The Light of Darkness | Madara Uchiha

21: Losing Yourself

"If you think hard you'll lose." Chōmei'a voice invaded her mind. She was standing by the tree holding onto it for support. Madara was deemed to win this so he could put some sense into her.

Also to return Aiyama to her brothers. Her eyes scrutinized and were being extra careful to know what attacks he could use first. He was fast and his strengths would be able to out beat hers.

"Crystal Style! Jade Crystal Mirror!" she weaved her signs and soon after a mirror that was in the shape of a snowflake appeared. This was to derive her next Jutsu to create her clone.

It takes two steps to make a crystal clone effectively. But before she could make it. Madara came at her with a kick to the side sending her plan out of the window.

The mirror shattered just like that.

"Bastard," She growled seeing the Uchiha chuckle at her. He began to weave his signs and moulding his chakra in his stomach.

"Fire Style! Dragon Fire Jutsu!"

His hands went up to his mouth sending forth a blazing conflagration fireball in the shape of a dragon's head towards her.

Just like before.

She trapped herself in her own crystal prison to avoid the burns.

As the area became clear from the smoke, Madara saw Aiyama still in her prison technique. He went to approach her but it shattered.

Aiyama shattered with it.

'What is this?!' Madara refused to believe that a skeptical technique would have killed her. It must be a trick!

The shards were scattered all over the place. His bottom lip quivered on the sight that laid before him.

Then the shards began to rumble on the ground and form back into its state. Aiyama had used a dangerous technique of crystal release. She was in her normal state and relief washed over Madara. He has never seen something like that before.

"Aiyama! Stop this please..." Madara tried to snap her out of it. She only glared in response feeling Chōmei's chakra surge through her once more.

But she suppressed his chakra because of Madara's plea alone. She nearly collapsed in heavy exhaustion, but a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She was hyperventilating and shaking. Madara looked worried as he held the frustrated woman close to him.

~*~

"Gah!!" Kahiko was laying on the ground in pain. Lira was kneeling next to him. The Uchiha was stronger than they thought. His Susanoo was activated and Lira's speed was greater than Izuna's. Kahiko was already exhausted and enduring the pain from his Amaterasu Technique. He started to let his mind give into the darkness.

As Lira charged in with one final blow. Izuna's Sharingan followed her quick movements and without a fail, the blade of his Susanoo pinned her abdomen in the centre. Blood gushed from her newly inflicted wound. Sanguine liquid trailed down her painful chin.

She laid on the ground with her arms by her side. Izuna retracted his Susanoo to its original state. He eyed Kahiko who looked unconscious and nothing he could do.

"I could have been better... but it seems that we failed our part. Please... Aoi, Saio... Kabira, please finish our last mission. As I wouldn't be able to be there with you guys." Lira's eyes were descending to the light more and more. Her body shook with excruciating pain that surged through her body.

Izuna nearly spat at them. How pitiful of him to fight these ludicrous shinobi.

~*~

Aiyama was in Madara's arms unconscious and probably wouldn't wake up for a while.

"I would leave that pitiful kid. He would die anyway," Madara stepped forward with the fragile Senju woman in his arms. He saw that Izuna nodded contently.

Which then leaves Kahiko to shiver and to assume that he would die within minutes. Lira was already dead; frail and fought till the very end.

"What a day..." Izuna and Madara decided to head back to the village. Madara couldn't help but feel guilty for what all he has done.

The walk back would take half a day. But at least the brothers of hers would be happy.

::

"Where the hell are they?!" Kabira paced in the grand hall of the palace. Aoi was waiting for them to return which they did not.

Saio watched them ponder and think while there wasn't much that they could do.

"Let's head out and find them." Aoi saw that his sister was trembling still from their mission. Which they had to take on many of Sunagakure's shinobi. Saio had a nasty bruise from the battle. Kabira was a medical ninja, she healed what wounds they had.

Before settling out they felt that something was off and wrong. Even Aoi could tell by the painted red sky. Usually meaning that blood had been spilled.

"We'll find them," Aoi assured walking through the forest for what seemed like a while. The silence contemplating them to a degree.

Then... the sight that laid before them made Kabira scream. Their stomachs turn in disgust. So much blood was smeared on the ground and trees. Many of the shinobi of Konoha was spewed on the ground; Lira among with them.

"Kahiko!" Aoi rushed to his body. He could sense a pulse from his neck. "We need to bring him back," Aoi said as he threw him over his shoulder.

Kabira was trying not to let her tears show. The sadness was on her face greatly. She looked around for Aiyama.

She wasn't anywhere.

"Saio, help me bring Lira's body back... I want to give her a proper burial." She couldn't stop the few tears that stained her cheeks. They had been friends for years. Still, the memories crowded her mind.

Her throat was dry from the scene. Saio indeed nodded as he helped her.

"Where is Aiyama?" Saio asked seeing Aoi's face change into a serious one in-depth. "Taken by the enemy..." his eyes closed seeing that Kabira was turning angrier.

"She is one of us! We have to go after her." Kabira yelled seeing that her brother nodded lightly.

"We need to wait for now. Come let's bring them back," Aoi said stoically; the two nodding afterwards.

::

"What do you know?" Hashirama asked Madara, seeing that she was in a cell with her hands bound by chakra strings. She wouldn't be able to use any hand signs or channel her own chakra.

When Madara checked up on her, he only watched her from outside her cell. She laid on the bed unconscious still.

"...those bastards." Madara couldn't help but feel that this was mostly his fault. But at least she was home, he was glad.

"You drove our units out closer to their village in hopes she would show herself. So you could bring her back yourself. I'll send another unit out to collect the bodies...." Tobirama shook his head from what had happened.

Madara would wait until she wakes up. He knows that she wouldn't be happy to see him. Hashirama stuck around for a little longer before returning to the tall red building to file more reports.

"I won't let her leave again." Madara leaned back against the wall. He felt more overprotective with the woman. Even he knew that she wouldn't forgive him. But he'll try again...

"Neither will I." Tobirama crossed his arms in case the woman would wake up soon, but still, it has been a few days since return. And they could only wait...

"I wish it wasn't too late."