand dome began to turn red and the heat became excruciating. Then, suddenly, the top of the dome burst open, and Riley found herself standing atop a platform of sand. Hovering nearby, also on a sand platform, was Gaia.
"Need a hand?" Gaia inquired, not yet noticing Riley's demonic features.
"Gaia… welcome. I had hoped you would make it in time to see me end this." Riley replied. The look of concern that took up residence on Gaia's face when she noticed Riley's twisted visage was almost enough to draw Riley out of her blood frenzy. Had Gaia been one of her mates, that look would have earned enough concern from Riley to draw her out of it. Alas she wasn't broken from it, and an audience even began to enhance her desire to unleash more carnage.
"Riley… what happened to you?" Gaia asked with surprise.
"This cunt sent people to attack my mates. That's shit I don't even play around with." Riley snarled as she pointed at Roshi whom was currently cursing his luck as now the Kazekage had arrived.
Gaia now understood the feeling she was getting. The rage in the air, the sheer unadulterated wrath that permeated through everything. It was because someone had threatened Riley's mates.
That thought actually terrified her. Because that meant that every single dead Iwa and Earth ninja, was a result of Riley's wrath. The tens of thousands that were being finished off, even as they hovered there, by those demonic serpents that had sprung forth from nowhere, it was all due to Riley fearing for her mates safety and ending the battle as quickly as she could.
It was such a terrifying and concerning thing. It brought up so many questions in the Kazekage's mind. The greatest of which, was that if this was how she reacted when her mates were put in danger, why was this war even still going on?
If this was the chaos that was unleashed when the enemy purposely targets Riley's mates, then how was there even still an enemy to deal with?
By now, Riley had refocused her attention on Roshi. He was staring up at her, glaring at her demonic visage. It took every ounce of Riley's control, to not unfurl her wings in that moment, and reveal to the doomed Tsuchikage, just who she had been once upon a time.
"Are you scared yet? Are you terrified to the very core? You stand before death itself. What will you do now?" Riley inquired as Roshi stared her down from his position on a small earthen platform that had risen from the lava. His eyes were filled with stalwart conviction as he stared the demon down. That, at the very least, Riley could respect about the man. Even when faced with his imminent demise, he was still willing to stand tall and proudly against the storm.
"Fear is rational. You terrify me to my very core… but I refuse to allow fear to rule me. I will fight you, and keep fighting you until the battle is done. If I die, I die knowing that I did all that I could to defend my home. So go ahead… attack me. Try your best… in the end… I die knowing that I did my best." Roshi answered, his eyes filled with determination and righteous fury.
Riley stared him down, she was silent. Everything was silent. Even the bubbling of the lava below them, and the screams from the edges of the city, had all died down. The only noise, was the sound of wind.
Gaia stared down at the Tsuchikage for several long moments before her eyes turned towards Riley. The look in Riley's eyes could almost be described as disappointment.
"I see." Riley finally stated. "Then I guess the dance is over."
Gaia was confused by the sound of Riley's voice. It was almost like she was upset about something. Like someone had just taken her candy from her. It didn't make sense to the Kazekage at that moment, but one day it would.
By saying what he had said, Roshi had done what few others had ever managed. He had stood before Riley, and her horrible power, and declared wholeheartedly, that he was ready to die for his beliefs. Just as the Third Hokage had been willing to sacrifice his own life to save the Hidden Leaf Village, Roshi was willing to give up his own life, trying to beat her.
What made this different from all the other nameless soldiers she'd killed in her life, was the conviction behind it. For Roshi, it didn't matter what Iwa was, or what it had done. He was the Tsuchikage, and it was his duty to protect it and die for it. He knew he had no chance, and he knew he was going to die, but he still held his head high. He accepted his fear, and acknowledged it. Even going so far as to admit it openly. He was a man of conviction. Just like Hiruzen Sarutobi. Just like Jiraiya the Toad Sannin. Just like Dumbledore. They were all different from men like her father. Because in the end, Minato sought greatness, in the form of prophecy. He didn't believe in his home, or his life or even his people. He believed in some mystical prophecy, the very same prophecy that led him to believing that Naruko was the chosen one. There was a difference between men who believed in things that weren't real, that they had no proof of, and people who realized the truth of life, and yet still chose to do what they viewed as right.
Old men and their willingness to accept their fears and die for what they viewed as right. As much as she hated him, there was a small honorable piece that existed within Riley's soul, that felt something different. This piece was the part that kept her from committing wanton murder, the piece that made her stand up to bullies instead of reveling in the pain they caused, the piece that kept her from defacing things that were righteous and good in this world. It was this piece that held a grudging respect for the Tsuchikage in that moment.
