Hey guys, preceptormyth101 here. I was wondering what to do for this chapter and boom it hit me like lightning. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach. Don't own the Bleach characters. It is really annoying.

Chapter 08: The Training and the First Strike

7 AM. Freyja walked in silently in her leader's room. She looked around and saw nothing that gave away anything about his personality or thoughts. Looking down, she found her leader on the ground holding a pillow. He was munching on it. Drool was all over the pillow. "My, my, Leto is being mean again. She stole my other giant marshmallow, but she isn't going take this one!" Jura went back to mumbling in his sleep about the marshmallow.

Freyja sighed. "The feared ruler of the Renegades, carrier of two zanpakutos, and a charismatic leader likes marshmallows. Could be worse I guess." She walked to her leader and shook his shoulder. "My lord, it is 7 AM and I have come like you asked." Jura woke up with a start. He was already in his work kimono.

"Oi, oi, where's my giant marshmallow. Ah well I'll ask Hermes to make me one later," Jura said as he got up.

"My lord you asked me to wake you up at this specific hour...why?" Freyja asked as she bowed.

"Well it was time for you to take the test," Jura said as he got a pair of gloves. There was a hammer design on the top of the right one, and a symbol of a lump of clay on the left. "Your reiatsu and strength has increased tremendously, but you don't know bankai yet. Each one of my knights knows bankai and each one could release their second sword to shikai form. You have done the second part but you still need the first."

"What shall I do then to achieve bankai?" Freyja asked.

"Well first which zanpakuto is your main one?" Jura asked while he walked out of the tent with Freyja trailing behind him.

"My own, lord. Loki wouldn't have it if I had bankai for Fenris." Freyja chuckled to herself at her image of Loki being mad at her.

"Your newest one? Alright then. Do you know anything about him?" Jura asked as they reached the cliff where Jerem and Jura used to meet.

"Well really, he is an actor. He loves to hide in shadows as well and he is very mischievous," Freyja rattled on, listing the traits that made up Loki.

Jura put his hand up for silence. Freyja immediately went quiet. "So do you think you can handle both of them?"

Freyja pondered the question for awhile. "Yes my lord," she said, "I think I can handle both of them."

"No offense Freyja, but you have proven nothing to show you can handle both of them," Jura said coolly.

"Have I not fought an arrancar and killed hollow?" Freyja asked, confused. "I have fought beside you and killed many shinigami."

"That is not the point!" Jura snapped, causing Freyja to cringe slightly. He continued in a softer tone. "You have fought many enemies, but you have to understand. Everyone—even I—have limitations and few can break theirs."

"But my lord, I can break any limitations set for me," Freyja said as she bowed. "I will be there to fight the strongest opponents, even if it meant my life."

"Then you are a fool if you believe that." Jura turned his back on her and looked at the sun.

Freyja, a mixture of confused shame and frustration welling up in her chest, asked, "Then what must I prove to not be the fool, my lord?"

"You must first give me Fenris. You aren't ready for two zanpakutos yet. It is too great of a responsibility." Jura put his hand out.

Reluctantly Freyja put Fenris in his hands. He put the zanpakuto on the ground and drew Prometheus. "Now you must fight me with just Loki. You must learn your weaknesses and your strengths to achieve bankai."

"My lord! I can't fight you. I have given my oath to protect you," Freyja said, unwilling to draw her sword.

"Well, well that will be a problem." Jura frowned slightly. "I know! You have to fight me in order to get stronger to protect me. I'm a genius!" He smiled at Freyja who sweat-dropped. "Now draw your sword."

Unable to defy his logic or his will, Freyja conceded. "Yes my lord."

Freyja drew her sword and released it. "Trick, Loki." Her sword turned into a mace and she got a shield with a large eye on it. She waited for Jura to attack.

"Look Freyja." Jura said, "It is much easier and less daunting to defend than attack. You'll never get stronger if I finish you in two moves."

"Yes my lord," she said through gritted teeth, slightly annoyed to know that her lord thought he could to defeat her in two moves, and she charged at him with her shield. She tried to bull-rush Jura. Jura smiled and slashed the shield. The shield stopped the attack but Freyja couldn't budge it forward. "My, my Freyja darling. If you can't get past one of my swords, how will you fight against two?" he grinned as he jumped over the shield. He came around her and pointed his sword at her back.

