Kiba's POV

The sword went right through her stomach, making her eyes widen as she screamed out in pain. She gripped the handle with both hands shakily as she dropped down to her knees, blood dripping out the corners of her mouth. Markan began laughing as he lowered his arm from throwing the blade.

"You forgot your sword," he said still snickering.

"That's it!" I whispered to myself. "I can't just watch this anymore!" With all my strength, I tried to push myself out of the tree; my body wouldn't budge. I looked down.

'Oh c'mon!' Shino's bugs completely coated the bottom half of my body, paralyzing me.

"Kiba!" he hissed in my ear. "Don't do anything foolish! That girl is i done /i and there's nothing you, nor I, can do about it. You'll only get us both killed." I was silent, pondering what he had said.

'Done? H-he doesn't even think she has a i chance /i ?' Shino sighed.

"Don't worry. It'll be over soon enough." I looked out at Glaciero. She just sat there on her knees, blood slowly spilling out of her wound onto the dirt as she watched it. Her eyes were full of fear and anguish. So... helpless.

'Don't give up. i Please, /i don't give up.'

Glaciero's POV

"AAAAAAAUUUGGGHH!" I screamed out in pain as I dropped to my knees. My insides burned like hell as I saw blood surround the sword that protruded from my stomach. I dropped to my knees in pain, tightly gripping the sword's handle.

"You forgot your sword," Markan said, laughing like a hyena. I would've cursed him in my head, but my injury was to overwhelming for me to think of revenge. All I could focus on was the pain. The pain of the injury, the pain of the past, the pain of knowledge.

'Am... am I this i weak? /i Has this all b-been for nothing?'

Flashback:

"What are you doing? Please stop! Bring daddy back!" a black haired girl of about 8 pleaded with the 2 men handcuffing her father in the doorway.

"Sorry, little girl. Your father has been accused of crimes against the village," the first guard said fastening the second cuff.

"B-but... he..."

"Don't worry, Honey," Black-fang said sweetly as the guards each put a a hand on each shoulder. "If this is what's best for the village, then it must be so."

"B-but, Daddy," she pleaded, "y-you would i n-never /i betray the village! You l-love it!" He bent down and kissed his daughter on the forehead as Johan came up behind her.

"Do not i ever /i give up," he said smiling at her. A tear rolled down her cheek as he straightened his back and faced his son. "Take care of your sister." He smirked. "Or you're grounded!" Johan tried to smile back, but found it difficult through the tears in both his own and his father's eyes. The guards led him out the doorway.

"Daddy?" The door shut. " i Daddy! /i " She ran towards the door, but Johan grabbed her and reined her back in. "Come back, D-dad! Please!"

"Calm down. There's n-nothing we can do anymore."

"No, let me go! I'll catch them and g-get him back! Daddy!" They sunk to the ground as Glaciero sobbed into her brothers chest."

'Dad... dad...'

End Flashback

"What's wrong, Deary?" he asked. "Are you finally getting it? Have you i finally /i realized that your father was nothing but a weak, insignificant

dissapointment who did nothing but dream and talk big! A i loser! /i No surprise, then, that i you're /i one, as well!"

"S-stay... away from me..." I choked out. "I-I'll... I'll k-kill you!" I coughed up blood, cringing.

" i You /i ? Kill i me /i ?" He began another fit of laughter. "You never seize to entertain me, Glaciero! Even till the very end you keep that short temper of yours! Don't you see that you never had a shot? You were just a little brat trying to keep up with the grownups and you got tossed aside."

"I-I'm strong... I..."

"There's only i one /i thing you are, Nowack. And you know what that is? i Pathetic. /i " He hissed the last word. My eyes widened.

'N-no... that's...'

Flashback:

"Why are you so weak? I would've expected more. But you know what i you /i are? You're pathetic!"

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

End Flashback:

'That's what... what i he /i said... that night...'

"You're pathetic just like your father, just like your brother..." He smirked. "And just like that Betzan child you were so fond of." My heart stopped. I slowly looked up to him.

"W-what did you s-say?" He smiled.

"Oh? I didn't tell you?" He laughed again. "The Betzan family was in debt a couple years ago, you see, so they took out a loan from the Wasaragi

family! I've been told that you knew their son... Drell I believe?"

'D-drell?' It was painful to think that name. I hadn't heard it in so long.

"W-what the h-hell are you rambling on about n-now? W-what does i he /i have to do with i any /i of this?" He laughed meniaclly again, holding his stomach.

" i Everything! /i Hahahaha! Oh, Deary, if only you knew!"

"N-no..." I gasped. The pain was to much; the world was starting to lose focus. He realized this as well, causing him to smile broadly.

"Deny it all you want, but you i know /i deep in your heart that that would explain everything mysterious about him and-" I coughed loudly, then

immediately gasped for breath. It hurt like hell, but anything to shut him up. "Oh? So you don't like to talk about him, do you? Pfft, what a waste you are. So much time wasted i trying /i to protect the ones you care about! And I say 'trying' quite litterally, Deary!" I stayed silent. "Honestly, how many people have you actually i saved /i that you've tried to?!? Correct me if I'm wrong, but... none?" I stayed silent. His face grew sour. "So now you're not talking to me?" I stayed silent. "Show some damn respect! I could KILL you right now if I wanted to!" I looked down. "Maybe I'll do your father a favor and teach you some manners!" He took out 2 shuriken and threw them at full speed.

"C-can't dodge... to... weak...' I leaned slightly to the side avoiding one while the other dug deep into my left shoulder.

"Aurgh!" I grunted as he glared at me.

"Respect your elders, runt," he demanded. As I lifted a hand and removed the weapon, he folded his arms and smiled. "You'll never become a proper kunoichi if you keep protecting anyone and everything close to you! Some people aren't worth defending." He chuckled lightly. "Especially a i pussy /i like Drell Betzan!" My fists muscles tightened. That did it. I didn't care i what /i would happen to me: he was going to DIE! I shakily raised both hands and gripped the sword's handle. Before Markan could ask, I took a deep breath and pulled the sword out of my body.

"GAAAAAAH!" I screamed, stabbing the earth with its point. I stayed like that, panting and watching the blood drip from my mouth onto the ground.

'I-it hurts... more than I th-thought it would... No! I can't think about it n-now!' I tried steadying myself and shakily stood up, almost falling over. 'Can't... give ... up...'

i "Do not /i ever i give up." /i

'Dad... wouldn't let... me...' I took a step; pain enveloped my body, sending a sharp stinging through my gut. I saw doubles of everything. 'N-no... I...' I was unconcious before I hit the ground, landing on my stomach.