But the piece was small, and as much command over Riley's actions that it had, it was unable to stop her from getting her revenge. If Roshi intended to go down in a blaze of glory, fighting her to the very end, then Riley would take that away from him. He wouldn't die screaming, like he wanted too. He'd die without any sound at all. No preamble, no righteous cry of defiance. With his words he had taken away the revenge Riley sought, because tearing him apart would have left him the victor, in this bought. Because he wouldn't have died in true pain. He wouldn't enter the afterlife in agony from his death. If she tore him apart, he'd walk through the gates of hell with his head held high.
So Riley decided to take that away from him.
Roshi got into a battle stance and prepared to counter her next move, but Riley had lost all interest in actually fighting.
He was still a threat to her mates, so she decided just to end him and be done with it.
In a burst of blackish-red light, she appeared right next to Roshi, much to his shock. Having planted a Hirashin seal on him the first time they had come into contact, she had been able to end this fight at any moment.
"When did she…?" Was all he had time to think as Riley's wand snapped into her hand and a sickly green light jumped from her wand and stuck the Tsuchikage at near point-blank range.
He was dead, before his body hit the ground.
Just as Riley had intended, the Tsuchikage died a quiet and rather simple death. There would be no going out in a blaze of fire and glory. Just the quiet sound of his body falling to the floor. When people spoke of this Tsuchikage, they'd speak of nothing more then that he'd died fighting Riley. There would be no glory in his death, and once Riley destroyed Iwa, his death would be fully meaningless.
Red chakra began to rise out of Roshi's body in steamy wisps. Riley held her hand out, allowing the energy to flow around it. She began to pull it into herself, drawing the Four Tails into the same temple, as Kurama.
Kurama watched from his place inside of his temple as the Fire Ape slowly began to manifest there. Energy coalesced for quite a while and as it pooled, it took form, and began to resemble the ape itself.
It took almost a full five minutes for all of the demonic chakra to seep out of Roshi's corpse, and into Riley. Once it was done, the Ape was able to take corporeal form and found himself standing before Kurama.
The two silently stared at one another for many long moments. Neither had spoken to the other in centuries.
"Sup." Kurama muttered after he had enough of the long pause.
The Ape just stared him down it's face the usual annoyed look it carried.
"How was the Land of Earth? Nice this time of year?" Kurama inquired after another pause.
The Ape just continued to stare.
"Well fuck you too, then." Kurama barked out turning away from the ape, annoyed.
"Good to see you haven't changed, Fox." The Ape stated after another long moment of silence.
"Good to see you're still as much of a condescending asshole as usual, Ape." Kurama muttered back.
"So… it seems your host has me in quite the bind. The fact that she was able to draw me into her body, without the need for a seal, means that I was correct in my assumption to her true nature." The Ape stated.
"Yep, Riley's a demon. Be glad that she didn't just devour you. Hell, if it wasn't for what your host had said to her, she might have been in to much of a frenzy to stop herself from just eating you." Kurama stated, earning a nod from the Ape.
"I sense that you had a hand in the creation of this demon? She's a tailed beast, right?" The Four Tails noted.
"Yep. Long story short, the seal that kept me and her tied together was damaged and she started to absorb me. So, in order to not die a quiet and pathetic death, I taught her a ritual to adapt the human parts of her soul, to the demonic parts, allowing her to ascend to become a demoness. She's almost finished growing, and when she does finish, she'll be as strong as me." Kurama explained, earning a nod of understanding from his sibling.
"I see. So instead of dying and allowing this one to just take your place amongst the bijuu, you instead helped to make another Nine Tails? One that is free from out constraints and our purpose." The Ape growled out.
"Hey! Don't turn this around on me! Father prevented us from taking familiars, from growing in power, but nothing he did prevented me from doing what I did with Riley. She's more powerful then any of us now. The full might of the Rinne-Sharingan, at her command, with the Raw power of not one, but two Tailed Beasts. I have seen what she is capable of, and I know of what she intends. I made the choice years ago, and I do not regret it. I've found the family I've been looking for all my life. And this time, death will not have her." Kurama snarled defensively.
"Always the lonely one, Kurama. You chose to sequester yourself away. You chose to wallow in your sadness. You could have embraced their lives, and enjoyed the time you had with them, instead you hid from life, and later sought to end it, whenever it came knocking at your door. Now you've gone and created something we might not be able to stop, if she turns against us." The Ape admonished him, knowing that if Riley reached her full power, she'd be unstoppable.
"And that's the point. I intend for her to be unstoppable. I waited all my life for the one who would show me what it was like to love again. And now that she has, I intend to do everything in my power to ensure that death cannot claim her." Kurama bit back with a snarl.
"Even at the cost of the world father built?" The Ape snapped back.
"I will always love father, and always love his children, but the world he build is shit. He put to much trust in people. He trusted in love. He believed that through love, the world could find understanding. But he neglected to acknowledge something about love. Something that defines it. Only through love, can there be betrayal. Only through love, can there be heartbreak. Only through love, can we know loss. He trusted in love, and left the door open for hate. Love is the cause of all conflicts in the world. Love for a nation, love for a people, love between lovers… it's all the same. Nearly every conflict in the world can be tied to that emotion in one way or another. At it's core, love is what will destroy humanity. It may make life more beautiful while it's there, but the second it's taken away, it breeds death and destruction. I am a prime example of that. I loved father, loved him above all others. When he died I sought love in his sons. They managed to cure my heartbreak, but it wasn't to last. They died too. Love… turns people bitter." Kurama explained, as he growled at the Ape.
