One million views. I've finally reached one million views. That is just amazing. I know the view counter is all the times a chapter has actually been read, but even still, to see a number that high, it's honestly an incredibly fantastic feeling. Anyway, here's the next chapter for you guys, I hope you enjoy.
Broken Angel
Chapter 79
"Come on Gaia, you can't keep quiet about it forever." Temari teased, while Gaia buried herself in more paperwork and tried to ignore her older sister.
"We talked, we kissed, that was it. Can we move on?" Gaia bit out as she shot a glare at her sister, only for Temari to grin in response.
"So she kissed you? What was it like?" Temari inquired as she leaned on Gaia's desk.
"I don't know… good?" Gaia replied as she shot a look at Temari, one that told her to buzz off, but Temari persisted with a smirk.
"Come on Gaia. Every time I ask, you blush a bit. I can see it through your Sand Armor, you obviously did more than kiss." Temari noted, her grin growing a bit wider.
"I hate you," Gaia muttered, her cheeks reddening further.
"Come on, Gaia… let's hear it." Temari tried again earning a sigh from her younger sister.
"Go on Gaia, tell her." Shukaku said with a chuckle.
"No." Gaia thought back in reply.
"Tell her. Tell her how the only thing you can remember about that kiss was how her boobs felt pressed against your chest." Shukaku stated with a laugh.
"Fuck. Off." Gaia sent back, earning another laugh from the raccoon-dog.
"You're still blushing Gaia," Temari noted, earning a sigh from the Kazekage.
"Temari… leave me alone. I have enough to worry about without having to deal with you trying to but into my love life." Gaia demanded as she sent a glare at her older sister.
"Aw, you're no fun. Well if you ever want to talk, I'll be all ears." Temari noted with a sigh of her own as she turned and left the Kazekage's substitute office.
Gaia sat in silence for several moments before she heard the Raccoon speak.
"Big, firm, round, milky globes." He said making fondling gestures with his hands.
"Will you stop!" Gaia hissed, starting to get irritated.
"Temari's right, you are no fun. I bet Riley's a lot of fun. I bet her boobs are fun too." The One Tails replied as it filled Gaia's head with mental image's of a topless Riley in various suggestive poses.
Gaia's face instantly turned beet red, and she had to set her head down on her desk so that none of her guards could see how deeply she was blushing.
"Gods I hate you." Gaia thought back trying in vain to force the pornographic images away so she could refocus on her work.
-Elsewhere-
'Clang'
Riley matched Arturia's strength as their blades interlocked. Riley always held a practical view on weapons. They were tools, and thus she rarely grew attached to them. Her wand was one of the few items that carried value to her in battle, most other weapons were simple tools.
Riley had never been very into swords, and she probably wouldn't become addicted to them, even now that she had the legendary Sword of Kusanagi. The blade itself was unique, and though Riley didn't see herself carrying it into battle often, she wouldn't stop herself from mastering its powers and learning to utilize it efficiently. The sword had several unique abilities. The three most major ones being that it could be infused with poisons, which was beneficial to Riley with her virulent chakra. It could also be controlled telepathically, after it was bonded to a new master, meaning it could be summoned and called over from a great distance without the need for seals. And finally, the blade could stretch and elongate, almost indefinitely, meaning that she could use it as a long-range piercing weapon if need be.
She had taken turns practicing with Arturia and Kushina, both master swordsmen, though Kushina was the more skilled by Arturia's own admission. Arturia wasn't good with a sword, she wasn't even great. Her skills with a blade were incredible, yet she would be the first to admit that she heavily relied on her mana burst ability, and armor in battle, to outmatch more skilled swordsmen. By her own admission, she wasn't anywhere near the level that Kushina was at when it came to swordplay.
Still, though, she made an excellent sparring partner, and Riley enjoyed her time with the ancient king. The fact that Riley found Arturia to be quite appealing to the eyes was just an added bonus.
While Riley was able to remain focused on the duel, a part of her mind did drift off to think about Gaia and the prospect of yet another mate. Riley had to wonder, just how many more would there be? How many more women would draw her attention and earn her affections? Riley didn't know, but it was something she was starting to wonder about more and more. It was never difficult to focus on each one of her mates. Even after Kaede joined, it was an easy thing to keep them satisfied. Riley often wondered why it was so easy for her to spread herself out and spend so much time with her mates.
Having eternal life might have played a significant part in it. When every second counted, you found yourself rationing them. With eternal life, Riley didn't have that constraint. She was free to live each moment to it's fullest and not worry about the next. It changed the way she viewed life. If placed into a discussion with others, her outlook on how one should spend their time would be entirely different to the average person.
With that in mind, Riley pondered her time spent with her mates. Each moment was precious. Each one etched into her memory. She adored the time she spent with them. Every smile, every glance, every look that spoke volumes. It all mattered a great deal to Riley.
