People of the Land

Prologue - The Lost Heir

"Shiki Fūjin!"

Minato and Kushina, the two new parents, both collapsed to the ground. The Kuuybi's gigantic claw was sucked into their newborn son's body, with the rest of the demon fox tagging along. There was a sudden stillness in the landscape, as if the Land were holding her breath. The two rulers lay equally still, their eyes closed, and their limbs limp and unmoving. Were someone were to pass by then, it would seem as if they were simply in peaceful slumber, if not for the blood. Then as suddenly as it was created, the silence was broken by the piercing wail of a newborn. His mother, Kushina, slowly opened her eyes in response, and looked up at where her baby boy laid on the raised dark orange cushion of the sealing altar.

Seeing her baby's distress, the queen attempted to stand on her feet, but found that she couldn't. She was so tired. Going through childbirth and then having the Kuuybi extracted from her was seriously taking a toll on her body. She was tempted just to let herself fall asleep and rest, but when her eyes started to close she heard her small child crying out again and they just couldn't stay closed after that. So, even though Kushina was exhausted and most probably dying, her Uzumaki determination combined with her newly found motherly instincts forced her to crawl to her baby. She pulled him off the sealing alter and wrapped him securely in a strip of cloth from her skirt and then in her shaking arms. She rested against the altar and looked over to her husband.

He's not moving.

She felt the panic rise up her throat, threatening to choke her. The little baby in her arms sensed her distress and squirmed, his wails beginning to rise again. Kushina quickly swallowed her panic and calmed herself before looking down at her child. His big blue eyes were open and rapidly filling with tears as he looked up at his mother. Kushina marveled at the thought that this small baby could possibly understand what was going on.

Of course he does! He's got his parents' super smart and awesome genes after all!

Kushina smiled down at him and let soft and comforting words spill from her lips. "Hey, it's alright, baby, everything is fine. We'll all be just fine. Just close your eyes and go to sleep. I'll be right here with you when you wake up." She continued to reassure him until a tiny (and adorable, might she add) yawn was released and his eyes flutter closed.

A wave of pain coursed through her body and she winced. Kushina knew that promise would most likely be broken. She also knew that Minato was probably dead or dying. A different sort of pain filled her being. She felt as if her heart was being ripped to shreds with that realization. The tears fell down her face as her eyes squeezed shut. How had this night come to this? It was supposed to be one of the greatest days in their lives, the night when their child came into the world. Said child fidgeted in her embrace once again. She pushed the thoughts of her husband out of her mind, and focused on her baby. One of her tears had landed on his face. She wiped it away with one thumb.

"I'm sorry baby," she whispered, for that was all that she could do with her waning strength. Kushina felt him settle down once more, and she softly hummed to her child, her voice growing weaker and weaker by the moment. Kushina knew that she didn't have long for this world, but she had to find some way to make sure that her baby would be protected and loved and safe. She was filled with sorrow at that thought, at the fact that she would not be able to watch her baby grow up, not be able to watch him take his first steps, or grow to become the wonderful man she knew he would become. And for that matter, the finest king this land would ever know.

That was when she heard footsteps behind her. They were quick and light, and Kushina felt through her empathetic abilities that these people were no threat. In fact, this couple just might be the answer to her problem. She then heard the man speak out.