AN: wefeffioawe
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"-!"
"-?! -! - - - - -!"
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"- - -?!"
Disturbed by unidentifiable sounds, Tsugaru woke from his slumber.
Something was oddly familiar about this scene.
He could feel the ache in his bones seeping back to him as soon as his consciousness had returned, those restless nights of planning finally catching up to him.
Ah, it was the night of his parents' death.
This must be a dream—a nightmare.
Opening his eyes slowly, Tsugaru drank in the vision of his familiar room.
It was oddly light outside.
The door to his room was slammed open. Tsugaru turned his head slightly in his pillow to see who had infiltrated his room at what he assumed was the middle of the night.
Tetsuya stood tiredly at his door, panting heavily as he bowed in respect; but instead of his actions being followed by Reito and Keiichi, as it usually was in his nightmares about his parents' deaths; it was Reito and Touya.
This was no dream.
He could smell the smoke.
"The building," Tetsuya panted, "It's on fire!"
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The burning building acted as if it was the sun, lighting up the night sky brightly. Various shouts carried through the air as the Heiwajima evacuated the main base. Tsugaru's home ignited a bright blue, all the enclosed memories tumbling down with the sacred building.
"There must have been something in the nikytriate crates," Commander Touya said to Tsugaru, as the Head of the Heiwajima rushed around, issuing orders to secure the safety of his Clan. "It was a trap. Everything involving the nikytriate; from the very beginning, it was all planned. Every single mistake the Orihara made was all calculated."
The blonde bit down on his lip angrily, but he was too occupied to express his frustration. There were lives at hand. "Get ready to move to the second base once we confirm the building is empty. Send one ahead to secure room at the second base for incoming soldiers."
Touya nodded and left to carry out his orders briskly. Tsugaru briskly weaved in between the panicked people, trying to take control of the situation.
What was happening?
Everything had been perfect; they had grabbed all the advantages that were available to them. The Heiwajima were going to end the prolonged war, once and for all. Everything had been in their favor.
So why was this happening?
Tsugaru had no answers for himself as he kept shouting out instructions, maintaining the order as much as possible.
It's a trap, he remembered Reito insisting. He hissed in frustration.
9 000 men sent to their deaths just to fool them, the blonde thought.
He had underestimated Orihara Izaya's cruelty, and this was the result.
"Get ready to move bases," he shouted to the men saluting in his presence. "Has the second base been contacted?"
Touya came to him just then, a crease in his forehead showing disdain.
"Tsugaru-sama," he spoke in a quiet voice, "The Orihara have surrounded us."
"?!" the newly informed blonde turn his head towards the outer fence of the falling building.
As if there had been some kind of secret agreement, the August's army slowly crept into view, greeting them alongside the light of dawn.
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"This is the last fight. It will be one one to decide the war. Our building may have burned but we still have everything with us. Reinforcements have been called. All we have to do is hold out till they get here," Tsugaru informed his Commanders in a low voice. "I want First Division North, Second Division South, and Third Division East. We will fight with the building behind us; it will prevent the West army from getting involved, as they will not be able to approach us. Do whatever it takes. Tell them whatever you need to. I will grant them whatever they want, but they need to hold out. Do I make myself clear?"
The three Division Commanders nodded, all of their faces grave with duty.
"Then," their leader said, unsheathing his sword, the blade glowing with radiance. "I will see you all at the face of victory."
May the Cryophase forever guard us.
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The battle began.
Swords and shouts clashed from all sides as the two Clans met, the start of the new day in sync with the beginning of a new battle. Men fell left and right, blood spraying and dyeing the ground in a bright, bloody red. Cries of pain rang through the battleground, as every man fought to protect the honor of their name with his life on the line.
The nikytriate explosion had taken a couple hundred of the Heiwajima men, putting their numbers at a disadvantage against the Orihara, which seemed like the complete army had been called. But the blue dragon's followers fought on, following their lead who dived straight into the middle of the battle with little hesitation.
Tsugaru pierced through the opposing army, his katana dancing as it painted a crimson picture, decapitating several men.
Feeling a sudden chill behind him, he swiveled around just in time for his blade to come in contact with another.
"Well, well," said the wielder of the black and red katana. "Look who we have here, ne?~"
The owner of the cursed blade was none other than Orihara Izaya.
Heiwajima Tsugaru had finally met the Head of the Orihara.
The man was very similar to the younger brother the blonde knew; a pale, thin smaller figure, with graceful movements. The fingers clasped around the blade were delicate, and his facial feature were like an intricate masterwork. The same shade of raven hair flowed in the wind, looking as soft as the breeze that played with the strands.
But there was, without a doubt, and undeniable difference between the two.
His eyes.
Orihara Izaya's eyes.
They were blood red.
Sensing the inspection, the eldest raven's lips curled up, but his eyes remained flat. "Like what you see?"
Without offering an answer, Tsugaru attacked.
Untouched by the battle that surrounded them, the two leaders danced—a blaze of blue and red, a rush of white and black. They focused entirely on each other, blades grazing each other as they fought. The cries of their companions drifted away from them, as the two were locked away in a fight of their own. They rushed at each other nonstop, battling for the end.
The two blades clashed once more, and they stood at a standstill. Tsugaru saw that Izaya had grown visibly tired, and could feel the older man weaken slightly.
"Oh dear," the raven spoke briskly, as if he was concerned about some minor thing. "Seems like my old age is getting to me!"
The Heiwajima lead increased the pressure on his blade as he hissed, "This war... is ours."
Izaya swiftly took a step back, and easily deflected Tsugaru's incoming blade.
"Is that what you think?"
Ignoring the taunt, the blonde continued his assault.
No longer bothering to attack, the raven continued to divert the incoming blade's path.
"Oh, by the way..." he spoke, the half-amused grin still lingering on his face.
「How is your midnight lark doing?」
Tsugaru paused. Although it was for half a second, it was enough. The seconds suddenly seemed to stretch on for hours as the blonde lost his rhythm briefly. He saw Izaya's eyes light up, and felt the rush of the wind as the black and crimson blade came to pierce him.
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