"If you hate it so much..." The Four tails began, only to be cut off.
"I don't hate it. Love is an amazing thing, but Father was a fool to trust in it. He thought love would bring peace to the world. The only thing love brings peace to, is one's self. Father couldn't understand that, because he never knew what true love means. Riley knows. The love she feels for her mates, is truer then anything father ever felt. What she feels for her friends is greater then what father felt for humanity. Riley doesn't seek to unite the world under her rule, nor does she want to see it all end. She just wants to destroy the immediate threat to her loved ones, then build a place away from it all. Where her friends and family can be happy. It's selfish, from father's point of view, but I don't care. It's a worthy dream, one obtainable with her level of power. Fuck everyone else, I'll fight for those I care for, just like Riley." Kurama answered.
The Ape stared him down for several long seconds before sighing. It was an amazing thing, to see Kurama so enthusiastic and hopeful about something. It reminded the Ape of when he was a young and Kurama was happy and playful. Still though, he'd wished such happiness had come without the need to create something so monstrously powerful.
"So, what will become of me now?" The Ape asked after several long minutes of silence.
"That's for Riley to decide." Kurama answered, and right then Riley materialized next to the two of them.
"Hello Ape." Riley stated as she stared the massive four tailed beast down, her eyes glowing malevolently and the tomoe within them, spinning.
"Hello Girl." The Ape replied as it glared down at her. It was slightly unnerved by the familiar rings in her eyes but otherwise it held true to it's pride and did not tremble.
Riley strared the great ape down as she felt Roshi's soul intertwine with hers. His memories filled her mind and she found herself searching for anything that might be of use. Starting from the most recent memories and working her way back, she quickly uncovered something startling.
-Flashback-
"You are clear to your purpose?" Roshi asked of Han, the Steam Giant.
"Yes. I understand what I must do." Han replied, stoically.
"I understand your reservations my friend, but if I fall, it must be done." Roshi stated as he stared down his longtime friend.
"I know that. I just hope that my comrades can forgive me for what I might have to do." Han replied, the barest hint of emotion touching at his voice.
"They may not understand right away… but if I fail, then this might be our only chance to stop the Legion. If I fall… destroy it all..." Roshi finished.
-End Flashback-
Riley stared at the Ape, her eyes filled with rage.
"Damn..." The Ape snarled as it realized she now knew of their failsafe plan.
Kurama it seems had seen it too, and extended his senses.
"Riley! North!" Kurama hissed, surprising the ape.
Riley immediately withdrew from her mindscape, as soon as she was out, she activated her Byakugan, and extended her vision beyond the city.
"Riley…?" Gaia managed to get out, before Riley disappeared in a flash.
Through her sight, she could see the Five Tails nearly twenty miles away. It was just about to finish charging up a Bijuu Dama.
Within moments Riley was on the wall of the city, and as she stood there, images of her mates filled her mind. She felt, more then saw, the Five Tails release the super powered attack towards the city.
She now understood the end game, and why Roshi had been so willing to sacrifice himself. He had planned to destroy everything should he fail to take her down. A Tailed Beast Bomb from the Five Tails, at full power, would be enough to turn the entire Wind Capitol plus about ten miles, into a crater.
Riley, could see her mates in her mind, as the massive sphere of energy rushed towards her. She could almost see them vanishing in a burst of fire and raw energy. The thought made her whole body jerk. The idea of losing them, to painful a thought to maintain, for more then a few moments.
She would not allow anyone to hurt them. Not ever. It was at that moment, that Riley decided that enough was enough. The threat to her loved ones was starting to outweigh the rewards for continuing along this path. She focused her attention on the oncoming sphere, activating Kamui, she began to absorb the oncoming attack, sending it away from the city.
It took only a handful of seconds before the sphere of destruction was fully devoured. Once that was done, Riley focused her eyes on the Five Tails. The sphere, quickly began to manifest directly above the Dolphin-Horse. The demon was quick to notice and began to dash away as the sphere finished manifesting and fell to the earth. A blinding, white flash filled the sky, quickly followed by a massive sphere of white light, and an ear shattering explosion.
The whole city shook from the force of the explosion, hundreds of people were thrown from their feet, as the shockwave ripped across the land, and then slammed into the city itself. Glass shattered, buildings shook, and debris was sent flying.
The Five Tails was able to avoid a direct impact with it's own attack, though if there was anyone nearby, they weren't among the realm of the living anymore.
Even from several miles out, Riley could feel the demon's surprise at seeing it's attack returned to it, and more specifically, feeling her sudden spike in power.