Perhaps that was why she could so efficiently take care of her mates. Maybe it had something to do with how much she cherished those moments in time, and how much she adored spending time with those she loved.
Riley was never tired of her mates. Not ever. They never annoyed her, they never angered her, they never even bothered her. Every moment in time spent with them. Every argument, every night of passion, every kiss, and every simple conversation… it all mattered more to Riley than the whole of the world.
"Lost in thought?" Arturia inquired.
Riley blinked a few times. She found Arturia staring at her with a curious look on her face. It took a moment for Riley to realize that she had, in fact, lost her concentration on the fight and had been spacing out.
Riley let out a chuckle and smiled sheepishly.
"Something on your mind?" Arturia asked as she lowered her sword.
"Just thinking about my mates," Riley answered honestly, earning a very mild blush from Arturia who offered a nod of understanding.
"I see. Well, I doubt I'll be of much aid in that area." Arturia stated.
"That's alright." Riley replied with a smirk, "That's enough training for the day."
"As you wish," Arturia said with a nod as she wrapped her sword in Invisible Air and placed it on her hip.
With that, the two went their separate ways. Riley quickly found her way back to her tent.
The only person there was Fleur who was asleep. Riley found herself standing over the slumbering Veela eying her curiously. For a few moments, Riley pondered just what had happened earlier that had tired Fleur out enough to warrant a midday nap. It wasn't like the Veela to just doze off. Due to her Veela magic, she was invigorated by the act of sex, and thus she didn't suffer from fatigue or weariness. It was odd. After a few moments of thought, Riley decided that Fleur must have completed her early morning patrols and had decided to enjoy the comfort of their soft bed before she had to head out again.
Will a smile, Riley crawled into bed. Fleur didn't even need to open her eyes to recognize the presence of her beloved bondmate. The slumbering Veela let out a purr of delight as Riley wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into an embrace.
The two remained that way for several hours, meanwhile just outside the Wind Capitol, a small group of travelers entered the city.
"Can you believe it?" The eldest of the group, a man in his late forties, with greying hair and a short goatee, inquired to the rest of his party of twelve.
"We were told this day would come." A female in the party noted as they passed through the entrance gate, where they were approached by Suna shinobi.
"That we were. I just never thought it would happen in my lifetime." The old man replied as he came to a stop.
"State your business travelers. The city is on lock-down due to the recent attack, access is restricted." The head Suna nin stated in a firm and commanding tone as he and about a half-dozen others approached the traveling band.
"Our business is with the Hero of the Burning Leaf. We are shinobi sent from the Land of Sky." The head ninja stated. His words drew a defensive reaction from many of the guards though the Suna commander merely narrowed his eyes at the troop.
"I see. I'll send word ahead, and see if they'll allow you access. Remain here, and no sudden movements." The Suna commander barked as he turned and strode a few feet away to radio this in.
A few moments later and the Sky ninja were being led through the city. Word had been sent to the Kazekage who had, in turn, informed the Legion. Riley had been called, and she now stood with Itachi and Tom, waiting for the travelers to arrive.
"Sky ninja?" Tom noted as he eyed the two actual shinobi with a pointed look.
"Don't look at me. I only know about them because of the people I've absorbed." Riley stated with a shrug.
"The Sky Ninja are reclusive. The only time they ever launched a major offensive in their history was during the Second Great Ninja War, and that ended before it could really take off, because they were late, and the war was basically over by then. They fought against Konoha and utilized some strange items that allowed their shinobi to fly in the air. Though, other then that, little else is known about them, or even where they come from." Itachi explained, earning a nod of understanding from Tom.
"What do you think they want?" Tom inquired, earning a collective shrug from his two fellows, as neither knew enough about the Sky Ninja to give an answer.
After several moments, the Sky ninja were led in while the Suna nin waited outside.
Tom was quick to cast some privacy charms so that no one could eavesdrop on them as the troop of Sky Ninja filled the room.
The troop was quick to scan the Legion commanders, and almost all eyes quickly fell to Riley. The Sky ninja themselves were dressed in civilian clothes to hide their identities so it wouldn't be immediately assumed that they were shinobi. Though one look at the calculating look in their eyes would have tipped off any shinobi worth their salt. These guys were elites, which begged the question, why were they here?
"You came here, claiming you wished to speak to me. I've never had any business with the Sky Ninja, so forgive me for asking, but what is it you want?" Riley inquired after a moment. All of them were staring at her, and for a moment, Riley felt their eyes scanning her, almost uncertainly. It was then that she could practically feel them all suddenly have a realization and within a minute all twelve of them were on their knees, kneeling before her.
"The fuck?" Kurama muttered, having just woken up to see this happening.
