Endurance: my ninja way

Chapter 27

Hiruna's pov
A ghost from the past clashed with my ear once again. I didn't know where I was or what was happening, but I heard that explosion loud and clear. I heard it, I felt it.

My brother, he was in trouble. I couldn't figure out my surroundings or what time of the century was it, but I knew something was terribly wrong. Hato!  My mind couldn't think of anything else. I was completely numb with fear. With pain, with the sense of loss.

I didn't think about anything and blindly darted towards the source of the explosion. I think there were some guards trying to stop me, I don't even remember warding them off.

On coming out I realized it was a dark night without any moonlight to guide the path. It was happening all over again. The moon-less dark night, the horror of losing my dear ones. The Explosion.

I didn't know what was happening anymore, I was just senselessly following the direction that I knew the thundrous sound came from.

As I reached near it, i was held back. I tried getting out of the tight grip that held me to the spot but i couldn't move. I was screaming mindlessly, at the top of my lungs, screaming my brother's name. Crying like I did the first time. Helpless.

"Hiruna... hey, hold on Hiruna!" The voice was soft and comforting, the voice was not a strange one like the first time this happened. I turned around to face Kakashi, both of his eyes were sad and comforting at the same time. His mask was ripped from the edges, but otherwise intact. I looked at him. Asked for the answers, but I couldn't utter a single word. My mind was screaming, but in kakashi's hold, I was speechhless. Kakashi's eyes weren't quite either. They reflected my own helplessness.

He slowly let go and we headed to the site of explosion together. My mind was still in chaos, still hoping against the hope that my brother is alright. The first time around, I was one of the possible victims, so Hato had to contain it. I still couldn't repeat the other possibility.

On reaching the site, I couldn't believe it used to be a lush field. It was completely black. Even the ground was burnt to the core. My heart was thumping with a force that could've ripped open my ribs. My breath was ragged to a point I couldn't inhale anymore. My head dizzy.

Kakashi held my limp hand and guided me. The smoke and soot made it impossible for me to see. Kakashi was checking out for any signs of chakra similar to mine.

Suddenly, he let go of my hand and darted straight ahead. It happened so fast that I didn't have time to follow him. He disappeared into the blinding sheet of ashes. I started getting hopeful, but I still couldn't stop that little nagging in my head that was driving me crazy.

I tried following kakashi through the dust cloud, I  reached a few feet ahead but was completely lost. I started panicking like mad again. I was lost and my brother was possibly here somewhere.

I started running in different directions aimlessly. The soot and the ashes burning my already flaming lungs, desperate for oxygen. But I couldn't pay any heed to that.  I could think about nothing but finding my brother.

I ran for a few more miles before my legs started trembling. There was no end to this blinding dust. I kept running still. Lungs giving out on breathing, legs on walking, eyes on seeing, ears on hearing, but all my mind could think of was a desperate need to find my brother.

At last after a few yards ahead, mouth dried, my legs gave up on me. I fell to the dark, ashes of the ground, some bits of it still on fire. I still couldn't stop searching. I creeped along it by my hands. My lungs were filled with the soot. I kept on dragging my otherwise limp body with my hands, my tears even stopped pouring in with all the ash and the smoke. I lost my mother, I lost my father, I was helpless, I was defenseless. But not anymore, i worked hard for a year in hopes of never ever letting that happen again, and to my dear brother!  I knew i couldn't let my chakra run wild just now, honestly, if i hadn't had all that training this year, I would've exploded worse than my brother, but thankfully, i can control it now.

I kept dragging myself farther and farther. My eyes couldn't see anymore. It was all dark now. My nails were bleeding from being dug into the ground so much. My clothes on the rest of my body were ripped.

Soon my arms stopped moving, I couldn't move. I couldn't see, couldn't even breath. I faced the sky, with desperate prayers for my brother's wellbeing, i started to lose consciousness.

With just the last thread of conscious intact, I heard faint sounds of kakashi calling my name. He sounded desperate and scared.

I tried calling him back, but all my lungs could utter was an in audible whisper. Even I couldn't listen to it properly.

I couldn't move at all by this point. All i could do was not let my chakra go wild with desperation. I had to keep a check on my emotions and my state, kakashi was still around.

With my last bit of strength I tried keeping my chakra in control and silently fading away.

Ironically, i couldn't even do that, i was too worried to control my deadly power that i couldn't go unconscious.

I silently waited there, trying my hardest to breath anything like air that i could filter from that place. An ear to the ground, while other facing the sky.

Not before a few more breaths, I heard footsteps approaching. Finally, someone could find me before i lose my hold on myself.

In that moment if relief, I guess, i faded away. I could not remember anymore from those grounds.