Disclaimer: I do not own Boruto or the Naruto Universe. I only own my OCs.
Cicadas chirped loudly from trees. The soft rustling of trees echoed gingerly through the wooden screen doors. Night's creatures slowly moved in the forest. The waves that lap the jagged rocks at the base of the cliff. The sound of undulating waters faintly flowed into the compound of houses. The night was eerily quiet.
A family, a broken whole, sat in attention in the great hall. The pleasant orange glow of standing braziers lit embers of tired rage in their eyes. The room failed to grow warmer.
The wooden floorboards creaked. The crackling of burning wood of braziers spoke back and forth between each other. Paintings of their ancestors glared down at the two lines of people that filled half of the room.
The space felt too empty, too vacant. At the same, too full of pain, too suffocating.
"It isn't over," A withered sigh cut through the quiet. Exhausted eyes turned to the old man who sat at the head of the two lines. "Our enemy continues."
"What do you mean, Kenshin-oji-sama?" A growl erupted from the Clan Head. The young man leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.
"Calm down, Kinchirou," the other man at the head stated easily to his son. "What my brother means is that the current situation remains. The Land of Calm Daimyo is still a threat to the people and peace. According to our sources, he is planning something huge."
Frantic murmurs broke out in the room. Kenji raised his hand, silencing the whispers. "Due to the former heads of our clan, he knows that there is a secret weapon among us."
The atmosphere plummeted further. The tense air thickened. "If he knows," Kinchirou's brother, Keiji, sputters. "Why hasn't he done anything?"
"Because he doesn't know who has it," A soft voice replied. The attention turned to the woman. She tightened her fists in her skirt but raised her chin. "That's why they have confined us here for the last month."
Her sister beside her nodded. "Asami and I tried to meet our silk supplier in town but the guards wouldn't let us leave the compound."
"And here I thought it was about the death of his right hand man," a grumble cut through the room like a knife. Asami's sister, Mai, gripped her hands into her skirt, as if hiding the already washed blood stains. Asami covered her younger sister's hands with her own.
"Of course, his eyes move to the bigger prize than an insignificant death," a small voice peeped at the end of the line. A smack on upside the head and scuffling ensued. The two youngest in the audience wrestled each other.
"Dammit, Takeshi-teme. What was that for?"
"For saying that, you baka-Riku."
Kenji cleared his throat, effectively silencing the teens. "Riku," he scolded his grandson. The lines around his face growing deeper as his tone grew harsher. "When you become Head of this clan, you will understand the value of death and even more so the sacrifice of life."
The young boy grumbled before bowing his head. Kenshin hummed loudly in agreement with his brother.
"To sacrifice peace and life was the price Kei and Kenichi paid for," Kenji announced weakly. He slumped, his frame grew slower like a weight was thrusted upon him. "They were still family. My brother and father. They were led by greed and so many others dead because of it."
Sorrow engulfed the tension. Beside Riku, Takeshi lowered his head. His hair covered his eyes. A tear rolled down Mai's cheek as Asami stifled a sob. Kinchirou clasped his brother's shoulder as the deceased faces flash in their memory.
"We have lost many beloved," Kenshin gravely stated. "A wife, a mother." He looked at his two daughters.
"A brother, cousin, and father," he glanced at Takeshi, Kinchirou, and Keiji then gazed at everyone. "Their sacrifice brought forth peace for their family."
Kenshin rose with grace. He strode down the lines with his maroon head held up high. "And now, we must carry it as a responsibility. We will battle for the happiness they fought for and the freedom they longed for."
Kenshin stood in front of Takeshi, his young grandnephew. "Their deaths will not be for nothing. They fought for a better future as will we. We will not allow such great power to fall into the hands of that bastard. Not if we can do anything about it."
"The plan to have a better Land of Calm is underway," Kenji declared. He stood up as well. "We will make sure to root corruption and depravity at its core while keeping our cards close to our chest."
The family wiped away their tears. "Through pollution, we will rise above high above the water into the light of day. Like our namesake."
"The Red Peak. Akamine."