"Great one, we are your humble servants." The head ninja stated, his head bowed low.
Riley stared down at them for several long moments while Tom and Itachi slowly turned their gazes to her.
She glanced over and stared back at the two for several moments before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
Slowly releasing it, she opened her eyes and focused on the head ninja. "The fuck?"
"Seems you have some followers," Tom noted with a chuckle as a confused look spread across Riley's face.
"I apologize, my lady, I am but a novice still finding my way along the great path. I'm sorry for my disrespect." The head ninja apologized earning, even more, confusion from Riley.
Many of the man's fellow shinobi nodded fervently in agreement. All were bowed low as if kneeling before a great ruler.
"Riley?" Itachi inquired.
"Don't look at me. I have zero clue as to what he's talking about." Riley replied with a shake of her head.
"Forgive me, my lady, we were sent here on behalf of our commander. He asked us to make contact with you, in an attempt to offer an alliance, however, on our way here, some merchants told us about what had happened here." The unit leader stated, his head still bowed.
"Oh… so that's already getting around." Riley noted.
"You expected it not to?" Tom asked, with a snort.
"Well no I just… thought it would take a bit longer." Riley responded as she scratched the back of her head.
"Once we heard, we rushed here immediately to present ourselves to you." Lead Sky ninja stated earning a great many nods of agreement from his fellows.
"Okay… why? I've never had any interaction with the Sky Ninja." Riley questioned.
"Yes, our people have never had the honor of interacting with you in person, but we learned a great deal about you through your herald." The head ninja stated.
"Herald?" Tom stated with a confused look, his eyes returning to Riley to see her eyes widening in surprise.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Kurama asked.
"Kane," Riley stated aloud.
"Yes, Lord Kane came to us many years ago. He helped to unify our people after the Second Great Ninja War. He gave us purpose, and guidance when we needed it most. If it hadn't been for him, we would have been lost." He explained with a nod.
"So… he did find his way off of Columbia and down to the world. He even passed through the Elemental Nations." Kurama noted. Riley was quick to agree with him. When learning about Kane and the Path of Unification that had sprung up in Columbia, Riley had initially intended to go searching for Kane and perhaps see if he had started his little religious group in other places. However, soon afterward Riley had gone to Rapture and then gotten incredibly involved in enhancing and formatting the Legion, then there was her wedding to Daphne, followed by their march into the Elemental Nations. The end result was that Riley hadn't had any time to really investigate the man and try to track him down.
"You are followers of the Path of Unification?" Riley asked.
"We are my lady. And it does us all an immeasurable honor to stand before you." The head ninja stated, the firm tone of his seasoned voice cracking a bit to reveal the awe and apprehension hidden beneath it.
"So… Kane does know my identity." Riley stated aloud.
Tom and Itachi were now sending glances between Riley and the troop of Sky Ninja. It was evident that Riley now knew what was going on, but that still left them in the dark.
Sensing her comrades' confusion, Riley decided to explain, her eyes never leaving the unit of bowing Sky Ninja.
"When I went to rescue Elizabeth from Columbia, I caused a bit of ruckus there. After I left, a man named Kane passed through there and started a religion in my name. It was called the Path of Unification."
The two nodded in understanding though it was Itachi who posed the question through the Gravemind, "You carried that attack out under the guise of the Angel of Carnage, correct?"
"Yes. I did so as the Angel. Somehow they know my identity." Riley replied.
"This religion, is it safe?" Tom inquired aloud.
"Seems to be. Seems like the kind of religion I'd start. Stand on your own two feet, don't be an asshole, be kind to others but don't waste your time helping those that refuse to help themselves. I'm almost positive I've met Kane before, probably a long time ago. He seems to know of my ideals, and worships me as a goddess." Riley explained, earning a nod of understanding from Tom and Itachi.
"That begs the question though, how do you know Riley is who you think she is?" Itachi questioned them.
"Because she is the Life Bringer. For a while, many were confused by the Angel's defeat at Konoha. It was believed by many that the Angel was a sword of justice, sent to cleanse this world of its corruption. When it was felled in Konoha, it left many of us confused and lost. But then, almost like a phoenix rising from the ashes, a hero appeared. You. It was then that we believed that the Angel was sent to punish the world, and you were sent to save it." The head ninja stated, his voice now filled with reverence.
"But after hearing what I did here, you've come to a realization." Riley inquired a smirk.
"The Angel killed millions in Konoha. And you brought countless people back from the dead. The goddess will hold the power of life and death in the palms of her hands." One of the troop stated, finally finding a voice. The head ninja nodded in agreement along with some others.
"And you now believe that I am the goddess spoken of in your religion." Riley finished, knowing that was where this was headed.
"Well, this is an interesting development," Tom stated as he crossed his arms over his chest and began to look thoughtful.