With a snarl, Riley dashed forward over the wall.
-With her mates-
"What in the hell is that?" Katie inquired, having felt the explosion as well as the burst of Riley's demonic power.
"What is this… this darkness?" Kaede asked, this being her first time truly experiencing Riley's raw power, while enraged.
"Riley… please be careful." Fleur offered a prayer of safety to her beloved mate.
Nearby, on the wall, Daphne had seen Riley redirect the blast.
"Your lover seems to be rather feisty today." Alucard noted with a chuckle.
"She gets like this when her mates are in danger. She's temperamental like that." Daphne replied as the sky lit up with explosions as Riley reached her target.
A massive surge of demonic energy could be felt through their bond with Riley, and all of them felt their bodies tremble in both fear and desire as the strength of their mate cascaded through the bond.
"God." Daphne shuddered. Riley's demonic energy causing her skin to almost vibrate with pleasure, and a bit of fear.
"Conditioned arousal to her raw strength. She trained you well, my master." Alucard noted with a chuckle, earning a blush from Daphne.
"Shut up." Daphne muttered, as she eyed the horizon. Explosions tore through the land and Daphne could just barely make out the Five Tailed Dolphin Horse, making a hasty retreat as Riley pursued it.
"She's tenacious." Alucard stated.
"True. But it's neither here nor there. The Darkness has slaughtered most of the enemy combatants, but it looks like Riley's exit, took it with her. Head down into the city, find and kill what remains of the enemy." Daphne ordered, earning a monstrous grin from the Vampire Lord.
"As you wish, my master." Alucard intoned, as he sank into the ground, vanishing into shadow.
Daphne continued to watch the explosions from a distance. She couldn't make out Riley, but she could see the massive figure of the Five Tails as it retreated from the city.
After a few moments, Daphne finally let out a sigh and reached out to her fellow mates.
"Ladies, I think Riley's going to be off doing her own thing for a while. I'm gonna go see what Itachi or Thomas have for me to do. Anyone care to join me?" Daphne inquired.
"I'm in." Came Luna's reply. An agreement came quickly from Katie as well.
Soon all five of them were gathered together. The spy that had attempted to capture Katie was turned over to Ibiki and Anko for questioning.
They quickly found their way to Lord Voldemort, who was busy directing injured civilians to safety. Right about now, Suna forces were starting to arrive.
The five women quickly went to work helping the injured, either flee the city, or find their way to medical help.
Meanwhile, Riley continued to push the Five Tails back, with an onslaught of powerful Ninjutsu and spells.
"Come on, you massive fucking pussy, show me what you can really do!" Riley shouted as she tossed a Rasenshuriken at the Five Tails, forcing it to dodge away from the blast.
The Dolphin-Horse landed with and immediately began firing small Bijuu-Dama at her.
A dozen energy bolts filled the air and rushed towards her, each one capable of delivering enough force to destroy a skyscraper.
Riley nimbly dodged the incoming spheres of energy, and rushed her target.
Seeing her closing in, the Five Tails jumped high into the air, and began charging up for a more powerful Bijuu-Dama.
"Fucking cunt!" Riley snarled as she spotted it charging the attack. She focused on it, and immediately released a burst of Amaturasu on her target.
The Five Tails let out a shriek of pain, as the black flames consumed it. It shook wildly as it fell to the earth.
The beast was in so much pain, that it was unable to focus and release the Bijuu-Dama it had been charging, causing the sphere to detonate when the beast slammed into the ground.
Riley activated her intangibility to avoid the blast, as the sphere detonated. She knew that the Five Tails itself wouldn't be hurt by it's own magic, but in the same breath, this wasn't the true Five Tails, it was a Tailed Beast Transformation, so Han was still vulnerable to the demonic energy of the Tailed Beast, thus the detonation, probably did considerable damage to him.
Activating her Byakugan, Riley marched through the smoke and debris, towards her downed target. Just as she had suspected, the blast had forced Han to revert to his original form, the damage done to him, far to significant to maintain a Tailed Beast Transformation.
She found Han, on his knees breathing heavily. While most of his body was covered by that armor he always wore, it didn't take a genius to note that he was beyond the point of fighting back.
Riley's tails shot forward, grabbing the man by his limbs and pulling him towards her.
Han let out a strangled grunt of pain as he focused his eyes on her.
"It's over." Riley intoned as she reached out and grabbed the man by his throat.
"We will make you pay for this." Han growled out as he struggled for air.
"I hear that a lot." Riley noted.
"Do not think that because we are beaten, that you have won." Han snarled, as he tried to throw a punch at her. The fist landed, impacting her cheek with a loud smack.
"Don't worry. I wont think that I've won until I've laid waste to all of Iwa and salted the earth." Riley responded.
Han glared into her eyes and began to try and channel more tailed beast chakra when suddenly he let out a gasp and clutched at his chest. Blood erupted out of his mouth, spilling over his face mask.
