A/N: WARNING! This chapter has timeskips, and lots of them. It won't become a constant thing, but its necessary for this chapter.
Still here, still writing despite my leg and back pain, but hey, I managed to get this out the door before work.
Looking forward to reading your reviews/chatting with you all when I get back.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular, I'll delete it soon thereafter. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard!
Now for your questions, comments, and concerns.
Q: Update schedule give now, plz.
A: Just a Shinobi IS being worked on, I repeat, it IS being worked on...its just more difficult than the rest. I'm trying to keep the quality consistent here, not half-ass something. Problem is, the chapter needs to be long; because there's a lot to unpack there with the Todoroki family.
Believe you me, I could rush a LOT of things out the door right now, but they would be drafts at beast, skeletons without meat on them.
Quality. I want to write a story folks can enjoy.
And quality it will be.
Q: Remember! Radahn learned gravity magic from an alabaster lord.
A: I've not forgotten. In fact, I've prepared my own unique take on it, seeing as we never got their name or identity...
Q: What's the difference between this and "An Orange Blasphemy"?
A: Simple. "Blasphemy" is a more humorous take on things, whereas "Scarlet Sky" goes full throttle with precious little in the way of restraint. It has humor to be sure, but Naruto here is bloody well motivated as Radagon and Rennala's eldest son, with no reason to hide his abilities, constantly growing stronger...
...and damnably hard to kill.
Radahn is the ultimate chad in Elden Ring after all. Boy's got a reputation to keep.
Well, that and children to father, a bloodline to continue, but we'll save that for later, eh? Wouldn't do to spoil things.
That said, I'm already looking forward to his imminent battle with Malenia in the distant future. That's gonna be a treat to write.
Q: GWYNEVERE! But does this mean the Omen Twins won't come about?
A: Suppose you'll have to read and see.
Q: Giant girl for giant guy?
A: Noticed that did you? Time will tell.
Alright then, I've kept you long enough. Lets get into the meet of the matter and have some fun!
As ever, I own no quotes, references, or memes. Not a wit or a one. NOPE!
They're merely tributes to legends far beyond me~!
"That boy is powerful."
"Nevertheless, he is our son, beloved."
"So he is. I suppose it falls to us to raise him. Radahn shall lack for nothing. He will have the greatest teachers, the greatest weapons, the finest of friends!"
"Beloved, you cannot simply plan his entire life for him. Surely know this."
"Perhaps not, but I shall see him live a better childhood than mine!"
~Radagon and Rennala.
Who Decided That
Rennala worried for her child.
Make no mistake, Radahn was a lovely boy and she cherished her son with all her heart and soul, but sometimes he acted oh so strange. Terribly strange indeed. Nevermind the curious matter of him speaking at birth, nor the quick rate of his growth, she could even bring herself to ignore his insatiable hunger, but this...?
Sometimes she wondered if she'd gone wrong somewhere. Were they at fault?
Three years old, and already in lessons, already acting like an adult...
.
..
...except when he didn't.
She should've been happy. He'd finally acted his age. So why was she so concerned?
"You mustn't be so rough with your teachers, Radahn." she tried to keep her face stern as she stared down at her firstborn. "They'll think you arrogant."
"Arrogant? Who decided that?" Her boy blinked up at her from where he sat in her lap, pale face the very picture of innocence as his legs swayed to and fro. "I don't think I'm arrogant-hey, that feels nice." he hummed a little as she ran her fingers through the tangled mane of his crimson hair. "One of my teacher's was bullying a student. I stopped them. I'm right. They're wrong. That's all there is to it. Now they won't bully anyone else.
Renala tutted softly, hiding a smile behind her hand. "That may be so, my sweet summer child, but even so you cannot simply say such...or beat down every bully you see."
He tilted his head. "Why not?"
Radagon laughed in the background as he sharpened his sword. "Was it not as I said? He is my son, after all."
"Yes, he certainly has your overwhelming pride!" Rennala reached around to swat him on the arm. "May the moonlight save me from stubborn boys!" Only then did she turn her gaze back to her brash little warrior. "Dear, did you have to use your swords on that poor proctor?"
"Yes." Radahn grinned up at her. "It was a powerful need, one I couldn't deny."