"Tell me, as a Shinobi Village, how does your interpretation of Kane's message alter your view on the Path of Unification?" Riley inquired.
"My Lady?" The head ninja replied with confusion.
"The last city I visited that followed this religion had several base tenets and coexisted peacefully alongside several other religions that also held roots there. The most prominent being Christianity. The Elemental Nations mostly consists of those who follow the old gods, those who believe in Buddhism and only recently have other religions begun to spread here. The Elemental Nations are violent, and Shinobi will fight over anything, even their religious beliefs. One of the core tenets of the Path of Unification was the prohibition of forced conversion. One must choose to walk the path of their own free will. I'm asking what if anything, has changed?" Riley explained.
"Our beliefs share the same name as the one you spoke of, so I would have to guess that we all follow the same beliefs. You are correct, one must choose to embrace this path. All who serve as Sky Ninja at the very least, respect our religion for what it did to save us from spiraling into chaos. Most Sky Ninja are active followers of the Path, those who wish to be Sky Ninja must at least respect what it has done for us, and understand the place it holds in our society." The head ninja explained, his head finally rising from staring at the ground, though he couldn't meet Riley's eyes. More so when he looked at her, he focused on her face as a whole.
"So, your organization is a religious one? The Sky Ninja are primarily followers of this religion, I'm guessing?" Itachi inquired.
"Yes. Almost all Sky Ninja are followers of the Path. Many of our children are raised learning of it, though they are encouraged to question things, and at the age of fifteen they are given a choice to integrate and follow the teachings, or they can refrain and continue on as they were. Some choose to join later, others seek out their own answers. That greatest of tenets still rings true in our ears. One must choose to walk the Path of their own volition. They cannot be forced or coerced. For only in making a choice can one find true enlightenment and purpose." Was the given reply.
"What do you think Kurama?" Riley thought to herself as she shut her eyes and adopted a thinking pose.
"It's still a form of coercion, to raise your children to be surrounded and encompassed by this religion, but in the same breath it's a harmless form, and it's actually how all religions try to peacefully expand. I mean hell, look at it this way, you believe in the old gods because you were raised by Madara who also believes in the old gods." Kurama offered as an explanation, earning a nod of understanding from Riley.
"True I guess we're all a product of our upbringing. Sounds like this religion is still on the up and up. It's seriously surprising to hear that something like this could survive amongst the shinobi. Shinobi as a point of fact, tend to be fanatics when it comes to their beliefs." Riley thought back.
"You're right. Though they could still be fanatic, it's just written in their laws that a person cannot be coerced or forced upon the path, as that negates the purpose. Instead, I'd suspect they're willing to do great and terrible things in the name of their religion just to prove to others that they should follow it. Such a drive could be a handy tool if wielded correctly, Riley." Kurama warned her.
Riley couldn't help but agree. She knew there had to be a 'but' somewhere in this, and that sounded likely. They couldn't force people to join, so instead, they would reasonably show off just how great their religion was so people would want to be a part of it. It was marketed conversion, an exciting prospect and not one Riley had encountered much of in the world.
"So… your commander sent you to speak with me, and along the way, you heard about what happened her? So… what happens next?" Riley asked as she stood over the kneeling troop her eyes filled with intrigue.
"We will do what we came here to do. Our orders were to come and offer our aid in this war." The head Shinobi answered.
"The Sky ninja wish to offer us their aid? Well aside from believing Riley is your messiah, why would you want to get involved, and if I may, can you tell me your name?" Itachi asked.
"My name is Kenji. And our reasons are quite simple, we wish to test our strength." Kenji replied.
"I see. Any particular reason for wishing to test yourselves?" Itachi pressed for more information, naturally curious about one of the most reclusive groups of ninja on the planet.
"As he preached of a path of peace Master Kane delivered a warning. He foretold of a coming Day of Wrath. A day when darkness would consume the earth, and light would be extinguished, and in its place, the Earth would be overtaken." Kenji replied earning several nods of agreement from his fellows and from what Riley could sense of their emotions, a bit of fear was drawn to the surface.
"Hehehehe." The Darkness let out a menacing chuckle at hearing that. Riley and Kurama weren't at all surprised that it would enjoy something like that.
"A Day of Wrath? What do you think that means?" Tom wondered.
"A prophecy," Riley stated with a focused look.
The three Legionaries were silent for several moments before Itachi finally asked, "If the future is always in motion and nothing is set, then what weight does prophecy hold?"
"Prophecy is as much guesswork as anything else. When a seer experiences a prophetic vision, it's usually as a warning for something major that happened in a similar timeline, and as a general rule, it could happen to them. There is no guarantee that a prophetic vision will ever happen. Most don't. You take a trip in the Hall of Prophecies at the Ministry, and you'll find that there are thousands of them, just from Britain's magical populace. I guarantee that ninety-five percent of those prophecies never happened and never will happen, but on occasion, one is made that may hold some water. Kane must have seen or experienced something that led him to believe in a coming Day of Wrath. Something that would forever alter the world." Riley explained.
