A/N: Seems I was wise to wait for the DLC~! We've a short chapter this time. I'm not pushing myself, lest I have another anxiety attack.
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As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
SPOILERS FOR SHADOWS OF THE ERDTREE AHEAD!
"Save us.
You must save us.
I am BEGGING you. Don't let Him win...!"
~?
Fetch
"What have you done?"
To say that Jerren wasn't happy upon their return would something of an...understatement. The man was furious-no, well past searing anger; his temper had frozen into an ice cold lake that threatened to shatter at any moment and suck the two of them down into the freezing abyss.
In short?
Much angry.
Not a good time.
"Hey, hey!" Naruto flung up his remaining hand to ward him off before the man could draw his blade and turn the entire castle against them. "We didn't do anything! Radahn was like this when we found him! Have you even checked up on him?!"
Silence descended over the plaza, broken only by the sound of his empty sleeve of his maimed limb flapping in the wind. Milicent looked his way, one hand on the hilt of her own blade. He wasn't sure how well she'd be able to fight with one arm-not against this many. He wasn't keening on cracking Jerren's skull himself -he could, even down an arm as he was- after all, the man was relatively blameless in this,
"Did you look in on him?" he tried?" Even once?"
Here at least, the general's comrade hesitated. "None could get close to Radahn for fear of being slain.
Hearing his name, Radahn bounded forward.
Naruto winced, fearing he might flatten Jerren."
"Ah! Sit!"
The mightiest demigod of the shattering barked like the dog he wasn't and sat on his hindquarters with such force that the very earth itself quivered.
Jerren glared their way. "Do you think this funny?"
Milicent at least had the good grace to look at least somewhat abashed about the whole ordeal, bless her. "No...
Naruto scratched at the back of his head. "Well, this is a problem."
Radahn barked anew.
"I feel ya, we can't just leave him like this."
Millicent rounded on him, arms flung wide to protect the gentle giant. "I'm not putting him down!"
Naruto blew out a breathy sigh. "Not saying you should! We can't bring him with us." Radahn whined to that effect and he rounded on the general. "Oi! You are not a puppy! Stop that. Sit!" much to his eternal chagrin, the feral general obeyed. A fresh flush of heat seared up the back of his neck. "Oi, now...
Milicent prodded his side with her good arm. "Any chance he might be faking...?"
Jerren sputtered. "How does one fake such a condition?!"
"Well, there's one way to find out...
Glancing about, she spied a fallen spear, snatched it up, broke off the pointy end and held it up.
Radahn froze, eyeing the crude implement like it was the greatest of gold.
Millicent whirled and launched it into the air Fetch!
Radahn bounded after the broken spear on all fours, leaped up with a remarkable display of gravity magic, speed and strength, to summarily catch the "stick" between his teeth. Quick as can be, he loped back their way dropped it at their feet, with a happy noise.
Jerren trembled where he stood, looked like he was one step short of an aneurysm. "Boy…
"Don't blame me for this!
"I don't!" Jerren ripped the helm from his head, the better to glare at them. "I blame her and her ilk!" he thrust a finger Millicent's way. "She's a daughter of Malenia!"
"I didn't even exist back then!"
Alas, the old witch hunter wasn't so easily assuaged. "Then yer mother is to blame for this madness! Find her and fix this!"
"And if we're not able to...?"
Millicent raised the spear, ready to throw again. "Umm...who's a good boy?"
Radahn tackled her.
Malenia's daughter crashed backward with a giggle as the feral general cuddled her. "Stop, stop-ha! That tickles!"
(.0.0.0.)
In the end, Jerren folded.
The result was something of an uneasy truce between the three of them; the Redmanes were delighted to have their Lord returned, but he was a feral, rotten, wild mess. They could not bring him with them, but neither could they have him stay. What to do, oh what to do? There was only one recourse.
A cure was clearly required.
Naruto knew that, really he did, it was merely a matter of how.
Millicent already had a needle in her, they could hardly take that out now, could they?
She was still recovering and Radahn seemed strangely fond of her. He had no desire to threaten that tentative balance.
Yet despite all that, he could still feel the eyes of others upon them.
Watching. Waiting. Wishing.
It concerned him more than he cared to admit. Redmane castle was theoretically sound; safe and well-guarded by Jerren and his merry men. Yet he couldn't help but feel that they weren't safe here. They had drawn the attention of something -or perhaps someone- meddled in things they shouldn't have.
The feeling nagged at him even now as he took the night watch.
Jerren didn't have enough men to guard the castle walls, and he had shadow clones aplenty. It was the perfect fit; the easiest way to calm the old witch hunter.