Radagon snickered, even as Rennala groaned. Patience. "Those swords are bigger than you are. You could hurt someone with them."
"I'll grow into 'em, mama." Little Radahn grinned, ignoring the point. 'Sides, I used the blunt edges on him. He'll survive. Maybe with a few less teeth...but he'll live."
Radagon fell off his chair, howling with laughter. Rennala shot him a baleful glare from her. Mistakes were made. The very moment she took her eyes off Radahn, her son went on the attack. A small hand tugged at her sleeve. It was something he rarely did these days; against her better judgement she looked down.
"Hey, mama...
The moment she did, she was lost.
Radahn looked up at her, hands clasped before his face.
...when are you and papa gonna give me a little sister? Its so lonely here."
Urk!
Radagon stopped laughing and sat up sharply. Rennala saw the fretful look in his eyes. It was a worry she shared. Was that it? Was that the problem? Was their son acting out because he felt alone? He had no friends to speak of, and only his teachers to learn from, most of whom wanted nothing to do with him these days. They went through a fresh batch every month. Such was a lonely life indeed. She did not relish the idea of visiting Marika, but the woman did have children of her own...no. She dashed the thought selfishly. She didn't want Marika anywhere near her brilliant little body.
Mayhap he did need a companion, or a sibling perhaps? She would not say nay to a daughter. The thought tickled at her.
"Mama?"
Rennala flushed. "Perhaps in two years time...if you fare well in your studies."
She didn't miss the way his eyes flashed. Such a determined boy.
"Pinky promise?" He held out his finger solemnly.
Rennala smiled and hooked her finger in his.
Oh, yes. She'd fallen right into his trap.
(.0.0.0.)
Power came to him quickly. Too quickly, some might say.
Naruto wasn't wholly sure whether that was a good thing, but he took it in stride. What else could he do? His new body grew with each passing year, and his keen mind only sharpened with it. He'd never been the sort to rest on his laurels to begin with, and this strange second life of his was no different than the first. Being reborn only made him all the more determined. To hell with what others thought of him. From the moment he could walk under his own power, he made it his mission to read every book he could, study every weapon he got get his hands on, and invest in every sorcery he saw.
He was only five years old and damnit, he wanted to test himself.
Credit where it was due, Radagon and Rennala recognized his drive early on.
His parents were more than happy to have such a driven son. Radagon brought teachers from far and wide to instruct him in the art of the blade, while Rennala summoned mentors to teach him esoteric sorceries, to say nothing of the lessons she herself imparted upon him. No expense was spared, no time wasted. Really, the irony was almost laughable. In his first life he'd begged folks to teach him. Here, in his second, he had but to ask and knowledge was handed to him on a silver platter. He feasted upon it.
Today his latest mentor had isolated him in academy the lecture hall, snuffed out the lights, and surrounded him with spellcasters on all sides.
Ostensibly it was to test his reflexes; to see how quickly he could react and respond to overwhelming force.
Naruto -Radahn!- knew better.
Sellen was a harsh taskmaster, unwilling to coddle him like Lusat and Azur, yet also willing to push him...always push, push, pushing. He made a point of exceeding her expectations these days. Yet for all her insight, she also had her share of flaws. For one, she was entirely too curious. No sooner did he past one test than she set another before him; if he didn't know better he'd say she was trying to break him, find the cliff that served as his limit and push him right over it. Not that she could.
"Are your prepared, my apprentice?" here voice echoed at him from all angles, impossible to discern...
.
..
...she's nine paces behind you, on your left."
He nodded and hung his head, long red hair hanging over his eyes. Heh. If only Kushina could see him now.
"Begin!"
The voice cracked out like a whip. A cold streak of blue light arched out at him from the dark; to which he raised a hand. The bolt froze in midair, wavered there, held by nothing but his will. Another arrowed out the dark and caught that one too. Three more came. Five. Seven. Nine! He didn't even bother to use his hands now, rather; he caught each bolt with his mind. Startled shouts came from the balcony and yet more spells were flung his way...to their detriment. Not a one reached him, each was left to hang in the air, as though suspended by an invisible string.
'Heh. Never get tired of that.'
