"The Akiyama have fought, slaughtered and murdered our kin! Our brothers! Our children! Our mothers and our fathers! The Akiyama, the Uchiha! They are our enemies! And today, we will destroy them! We will avenge our fallen brothers and sisters! FOR THE SENJU!"
"FOR THE SENJU!"
Tobirama remained quiet, watching as his clansmen's spirits seemed to explode with courage, confidence and anger.
Anger for the Akiyama
Anger for the Uchiha
Anger for any who weren't a Senju, who weren't true.
"We fight! Now! And always!" Butsuma yelled, the hundreds of Senju soldiers screaming back.
Tobirama lowered his gaze, unable to watch as his kin took up their swords, and began their march on the Uchiha, on the Akiyama, on Fay.
"Tobirama!"
The white-haired boy looked up, frowning at the sight of his eldest brother. "Brother."
Hashirama heaved, quickly gathering his breath as he looked up to his younger brother. "What is happening?!"
"The Senju are marching, we're going to war brother."
"Against who!?"
"Against the Akiyama." Tobirama frowned.
"But such a large force? Why now?"
"Their heir.." He muttered. "Akiyama Han, he passed away. The Clan Head's wife is so struck with grief she believes we're the reason...she has not forgiven the Uchiha for her husband's murder, the Akiyama will never forget Akiyama Valkar and Akiyama Han's deaths..and they will never forgive the Uchiha and the Senju..they're marching, against the Uchiha and against us. Father has taken arms."
"B--But.." Hashirama mumbled. "The Senju cannot stand against the Akiyama's full force...everyone will die."
"Yes." Tobirama frowned. "Everyone will, but father is blinded by his pride, he cannot see."
"The Akiyama are also blind with rage and grief, they will no doubt fight recklessly, both clans will wipe each other out."
"We have to stop this!"
"It's too late.." Tobirama glanced up, watching as the Senju marched out of the compound, and straight into battle. "The Senju are marching and we cannot stop them."
Hashirama frowned, eyebrows creasing as he watched his kin march to their deaths.
They had to stop this! But how?
::
Fay's foot caught on a fallen branch, her body slammed against the cold, hard ground, mud smeared against her face, lathering her body. She glanced up, listening as the thunder clouds cracked from above her, the rain pelting down hard on her trembling figure.
Her yukata was ripped to shreds, her shoes having fallen off hours ago, her feet cut and blistered. She had been running for hours, she had no energy nor chakra to do anything.
'I have to make it in time! I have to stop them!'
Fay scrambled to her feet, ignoring her aching joints as she began her desperate run, unable to muster any speed.
'I have to make it in time, or they'll all die!'
::
Saphira was lost.
She was horrified and shocked to hear of her brothers passing, she couldn't sleep that night, crying was all she seemed good at during her current state of mind.
She felt even more horrified when she learned of her mother's plans to march on the Senju and annihilate them. The Akiyama were strong, far stronger then the Senju, but they were saddened, and angered.
Their emotions would cost their lives.
Saphira was at a loss, she was grieved from Han's death and angered by the Senju, but she knew fighting would end everything. Saphira couldn't go against her mother's orders, she too, wanted revenge, but she couldn't just march to her death.
Saphira was lost.
"Mother?" She muttered, Adridatha turned to face her eldest child.
"I'm glad you're to fight for your brother's honour, his memory..and for his vengeance." Adridatha smiled, cupping the teen's face with tears shimmering in her emerald orbs.
"I love you, Saphira." She smiled. "We must be strong, and we must fight..for Han."
Saphira forced a smile, nodding. "Of course mother, the Senju must pay."
"Yes!" Adridatha grinned. "The Senju must pay!"
Saphira was lost.
::
Fay slid down against a tree, the bark scratching her hands as she struggled to stand. She looked up towards the clouds, the sky had darkened, the storming having completely engulfed the land. Fay felt weak, beyond weak, she couldn't go any further.
But she must! She has to save everyone!
With a final burst of strength, Fay pushed off from the tree and continued on.
She has to save everyone!
::
Hashirama couldn't watch.
He stood beside his youngest brother, a boy barely five-years-old, and a boy about to march to his death. Hashirama gripped his brother's hand, watching as their father screamed.
"CHARGE!"
::
Saphira frowned, eyes cast upwards as she watched the storm swell above them, she looked across at her kin, watching her mother stand tall before them, her anger roaring.
"CHARGE!"
::
Wars between shinobi were executed carefully.
Select few, the best of the best, would infiltrate enemy territory, killing off a few and gathering information. This would lead to a skirmish between small parties from each side, ending with either ones victory. Never would each side charge mindlessly at one another, never would the leaders place all cards on the table and simply go for it.
No, shinobi wars weren't played that way. It was a game, and you have to play the game properly, you have to play carefully.
But as Tobirama overlooked the Senju and the Akiyama he knew one thing.
That this was no game, this was no war.
The leaders hadn't just placed all their cards on the table. No, they kicked down the table, broke the table. They charged, all at once, head first.
They were all so enraged, that they couldn't even see the outcome.
And it was so simple, so obvious that even Tobirama could see it. There would be no winner, there would be no loser.
There would only be death.
::
Fay didn't want to believe her eyes.
She watched as they slaughtered each other, blades clashed, children screamed, blood spilt and everybody continued to charge, nobody even stopped to glance at their fallen comrade, they just kept charging.
She gripped the bark of the tree, cracking the roots deep as tears begun to fill her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it.
Fay was too late.
"No.." She muttered. "Stop.."
"Stop.."
"Please stop..."
She took a deep breath, eyes-wide.
'No! I refuse to let this happen! I won't let anyone else die!'
Fay stepped forward, eyes closed as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Stop!"
"Stop fighting!"
"Please stop fighting!"
Fay's eyes snapped open.
..
..
..
"PLEASE STOP FIGHTING!!!!!!!!"
..
..
..
Everything went silent, and darkness descended.