Itachi began to look thoughtful as he mulled the warning over in his head. While a frightening prospect, this 'Day of Wrath' didn't mention destruction or death. It spoke of a day where Darkness would swallow the world and change it forever, but not destroy it. And even in the Sky Ninja's words, Itachi found several additions. One was that they were training to prepare for such a day, but not to stop it or hinder it. Perhaps Kane only wished for them to survive such a day instead of preventing it.
It was an interesting thought, and Itachi was quick to share his thoughts with his fellow Commanders.
Riley and Tom were both of similar minds, having picked up on the particular phrasing as well as the trepidation of the Sky ninja, but also noting that the fear seemed to have more to do with unease rather than terror. Like the anxiety, one felt before a mission, or before going on a date. It was nervousness, not horror. Whatever this coming Day of Wrath was, to the Sky Ninja, it was a test of their worthiness to continue on. To them, it wasn't a fight for survival or to save the world, it was almost like a collective right of passage. Something that they were determined to face together and prove that they had the strength to overcome it.
"I've never held much belief in prophecy, not until I learned just how time worked and how the timelines interacted with one another. A prophecy is a warning, not a guarantee. The prophecy given to Master Jiraiya about the so-called Chosen One was always a possibility. It led to Minato abandoning me in favor of Naruko. Had he not been given that prophecy, he probably would have been a better father. Still wouldn't change the fact that he stole me from my mother, but he probably wouldn't have neglected me like he did. Despite just being warnings, Prophecies are powerful things and something that should be noted with a bit of caution. If these people wish to fight, to test their abilities in preparation for a day they believe may come, then I don't see why we shouldn't accept their help." Riley stated to her fellows earning a slow nod of agreement from Itachi whom still seemed deep in thought.
"Yes, we'd be willing to work alongside the Sky Ninja, though we'll need to establish trust, and the easiest way to go about that is meeting with your leader," Tom added.
"I agree. Inform your leadership that the Legion would be willing to work with the Sky Ninja and that we wish to meet with those in charge to discuss details of an alliance. So long as it does not interfere with our current alliances, I don't see why we shouldn't." Itachi affirmed with a focused look.
"I see. Well then, I will deliver news of this to the village immediately. I'm sure our leader will agree to meet with you at the earliest possible convenience." Kenji stated with a nod.
"Good. Now… what are you going to tell your leaders about me?" Riley inquired.
"That depends, do I have your permission to tell them, my lady?" Kenji asked in reply.
"If I said no you'd keep this from your leader?" Riley asked with a tilt of her head.
"To lie to one's commander is a grave offense. However, so long as you're the one asking, I know they will understand." Kenji replied, surprisingly earning nods of agreement from his fellows.
Riley cocked an eyebrow at them, while Kurama just let out a chuckle. "Religious fervor. I guess if God asked you to do it, you can't really be mad." The demon added.
"Right." "Tell your leader I wish to meet with him or her. I'll reveal the truth myself. Please use today to rest and recuperate before you head back, and know that we look forward to working alongside the Sky Ninja." Riley commanded. The troop was quick to nod and bow. They remained bowed for several long moments, a sure sign of subservience to what they now believed to be their goddess, given flesh.
Afterwards, they were quick to depart.
Riley stood in place along with her fellow commanders for several moments. Finally, Riley glanced at the exit and shouted, "Come in."
A few seconds later, Gaia and her siblings entered, surely made aware of the presence of Sky Ninja, by the gate guards.
"Hey." Riley greeted.
"Lady Kazekage." Itachi offered a polite nod, Tom was quick to provide one as well.
"So, Sky Ninja?" Gaia inquired.
"Seems we may have to postpone the counterattack a bit longer still. The Sky ninja wish to form an alliance with us." Tom answered.
"Really? That's quite the development." Gaia noted.
"Yes, We told them to let their leader know we were interested in working with them and were willing to set up a meeting. I don't know much about the Sky Ninja, only that for the short time they participated in the Second Great Ninja War, they displayed incredible skill and strange technology." Riley stated.
"Yes, I recall reading about that as well. They unofficially sided with Suna during the War and fought against Konoha. It's odd that they'd be so willing to side with the remnants of their old enemy." Gaia noted.
"Not so when you consider they're a religious people and it turns out they believe Riley might be their messiah," Tom informed them with a chuckle.
"Really? Now, what would make them think that?" Gaia asked.
"It might have something to do with the miracle she performed to resurrect the entire city. That probably has a lot to do with it." Itachi pointed out, earning a nod from all of three of the Sand Siblings.