A quick glance inside of him, and Riley could see massive internal damage. Several of his ribs were cracked and the broken pieces had shredded his internal organs.
Riley simply shook her head. She was about to begin absorbing the Five Tails, when suddenly a light began to bubble in Han's chest. The light spread across his body, it was almost as if his chakra was evaporating out of his body.
Riley quickly tossed him away, weary of any possible traps. He hit the ground un-moving. Riley could see the red chakra of the Five Tails boiling away, almost as if it was disappearing from reality.
Within her mindscape the Four Tails let out a cry of anger and rage, and it's features quickly turned feral, almost as if it had lost all semblance of rationality.
"What in the fuck?!" Kurama bellowed out as the Four Tails began to dissolve into bluish golden light.
"Kurama, what is this shit?" Riley asked as she watched the Five Tails' chakra dissolve into nothingness, leaving Han's body with only his own chakra, and since he was basically dead, that energy was also beginning to fade.
"I'm uncertain. I've never seen something like this before." Kurama replied as the Four Tails fully vanished from sight, and Riley felt it's presence fully disappear from her body.
"They were recalled." The Darkness intoned.
"Recalled? What do you mean by that?" Riley asked as she manifested within her own mindscape and approached the writhing dark mass of tentacles that acted as her child's manifestation.
"Death. That is why the one you absorbed slipped so easily from grasp. They were both, already bound to another." The Darkness explained.
"Death?" Riley questioned.
"It must be something about our creation. Perhaps father put something in place to stop other demons from absorbing us in such a manner." Kurama explained, with a sudden look of surprise.
"It was so quiet. I always assumed the death of a tailed beast would be a loud, resonating thing. So them dissolving like that was what happens when a tailed beast dies. It pulled them away without a single trace." Riley noted. The feeling of the powerful Four Tails, just fading out of her mindscape, was an odd experience. At one moment she had just felt it's raw power, and at another, she couldn't feel it any longer.
It was such an odd thing. One that wasn't something she wanted to feel again. With a sigh, Riley activated her Byakugan and scanned the area for any remaining enemies. Finding none, and the situation back at the capitol secure, she turned and started her trek back to the city. She was deep in thought as she ordered Kurama to scour through the Tsuchikage's memories, and find out what he knew.
She also drew in Han's soul as she walked, adding his memories and soul to the massive collection she had already gathered.
Things had happened here, in her absence from the Elemental Nations. Someone had up and changed the rules of the game while she was gone. Riley suspected it was Mito who was involved. The thought made her want to snarl. Even now, Riley had yet to discover the woman's purpose. What she wanted? What she needed? Why she was doing it all?
These questions filled the Archdemon's mind as she headed back for the city.
-Meanwhile, Elsewhere-
"Where… am I?" The Four Tails muttered out as it opened it's eyes to nothing but utter blackness.
"Son?" Came a familiar voice.
"Kokuo?" Son Goku turned to find himself standing beside his brother
"Where are we?" Kokuo inquired as he glanced around.
"Death. You are in death." Came a ghostly reply as the Shinigami himself, drifted out from nothingness.
"You? But… how did we get here? The Girl…" Son Goku started only for the Shinigami to let out a light chuckle.
"You are important to the cycle. Did you think I would just stand by and do nothing while the tailed beasts were absorbed? No, there is only one beast capable of absorbing you and she is not it. I left her your power and drew your souls away. You'll reform and return to life in a few years." The Shinigami answered.
"Why? Why do this, and risk angering her?" Son Goku inquired.
"It is a risk, yes. But she is young, and naive to the way things truly are. She is also selfish. She has your power to add to her own, even if she doesn't realize it. You are far too important to the cycle to allow you to simply be absorbed by a beast such as her." The Shinigami answered.
"But… how did you manage such a thing? Kokuo, I understand because he was still in Han. But she had me in her mind. I was trapped within her soul well." Son Goku asked.
"I made a deal with her, that opened the door for me to make a few… minor alterations, to her soul well." The Shinigami responded with a dry, humorless chuckle.
"What sort of alterations?" Kokuo inquired.
"Nothing much. Just a small back door, that allows me to draw the souls she absorbs into death. She still gets their power and their memories, but I'm able to do my job, and get the souls." The Shinigami answered.
"I take it you never informed her of such a back door?" Son noted.
"No. The back door is a tiny thing, like a small hole in a balloon. So long as she keeps filling it with air, or souls, she'll never notice anything leaking out. Besides, it's not like the power from these souls is taken. She still gets the strength, and the memories. I just smuggle the souls out when she's not looking. A powerful demoness she is, but she is much too prideful for her own good." The Shinigami replied with another chuckle.
"And when she learns of this back door? What happens when she comes looking for you?" Son inquired. Having been inside of Riley's mindscape, he knew just how strong she was. She was closing in on Kurama, and she had that being of utter Darkness that was aiding her as well. With her, Kurama and that Dark Thing, by her side, her power was unlike anything the Four Tails had ever dealt with before.
