I'm glad this story had kept you enthralled thus far reader, and I would like to thank you all for the reviews and favorites. I've been putting some real effort into pumping out chapters, and I realize now that trying to jam pages in has yielded a few mistakes (and some plain shoddy writing). Reworking will happen at some point in the future, I'll say at about chapter 10 I'll go back through and fix some of the things that stand out.
I must also confess that I hadn't finished Darksiders 2 until last week, I was very close to the end when I began this story, so now I can finally say that I have a good grasp on all the concepts in Darksiders lore. Corrupted hollows won't be appearing, but more Darksiders aspects will be showing up. Anyway, announcements aside for the moment, here is yet another installment of your irregularly schedules broadcast.
The blinding lights passed, Death and Ichigo reemerged from the shopkeep's makeshift Senkeimon. The Reaper was slightly disoriented, thinking that he might have been suffering some kind of readjustment sickness. The tunnel about him wasn't an illusion though, with fluffy velvet masses slithering in every direction. The precipice world, a pathway between realities and the only way in for the unsanctioned. Ichigo instinctively checked behind him for the cleaner's cyclopian eye. For once luck was on his side, and he wouldn't be stuck running from the bizzare inter-dimensional street-sweeper that had hastened his entry and exit those first two fateful trips.
Death regained his bearings after a few seconds, observing the strange currents of colloidal material drifting around him.
"About as glamorous as a sewer. " He coughed.
"It's a good walk from here to get out, thankfully due to condensed time currents one hour out there is equivalent to about two thousand here."
"How delightful. Let's move."
The two trudged through the spongy floors in silence, Death had the greatest advantage with his enormous greaves that punched through almost any substance. About a half hour in, Ichigo decided to speak, and maybe kill some of the tension floating around.
"I'm curious. Have you always been Death?" He asked, quickly adding;"I mean, if you don't mind me asking."
Death grumbled for a moment before replying, "no. No, the horsemen, my brothers and sister, we weren't always the four."
"Then you were like us? Were you humans?"
"Ha! Nothing so innocent. My siblings and I are all that remains of the wretched Nephilim."
"Nephilim? Isn't that..."
"Born of the extremes in light and dark, dust of angel, dust of demon. You can imagine what defiant children we were."
Ichigo was tempted to get explanations of what the Angels and Demons really were like, but felt that was a story for another day.
"You're all that's left?"
"Look child, I understand that it's in your nature to question that which is extraterrestrial. But it's best you don't know any more. It's a part of my life I regret more than any other."
Ichigo looked at his feet, the words reminding him of his own attitude. Of when Orihime had been taken by the espada, and how cold he had been to his closest friends. All because of regret and anger.
"Yeah. Only seventeen. Only an adolescent idealist. But it's weird, I do know what you're feeling. Don't think I'm just feigning empathy either Death. Not long ago I wore a mask, a skull mask like a lot like yours. It was created from all my cruelty, all my bloodlust, and it was a struggle each time I donned it. A part of me was corroding my soul."
Death stopped dead in his tracks, a bit of the lumpy current creeping around his boot, which he stomped into mush. But he didn't silence the boy, "continue," in fact was the replied .
"Some of us were outcasts. Shinigami that had a hollow side. Spawned of our ultimate light and dark, like you. We could summon the mask for vast power, all at the price of losing control of our very being. He is in me, and I've learned that he will never leave."
The reaper's eyes narrowed, about the only thing that signaled a change in emotion.
"It doesn't take a weak will to fall to that side. The Archons of Heaven, beacons of light, or so they profess, they fall to darkness like any other being can. Should it ever reemerge, make sure that you can quell it's screams. Pillars fall in a line Ichigo, and your world can come crashing down back into the nothingness."
Elsewhere...
Tier Haribel, queen of Hueco mundo and of the fabled Vasto Lorde class, sat in the throne of Las Noches. It hadn't been long since the first lord was usurped, and even less since the last lord was taken into custody by Soul Society's first company. At last the world was in her hands, and the loyalists beside her followed with unwavering devotion.
She wore what humans would identify as a 'tribal princess', many bands of teeth and flowing robes had been spun around her body in the makeshift coronation. But even in this new garb none could mistake the queen for another, as her mask remained. The terrifying shark mask that covered the bottom of her face like a bandanna.
Many a hollow had made the arduous journey to challenge the new ruler, only to be destroyed mercilessly. This eve seemed to be no exception. In the light (or lack thereof) an intruder moved. How this interloper had made it through the rigorous defenses was unknown. He made not a single sound, not to maintain stealth, but with regard to the solemn atmosphere. Tier's eyes opened slightly as the foreign presence registered.
"Assassination shall not work. Even should I die in sleep by your dagger, you will be instantly destroyed by someone who will fight you head on in battle for the throne."
First came the bloodcurdling laugh, followed by a fiendish voice, "at least you do not overestimate your power. I arrive not to play for the throne, for I realize your faccion would destroy me before I even reached for my blade. I am here to ask an audience, if you could lend me your ear for but a minute!" The being in the shadows grinned wildly. Tier only knew this because an orange glow illuminated that spiked crevice on his mouth.
"What reason should I listen to you?" She replied simply, her bodyguards standing and raising their massive spears in the direction of the thing in the shadows.
"Well, don't be mad, but see, we are at fault for your subjects going insane!"
Tier's expression was shocked beneath the mask, quickly contorting to a grimace.
"You think this mockery will stand? Your next words better be sufficient for me to stay your execution!."
"Hang on now, don't be hasty! I'll give my message and then be gone. Now let me ask you, where do hollows go when they are destroyed? They fall to the black towers of course, even you should know this!"
"What does Hell have to do with this?"
"What DOESN'T it have to do with this? Who do you think is at fault for those rabid hollows? He's the one who had me come here and give you this message."
"Then do so, my patience is waning!"
"His name is Moloch, one of the Destroyer's greatest leaders! He has taken interest in these worlds, seeing them as supplementary to the great war of light and dark! And he wants to know where you will stand Tier Harribel!"