"I see. Well in that case, we should reorganize and take this new information into account for future planning. What do we know about the Sky Ninja and their combat abilities?" Gaia inquired.
From there the group called Shikaku in and began to discuss combat tactics and how the addition of the Sky Ninja may affect their future plans for a counterattack.
Later on, Riley found herself in her room with her mates, and daughters.
She was quick to bring them up to speed on this recent development, which started a discussion about what was to be done in regards to Kane and the Path of Unification which could possibly be starting up in other places as well.
"Religious fervor can be a dangerous thing. Sofia's followers were fanatics but she wielded them with expert precision. If you do the same, you'd have a powerful weapon at your disposal." Eleanor noted, earning a nod of agreement from Riley.
"While that is true, I'd also be weary that you keep a close eye on them. Comstock's followers were also religious fanatics, and you saw what they did to Columbia." Elizabeth added.
"It's obvious that we should approach this situation with caution, the religion itself seems on the up and up, but you never know when that will change. All it takes is one person with a different point-of-view to begin changing peoples minds and altering their perceptions of what rules are more important then others. Without proper care and management this religion may one day spiral into multiple chaotic groups." Daphne offered as her input, earning a nod of agreement from Luna and Fleur, showing that they were of similar minds.
"What do you two think?" Riley inquired as she glanced at Kaede and Katie. Kaede simply sat their listening and didn't seem all that concerned, while Katie looked thoughtful.
"I agree with Eleanor. They could be a useful tool, and if they become a nuisance, you can just destroy them." Kaede stated with a shrug.
"True, but I'd still be very careful with whatever you choose to do Riley. Religion is a very powerful thing to some people, and it can turn real ugly if fanatics are allowed to run free." Katie stated after a moment, showing her side in all this.
"Yeah, I know. Once we know where the Hidden Sky Village is, I'll dispatch a clone there to keep an eye on the place. If need be I'll deal with dissenters myself." Riley offered up, earning several nods of acceptance from her family.
"What do Lord Madara and Hashirama think about this?" Came the question from Daphne.
"They both agree that I should keep an eye on this and make sure it doesn't escalate and become an issue, but otherwise they both agree that this could be useful to our cause." Riley explained.
The group was quiet for several moments, each one of them was deep in thought, mulling this new development over in their minds.
After several minutes of quiet contemplation, Riley focused her eyes on Luna. It took a second or two but Luna returned her gaze.
"Yes?" Luna inquired, sensing a question from Riley.
"Kane spoke of a coming 'Day of Wrath'. Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" Riley inquired.
All eyes quickly turned to Luna whom lowered her own. She was quiet for several moments and Riley quickly realized that Luna did in fact know what that meant.
"I'm almost positive I know of what he has seen. I cannot be certain, but it is something that I've taken note of in my dreams." Luna admitted earning curious looks from those around her.
Riley was quick to rise to her feet and approach her mate. As soon as she reached her, Riley knelt down in front of Luna and took her hands. "Luna… what did you see?"
"Darkness… a sky of red and black. I saw all life, encased in stone, and the sun put out. I've seen it in my dreams. Its a future that exists in times, much like our own. I believe that is the day of wrath, Kane speaks of. It's terrifying, yet I know not the cause of such an event. I don't even know how likely it is to occur in our own timeline. All I know is that it 'can' happen. But… there's a lot that can happen. So I tried to ignore it. But if this Kane has had prophetic visions of this future, then that increases the likelyhood of it happening here." Luna answered as she locked eyes with Riley.
"I see." Riley stated as her eyes fell to Luna's lap and she lost herself in thought.
"Interesting. Red Skies, and the sun going out. That sounds a lot like what you did when you called forth the power of the Darkness. It's possible you have something to do with this Day of Wrath." Kurama noted, earning a demonic chuckle from the Darkness.
"Anything to add?" Riley inquired to the ancient entity. Her demonic child had oddly been very quiet throughout these conversations, only ever chuckling to itself, obviously aware of something they weren't.
"War is coming. She has seen it in her dreams. Bodies turned to stone. Cities consumed by Fire and Darkness. The sun put out like a match! Hehehe… Retaliation." The Darkness responded, cryptically.
"Retaliation? Retaliation for what?" Riley asked.
"I know not. Only that it will be beautiful." Was the reply that was given.
"A great help he is." Kurama noted.
"It is the fate of all worlds, ruled by demons! This pitiful shell, shall suffer the same fate." The Darkness added and almost instantly, Riley felt Kurama stiffen.
"Kurama?"
"Hell… The Day of Wrath, Luna's describing Hell. A form of it, at least. The Earth… the Day of Wrath… I understand now." Kurama stated, with a growl.
"What? What do you understand?" Riley demanded as she appeared in her mindscape and locked eyes with the massive Fox.