The sky of Caelid was a rare blue tonight, downright peaceful even, but he refused to lower his guard despite it all. No matter what some might say, he wouldn't let the enemy have their way.
There.
Movement down below.
Seemed they had a visitor this evening.
Someone was skulking by the castle gate, looking for openings in the walls, some means of egress. He considered sounding the alarm and alerting the others, but thought better of it; he didn't sense any negative intent from this one. On the contrary, he felt a strange sort of yearning, a longing from her. And fear. So much fear.
Whomever this was, she was completely, utterly terrified of something, and it wasn't him.
On a whim, he slung himself down off the parapet and landed before them.
"Hello, there! Nice night to be skulking about, eh?"
They flinched at the sight of him, his lantern moreso.
He nearly did the same himself once he laid eyes on them.
Because you see, this intruder was a dead-ringer for Milicent. Red of hair and golden-eyed like his new friend, even the same sickly birthmark on the side of her face. The sole difference was a dirty white bandage wrapped over the left eye, hiding a wound of some sort.
Pity stirred in his heart, for all the good it did him.
Without warning, she rallied and darted towards him; in his shock he didn't think to stop her. A rotten danger dangled from her belt, but she made no move to draw it. On the contrary, she dipped a hand into the pouch at her side and held it out to him.
"You've come, good." her visible eye glimmer Just like she said you would. "Here, take this. We haven't much time."
He leaned back, baffled. "Who-
"Take it!" babbling, she pushed a wrapped parcel into his hands, velvety blue cloth all. "A gift. Give it to the General, but be quiet about it." fretfully she glanced about herself, as though expecting the very shadows to come alive at any moment. "It will help him, I think. She said it would."
"She?"
"St. Trinna. Don't let Miquella know." her voice dropped to a low, worried babble as he squinted at her in utter confusion." He already has our sisters; but he doesn't seen me yet, but he will soon. Once he does, I won't be Me anymore...
All this talk was sailing right over his head. "Wait a sec, what're you on about-
"You can't let him take Millicent." the girl grabbed his hands, fingers biting into his own. "She must remain pure. Mother is already lost. She will be our salvation. Millicent will save us. She must save us."
"Save you from what?" He squinted at her, nonplussed. "Who are you? why do you look like Millicent...?"
"I am...Polyana." the girl flinched even as she said the name. "Don't let Him win. He mustn't win."
She faded away into red mist before his eyes, leaving him scratching his head.
Naruto opened his hand to see what she'd given him...another needle.
A rueful smile tugged at his lips. "Well, I'll be...
A/N: There we are.
To be clear! This pairing is exclusively NarutoxMilicent...with possibly Milicent's sisters as well.
Well? Did you like this story? Yes? No? Maybe? Speak out! Make yourselves heard! Your voice matters~!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well...I'll not continue it.
That's no joke.
I'm working two jobs these days -and been promoted atop that- 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 the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that.
Next chapter title: Long Live the Queen. *whistles innocently* gee, I wonder who that is...?
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review, Wouldst Thou Kindly?
And have some previews. Some are quite off, but still...
(Previews)
"You met my sister?"
...the knight lurched up behind them with a grunt. He knelt and thumped a fist against their breastplate, producing a hollow clank.
Naruto turned a baffled look on Milicent. "What's he want?"
"She, actually."
A blink. "How can you tell?"
That armor is far too slim for a man.
The knight bowed their head in agreement and Milicent heaved a sigh; it was as she feared, then. "I believe she wishes to serve you.
"Eeeeh? Look, I'm flattered, but I dunno about this...
"MAY CHAOS TAKE THE WORLD?!"
"How about no. I'm taking this world without your chaos."
"Heresy!"
"Sisters?"
"I have four of them."
Naruto whistled despite himself.
"TOGETHA-
A giant golden fist smashed the snake down.
"No! Bad snake! I have had entirely enough of you!"
"Is that...an arm? Wherever did you find such a thing...?"
"What are you doing?!"
"Huh?" he looked back at her. "What's it look like? I'm fixing Caelid."
"Even you cannot-
"See this mark?" he held up his hand revealing a single circle etched within his palm. "It lets me do some pretty incredible things. Now watch!"
He slammed his hand down.
...I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella. And I have never known defeat."
Milicent flinched back despite herself. "Mother...?"
Malenia stalked ehr way. "I have no child."
CLONG!
Clenched knuckles crashed into her helm, leaving a decidedly fist-shaped impression behind. Back she went, landing on her rear. Another kick knocked her flat.
Down she went into the puddle.
Naruto planted a boot onto her bosom, pinned her there, leaned down, and smiled.
It was not a nice smile; his was all teeth, promising pain if she angered him.
"Say that shit about Milicent again. One more time...
R&R~!