Magic was a powerful tool, not all that different from chakra. Simple once you grasped it and versatile perhaps-a useful tool all the same. Yet unlike raw chakra, sorceries came with a crippling weakness. Magic was entire reliant entirely upon willpower. The strength of a sorcerer's mind determined the speed of their spell, but also their power. The greater one's willpower the stronger the spell and thus, their power over it.
When it came to sheer willpower, he and Kurama stood unmatched.
More spells rained down, lighting the dark with streaks of blue and green. He stopped them all, plucking them out the air, one by one, until the lecture hall lay lit with a veritable cosmos of stars. A toothy grin stretched its way across whiskered cheeks. He raised his hands, and the frozen spells began to swirl around, responding to his will.
Sellen inhaled sharply from her hideaway, no doubt realizing what he intended. "Oh, dear...
Naruto threw his head back, flung out his arms, and roared at the ceiling. In the same instant he seized the sea of suspended spells with his mind. Pushed. They shot back to their masters with unerring accuracy, packing far more power than before. A series of harsh cracks were his reward, punctuated by yelps of pain. Bodies hit the floor.
It was the pebble that started an avalanche.
Spells lanced out the dark, sorceries great and small. Naruto laughed at them all. Mother always said quantity held a quality all its own, but this wasn't enough. Not nearly enough. A wild waltz ensued, a devastating dance whose moves only he could see. He swayed away from one spell, ricocheted another, sent a third caroming off the ceiling. One by one the spellcasters fell; some to their own incompetence, others from mana drain, and still more to friendly fire.
Poor bastards. They'd be out for the rest of the day.
But all good things must come to an end and this "lesson" was no different; the dance ended all too soon as the final caster fell to a returned spell, clutching her chest.
"My apprentice," Sellen's familiar voice sighed from the shadows, "Must you manhandle your teachers so?"
Naruto shrugged. "They're alive, aren't they? I went easy on them."
He heard her scoff. "If this is what you call "easy", I shudder to think what would warrant a serious effort from you."
Smiling, he turned toward her in the dark and beckoned, fingers crooking forward. "Wanna find out?"
Her staff tapped the floor, igniting the lamps and bathing the room in light. "Hmm. Shall we?"
Sellen understood. In battle, victory was all that mattered. The scholars and sorcerers of Raya Lucaria failed to realize that. Pious pride meant nothing when your your nose was in the dirt, your back against the wall. His first life had taught him that much. In a real fight, when you faced down your foe, you fought hard, and took them down harder. And why shouldn't he? He had no need nor want to hide his skills. As far as this world was concerned, "Radahn" was a prodigy.
He was content to let everyone believe such. They weren't wrong.
"Prepare yourself."
His instructor took aim and cast with liquid grace, conjuring a swarm of arcing stars to track him. Naruto gave it a moment then lunged back, letting them hound his steps, raced up a wall, reached the ceiling...and turned to a shattered chair as the barrage smashed him dead in the chest. Ahhh, the good ol' fashioned substitution jutsu. Still useful even now.
"...!"
Sellen barely had time to hiss a curse, much less summon a frantic sorcery as he reappeared behind her. He took wicked pleasure in batting aside her every spell as he closed the distance. A low power rasengan struck her high in the torso and sent his mentor spinning to the ground. Even as she fell he reached out and snatched her up by the throat, grabbed her Great Glintstone Crown and yanked. Hard.
Off it came!
Down she went!
Her back slammed into the ground. His sword scythed down to kiss her throat a heartbeat later. "Yield."
"Well done." Startled green eyes blinked back at him, framed by dark hair and the hint of a smile. "You nearly had me, young Radahn."
Naruto found himself squinting. "Nearly?"
Her smile didn't waver.
He looked down. Finally felt the sharpened shard glintstone staff digging in his dark tunic, just below his right arm. A stalemate, then. Surprising...and rare. His opinion of her climbed just a little higher. Had this been an actual battle they might've killed each other. Seemed he wasn't the only one learning from their lessons together.
Sellen's gaze sparkled. "Let us call it there then, shall we? I think that's enough for today."
The faint sound of clapping cut off anything he might've said.
Naruto craned his neck over his shoulder and found the source approaching from an adjacent hallway. The tall figure had to stood to make it through the arch, but it was the distinctive flash of red hair that truly gave him away. Only one other in the Lands Between had long crimson locks like his.
