"My prayers are more than Granted"
~ Chapter 23 ~
~ The Land of Fire - Uchiha Territory ~
~ Izuna's salvation ~
"Amaterasu's Tears" a very simple code phrase, but to Izuna Uchiha it holds immense significance. Chosen in childhood by his elder brother Madara, these are words reserved for the most urgent of emergencies.
'We're being attacked on all ends, I suppose this counts as "sufficiently dire"... Right Brother?, mused Izuna. His mirthless chuckle was only barely audible.
Looking at the gathered data presented before him Izuna isn't sure how long this can hold out. "Attacking our stronghold was a bold choice... We have enough supplies to keep holed up for a time, but I doubt this can last forever."
Releasing a sigh, Izuna addresses his acting second. "Kagami, how is our fortification holding up? I see no immediate weak points in our defensive positioning but the Senju wouldn't be attacking upfront like this if they didn't believe they have a real lead."
The man, a fellow Uchiha called Kagami is prompt. "Well enough Lord Izuna. My people just intercepted a Nara before his Shadow Possession could be used on our guard, but it was a close one. I expect more sneak attacks but don't underestimate the Aburame clan's bugs either. Our fire can only do so much to deter them."
"Right, the nasty cretins," murmured Izuna under his breath. He remembers firsthand how it feels to have one's Chakra devoured by the disgusting bugs tamed by the Aburame household. Izuna shudders in disgust. Even after all this time, the unpleasant memory hasn't lost any of its sting.
"We'll have to make it work. I already contacted Madara, and he's surely on his way, if we can hold out even a week that will give him time. I promise Kagami, whatever the Senju think they're plotting... things will be alright."
Sliding Kagami a folded paper, Izuna watches like a hawk as his second reads it and burns the written contents away in short order.
"Now then Kagami, you have your orders, and keep partnered, no one goes anywhere alone. I am no exception. Simply give me a few more hours to finish these missives you see here, and then I'll join you shortly at the front. Keep focused."
"Understood. Be well, Sir." In a flicker of smoke, the Shinobi Kagami vanishes before Izuna's eyes.
Restraining a sigh of frustration at the situation Izuna primly folds his arms. "Hurry back Brother, I really don't like this. I don't like it at all." He picks up the slim calligraphy brush and begins the stack.
~
Approximately Two hours later
~
"Yet another Nara... How are they slipping so closely within our walls?" asked Izuna. More to himself, though his "second" in command Kagami would surely like an answer too.
The dead man before them had very nearly secured Kagami's shadow to his bidding. A neatly avoided crisis that would otherwise have been a disaster in the making.
"I wish I knew Sir. Could it be they have an opening inside we aren't privy to?" Kagami asked cautiously.
"Let's hope not", said Izuna. Cremating the Nara man with a huff of Fire Chakra, Izuna's fear and apprehension are at an all-time high.
"Father said our home is supposed to be safe. If they have a way in without our knowledge..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought. 'Always better to err on the side of caution.' decided Izuna.
"Give the order, there's no room for chances. I want our pairs to double-watch, in addition to their current duties, and keep a close eye for potential cracks or tunnels... If they exist then finding them is our priority. I pray we're wrong, but leave no stone unturned."
~
"This... This is how they've been getting in?" said Kagami. His voice was exasperated but not quite shrill.
"So it seems" responded Izuna despondently. The narrow hole before them was clearly dug by large dogs, presumably the Inuzuka mongrels. Specially bred mutts famously partnered with an Inuzuka shinobi.
"So the Hyuga slave's Byakugan found a weak point and the mutts did the rest? I'd call them clever, but it's more surprising they'd never attempted such a tactic before." Izuna said warily.
"It explains both the "how" and "why" only a few have made it inside. Any bigger an opening and we'd have noticed." deduced Izuna. His tone is bored, but inside he is doing his best not to freak out.
"We can seal this up now but who knows if anyone else made it inside." said Kagami, his eyes darting in all directions.
"Naturally, we tread carefully Kagami, if anyone else is inside they can't know of our discovery," Izuna said carefully. The delicacy of the situation wasn't lost on either of the present Uchiha.
"Agreed Sir, in the meantime." Glaring down at the hole, Kagami's fingers slide through the seals for an Earth Release. "Collapsing Burial." In an instant, the opening in the ground is consumed by rocky dirt and debris. "Let's hope no one else was inside." He said icily.
Although both Kagami and Izuna sincerely pitied the now-dead Hyuga branch slave whom they found on watch, the sad fact is that even if they have no choice but to be present, an enemy is still an enemy.
"No point in prisoners here. Her "owners" would only have killed her through the cursed mark upon her brow, at least now she can be at peace," murmured Izuna respectfully.
"Indeed. May she rest in peace." Kagami said in a whisper. His flames devoured her remains in seconds.
Clearing his throat, Izuna puts an end to the sobering mood.
"Good work Kagami, but we should check for any more. Something tells me we aren't so fortunate that THIS was their only effort." This unexpected violation by the Senju upon their ancestral land has Izuna more concerned than ever.
