To be Worthy

Chapter 1-Worthy

A/N: EDIT: Made some adjustments and tweaks, then expanded some scenes. Hope you enjoy them!

Alright. Here we are. As folks requested, here it is.

This is the "Worthy" story from my Fragments of Remnant plot bin, fully realized.

Meanwhile, "Breath," "What Could Have Been," Popular Monster "Lord of Frenzy," and "Whistle of Death" are nearly ready now.

With my fifteen year anniversary on this site finally here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.

There are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.

Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.

Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. Meaning that if folks don't like this, it won't be continued. If the story itself ain't popular/well-received...well, I won't be able to continue it. I'm working two jobs, holidays are here too, meaning 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. Working all hours of the day keeps me absurdly busy; I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one! Really, they're just tributes to legends far greater than 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.

In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!

We have a soundtrack for this chapter, too, if you like.

BITE DOWN by Hiroryuki Sawano~!

"Ha! Listen to you, Jacques! Bleating on and on and on like a little dog. Yap. Yap. Yap.

You're no Father of mine! You're even a man-not really.

You're just a...MONGREL."

~An audible manifestation of arrogance.

To be Worthy

Not like this.

Naruto didn't want to die like this.

Not here, not alone, not bleeding out under the stars.

And yet here he was. Here was the price for his foolishness, for his humility. The battle was over. The war won.

And his reward?

A dagger in the back.

Right through the heart.

It was so cold tonight. He couldn't even feel his fingers anymore. Could barely breathe, with the hole in his chest, the blood filling his lungs. Kurama didn't have enough chakra left to heal him. He was exhausted, spent, just the same as he. Was this what humility won them? Blind trust had likewise blinded him to the danger right in front of them; he'd failed to see it, right to the very end. Even now he almost couldn't believe it. Shock had a funny way of dulling your thoughts.