Sure enough, Radagon -Dad!- approached at a leisurely pace. "I take it today's lesson is concluded?"
Naruto let Sellen up. His mentor scrambled to her feet, tried to find her crown, then gave up entirely. "It is my lord."
Radagon quirked a questioning brow his way. "I take it you won once again?"
...bit of a draw, actually."
"Excellent." his smile said he was glad to hear it and had Sellen sputtering. "Ah, but I digress. I took the liberty of securing you an additional instructor, as you asked." he stepped aside, moving away from the arch. "They only just arrived an hour ago." pale hands clapped once, producing a startling pop of sound. "You may enter."
Another loom figure shuffled into the lecture hall. They were tall, taller even, than Radagon himself.
Naruto looked up. Up. And up some more.
Well, well, an Alabaster Lord. He'd only ever read about them.
Tall yet slender, dark of skin and darker hair, wrapped in a deep blue tunic of foreign make, she stood apart from anyone he'd ever seen before. Hers was a severe beauty, stoic and stern. Bright amethyst eyes locked onto his. Indeed, her very gaze seemed to command an unspoken weight; such that he felt his spine stiffen beneath her gaze.
"This is the one?" dark brows furrowed upon him, instantly disdainful. "He is but a boy."
Sellen climbed to her feet. "He's stronger than he looks."
"Be that as it may, he is young for what you wish of him." the woman's scowl only deepened when he didn't respond. "The ways of my people are not so easily taught, least of all to a child. He will break."
Naruto found his voice at last. "I won't."
"Yes." She laid a hand on her sword. "You will. You are young."
He hid an inward smile and didn't rise to the low-hanging bait. "We'll see."
"Enough." Here at last, a hint of steel entered Radagon's voice. "I'm not paying you to disparage him, Elena, but to teach. Call him weak and again and you'll be cast out the castle."
The Alabaster Lord pursed her lips. "...do not blame me if he harms himself."
He'd enjoy wiping that look off her face.
"Watch."
As he looked on the Alabaster Lord drew her sword and thrust it into the ground. The world shifted. No, not the world Naruto realized, but gravity itself; an unseen force dragged him forward, such that he found himself all but unable to resist. He grit his teeth and dug his feet in, to no avail.
Sellen made an appreciative noise. It wasn't lost on him.
"Do you see now?" his new mentor -Elena!- freed her sword with a sullen scowl, releasing him from the confines of the spell. "This is Gravity Magic. 'Tis not an art easily learned, let alone mastered." her brow writ with concentration anew, and lo behold, a small chunk of the floor tore itself free and hovered into her hand. "It takes patience, dedication, and...why are you making that face, boy?"
Naruto barely heard her. The gears of his mind where already whirling. Plotting. Considering.
Huh. Didn't seem so hard. Like a weaker version of Shinra Tensei, really. He'd always been able to push, freeze spells, overpower them with his will, but he'd never considered the applications of pulling something to him, let alone the application of gravity. By that mark it sounded awfully simple...was it, then?
"Magic is more pliable than chakra, and this body channels it well. You should be able to do it if you focus...
He unsheathed his twin greatswords, heedless of Elena's expression.
She shook her head, setting her raven tresses swaying. "Mimicry will avail you naught, child."
"We'll just see about that!"
He stabbed them into the ground, sheathing them nearly to the hilts, and yanked with his mind.
The earth answered.
Three great chunks of rock rose, behind Naruto, gleaming a baleful violet. Elena's eyes widened, even as Radagon rumbled a laugh. They wobbled for a moment as his control faltered. Steadied now, as he sought a target. He chose a rickety looking chair at the end of the lecture hall. It was crude, not mastery at all, but he felt he at least had enough of a grasp to...there!
They shot forward like a trio of arrows loosed from a bow.
An awful grinding sound filled the air, and the chair-alongside a goodly portion of the floor!-ceased to be in an instant.
Elena balked. "I...you...how?! On your first try?! That's impossible!?
"Ha! He beamed at her. "Told you I'm a quick learner. So this is gravity magic? Interesting." pearly white teeth flashed in a cherubic grin. "Very interesting!" he weaved a hand through the air, calling a pebble to his hand. "I like it! I can do all sorts of things with this!"
