A/N: Sorry if this seems short, site is bugging out. Hopefully people see and review this... T_T

I'm well aware this isn't as popular as "Whatever Comes Our Way" and "Put Some Dirt in Your Eye" nevertheless, I wanted to try.

Chapters glitched out yesterday, resposting them here. orry about that. Also, Hopefully this gets a good bit of feedback, or back in the bin it goes.

Other updates are proceeding apace, Father of Monsters should be read by April 15th. As to the rest, I already stated my update schedule in "Put Some Dirt In Your Eye" but we'll be adding Take the Girl to the list of early updates.

Still need to publish that Hazbi Hotel story.

Doctors are putting my body through the ringer with all these new medications and all this time being off/sick is starting to eat through my funds. Painkillers are sending me on a right trip, so there's that. I've since been informed that on top of all the other problems with me, I may need rotator cuff surgery due to an old injury that didn't quite heal properly.

In other words. I. Am. Suffering. Writing distracts me from the pain, if only just.

So here we go. The fate of this fragment depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.

I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild, wicked world, one word at a time.

Once more, I own no quotes, references, or memes. Not a wit or a one. NOT! A! THING!

They're all tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me. Disclaimer over.

Here we go. Hope you're ready for Act II.

"We all fear things. People, gods, all of us. For me, its ghosts. I just can't stand them! They're so spooky!"

"You are a literal agent of the divine! You cannot be afraid of a few specters!"

"Easy for you to say, Jaheira!"

~?

Darkness to Light

"You have overstepped, Selune; for that, you must be punished."

Selune smiled where she lay amidst the clouds, sprawled across the heavens as pain coursed through her battered body. Ao's words washed over her in a searing tide, bringing with them a fresh wave of agony that laid her low and quivering. She grit her teeth against it, refusing to cry out. No. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her pain, of hearing her beg for mercy.

Endure; she must endure this pain in silence.

Alas, the Overgod was a God of his word after all; when he struck, he struck hard and struck true; not only had he wounded her earlier, but he'd weakened her as well. They both knew she wouldn't be able to render any aid to her Chosen for some time now. In truth, it was a miracle he hadn't made her mortal and cast her down to the earth for her transgressions. She suspected that might well be her fate if she upset the Balance again in any meaningful fashion.

...so be it.

Bah! What did Ao know of balance anyway?! Shar had cursed this land long enough; snatching more from her every year. No more. She would take it all back from her

For you see. had given this world something it hadn't had in a terribly long time.

More than a force against her accursed sister.

More than a soldier in the war to come.

More than a new Hero, even.

She'd given them hope, a chance for a new dawn, from darkness to light. It was too much to hope Shar wouldn't lash out against that hope; she knew her twin would, she'd ever been the spiteful sort. No, her wrath would be great. Doubtless she would select a new Chosen of her own, or barring that, bring all of her forces to bear upon this

She could only pray that her Chosen was prepared.

Ha. A god, praying. The irony wasn't lost on her. To whom did she pray?

She already knew the answer; and couldn't fight the exhaustion off any longer.

Try though she might to resist it, sleep swept in and she drifted off with his name lingering on her lips.

"Naruto...

(.0.0.0.)

Viconia doubled over, clutching her skull over as pain wracked her very soul.

"Prepare the faithful. Intensify their training. NOW."

"At once, my lady...

(.0.0.0.)

Leagues away, a certain cleric doubled over as the wound in her hand howled.

Oh gods, the pain. She'd never felt anything like this before...!

Lady Shar, why...?!"

(.0.0.0.)

Ao sighed.

Such willful sisters, these two.

"Must I punish this one as well...?"

(.0.0.0.)

Perhaps it wasn't time to hang up her blades just yet.

Never in all her life had Jaheira found herself so energized as she was now; it felt as though she'd been sleepwalking through her twilight years and only just awoken. She was alive, she was awake, invigorated in a way she hadn't been in decades. To think, only yesterday she had been ready to let it all end; to rally her forces, march to Moonrise through the shadow curse, to face Ketheric and come what may. She had expected many things today. Many things indeed.

Meeting a Chosen wasn't one of them. Certainly not for Naruto to fall out of the sky and crash into her camp! Did Selune have a twisted sense of humor...?

Even now there was an odd inner light to her Chosen as he sat across from her, Naruto's body glowed as though lit from within. She wanted to believe his story, his words, wanted to hope...but it was hard. She couldn't afford to lower her guard, not here, not now, now with so many souls sheltering here. Her Harpers were depending on her, looking to her for guidance, praying for her leadership.