' Brother... What am I going to do? '
~
Moments, mere moments before the Uchiha's salvation.
~
As his companion gasps for breath, Izuna desperately keeps pressure applied to Kagami's wound. "It's alright my friend, you're going to be just fine," he said. Izuna's voice is far more calm and collected than he truly feels.
It was over in but a moment. The sneak attack by another Nara infiltrator had Kagami Uchiha gutting his own chest. Though Izuna killed the man before his control over Kagami's shadow was fully asserted, this is no mere scratch.
"I'm sorry my Friend, I'm so sorry." Kagami panted. The pain in his voice has Izuna near tears himself.
"No, this is my fault- just keep calm, you're going to be alright," he assured Kagami.
"It's very kind of you to lie Sir." said the injured man. The older man's pale face looked ever more deathly. "You've always been so... truly kind. To gentle hearted for this life."
"Please don't talk like that." Izuna pleaded. "I swear it's not as bad as it- What was that?" Now all the more alert, Izuna focuses chakra to his ears.
'A crash? But what could- Brother!" Izuna can feel it, the warm steady feeling of Madara's chakra.
Redoubling his efforts to tending Kagami's injury, Izuna makes no effort to hide his relief. "It's him, It's him Kagami! Madara is here but how-"
"You've done well in my absence, Little Brother... The situation is ugly but nothing collapsed and nobody is dead. That alone is worthy of praise. Still, maybe let your big brother take it from here?"
Looking up at Madara in the eye, Izuna knows the sound of his "overbearing" elder brother's tenor has never felt so sweet.
"Yes, and Thank you."
"Of course, now let me see his injury."
~
Madara looks curiously at the clean cut across Kagami's chest. "Nothing vital was hit, if we can just stop the bleeding you should make it."
Measuring out the necessary bandages to bind the injury with the medical supplies provided by Oasis, Madara remembers Sakuya's urging. ' The juice is "enough" huh? Well, I guess this is as good as any opportunity to see what that meant.'
"Izuna, let me take over applying pressure. To my left is a silk wrapping. A gift from Oasis, I mentioned her in our correspondence- bring me some of the fruit within. The grapes should be a safe bet."
"OK... I know the sugar and vitamins will help his blood loss but Brother Kagami is losing conscious-"
"Now Izuna. Our companion needs help." At his brother's strict urging Izuna quickly obeys. Not thirty seconds later he returned with the delicate pink colored package.
"Ah grapes, right at the top. Here you go Brother, as requested." Due to the seriousness of the situation Izuna managed to avoid patronising his older brother.
"Appreciated. Now I'm going to position Kagami upright, his mouth is open enough, you simply need to carefully dribble the juices down his throat."
~
Before the brother's eyes Kagami's limp form jostles upward. It's as though his entire form is surging with newfound vitality. His breathing stabilizes and his black eyes regain a sense of clarity and focus.
As Kagami momentarily stares up at them in shock, seconds later his overcome body slips off into sleep. Izuna is the first to react.
"Whoa, all that from grape juice? Brother, what is all this?" Izuna is relieved to see Kagami's wound sealing before their eyes but he can't help his wariness.
"I never got an answer Izuna... All I know for sure is that it was born from the Wellspring Maiden's Chakra."
"The people of Oasis eat this and many other foods grown under such power every day but I can only guess they built a tolerance... Madara speculated.
"It's the best explanation for why I never saw anything so dramatic. I certainly felt nothing unusual while eating.
"Granted I was uninjured and had full chakra reserved so that could be a factor."
"So the effects were more subtle? I see Brother... I guess this "Chakra Fruit" is more noticeable to first-time ingesters... Izuna said warily.
Perhaps this also explains the reported curiously high health statistics and ridiculous survival rates from otherwise deadly injuries experienced by those in their Security Corps?
"It's a curiosity, I read about it in a published research journal but there were no real conclusions. Only speculation and excitable hear say. " mused Izuna aloud.
Throwing his usual caution aside to taste for himself, after chewing the plump amethyst color grape Izuna can't suppress the sigh of contentment. "Delicious...
"That's... oh my that's a rush Madara. Its like all the invisible gaps in my chakra and vitality are being... supplented?
"Goodness, if that's ONE grape, I really want another but... Well, in any case she has my gratitude-"
"You're right Little Brother, but for now..." Madara's eyes turn to the gate. His expression was both blazing in rage and glacier-cold apathy.
"I have a situation to resolve first. They intruded on our home. Harmed our friend... I will collect this blood debt."
"Get Kagami to the infirmary, he's looking better for sure but we don't take chances. I expect a full report on my return. Dismissed." Madara said sternly.
"Yes!" in a flicker of white smoke Izuna disappears, taking his companion Kagami with him.
"Thank you Daiki. I don't know what you meant about "building a home here" but I appreciate you not crashing the gate." Madara said aloud.
Though the self-indulgent Moon Bear clan's great Lord is off doing Amaterasu knows what, Madara is grateful nonetheless.
"Thank you for getting me to my people in time. Now it's my turn."