A storm of sand and blaze (Gaara fanfiction and The Love Story He Deserves)

Chapter 29: Sacrifice

The Fifth Kazekage noticed there were no clouds in the sky when Shinki, Shukaku, and he retook their quest to Konoha. However, the wind had a clear disturbance. They were some kilometers away from the desert now, but he knew the wind current came from there, like a dangerous omen. As they jumped from one branch to another through the giant trees of the Land of Rivers, a quick look crossed between Shukaku and Gaara. The One-Tailed Beast felt it too, being as experienced reading the wind as he was.

"Shinki," The Kazekage called the boy, stopping suddenly.

"What's happening?" Shinki replied turning around immediately.

"You will continue from here only with Shukaku."

"Why?"

"Someone with a terrible chakra is coming". Shukaku explained. "C'mon, kid. We need to arrive at Konoha and get some help".

"But, father, I can fight next to you! I...!"

"You are not recovered yet". Gaara explained calmly but determined. "The chakra that Shukaku shared with you will just be enough to get to Konoha on time. So, please, follow the order I just gave you".

"But, father..."

Shukaku bit gently the boy's arm to pull him while Gaara shared with Shinki one last glance. He would have preferred to promise the boy that he would catch up in some minutes. That he would be alright and that there was nothing to worry about. However, that would have been a lie. He knew enough about his enemy to understand that he was after Shinki and Shukaku. Thus, he needed to delay him as long as he could even if his chakra was as scant as his son's. With another pull, Shukaku and Shinki kept advancing until they vanished within the trees' shadows.

As Gaara got ready to fight he tried to combine his sand with the ground under his feet, but the wet soil of the forest at the end of the spring was not useful. The ground was muddy, and the particles were heavy due to the amount of water on it.

Think, think...

He could use his magnet release jutsu, but what other option could he have left if that did not work?

Suddenly, the sand around him sensed a commotion over the ground. In a swift jump, he dodged a shooting shuriken formed by water. The shuriken crashed against a tree and the drops splashed on Gaara's face. Quickly, he moved behind a tree to try to stay away from a direct attack, but soon he noticed that the wet sand covering his face as a shield was falling apart.

?!... That shuriken was not made by simple water! It has a special chakra combination that makes it denser!

Another shuriken was shot again from the shadows. A normal strike would have aimed towards the opponent, but this one crashed on the spiky bush next to the tree where Gaara was hiding. The spikes of the bush dispersed the water like a small rain and the drops covered most of the Kazekage's body.

"Get out of your hiding place, Sabaku no Gaara!" A sharp voice commanded as most of the sand shield of Gaara fell apart like thick heavy mud. "You and your father are nothing but spoiled brats who think you can take anything you want from others without consequences!"

"Taking from others?" Gaara repeated with slight irony. He noticed that the sand that had fallen did not respond to his chakra anymore. He closed his eyes for a second and sighed, turning his remaining sand into iron particles. "I guess you have a very childish view of life if you think that your beloved ones run away from you because of someone else's fault".

Gaara stepped out from behind the tree surrounding himself by the iron particles. Haru Kaito stepped out from behind the shadows as well. He had a group of three other ANBU from Suna behind him, but he did not seem to need them yet. But, as the shadows faded, Gaara realized the distressing truth in his opponent's face.