"Well… if she does learn of it… she'll probably try to kill me. But that's neither here nor there. My job is to ferry souls to afterlife. I saw an opportunity to continue to do my job, and stop the Archdemon from taking all of the life of this world for her own. So I took it. Death comes to all things, and if she learns of my deceit, she'll probably try and kill me. But it doesn't matter. I fear neither death, nor pain." The Shinigami responded as it slowly began to fade away, allowing the tailed beasts to remain.
"You know… being a reaper, he's probably one of, if not 'the' oldest thing in the world, so I know how this sounds, coming from something that's only been around for three thousand years, but what he did to the Demoness… that's really dangerous." Son Goku stated after a moment of silence.
"True. So… how long do you think it'll take us to return?" Kokuo replied.
"Who knows. Hopefully, that fucking war is over by then and we can find a quiet place to kick back and relax." Son replied with a sigh.
Kokuo nodded in agreement, and the two sat back and allowed themselves to finally enjoy the peace and comfort of death. It would take a few years, but they would eventually reform. Kokuo probably a lot faster because his power wasn't absorbed by Riley.
Still, the two demons took comfort in knowing that by the time they made it back, the war would probably be over. And the Elemental Nations would be a smoldering ruin due to the Archdemon's wrath, but that just an added bonus. Meant less humans to have to deal with.
-Meanwhile-
"Sun is finally coming back out." Kankuro noted, as the darkened void over the sun slowly dissipated, allowing daylight to bathe the world once more.
Bodies were being piled in the streets as Suna nin moved from house to house looking for survivors. Ninety-five percent of the Iwa force had been destroyed in the fighting. The rest were captured, with most of them being badly injured.
Numbers were uncertain, as of yet, but at least a third of the capitol's population had been destroyed by the invaders. The stench of smoke and death filled the air, and it unnerved even the most battle-hardened ninja.
The only one's who seemed to be unaffected by the carnage were the Legionaires. In fact, they almost seemed more driven by the ghastly death around them. Like it was fueling them, somehow.
"The city is in ruins, and hundreds of thousands are dead. I can't possibly imagine something worse then this." Temari stated as she knelt next to the corpse of a young boy. She stared down at him sadly, wondering to herself just what had driven Iwa and the Land of Earth to commit such an atrocity.
Gaia was currently commanding her forces, trying to get people in order. There was still a minor amount of fighting in the city. Stragglers who'd managed to survive Riley's onslaught.
Elsewhere in the city, Alucard, and a small team of Legionaire's entered into a building, intent on handling that very problem. One of them, a Hyuuga, pointed towards a set of stairs leading down.
"Stay here." Alucard ordered as he drew his pistol and advanced down the stairs.
Reaching the bottom, he found himself in a dark and decrepit cellar. His vampire eyes could clearly see everything in the dark. The smell of blood and a tearing noise drew his attention to the far side of the room.
There, huddled over a corpse was one of the cursed Inferi. He was tearing and eating at the corpse of a man, devouring large chunks of flesh.
"Such abominations." Alucard noted. His voice drawing the creature's attention. Without any pretense the creature shot to it's feet, screaming and lurching towards him at great speed.
From upstairs, the team could hear gunshots. The Hyuuga kept an eye on the battle and once it was done, motioned for his fellows to head out. Alucard quickly ascended the staircase, dragging the broken body of the Inferi with him. He tossed it out onto the street as the team made their way forward, hunting down what remained of the enemy.
Riley herself, was found at a makeshift camp at the edge of the city. She was helping Hashirama, and Elizabeth heal the injured.
After returning to the city, Riley quickly located her mates, to double check that they were alright. The spy that had attempted to capture Katie had been given to Ibiki, and while Riley already knew what his purpose was, she didn't care enough to put a stop to his torture long enough to inform the man. Besides, he had attempted to harm her mate, he was going to suffer for quite a while.
Once that was done, she told Tom and Itachi what had happened outside of the city and with the Tsuchikage, and then told them to handle operations while she saw to the insane number of wounded people.
It was brought up, by Itachi, as to whether or not Riley would resurrect those in the city. This brought her pause, and even now, she was debating it in her head. On one hand, it would reveal her ability to the world. On the other, it would elevate her past hero status, into the realm of godliness.
This was how she was found by Arturia. Deep in thought, hovering over an unconscious man, healing his wounds.
"Something on your mind?" Arturia inquired when she noticed Riley's distant look.
"Yes." Riley answered as she finished up her work.
Arturia was silent, not exactly knowing whether she should push or not. The two had known each other for only a short time, and there was still a great deal that neither knew about the other, but both women shared a mutual respect for one another. In fact, Arturia, secretly saw a bit of herself in Riley. It was easy to see that Riley was destined for greatness, and at times Arturia found herself struggling to either offer advice or refrain from it. She considered her own ruling to be a failure, at least in the short term. The kingdom may have turned out fine centuries later, but that still didn't mean the people at the time weren't greatly hurt by her numerous shortcomings.