"I don't know how. I don't know when. And I definitely don't know why. What I do know is this… when sun goes out and the sky turns red, our world will no longer have a place in reality." Kurama explained. Hearing that, Riley's eyes widened.
"Shit!" She stated aloud.
"Riley?" Fleur stated, as she noticed a snarl appear on Riley's face.
"The Dark Worlds. Hell. Makai. The Abyss. All realms of shadow. This Day of Wrath that Kane fears, isn't the end of our world… it's a transformation, into a Dark World." Riley stated, earning surprised looks from those who knew what she was talking about.
"A Dark World… what's that?" Elizabeth inquired.
"The Dark Realms are where Demons, Devils, and Fiends reside." Katie answered, with a bit of fear touching at her voice.
"Riley, what will happen if the Earth becomes a Dark World?" Fleur asked.
"The realms of Chaos, exist as one. The concept of Time is altered in the Dark Realms, multiple timelines are like separate continents on a planet. They exist alongside one another, not separate. All is one within the Dark Realms. There could be a billion Earths there, all conquered or corrupted in other timelines, yet they all exist in the same universe now. If our world enters the Dark Realms, every living thing on this planet will be killed, corrupted, or enslaved." Riley answered.
"So basically everything is going to go crazy, and chaos will rein supreme?" Katie clarified.
"Unless a Devil or Fiend comes along to bring order to the chaos, then yes. In essence the world as we know it would end forever. Magic would rein supreme and we'd be forever aligned against the light. The age of good and evil would end. All would be dark, and everything would fall on the Darker side of things. Things like compassion and joy would become abstracts that future generations would have no knowledge of, if there even is future generations." Riley answered earning a sigh from Katie.
"So then… how do we stop it?" Eleanor inquired.
"We don't worry about it." Luna answered.
"Luna." Riley began but Luna shook her head.
"The Day of Wrath is a possibility that exists, but as of right now, it's as likely as gravity shutting off and all of us floating away. Just because it's happened in timelines similair to our one doesn't mean it will happen. Remember, for all those similar timelines, a great many have it occur where the Day of Wrath never happens, or it's prevented. All we can do moving forward is keep our eyes open for the possible signs, and not worry so much about it. You worry about time to much and you'll go crazy." Luna stated, giving them all a firm warning, and sounding incredibly passionate about it. More passionate then she had ever sounded about anything really. It didn't take a genius to guess that this was something Luna dealt with on a daily basis. She could see what would happen within the next few hours and she could see what had happened in other timelines. There was no point in worrying about it, because chances were good that it probably wouldn't happen.
Hearing that, many of her fellow mates felt a bit better. After all, Luna was the expert when it came to things like this. Even Elizabeth offered a nod of agreement. She may not have understood time travel and foresight as well as Luna did but she was much more knowledgeable then the rest of them, and she had to agree with Luna. Worrying about it, would be a maddening endeavor, and it was best to simply ignore it for now and move on with your life.
"What do you think Kurama?" Riley inquired.
"I think… that if anyone could have something to do with this Day of Wrath, it's Mito. We still don't know her goals or what she wants, but we know she's been in contact with demonic forces. It's possible she's working on something to bring our world into the Dark Realms. Aside from that, Luna is right. We can't worry about it too much. If it happens, it happens, and we can try to stop it. You may not know this, but such a thing, as the situation you described can only be done from our world. Meaning someone here has to initiate it and have the power to forcefully rip our world from it's place in reality and bring it into the Dark Realms. Only a creature like you, me or junior in here, could do something like that. So let's keep our ears open, and deal with Mito as soon as possible, but otherwise, it's best to just move on." Kurama explained to her, earning a nod of acceptance from Riley. She was about to concede when a thought struck her. As soon as it did, Kurama heard it, and his eyes widened.
"Is that a possibility?" Riley inquired, once again drawing herself into her mindscape to lock eyes with the Fox.
"If she was planning on dragging our world into the Dark Realms, I can think of no greater tool then someone born with the eyes of the sage." Kurama replied with a solemn nod. His reference was to the sibling Mito had stolen from Lily. Riley had openly wondered if Mito could use someone like that to do what Kurama had suggested. Truth be told, she could. Neither knew if this was her ultimate goal or not, but she did have the resources to pull it off, if she needed to.
"Alright Luna… we'll take your advice and not let this bother us too much. Still, do me a favor and let me know if you see this Day of Wrath in any of your dreams, again." Riley asked.
"Alright. I only ever saw it once, and that was when I was ten. Like I said, there's a greater chance it wont happen, so it's best to not get too worked up over it. But I'll let you know if I see anything more, regardless." Luna agreed earning a smile from Riley.
The group was quiet for a while as Riley rose to her feet and started to pace back and forth.