And as for the tiefling refugees...well. That sorry lot had told a tale of woe all their own; bringing news of the massacre in the Emerald Grove. They spoke of a bloody madman, a creature who fought alongside a drow and delighted in slaughter, cutting his enemies apart bit by brutal bit. If that tragedy pursued them here to Last Light-no. Don't think about that. She had enough problems without making more. No need to court chaos when it wasn't knocking at her door.

All the more reason to hope their new friend wasn't a dagger in disguise.

The signs pointed to him being genuine, however.

She prayed that he was.

He could've fought her when she fist trapped him, panicked at the very least. Instead he smiled at her and told her it would be alright. Only a few minutes ago, he'd downed that spiced wine and told her the truth, listened to her worries and quietly reassured her that he would do his utmost to help. Even now there was an odd, gentle warmth in his voice when he spoke, like the calm of a moonlit night.

Gah! Was he casting a spell? Trying to charm her, perhaps?

If so...it might be working. Just a little. Not that she'd ever admit it!

No matter. If he was false, she would stab him. Right through the heart.

"So let me get this straight," Naruto clasped both hands together atop the table and laid his chin to rest over him. "You're dealing with a man who can't die."

"Indeed." she grimaced at the reminder. "I put an arrow right through his eye and he tore it out like it was nothing. Then he chased us into the shadows."

She expected fear, concern at the very least, not the easy smile that followed.

"Don't worry." he reached across the table and patted her hand, startling her. "We've dealt with immortals before. I'll handle him."

"We?" her gaze strayed to his palm, still lingering over his, and reluctantly, she tugged it away. "Who is this we you speak of? I see only you."

His grin gained an edge. "If I told you that, we'd be here all day. But hey, you look tired. Here, lemme help."

He stood and planted a hand on her shoulder. A spark shot down his hand into her causing her to jolt; she recoiled, glaring at him warily. "What was that?!"

"I just shared some of my energy with you." his smile was pure as the full moon. "You haven't been sleeping lately, right? Hope that helps."

Against all odds, it did, despite her earlier reservations. She felt a sudden upswing of energy, as though she'd just taken a particularly long rest. True sleep was all but impossible here in the Shadow-Cursed-Lands; the land and the sky and the very Weave here were tainted. Even when one did manage to drift off, their dreams were often haunted by terrible nightmares. For someone to arrive and grant her the blessed boon of a proper night's rest...well. It may not mean much to him, but it meant a great deal to her.

"Better?" He smiled for her.

There it was again, that ring in his voice. It simultaneously set her on edge and left her at ease in the same instant.

...yes." she flexed a hand into a fist, marveling at the sudden surge of strength. "That will do nicely." the corner of her mouth curled in a small, sardonic grin. "Thank you for pouring some strength back into these old bones of mine."

"Great!" he chirruped happily. "Glad I could help. And really, you're not old."

Gods above and below. Isobel was going to lose her mind when she met this man. They were cut from the same cloth; they'd either get along splendidly, or like a house on fire. She wasn't quite sure which.

...I think our dear Cleric would very much like to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki."

The purity of his smile hurt her heart. "Sounds great! Where is she?

"Upstairs," she said. "But be careful, she has a sharp...

Naruto was already gone, taking the steps two at a time with a whoop.

...tongue." she finished with a sigh as he bounded upstairs.

Honestly, that boy!

That said, her body really did feel lighter now, somehow. Like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She hadn't realized just how tired she felt, nor how much her bones had been aching these last few months. It was an unutterable relief to move without pain and fatigue again-

Unbidden, she caught sigh of herself in her wine glass and sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth.

A younger woman stared back, practically in her prime; as she looked on, she watched the last of the lines fade from her face, revealing smooth, unblemished skin. It was still her face alright, but smoother, youthful in a way she'd not seen in years, not since her last grand adventure so long ago.

Gasping, she touched a hand to her head. Even her hair, which had long been on its way to losing its luster, stood restored. She didn't just look younger than she had been in years, she was; her mind still keen and sharp as a tack and perfectly capable of comprehending what had just been done unto her.

What madness was this?! Had that blond bastard done this to her on purpose?! Or was it an accident of some sort?!

Two words came to mind. Just two.

"Well, shit...

(.0.0.0.)

Kurama was laughing.

'What? What's so damn funny?'

"Do you have any idea what you just did?"

What? He'd just touched her shoulder and gave her a boost.

Probably nothing to concern himself with, right?

.

..

...right?

(.0.0.0.)

Chosen.

That was the first word that came to mind when Isobel laid eye on Naruto Uzumaki. He almost seemed to shine in the moonlight, so much so that she doubted herself a second later and wondered if he was simply a fellow cleric of Selune at first-but no, this went well beyond what pitiful power she could muster in her current state. She blinked at the burning being before her and knew the truth of him in an instant.

Her heart raced, skipped a beat as it hadn't since Aylin.