With that being said, it was difficult for Arturia to decide whether it was better to offer advice or simply stand back and let things move forward without her. She knew Riley had it in her to be an amazing leader, and she was already far along the path, Arturia just didn't know if her own life experiences would help or hinder Riley if she shared them.
People nowadays had a saying though, 'you learn more from defeat then victory'.
It was a simple statement, yet it resonated with Arturia. Perhaps Riley could benefit from learning from Arturia. Even if Arturia had ultimately failed by her own admission.
And underneath all of this, was that hidden ambition. Anything could be the spark that Arturia needed to get what she desired. A bit of advice. Slaying an enemy. Fetching a sandwich. It could be anything, so with that thought in mind the ancient king let out a sigh and pressed for more.
"Do you wish to talk about it?" Arturia inquired.
"This devastation is immense. I can rebuild the city in only a day or two. I can avenge all the people that died here. Hell I can even bring back all of the innocents that have died." Riley stated as she turned and stared at Arturia.
"And… what is the problem?" Arturia asked.
"Should I? How far do I go to help people, that aren't on my side? These people… I don't know them. I don't know their lives, I don't know their crimes. Some of them are probably cunts who deserved this. Others are probably innocent people, who've never harmed another person in their lives. If I bring them all back to life… I become something more. Something more then the Sage of Six Paths ever was. Something more then… well I think anyone has ever been. Do I reveal myself like that, because it's the 'kind' thing to do? Do I bring all these people back, and forever alter the world's views on death? Or do I not? Do I let it stand and move on from it? I'm just not sure. I know what the right thing to do is. What would make me feel good, and make me loved by all of these people, but it paints a huge target on my head. Even if they never realize what I really am, it wont matter, because if I bring all these people back, I'll be a god either way." Riley replied.
Arturia listened as Riley explained her situation. It was an interesting dilemma. If Riley brought all these people back, it'd elevate her in people's hearts and minds. Though he had the ability, the Sage of Six Paths was never known for such miracles. His two greatest achievements was creating the Moon and the Bijuu. Riley had already done one of those things, to a much smaller extent, but if she brought back the thousands of innocent civilians here, that would be a miracle humanity would never forget. It would place a blinding spotlight on Riley, the kind which would reveal her to the whole world.
Riley wasn't wrong. If she did this, and brought these people back… any privacy she had would vanish. She'd go from being a hero, to being a literal goddess in the eyes of people. Someone who could rewrite death. Such a thing, could only exist in the realms of the gods.
"It's a problem, I can see that. You never wished to be the one to guide them. To set the example for them. The closest you ever came was when you sought to punish them for their wrongdoings. If you do this, your time as a woman will end. They will no longer see a human, no matter how basic your appearance. If you bring them back, you will become the ideal that humanity will strive for. Justification for countless years of belief in something greater. I guess the question isn't what to do, but rather, what can you live with? If you don't do everything you can to help these people, will you be able to live with that? Will you be able to live with how others see you? Or if you do, do it, will you be ready to step out from the shadows?" Arturia replied after a moment of thought. She had averted her eyes to stare up at the sky while she replied, so it was a surprise to her when she returned her gaze to Riley and found her listening with rapped attention.
The two stared at each other for several moments before Arturia let out a sigh.
"It may not matter, but know this… if I were in your position, I would bring them back, and give them the chance to live life anew. But that's just me." Arturia told her as she turned to leave.
"If I do this… would it make up for my mistakes?" Riley asked Arturia's retreating form.
"The gift of life, is the most precious gift of all. Merlin told me that once. I know my opinion might not matter to you, but if you do this, I, and many others, would follow you to ends of the earth. Some, may see it as your duty. Because you can, you must. But it isn't. It's not your duty to help these people. Those of us that know this, will not think less of you for allowing them to remain dead. But… as I said, those of us that realize that it isn't your duty, well… it'll resonate with them… far more then any others. It's your choice. Be their goddess, their hero. Or walk your own path. Just make sure it's the path you want." Arturia replied, throwing a glance back at her.
"Arturia?" Riley called out after a moment.
"Yes?" Arturia inquired turning more to face Riley.
"It does." Riley responded.
"What?" Arturia asked with a confused look.
"Your opinion. It does matter to me. Thank you." Riley answered with a kind smile. One directed right at the ancient king. Arturia felt something swell in her chest at seeing that smile. Such a foreign thing, for the vicious demon. A thing so rare, that Arturia had only seen it directed at her mates. Yet now it was directed at her, and Arturia found it to be the most genuine thing she had ever seen.
Neither woman said anything else as Riley turned and headed off.
She quickly found her way over to the nearby wall, where Gaia was located, directing her troops.
"How are things?" Riley inquired as she stepped up to the edge of the wall and looked out over the city.