"What now?" Katie inquired.
"I need something else to focus on. I need to get my mind off of this." Riley stated in reply.
"Any ideas?" Katie asked.
Riley was quiet for a moment until her eyes fell on the chest that contained the time turners tied to her various children. Riley allowed her gaze to linger on it for several long moments before turning to Katie and grinning.
"Are you sure that's a good idea. I mean we're in the middle of a war." Katie asked as she realized what Riley had in mind.
"I don't see why not. Our kids will be kept safe, and besides, what are the chances that we find one that doesn't know how to fight? I mean so far we have The Darkness, Eleanor and Elizabeth, and out of them, only Elizabeth isn't a fighter. I think our kids will be fine. Besides, it's been to long since we've gone on a rescue, and I did make a promise." Riley responded as she walked over to the box.
"Very well then. Who will you take with you?" Luna inquired.
Riley opened the box and stared down at the collection of time turners and trinkets. Eventually her eyes fell on a turner, with Riley's and Daphne's names on it. Riley allowed a smirk to spread across her face, as she reached out and took it.
"Hey Daph, you want to go on an adventure?" Riley inquired.
Daphne stared back for several moments before letting out a sigh, and smiling.
"Well I guess it's time to see what a child born from the two of us is like." Daphne deadpanned as she headed over to Riley.
"Good luck you two. Bring us back somezing nice!" Fleur offered with a smile.
"Enjoy it while you can, you're next." Daphne warned, earning a giggle from Fleur, and some of the others.
"Careful out there, hopefully you don't end up in a city of religious weirdos again." Katie offered.
"Have fun." Was Luna's statement.
"Uh… yeah have fun." Kaede offered as well.
Eleanor and Elizabeth shared a glance and smirked at each other. Both were very interested in meeting a new sibling, one they could talk to and hang around with, and one that wasn't so creepy or… evil, as The Darkness.
"Ready o wife of mine?" Riley inquired as she placed the Time Turner around the two of them.
"Let's just hope this takes us somewhere warm. I'm starting to enjoy the weather here in Suna." Daphne stated earning a grin from Riley.
"Alright!" Riley stated and with that she activated the Time Turner.
Just like before, Darkness consumed them, and within moments, the harsh blowing of wind filled their ears.
Both women opened their eyes at the same time. Daphne found herself staring at the back of Riley's head. She was sitting just behind Riley on a boat that gently rocked back and forth. Much to Daphne's dismay, the weather was freezing. Snow fell from the sky, harsh gusts of wind came and went causing the boat to lurch back and forth and the sail to creak, and the temperature was at least in the high teens.
"Shit." Daphne muttered.
"Ha!" Riley let out a single laugh, as Daphne realized she had jinxed them.
Riley was quick to glance around herself. The boat they were in was small. Basically a row boat with a sail attached to it. Riley could feel her magic fading out of the boat and she quickly realized that she had been piloting it with her magic.
Ahead of them was a small seaside town, with a rather impressive castle that sat out a bit in the bay. The whole setting looked a bit like something out of an old fantasy story. Riley guided the boat forward. A large wall surrounded the castle and the nearby town, but there was a large gap in the wall that allowed ships to pass through it and into port of the town.
"Well, I guess it's time to go exploring." Riley stated as she glanced back at Daphne whom was quickly casting warming charms on her heavy clothes to ensure that they kept her nice and toasty.
"Wow… despite being the Ice Queen, you sure do like it warm." Riley teased, earning a glare from Daphne.
"I have spent months in the desert and now it is freezing cold. I am cold, deal with it." Daphne snapped back earning a chuckle from her wife.
"Well, let's see what kind of trouble we can get into." Riley stated with a grin.
They were quick to guide their ship into port where they were met at the docks by one of the hands working there. "Welcome to Arendelle, may I ask your business?"
"Travelers, looking for safe harbor from the weather." Riley replied, earning a nod of understanding from the man.
"Ah I see. Well there is a small fee to dock your boat here." He stated.
Riley quickly fished out a silver coin and tossed it to him. "Keep the change."
The man stared at the coin in surprise, but quickly nodded and wrote something down on a piece of parchment. Daphne and Riley were quick to disembark and head for town, both eager to begin exploring.
It was as Riley advanced that she began to sense the energy of the snow storm. It was demonic in nature, and familiar. Riley knew at that moment that it was very likely her child had been the cause of it. With that lead in mind, they set out in search of answers.
-To be Continued-
Alright here you guys go. Sorry it took so long. Embarrassingly I lost track of time, and ended up playing PUBG for most of the month. Sorry, wont happen again. Expect the next chapter out soon, and in this chapter I placed more then a few subtle and not so subtle hints to future story paths, so let me know if you find them. I hope you enjoy, and thanks again for the million views. Ja Ne!
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