Chapter 15

Hanabi knew that Chief Haruno would surely notice Kagura for their height difference is very much noticeable. But for now, she is much more concerned of what had happened in her village for the time she woke up, she knew something is wrong and she does not dare ignore her instinct.

After a day of travelling with only few rests, she finally reaches the border of her village. She whipped her horse to run faster and upon entering the humungous gates, she immediately got off and what she saw devastated her.

Her eyes wandered around, hoping what she's seeing is just an illusion. She did not dare cry for she is still hoping that everything right in front of her is nothing but a dream.

Hanabi had her first hiccup, then the second one, and on the third, she finally breaks down. She knelt down on her knees with her hand banging her aching chest. Tears are overflowing down her red cheeks as her sobs continue to drain her energy.

She could still vividly remember how the Scarlet village used to look like. It was filled with houses and stalls, the people's joyful noises would fill the crowded streets, the jovial music would add to the joyous atmosphere of the village. But now, as Hanabi gazes at her town, it's now nothing but an endless, melancholic graveyard. No houses, no people, no music, only a deafening silence and countless graves.

Hanabi gathered her remaining strength and looked for her mother's grave. After walking around, she found it at the center of the village. Beside her mother's name is her grandfather's and her cousin's, Haru. Her heart aches even more upon remembering that her cousin died for protecting her. She blamed herself for their deaths, she blames herself for being too weak and fragile. She blames herself for being a spoiled brat. She blames herself for  being too late to come rescue her troubled mother.

And now, the pain of her loss of her father ten years ago folded into hundreds. She no longer has no one, no one to rely on and no one to hold onto.

The clouds turn black, the lightnings are ignited and a loud roar of the thunder started the pouring of rain. It was as if the nature is being empathetic of Hanabi's great loss.

The gloomy weather made Hanabi even more heartbroken. She knelt down beside her mother's and grandfather's graves with her head hung low. She clenched her fist in anger.

With all her might, she bellowed, "I swear to the gods, I will avenge my clan! I shall annihilate the people who murdered my family!"

An earsplitting roar of thunder and a lightning shot across the sky as if the gods are responding to Hanabi.

Unknowingly, Hanzo is watching Hanabi from afar. He clearly heard what she had sworn to the gods. And he surely expect that Hanabi would come after him.

"You should kill her now for she is at her weakest state," Hanekage whispered but Hanzo shook his head. "Are you pitying her?"

"Not at all, it would be no fun if I kill her now. Let's keep her have her hopes up and when the perfect time comes, I'd definitely crush her," Hanzo replied before leaving. He had expected this event to happen and he also knew that Hayabusa and Kagura would also search for him and Hanabi. This scenario excites him for if they go against each other, then, the strongest would be determined.

Hanabi, on the other hand, sauntered through the woods, taking her time to walk under the pouring rain. She is completely soaked but she disregarded the presence of the cold. When she finally saw the old sakura tree that has not been in bloom for the past few years, Hanabi walked past it and turned right. She finally reached the cave that only her family knew it existed.

She got the torch by the entrance and used her kunais to light it up. She entered the cave and walked for minutes before reaching the altar of goddess Amaterasu. The altar is kept for emergency purposes which has been taught to Hanabi ever since she started her training. And only the direct family of the chief village knew the existence of it for it is a sacred place.

Hanabi lighted the torches surrounding the untouched altar. At the very middle is a huge flat rock that looks like a stage. Hanabi jumped on it and cuts her own palm. Before her blood could drop, she had her three fingers press on her wound while she used her index finger as a pen and her blood as an ink.

She drew a huge circle on the surface of the rock, then a smaller one and at the middle, she drew the sun with eight rays. At the center of the sun, she drew the yin and yang symbol. She felt her body grow weaker due to the loss of blood, still, she went further with her ritual. She got her red ribbon tying her hair and used it to cover her cut on the palm. She stood at the very middle of the pattern she drew and recited an old chant her grandfather taught her when she was young.

The rain poured harder, the lightnings strike often and more and more deafening thunders shoot across the sky.

Hanabi, who is almost finished with her chanting, summoned her Higanbana and laid it down at the yin yang symbol. She continued her chant with her eyes closed, she could feel the unbearable heat crawling on her feet going upwards but she did not stop her. She continued despite the fact that she feels like being toasted from the inside of her body and her energy is being sucked away.

Hanabi lets out a loud cry after being done with her ritual. She fell down, lying on the ground. Her blood which she used to draw is gone, not a single drop of scarlet liquid could be seen. She smiled for she succeeded, though, she could not move a single muscle due to exhaustion and blood loss. She simply closed her eyes and slowly, she fell into a deep slumber.

Outside the cave, the dark clouds had been cleared, no signs of lightnings and no sound of thunders. The blue sky returned and the sun shines brighter as if the storm had never happened.

Back at the Scarlet village, Chief Haruno's soldiers are investigating if Hanabi had been there. At the entrance of the Scarlet village, Hayabusa, riding on his horse, is instructing the soldiers to look beyond the woods. Kagura, with puffed and red eyes, is quiet at the corner while caressing the hazelnut-colored horse that Hanabi left.

She stared at her lover who does not give her even a single glance. Her heart aches for she couldn't accept the fact that Hayabusa had forgotten every single memory they had together.