"The enemy is all but crushed, however… the situation is a disaster. All leadership for the Land of Wind has been destroyed. The only heir to the Daimyo's throne, is his grandson, a six month old infant, rescued by one of the servants during the attack. With things as they are now… I don't know what the country will do." Gaia replied as she turned to face her friend.
The two were silent as Gaia stepped up next to Riley.
"I heard you defeated the Five Tails Jinchuriki outside of the city." Gaia noted.
"Yeah. Something weird happened after I beat it. I'll explain later. I also managed to gain a cache of information from the Tsuchikage's mind, which we can use in our counterattack." Riley responded.
Gaia gave Riley a curious look, not quite understanding that statement, so Riley decided to clarify.
"I can absorb people's souls with my powers, and read their entire living memory. At least everything that they still have in their memories." Riley explained earning a nod of understanding from Gaia.
"I see. Any advice for how to deal with this situation?" Gaia inquired after a moment.
"Yeah… don't worry so much about it." Riley replied as she gave her friend a smile. Gaia gave Riley a look, as Riley brought her hands together and began to channel her chakra.
"Gedo Art: Rinne Rebirth!" Riley intoned as the King of Hell statue, rose from the top of the wall. It's mouth then stretched open and a massive torrent of green light erupted from it's mouth.
Gaia and many of her allies on the wall, stood, gobsmacked as the sea of green lights rained down on the city itself.
In the streets, Fleur and Katie were helping civilian's pick through areas that had already been cleared. Green lights quickly splashed down into the city streets, and the two immediately shared a look as a nearby body had it's injuries heal revealing a person in his mid forties. The man quickly gasped to life earning startled yells from those nearby.
Luna herself quickly ordered some nearby men to help topple over a pile of bodies as the greenish light, washed over them. People were quickly pulled from the pile as their wounds healed and they gasped to life. Some started screaming in terror and shock, while others merely began to tremble.
All over the city people watched in amazement as the dead citizens of the Wind capitol began to return to life.
At the ruins of the capitol itself, surviving samurai along with Sand Shinobi stood around the bodies of the Daimyo and his family. They were left completely stunned as green lights flew into their bodies and their injuries healed completely.
Soon after, they sprung to life with gasps and cries.
Down at the medical tents, Daphne was with Eleanor, Elizabeth, and Kaede. All stood in awe as those that had died from their injuries began to return.
"Riley… What did you just do?" Gaia asked in surprise.
Riley merely let out a smile, and a huff. The revival of hundreds of thousands of people had actually managed to tire her.
Elsewhere, Hashirama and Madara stood with one another. Madara merely looked thoughtful, while Hashirama swelled with pride. He knew this had been Riley's doing, and he couldn't be more proud of her.
Elsewhere, Draco and Hermione stood with one another as they watched people rise to their feet. Neither kept the smiles from their faces as the innocents began to rise from their untimely demises and stand once again.
"It's amazing." Remus noted, earning a nod from Sirius and Kushina as they witness loved ones crawling over to one another embracing and crying. Confusion washing over them as they struggled to understand what had happened.
Back on the wall, a sand ninja quickly darted up to Gaia.
"My lady… people in the city… those that died… they're waking up." The woman informed the Kazekage.
"They're… what?" Gaia asked as she glanced towards the ninja, then back to Riley. She then turned her attention out to the city, and with keen eyes she could spot people in the streets, rising to their feet.
She turned her attention to Riley, as she put the pieces together.
"Riley… you..." Gaia managed to mutter while Riley merely glanced at her and shrugged. Most of those on the wall that had seen what Riley had done, were quick to put the pieces together. People all over the city gaped in disbelief as their friends and allies rose to their feet, alive and well.
"Riley… did you do this?" Came Fleur's voice over the bond.
"Maybe." Riley responded with a smirk.
"Ladies… I think our kindhearted mate, has earned herself a reprieve from cleanup duty. With this… I think she deserves a full day our our undivided attention." Katie stated to her fellow mates, earning chirps of agreement from them all.
Riley merely smirked as she turned and marched past Gaia, who was gaping at her in disbelief. Word would spread quickly about what Riley had done. It had happened. The whole world would soon know that she held power over life and death. Anonymity was now impossible. She would now forever be known as the Angel Slayer, The Hero of the Burning Leaf, The Shadowbringer, and most importantly now, The Lifebringer.
-To Be Continued-
Alright, there's the next chapter. Two of the tailed beasts are dead. that'll throw the Akatsuki off balance. The Shinigami secretly installed a back door into Riley's personal soul well, so all of the people she's killed since meeting him aren't actually a part of her. And if you'll remember, the Reaper did hit her with magic when they made their deal, and since Riley is still a novice in soul magic, she wouldn't notice that she doesn't hold anyones soul unless she went looking for it.
Hope you enjoyed, sorry for the long wait, but as I mentioned had some issues down here, so I'll see you next time. :) Next chapter will be up before the month is over, already working on it, Ja Ne!
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