Fate Wheel | Naruto

Epilogue| "A new Leaf turns"

"There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it."
— George Bernard Shaw
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2 YEARS LATER, POST DEPARTURE

Dear Dawn,

Today marks two years since the Raven's attack on the Leaf, as well as the destruction the Departure had created.

A lot has changed since then. Granted, the progress has been slow, but the only reason there is progress is the result of your last selfless act. Two years had passed since you sacrificed yourself in order to restore the Leaf to what it originally was and to save Sasuke as well. I could still remember the day like it was yesterday, a day had passed since the Raven's attack and despite my wounds, I'd dedicated my remaining strength towards healing the wounded— at least, the remainder of those that had managed to survive. And then, there was this strange tingle that travelled up my spine and an annoying buzzing in my ear, one that raised the hairs on my skin and made me freeze in pure horror. I didn't know what awaited us, but I felt it.

It was the realisation that it was too late, that the remainder of my life and everyone else's was cut short as the result of our ignorance. I always wondered if there was anything that we could've done to prevent it, if I had listened to you, if I had paid any attention, if I didn't blame you for the problems I, myself, had warranted then maybe- just maybe, things would've been different. And before I knew it, it was here.

Death. Death had veiled itself onto me like a cloak and I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see anything other than imminent death and the reoccurring thought that I'd never see the people I love ever again. I thought about you, I thought about the words I wish I could've said to you, I thought about my regrets, my dreams, my future, past and present— it all flashed before my eyes. And in an instant, there was a light, a kind I hadn't anticipated. Where the world halted its rotation and I even stopped breathing as well, whether it was because I was afraid of what awaited us, I'm not sure, but I knew that we survived at a deadly cost.

The animals that couldn't survive the rapidly changing climate, the terrain of trees, grass and flowers scorched from the meteorites' assault, heavily wounded Shinobi and civilians— restored. As if it was a figment of one's cruel imagination, as though a miracle had been granted heeding to the calls of thousands of prayers, and instead, was a sight I'd never seen before; a golden light brighter than heaven itself descended upon Earth and shielded the Leaf and its people from the Departure. It wasn't a miracle, no, not when you'd rewritten the fate written in the stars and carved your own ending. A tragic ending.

A part of me wished to repent, to ask for forgiveness and grieve the friendship I so callously discarded, but I'm afraid my previous unsent letters to you are filled to the brink with my grievances. Instead, I thank you. Thank you for staying true to yourself, even if it meant that others never stayed true to you.

Unfortunately for the other lands, they hadn't exactly escaped unscathed. The destruction the Departure unleashed was unfathomable and land that had been destroyed could no longer be restored, nor the many people that have lost their lives. Even today, there would be the occasional tremor or earthquake that'd rumple the ground and elicit casualties. Those who lingered in the Fire Lands for sanctuary from the Departure as well as those in the Leaf had dedicated all their resources towards revitalisation of other Hidden Villages, but the extent of our help was limited, after all, we had lost many people as well. It was difficult to help others when we needed help ourselves and as a result, an important lesson was learnt that'd ceased tension between our differences; that we all had a common enemy and we all had suffered in the same way. We were all the same.