Juha Bach was staying on the rooftop of his Ice Palace. He took a look at the town covered by ice far below. When the last building appeared there and the town completely replaced Seireitei, Emperor smiled contentedly and then ordered Haschwald and Ishida to follow him.
Three Quincies used Hirenkyaku and headed somewhere further in the frozen town. They passed some streets, moving to some goal known only by the Emperor.
Soon they reached the wide square of this town and stopped right in its middle.
"Here."-Juha Bach said.
Emperor reached out his hand and did something with reishi, which were surrounding their small group.
"So..I hope you are ready, Uryu."-Emperor said.
"Ready for wha..?"-Ishida wasn't able to finish the sentence because all of a sudden ground started to glow under his feet.
A circle of runes, glowing with a blue light, appeared on the ground, surrounding Ishida.
"To fulfill your destiny as my "successor" of course."-Emperor replied with a smirk.
Ishida felt that his legs became like petrified and he couldn't leave the circle of runes.
"What's going on?"-Ishida asked.
"Mm? I thought you were smart enough and had already understood everything by yourself."-Emperor said.-"But if you are still wondering, I can tell you that it's a special ritual performed in order to completely awake my power, which was sealed long ago. However, it requires a certain price."
"And what is this price?"-Ishida asked.
"Your life."
Ishida was stunned for a couple of seconds and then his eyes widened.
"But.."-Ishida wasn't able to say more because he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his whole body. He clenched his teeth, trying not to groan.
"You probably want to know why I gave you my blood in such case."-Emperor continued to talk like if it was just an ordinary conversation and Ishida wasn't writhing nearby now.-"It was the simplest way to bind us together for the forthcoming ritual."
"But..why..me?"-Ishida asked, breathing heavily. He looked at the Emperor and Haschwald, trying figure out the answer by their faces.
"Hm?"-Emperor misinterpreted that glance. He came closer to Ishida and roughly grabbed his throat, clenching it.-"Don't tell me that you thought that I would use the dearest person to me for this ritual."
Ishida wasn't able to reply something because the blue light suddenly became a bit brighter and new wave of sharp pain went through his body. Emperor just hemmed contemptuously and left the glowing circle.
"Do you hate me?"-Juha Bach asked the teen, who was writhing again behind his back.-"You know, you are just some Gemischt, who somehow managed to survive my Auswaehlen. Besides, you had the bond with our worst enemies and even helped them. This ritual should be a great honor for someone like you. After all even such aberrant Quincy as you can serve the good to his Emperor and to his clan. You should just accept this. It's nothing but your fate."
Another wave of pain made Ishida to fell on his knees. He felt how the life was leaving him little by little. He still had many regrets and important deeds, which he had to finish, however, he could do nothing now but to wait, when the last particle of life leaves his body.
With the last bit of strength Ishida looked around. He saw Stern Ritters, who have arrived here a couple of minutes ago. He took a look at their faces, but saw no signs of pity or compassion in their eyes. Then Ishida's glance stopped at Haschwald's face. Their eyes met and Ishida mutely asked: "Why?". Haschwald replied him by indifferent glance: "This is His Majesty's will".
In the next second the blue flame wholly covered Ishida's body. He cried in pain and fell on the ground, convulsing. A couple of minutes later only dust left in the circle. Runes on the ground stopped glowing and faded away. In the same time the air started to tremble because of oppressive reiatsu. Stern Ritters glanced at their Emperor, whose body was now glowing with blue energy due to the great amount of power, which was just awoken.
"So that was His Majesty's plan."-Bazz-B said quietly to Haschwald.
"Yes. You should have not doubted His Majesty's decision."-Haschwald replied him in the same way.
Meanwhile the air stopped trembling and the Emperor returned to the usual state. Then he turned to his soldiers.
"I can feel Shinigamis' reiatsu coming this way. Our enemy isn't going to give up this world so easily. We must fight for it and make our enemies pay for everything they did to our clan."-Emperor said.-"I am counting on you, Stern Ritters."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"-soldiers replied and then used Hirenkyaku, heading to their Shinigami opponents.
Haschwald left alone with the Emperor on the empty square. He came closer to the Quincy leader and asked:
"How do you feel, Your Majesty?"
"I feel perfect. Looks like my power completely returned to me."-Juha Bach replied.
"I am glad to hear that."-blond Quincy said.
Emperor went closer to his soldier and embraced him.
"Say, Haschwald. Did you guess about my plan?"-Juha Bach asked.
"Yes."-Haschwald nodded.
"Just as I thought."-Emperor smiled a bit ruefully.-"After all, it's rather hard to hide something from you. But, anyway, sorry that I didn't tell you about it. In fact, I wasn't completely sure if my plan will work or not. After all, that rune circle has not been used during many centuries. In the worst case it even could take my life instead of his. So I didn't want to make you worry because of this."
"It's all right, Your Majesty. I understand."-Haschwald said.
"Now, how about to accomplish what we started?"-Juha Bach asked, stroking the blond Quincy on the head.-"Let's put the end to this blood war once and for all. Are you ready, Haschwald?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."-Haschwald replied.