"Now I must admit that wasn't fair. You were supposed to attack me but I just countered," Jura said scratching his head. "Well I'll let you try to get bankai if you can make me use Prometheus in shikai form. Okay?" he asked with boyish eagerness.

Freyja wanted to scream, "I'll make you use Prometheus in bankai form!" but instead managed a terse, "Yes my lord." while her eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Good, good, now let's get started," Jura said getting into a stance that put Prometheus in his right hand. The right side of his body was turned toward Freyja.

Freyja, this time slowly, edged toward him. Jura smiled as he shunpoed in front of her causing her to fall. "Oi, oi!" Jura caught her but in the process fell down himself because of Prometheus tripping him (for someone who is suppose to be the leader, he is clumsy). They landed in an awkward position. Jura was on top of her while she was on the ground underneath him. Freyja blushed a hot red. Jura tried to get up but found her shield in the way. "Um Freyja?" Jura said

"Yes my lord?" Freyja asked as she closed her eyes and turned her head. She wanted this particular moment to last.

"Can you move your shield? I doubt you like being in this position with me," Jura said, as he scratched his head slightly with his almost free hand. "I'll get you for this Prometheus." Jura heard Prometheus's laughter in his head.

But Freyja was having problems of her own. "Loki, stop this. I'll impress him my own way, not like this."

"Lil' girl, you ain't going to get anywhere if you let this chance slip by. You won't stand a second with Leto and Joan," Loki laughed mockingly.

"If you're not going to do it then I'll take the shield off myself," Freyja thought as she began to take the shield off with her hands.

"DON'T DO IT!" Loki shouted in desperation. Freyja finally took the shield off.

"There we go my lord." Freyja looked up at Jura, but he wasn't there. All around her the area began to change till she was in darkness. She saw the arrancar that she had killed holding Jura by his head in his hand. Jura had wounds all over him. The arrancar started to laugh manically while crushing Jura's skull. She tried to save him but hollows started to appear around her. They grabbed her and pinned her down, forcing her to watch the arrancar slowly squeeze Jura's head. The arrancar finally crushed it sending blood and brains over the area. Freyja felt her mind go numb and she started screaming.

Suddenly she saw Jura alive once more. She started to feel relief, until she saw her father walking up to Jura with Fenris in his hand. He plunged Fenris into Jura's stomach and then slashed Jura's throat. Blood splattered over Freyja and she fell to the floor, tears dripping silently down her face.

The hollows disappeared as she continued to cry. After a moment, she saw someone's feet in front of her. Squinting through tear-blurred eyes, she realized it was Jura with his wide smile. A pang of happiness rose back in her, until she saw his sword in his hand. He picked her up by the neck and smiled. "If you truly love me then die." He began slicing her body, creating thin gouges and lines. After ten minutes he stopped. He then stabbed her through the heart. Freyja, knowing unimaginable pain, was thrown to the floor. Jura took out Loki and lunged at her while he continued to smile. She screamed.

"Freyja! Freyja!" She was being shaken and yelled at. "Freyja, wake up!" Freyja opened her eyes to see a crouched Jura shaking her by the shoulders. "Freyja, are you alright?" Jura asked, concerned.

Freyja hugged Jura. "You're not dead! I'm so happy."

"Sure, sure I'm not dead. But why would I be?" Jura said as he pushed her back slightly.

Freyja told him about the images she had. Jura listened intently. "…and that is when I woke up. Wait where is Loki?" She looked around and found the mace still in her hand and the shield back in her other hand that she had taken off.

"I warned you not to take me off," Loki said. "You might have immense power, but you still need me to support it. You did make Jura over there worry so I guess it wasn't a total lost."

"Well Freyja. I'm glad you are alright but we need to keep training," Jura said as he got up.

"Yes my lord." Freyja pushed herself up and readied herself for another bout. She positioned herself for a charge but leapt through the air. Coming behind Jura, she gave an overhand swing to his shoulder. Jura laughed. "Good, good, but your problem is that you have too much power." Jura brought his hand up and deflected the strike causing her to lose her grip on her weapon. It hit the ground next to him.

