Drip

Think of the darkest place you've ever been.

Drip

The deepest, darkest hole you have ever seen.

Drip

Think of that dakrness falling over you like a cloak.

Drip

Molding you. Annoting you.

Drip

Think of the whispers in the shadows, nawing at the edge of your sanity. Begging, pleading, screaming for you to give in.

Drip

Think of that pure, unadulterated madness, crawling into your soul and trying to bend you to it's will.

Drip

Now think of a candle at your feet. Small, fragile, but defiant in the dark. Fighting back. Raging against the night.

Drip

One, small iota of light, keeping your darkness at bay.

One reason.

One cause.

One goal.

Drip

A man straightened in his sitting position. Blue eyes snapped open, a load clang resounding in the darkness. Light floods into the room as the candle at his feet is snuffed by the change in wind.

"It's time for your bout. Try to put on a good show, neh?" A slick voice mocks.

The blue eyes gaze at the door, taking in the lithe form of the man standing there.

It would be so easy. A quick snap. You could be out of here in minutes.

He shakes off the whispers. Closing his blue eyes with a soft sigh. The light still needed him. His light was still in danger.

"Hey, Hey kiddo! You know you're gonna be a big brother soon right?" A kind looking man spoke, his hand resting on a young boy's head. The man wore a soft smile, taking in the sunset with his son.

"Imma be the bestest brother ever!" The boy shouted, nodding his head vigorously.

The man laughed, ruffling the young boys hair.

"I'm sure you will Buddy. I'm sure you will."

A tall, young man, stands in his cell, blue eyes piercing ahead, blond hair, wild and shaggy, framing his face.

He would protect the light. He would fight and kill for the light.

"Take her and hide Sweetie! Don't come out till me or Daddy come for you! Promise me!" A beautiful woman rambled in a panicked hurry, shoving a bag and a four year old girl into the boys arm.

The sounds of battle raged outside. Her husband cutting their attackers down by the dozens.

"M-mommy...what...what's going on??" The boy was scared. Confused. Where was Mommy going? Where was Daddy? What was that noise?

"We don't have time sweetie. I'm sorry, I'll explain later I swear, now please take your sister!" The woman pushed the two children, a crying four year old girl and a baffled eight year old boy.

She could feel her heart breaking. She knew she was lying. She had to be strong though. Her babies needed to see her strong.

The young man stepped forward, the light of the hall pouring on to his form. Scars littered him, telling a tale of hard won fights.

His one arm visible to his caretaker. It brought an ugly sneer to the man's face. The left arm, missing at the elbow.

He clinched his fist at his side. The light. The light.

"Take this Sweetie." The woman pushed a large knife into the little boys hands, hating herself for the burden she was about to place on his shoulders. "If me and Daddy don't come back in an hour, run. Take your sister and just go. Do you understand?"

The boy shook his head, he didn't understand! What! Why! "Mommy!" The question died in his mouth, the older woman having wraped the two children in a hug.

"We love you, so very much." The woman said, tears trailing down every present face. The little girl wailed in abstract confusion. The boy clung to his mother desprately. She pulled back, a small, hollow and sad smile on her face. She kissed the litle girl on the head, and with a muted flash, the girl was unconscious. She grabbed the boy by the shoulders."Naruto.."

"Naruto. Are you ready? You seem a bit lost in thought." That same slick, disgusting voice spoke.

Naruto shook his head again this time in affirmation, stepping into the hall fully, white feathers trailing behind him and showing the black tattooed chain hugging the blond's neck.

"Take care of Kari. Protect her, with everything you have. Do you understand?"

The boy, Naruto, stared at his mother for a moment, tears spilling from his eyes. He clinched the knife in his hand, and his eyes closed, a firm nod answering.The woman smiled a bit brighter now, her brave little boy...

"I love you."

"WELCOME LADIES AND DEVILS, TO THE LAST FIGHT OF THE ANNUAL UNDERWORLD BRAWLING CHAMPIONSHIP!" An announcer called over a speaker system. Naruto stood behind his barred enterance. One eye focused on the VIP booth and the seat that held his caretaker.

He would save the light. No matter what.

"PLEASE PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THE THREE TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION! SHOUJI THE BEAST!" spoke the announcer, cheers met his call, pleas of marriage and joy meeting a large man that entered from the far side of the areana. His bulky mass soaking up the words of endearment like water to a sponge.

Naruto paid it no mind. His mind was focused. razor sharp. Honed on the task put before him.

Win.

"AND THE CHALLENGER! A MAN OF FEW WORDS, DEADLY SKILLS, AND AN UP AND COMER IN THE FIGHTING WORLD!"

The gate raised before Naruto and he steped onto the wide field. A roar of boos met him before the words even left the annoucers mouth.

"THE FORSAKEN!"

"Take care of Kari!" "I will Mom." Naruto clinched his fist. Narrowing his eyes at the obsticale before him. He knew the score here, it was always the same. His owner points, and he fights.

Win, and his sister sees another day.

Lose however...

Naruto shook his head, banishing those thoughts, he had one task before him. One last fight and ZaZa would let his sister go.

Naruto cliched his right fist, a calming breathe escaped him. He flexed his back as the outcry of anger washed over him. Slowly, a pair of white wings spread from his back, untouched by the rage being thrown at him. Pure, as if made of light themselves.

The rage of the crowd grew, the proof of their long hated enemy on clear display. It was always like this.

Devils. More like animals. Mad dogs needing to be put down.

Naruto let his anger subside. He couldn't hate them. Even now, after his last years spent as a cage fighter, he knew not all devils were so...vile.