He smiled at her then, so full of light and hope that, for a moment, she could've sworn her long lost love was standing right there before her. It hurt. Not just thinking of Aylin, but of what they could've had together. The thought of her long lost love hurt so much that she nearly broke down for a moment. She'd never forgive Father for what he'd done. It took her longer than she would've liked to rally and reassert herself enough to speak.

"Who are you?"

"Me?" the bemused blond beamed at her, still clad in that resplendent silvery light. "Just someone who Answered the Call."

Chosen. The word bleated in her mind again, stark and bright as the Lady of Light. He was Selune's Chosen.

How noble-no, focus! "I would have your name, good sir."

"Oh, sorry!" he scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Got a little ahead of myself."Names Naruto." whiskered cheeks dimpled in a smile and her heart skipped a beat again as he offered her his hand. "As to the how and why, you might wanna pull up a chair; its a long story...

He told her his tale, and what a tale it was, a yarn in a tapestry so grand it beggared belief.

"Selune sent you here?" she touched a hand to his shoulder. "To help us?"

His face flushed. "That's the long and short of it, I guess."

How long had it been since she'd touched someone like this? Talked to someone like this? She-blast it all, don't get distracted. There was no time to waste. With someone like him on their side -a Chosen of their own!- they might be able to turn. Granted, it was one Chosen against three, but surely if the Lady of Silver herself had blessed him...

She must be honest with him, then.

"Listen to me," she darted forward and clasped his hands in her own. "You must go to Moonrise Towers. But before that, there is something I must tell you. There is a man there, Ketheric Thorm." the words lodged in her throat, threatening to choke her, but if he was truly a Chosen of Selune, then he likely knew all already. "Jaheira doubtlessly told you he cannot die, but you see, he is my...well, that is to say-

A sudden thud from the balcony drew her attention, shattering her thoughts.

Startled, she whirled toward the sound, alarmed to find a distorted figure alighting there in a pointed crouch, clad in heavy plate armor.

A familiar figure. A familiar face. Her stomach heaved at the sight of him; of what he'd become.

No...

Twisted wings jutted and folded against his back as he rose to his full, towering height. His pale, bearded face twisted in a smirk. "Hello, Isobel...

"Marcus?" she balked at him, scarcely able to recognize the winged horror before her. "Is that you? What happened to you?"

"I've been blessed." his voice rang with unholy fervor as he extended his hand unto her. "You can be, too. Come with me; you can hear all about it from Ketheric himself and-

Panic bleated in her heart, quickening her pulse. Ketheric?! Father?! He'd come for her!

Then the traitor laid eye on Naruto and that smile died an ugly death.

"So the Gods acted after all." his once-handsome face twisted in a sneer. "No matter. You're no match for the Absolute."

Naruto clicked his tongue and folded both arms before his chest. 'Well, aren't you friendly?"

And just like that, it all made a twisted sort of sense.

Bile rose in her throat.

'Father, why? Why did you fall this far? What have you become...?'

How her mother would've wept to see things like this...

"The Absolute, of course." a bitter peal of laughter parted her lips before she could think to hold it back. "You can't believe them Marcus. Fa-Ketheric," she coughed the word quickly, "Will never give you whatever you've been promised. Don't you see...?

"He already has." he flexed his wings anew, and belatedly, she realized why they looked so familiar. The shape of then, even rotten and torn, feathers faded to black by years of decay. "Do you like them? I think they suit me rather well!"

Anger sparked in her, white hot. Aylin's wings. Those were Aylin's wings.

Someone had desecrated her corpse, ripped them from her beloved's broken back, and fused them to this...this MONSTER. Father had said Aylin was dead. That was why she'd run in the first place; fled from him after being brought back from the dead. She'd thought she'd seen the worst his depravity had to offer. Never in all her years had she thought him capable of something like this.

She'd been so very wrong.

Marcus must've seen the anger in her eyes, her hand tightening about the haft of her spear, because his smile faded. "Time to go Isobel."

Placing both hands on either side of his mouth, he threw his head back made to roar for reinforcements-

"Yeah, no."

Naruto's fist barreled into his unprotected throat, rendering his rallying cry gasping gurgle. Marcus staggered back, eyes bulging, choking -clutching!- at his windpipe for air that wouldn't come. He was still retching when the blond's glowing hands closed around him, spun him right round and-

Oh.

Ohh.

Ohhhdearthatlookedpainful.

From her stance beside him, Isobel had a front row seat to what followed; she looked on aghast as the silent blond swept Marcus from his feet and forced him down to his knees. From there, he planted a booth in his back, grabbed hold of his rotten wings-Aylin's wings!- grit his teeth, and yanked with all his might.

Blackened ichor spattered the ground as they tore free with a sickening squelch.