Freyja's mace was stuck and she tried to get it out but it took almost a minute—too long. When she did get it out she looked in the hole she made. It was at least four feet deep. "And you're too off balanced." Jura shrugged. "No matter, I know just the person to help you out." He brought out a whistle that had the marking of a raven. He blew into it. It created a raven's call.

"Called me, Lord Jura?" Hippolyta appeared in front of Jura.

"Well, well, that was quick, and yes I did call you." Jura pointed at Freyja. "I need you to help her on targeting and speed."

"Why not Yoruichi or Joan, my lord?" Hippolyta asked.

"They have their jobs. You are the best at precision strikes anyway." Jura smiled. He went over to a rock and sat on it. "Now let's begin."

Hippolyta drew out her zanpakuto. "Paralyze, Wadjet." Hippolyta's zanpakuto turned into a rapier. It had a green tip at the end and her hilt wrapped around her arm. "Prepare yourself!"

Hippolyta ran at Freyja. Freyja brought her shield up and counter-charged. She then swung her mace from the side. Hippolyta wasn't there. She had gone around Freyja's back and put her sword next to Freyja's neck. "Too slow. Even if that strike did hit me it would have only been a graze." Hippolyta lowered her sword. They continued the exercise for another hour.

"Let's try something else," Jura suggested as he watched Freyja get knocked down once more. He brought out two metal bands. They were grey colored and had hinges. "You'll have to put this around your arms. They will weigh you down but you'll get use to it." He walked up to Freyja and put the bands around her arms.

"Yes my...!" Freyja's arms fell to her sides and she actually fell back, landing on her rear. "What the hell are these things!?" She could barely life her arms.

"They suppress your reiatsu and weigh you down. You saw that Joan had had them at the tournament. All of the Renegades used wear them. If they take them off they could use their bankai," Jura said.

"What about Knight Leto? I didn't see hers being taken off at the tournament," Freyja said struggling to stand up.

"Hers was the cloak she use to where. Now that she doesn't, she can use bankai anytime she pleases." Jura grinned. "Unfortunately there is only one person other than myself that uses this type of constraint now. It went out of style because of its look." He frowned. "I can't imagine why though," he said blankly as he scratched his head.

"If I may ask, how I am supposed to fight with these things on?" Freyja finally got to her feet but already felt herself threatening to tip over.

Hmm, oh yeah. You have to get use to them. Looks like you can stand already." Jura nodded to himself. "Good, good, now we can go on to phase two."

"What is phase two milord?" Freyja asked. "How can it get any worse?" she thought to herself.

"You've got to attack someone with those bands on, without ever dropping your weapon," Jura stated with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"It just got worse," Freyja thought to herself glumly.

After hours trying to attack Hippolyta, she finally felt the weights get slightly lighter. It was 5 PM. Freyja was sweating. Hippolyta wasn't at all. She had fine breath control and didn't look fatigued at all. Jura was on the stone eating his giant marshmallow which was sent by his knights.

"That's enough for today. Any longer and we couldn't use you for tomorrow." Hippolyta held her hand out to stop.

Freyja fell to her knees. "Thank Zeus that it is over."

"Don't go thanking my father yet dear Freyja," Jura said as he wiggled his fingers, sticky with marshmellow. "There is going to be more training after this."

"Yes my lord," Freyja said as she bowed stiffly and painfully.

"Though you are improving. You'll soon meet my expectations. Making me proud Freyja, making me proud." He grinned at her.

"Thank you my lord!" Freyja replied happily. "Maybe this training isn't so bad after all," she thought to herself.


Meanwhile in Soul Society.

"No Rukia you can't come!" Ichigo shouted at the black-haired woman. They were standing at the front of a gate with other shinigami such as Captain Hitsugaya, Renji, Ikkaku, and other shinigami who are unimportant (Yumichika was still in the bathroom and would miss the transport. Masumoto was doing paperwork that was two months late). The gate would transport them to the area of the meeting with Kronos. They would then fan out and look for the camp or attack anyone in the area.

"I'm a shinigami Ichigo! I can't sit here waiting for my friends to come back from the battlefield. Besides, I'm a more experienced fighter than you!" Rukia and Ichigo continued their argument.

Hitsugaya ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey Captain Hitsugaya." Toushiro looked at Renji. "Those two will wake the dead with their argument. Let's just leave them here and bring them another time." The hundred of shinigami agreed with Renji, tired of the arguing.