He looked toward ZaZa, noting the redhead to his left. A tall man clad in armor, a distasteful expression on his visage, be it from the atmosphere or Naruto's presence was unclear.

One of the Four Moau, Sirzechs Lucifer.

A fair man by most standards, and the one who would insure Kari's and Naruto's freedom.

One. More. Fight.

"Here we are ladies and gentlemen! The final bout! Who will win? The mighty Beast! Or The Forsaken Angel!"

Naruto slowly slide a knife from the back of his belt, runes crossing the blade in intricate patterns. The muted golden handle, worn and use to it's master's grip.

Shouji readied a greathammer across from him, the pure bloodlust and desire to end him suffocating the air.

Naruto paid it no mind. He took no pride in this. No joy. He fought for one reason.

"Take care of Kari. Protect her with everything you have."

Naruto's eyes hardened as he took a wide stance, muscles coiling like a spring.

Shouji raised his hammer, a mad grin spreading across his face. The massive mans fingers tightened as they both awaited the call.

"Begin!"

Both combatants sprang forward, Naruto's lean frame cutting the distance between them in seconds. The hammer came at him in perceived slow motion, and a quick duck was all it took to out maneuver the weapon.

Naruto roller out of his duck and sprang forward between Shouji's legs, a breif flash of light highlighted by two splashes of blood dropped the mountain of a man to one knee, even as Naruto turned to plant the knife into the Beasts kidney.

A large hand intercepted the knife mid swing, and Naruto was tossed bodily end over end into a stone wall, his impact knocking the air out of him.

Shouji charged after, slowed by his wounded legs but undaunted. A mighty swing of his hammer shook the arena as it contacted the wall. Smoke billowed from the impact point, and Shouji smirked in confidence that a fatal blow had been dealt.

"Above!" Cried a voice from the spectators, as the crowd, and the Beast all looked up in time to see Naruto come down with a rewarding slash across Shouji's spin, only to spring backwards and dodge the retaliatory hammer strike set to take off his head.

Shouji roared in anger, that this angelic scum could dare lay a blade on him.

Naruto looked on, his eyes chips of blue ice, calculating and cold. He kept his wings tight to his back, getting ready for the next trade off.

Shouji charge at the blond, a bone chilling war cry over powering the roar of the crowd. Comments from the showman long since ignored by all parties.

"I'll kill you!" The Beast billowed, a heavy handed strike breaking the earthen floor like a crack of lightning.

Alas it meant not, as Naruto had already moved inside the Beast's range, two flashes and Shouji held to lines of blood trailing down his arms.

A body kick flung Naruto away, no way to block with he weapon hand still extended, end over end he rolled on the ground, he came to a stop in a crouch, spit and blood leaving his lips.

That last hit broke some ribs it would seem, a large bruise already forming in the shape of Shouji's boot.

Naruto tsked, whoever thought Gladiatorial combat was a good idea was a fucking idiot.

"Come on runt, can't take a kick? These little paper cuts won't stop me!" Shouji shouted as he shouldered his hammer, a grim smirk crossing his face.

Naruto just watched on, waiting for the Beast to move.

"Nothing to say, eh Angel? That's okay, ya know ZaZa told me about your little deal." Shouji mocked his smirk turning darker.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. 'ZaZa, you bastard.'

"He said if I beat you, I can't have a go at the pretty blond he keeps locked away." The hammer came back to the earth, trailing behind Shouji. He would charge once more. Soon.

Naruto's eyes flaired in anger. How dare this SCUM ever think of touching Kari!

Kill him! Ruin him! Cut him to bits!

Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear the rage filled words from his mind.

When he opened them, Shouji was feet infront of him, hammer in mid swing. "Got ya!" The Beast cried as the crowd reached a crescendo.

Naruto reacted, and blood flew.

"Arrgghhh!" Cried Shouji, clutching at the stump of his right shoulder, his arm and hammer laying as an after thought to Naruto.

Naruto flowed the man at a slow step, even as the Beast cowered away from him. He kicked Shouji to his back, and placed his boot to the Beast's throat.

Naruto's blue eyes gazed over the crowd, most not happy at the outcome, but looking for death all the same. He crossed eyes with a girl close to his age, red of hair and blue in the eyes. She sat a few rows below the spectator box of the rich and powerful.

He held her gaze even as the hundreds of spectators called for Shouji's death.

"Finish it!" The commentator called, and Naruto cast his eyes down. Shouji begged for his life, even as he slowly bleed out in the dirt.

Naruto looked at the spectator box, his eyes matching ZaZa's, then Sirzechs. Both men nodded, consenting to the fitting death of Shouji The Beast.

Naruto looked once more to the girl, he didn't know why. They stared at each other for minutes it seemed, even if only a second past.

She shook her head in a subtle no, and for some reason, Naruto felt as if a month long discussion had just been held between them.

Naruto slowly pulled his boot from Shouji's neck, ignoring the mass boo's to meet his action.

"I have beaten your champion, and left him disarmed. Declare my victory." Naruto intoned his eyes on the commentator, causing the man to sweat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! THIS YEARS VICTOR TO THE ANNUAL UNDERWORLD BRAWLING CHAMPIONSHIP! The Forsaken!"

A smattering of cheers and boos resounded through the crowd, but Naruto ignored it all, his eyes seeking out the young red head as he walked to his exit.

He saw her, standing, talking to a few others. Friends perhaps, or her peerage.

Naruto shook his head, banishing his thoughts, before he locked his eyes forward. It was time to talk to ZaZa.