Chapter 1 - 1: Edmund Vulpis (1/2)

Naruto Uzumaki, a man who was once a ninja of Konohagakure no Sato stood atop a mountain as he looked at the vast lush of green forest. He had lived for more than 500 years and had been through many wars, risking his life multiple times to save the ninja world.

Being able to heal from any kind of injuries and sickness, he had grown tired of living while all his friends and family had long since perished.

Now, he had a smile on his face as his time with Kurama, the Kyuubi no Kitsune, was finally coming to an end. He was about to free his friend from his prison and in the process, pass on to the kingdom come. He was happy, he was content.

”Kurama, I guess its time,” he said quietly.

”Do you really have to do it?” The beast replied with a sorrowful tone. ”This world might still need you. You are Naruto Uzumaki, a legend. Even though chakra is dying, there are people who look up to you. You are their hope. Are you sure you want to give it all up?”

”Those people will die and I'll be the only one alive to wallow in sorrow. My descendants have already left the Elemental Nations. I have nothing left here. I want you to be free and live with your siblings. I have lived for far too long. I never wanted to be immortal. Though I'll never be able to repay you for saving my life for god knows how many times, but no, I never wanted this. I wanted to grow old like ji-chan and die of old age. I have made up my mind and I am ending this once and for all.”

Kurama kept his silence. Though he wanted to be free and be with the rest of his siblings, he didn't want Naruto to die. He was Kurama's first friend and was the man Kurama respected.

”When you reform, I want you to go where the rest of the eight are. Together you can't be captured. Goodbye old friend, I really cherish every memory you were part of.”

Kurama grunted as his eyes welled up.

Naruto made a few hand seals, grabbed the seal on his stomach and twisted it to release Kurama.

As Kurama was being expelled out of the seal, Naruto's life flashed across his eyes. He smiled wistfully as he saw all his people smiling back at him. He was going to see them again.

Darkness took over Naruto as Kurama was finally expelled and he fell down the cliff never to wake up again.

Edmund Vulpis woke up with a start, gasping for air. He had been having dreams about that man for years, ever since he touched an ancient looking scroll in his mother's possession.

Clair Vulpis, Edmund's mother belonged to the House of Whirlpool that was nearly wiped out in the war against Grindelwald. She was a loving woman and she loved Edmund more than anything else. She was married to Altair Vulpis, a blood purist who used to be a Death Eater and avoided Azkaban by underhanded methods, through an old marriage contract.

When Edmund was born on 24th April 1980, Clair was ecstatic as he looked nothing like his father. She genuinely hated Altair for what he was. Edmund was born with golden blond hair and electric blue eyes like hers' and naturally tanned skin just like Clair's father. But the most striking feature were the whisker like marks on his cheeks just like she had seen in her house's progenitor's portrait. Her ancestors had moved to Medieval England back in 1200s from a far away land where her progenitor was born. They had interbred with the wizards and thus the House of Whirlpool was born.

Altair was quite hostile towards Clair when he saw not a single thing in his son that resembled him.

Since that day, Altair made sure to make their lives miserable. Extended exposure to Cruciaticus curse from the Dark Lord had twisted his mind. When the Dark Lord was vanquished, he had no output left for his madness. So he took it out on the mother-son pair.

Although Clair was a talented wizard, she was unable to defend herself and Edmund from Altair. After seven years of torture, she succ.u.mbed to her physical and psychological wounds.

Edmund had sworn for revenge that day. He would kill his father and his Dark Lord if he ever returned as his father hoped he would. After a tear filled good-bye to his mother, he was rummaging through his mother's belongings as he was told by her in her dying breath. That was when he found the ancient scroll.