It did nothing to mask the shattered screams of Marcus, his wails of torment.

Isobel hardened her heart to them.

Let him cry. There would be no mercy. Not after what he'd done.

Naruto didn't stop there; rather than release the traitor and at least grant him a chance to beg for mercy, he seized him by the back of the head and smashed his face into the floor. Once, twice, thrice. Upon the fourth, he snatched the man up, dragged him out of the room, and marched over to the banister railing. A vicious toss catapulted the traitor over the edge and sent him howling down to the first floor, where he landed, quite literally, at Jaheira's feet.

The poor druid sputtered in surprise, but not for long.

Isobel flung herself over the edge to land awkwardly behind the duo, grimacing but a little as the shock rattled her legs. As such, she must've missed something Naruto said; because Jaheira suddenly had both her blades out -was it just her, or did she look younger somehow?- and as she looked on, the druid drove them down into the shoulders of Marcus, pinning him where he lay.

"Filthy traitor!" she all but spat the words. "You'll pay for this!"

"Marcus, was it? You were right about one thing, earlier." Naruto was still smiling down at his victim, and somehow, the sharpness of said smile made him all the more resplendent to her. "It is time for you to go."

Up came his right hand, fingers clenching into a cold, cruel claw. Ethereal light swirled within his grasp, swelling into a bright blue, silvery sphere. Beautiful baleful Moonlight danced within, growing larger-and louder!-with each passing second. Marcus spat something at him then, but his words were nearly lost in the keening whine of the blond's technique.

-fools! The absolute will smite you all!"

Naruto smote him instead; driving the spiralling sphere down into the man's stomach with bonecrushing force, eviscerating him where he lay.

Only then did he think to look her way; a sheepish smile bloomed upon those bloodied, whiskered cheeks.

...I'm sorry," he beamed their way, "Did you wanna interrogate him?"

Jaheira slapped a palm to her forehead. "Boy...

Isobel couldn't help herself.

She started laughing.

A/N: And we're off to a running start~!

We all knew Shar wouldn't take this lying down.

But now we've got a revtialized Jaheira out and about~!

The sad thing is, those actually WERE Aylin's old wings. There's a note about Balthazar transplanting them to Marcus in the game.

Pairing is meant to be small, potentially NarutoxIsobelxAylin, -yes, I'm aware of their leanings- unconventional as that may seem. Or possibly NarutoxJaheira, given that we don't get a chance to romance her in the game. Maybe even a converted Viconia. Of course, that depends entirely on fan feedback.

That'll do it for today. Now I'm headed to bed; trying to sleep off the pain.

Well? Should this remain a story? Yay or nay, what say you? Not much else to say this time 'round. Reviews keep me writing, and without them, my inspiration falls flat. Ever bit of feedback helps. Pain hurts. Pain hurts a loooot. But silence from readers and reviewers? That hurts even more. As ever, reviews keep this old man alive during these dark and crazy times. I ain't joking.

Seriously, we're all locked away anyways these days, feedback is all that sustains me.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... Review...Would You Kindly?

May the make you smile~!

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

PLOT DETAILS AHOY!

YE BE WARNED!

Read at your own risk!

(Previews)

"We all fear things. People, gods, all of us. For me, its ghosts. I just can't stand them! They're so spooky!"

"You are a literal agent of the divine! You cannot be afraid of a few specters!"

"Easy for you to say, Jaheira!"

He walked out past the barrier and into the darkness and it swarmed before him. No, that wasn't quite right. The shadows peeled back at his touch, spurned, but not removed. His brow furrowed at the sour stink of emotion that followed. This land was twisted. Broken. Wrong.

Steeling himself, he closed his eyes and drew upon his chakra, and Kurama's with it. Light filled him once more, rendering his body a strange union between gold and silver yet again. The light looked cold, yet he felt so warm...

Speak for yourself, Kurama grumbled in his ear.

A wraith burst out of the shadows, howling.

Panic!

He flung out a hand and it wilted with a shriek.

Cold. Why is it so cold?

Oh. This was the spirit of a child. I can't find mommy and daddy.

His heart twisted. Its not your fault.

Thank you...

How many had died here?

No, how many would still die? There was work to be done.

She sank to her knees before him.

...you're blessed by my mother." Even here, in the Shadowfell, he shown with her light. "I can tell. Who are you, stranger? Why have you come here?"

A hand wreathed in gold and silver pierced her bonds. "To break your cage."

Her heart fluttered in her chest as it hadn't in years.

Aylin clasped his palm in hers.

Ketheric Thorm! Fight and die like a man! Or don't." she snarled. "It makes no difference to me!"

EDIT: And there we have it! Thanks for reading! Hope you have a wonderful day, filled with lots of luck!