...so it would seem." something akin to wary respect bloomed in the tall woman's gaze. "Very well." she sketched a stiff bow, either unable or unwilling to curtsy for his sake. "I shall teach you my ways. We will see if you prove capable."
Sellen applauded politely. "See? I never doubted you for a moment, my apprentice.
Radagon's smile was pure pride. "That's my boy."
Naruto saw his opening and rounded on him. "There. That's enough for now, right? I've finished today's lessons. Can we go, now? You promised."
Radagon didn't even pause to consider his ulterior motives. Not once.
"So I did. Come. Let us find you a mount...
(.0.0.0.)
Radagon felt the beginnings of a conniption scratching at his soul.
Idly, he wonder if Marika could feel his confused disbelief all the way from the Plateau. The reason for it, you ask? Several hours ago he and his son, his young heir and first born, had sallied into the Carian wilds to find him a mount. He had told his son to find a powerful steed, one who would both watch his back and be his feet across the lands between. Given his son's truly remarkable power and strong stature he had expected him to ride back with a mighty stallion in toe.
Or perhaps a magical deer. Or hell, a gods damned dragon! But this…?!
"I know you are fond of jests, my son, but I get an awful feeling that your choice here is serious…" Radagon palmed his face with a dry sigh, golden eyes surveying the bag of bones that constituted the chosen mount. "Tell me this is a jest."
Radahn gave his father an incredulous look, patting the scrawny horse between his ears. "His name is Leonard, and I've never been more serious about something in my life."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Radagon gave the pair a once over. "He lacks strength, speed, constitution and power. What in the name of the moon and sun does this mount possibly have?"
Radahn's grin softened to a smaller but more genuine smile, "because he keeps trying anyway."
...you may well outgrow him." the words pained him, but they had to be said.
He wasn't prepared for the determined glint in the boy's eyes.
"Then I'll just have to learn more gravity magic, won't I?"
A/N: Aaaaand there we go.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular, I'll delete it soon thereafter. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard!
As ever, reviews are my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.
So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
They keeps an old man alive.
And enjoy the previews.
As ever:
POTENTIAL PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
YE BE WARNED!
Some are very far off, mind you.
Obvious references are obvious, of course~!
(POTENTIAL!) Previews! What can I say? I've been busy.
"I'll take on all challengers. Even the stars themselves."
"I have cousins?! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
There was a shy girl there too, clutching the queen's skirts.
"Come now, don't be shy." Marika nudged her. "Say hello to him, Gywnevere."
He considered the small babe in Renala's arms. "Well, I always wanted to be a big brother…"
The little girl gazed up at him. He grinned down at her.
"Welcome to the world, Ranni...
...brother, I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?"
Ranni glowered up at him. "Tis not fair! You're bigger than me!"
Radahn tried not to laugh. She could see it in his eyes.
"Monster! He's a monster!"
"Now, now, you're being rude.
A low rumble rose in the air. It sounded like laughter.
Radahn should've been dead. Devastated on the spot. Instead, he only smiled.
"Well done. I actually felt that one. It tickled. Right here." he scratched at his chest without fear. "Like an annoying gnat buzzing in my ear.
She could do this. Breathe!
Gwynevere managed a timid wave. Radahn pivoted. How someone so tall could move so quickly was beyond er.
"Did you need something, cousin?" he lowered his swords. I'm a bit busy here. Well," he grimaced at the ruined practice dummy. "I was.
She bowed her head and thrust her hands at him. She was holding flowers. But not just any flowers.
"They...they reminded me of your red hair."
His jaw clicked open.
"Oh."
Godwyn watched them for a moment longer. Then he walked away. "My work here is done~!"
Rennala laughed. "My little boy's falling in love. I never thought I'd see the day...I doubt she'll be the last."
"What is a man? Power? Determination? Authority? No! A man is more than that. A man is what he makes of himself. Who he loves. What he chooses to protect.
And I choose to stand here. Today! On this battlefield!
Come! I'll take you all on!"
"Did you think that killing me would be enough to make me die? Guess again. Did you think piercing my heart would kill me? Guess again. Did you think ANY of this would work?"
A giant hand closed around their head. How they pleaded. How they begged.
Their words fell on deaf ears.
"GUESS. AGAIN."
He squeezed.
R&R~!