"You're probably right Renji. They would just slow us down. Alright let's move out." Hitsugaya flashed-stepped through the door with the other shinigami following them. They left Ichigo and Rukia behind still focused on their banter.

The forest opening.

One of Odin's caravan of civilians and a few warriors were heading toward Jura's encampment. A door opened in front of a woman with a small boy in her hand. The small boy pointed at the door. "Mama…what's that?" The mother smiled and looked over. Her eyes widened with surprise as she realized there were shinigami charging through.

"Run! Run! Run for your lives! The shinigami are attacking!" she yelled before getting cut down by a bald guy.

"Women and children get to the rear!" a squad leader yelled. He set up his fifty men in a line formation. "Run and tell the other caravans!" He saw a white haired-boy come up to him. "Reign Over the Frozen Sky, Hyorinmaru!" The white boy froze the squad leader before he could raise his sword to defend. The other warriors were quickly overcome by the numbers of the shinigami. A renegade killed one shinigami but was cut down by two. Another one desperately blasted three with Locust Swarm but was killed by a tattooed guy. When the fighting ceased only ten shinigami died. Fifty warriors were killed. Over a hundred of civilians were dead.

"This is not how war should be fought." Hitsugaya bent down over a small child who had been killed by a glancing blow. His head was completely caved in, yet he had not let go, even in death, of his dead mother.

"They started it, Captain Hitsugaya," Renji said sadly. "We are going to end it." Hitsugaya looked at the carnage around him, his eyes unreadable. Wagons that had been overturned were being looted by shinigami. The prisoners were being tortured then killed. The women had a worse fate. They were being raped repeatedly, and then hanged. All the enemy warriors had their heads cut off and were each nailed to a tree, lining the area.

"That will leave a message not to mess with shinigami," a black-haired shinigami laughed with a scar on his right cheek. The five shinigami surrounding him laughed too. They were finished hanging a female teenager.

"If they were in my division instead of Zaraki's I would give them a good lecture about the morals of war," Hitsugaya thought disgustedly.

"That is enough!" Renji walked over and bashed the shinigami across the head with his fist. "This is an embarrassment to shinigami everywhere! You should not humiliate fallen enemies who fought bravely."

"They're renegades! They deserve to die!" the scarred shinigami retorted, rubbing his head. "They started the war and we will finish it with them dead on the field."

"This was supposed to be a war of warriors not civilians," Ikkaku said as he walked up to stand next to Renji. "Now I don't mind that you are looting the bodies of dead warriors but to do this to the civilians is sick. It's no wonder why the renegades believe we have no honor!"

"They fought against us and ran away from Soul Society. That is treason." The other shinigami nodded their heads in agreement.

"I don't care what you think, but you are a complete bastard if you keep humiliating these bodies," Ikkaku said. The other shinigami bristled and pulled at their zanpakutos.

"You have said too much Ikkaku. Maybe I should replace you." The scarred shinigami pulled out his sword.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Hitsugaya yelled. The shinigami all stopped to look at him. "We're going back to Soul Society. We'll commence another reconnaissance twenty minutes from now." Hitsugaya walked back through the door they came. The scarred shinigami shot glares at Ikkaku but obeyed the orders. Once all the shinigami left, a renegade stepped out from behind a tree, shaking his head at the remaining civilians who huddled in small groups. He was one of Jura's. He was supposed to be the guide and left to fetch some water for the caravan. "Lord Jura isn't going to like this, but it will be Lord Odin who will go on a rampage for revenge." The messenger was about to shunpo but a man with an eye-patch stopped him.

The man had a serious expression. "What has happened here?"

Ten minutes later.

The shinigami who had been intent on pillaging walked out from the gate returning close to the site of the destroyed caravan. They grinned at each other. They had come back for more raping, plundering, and killing. The scarred one led them. They came upon a caravan. When they charged at it something was amiss. There was no sound.

"Maybe they ran way," a shinigami in the first rank said, "They saw us coming and decided to run."

Hundreds of ravens were on the wagons. The shinigami noticed them but gave them no heed. The shinigami went into the middle of the wagons and found a buff old man. He was holding his sword and sat on a rock for rest.

"Hey old man! We'll let you live if you tell us where the rest of the renegades are," a shinigami yelled from the crowd.

"Young fools," he muttered before raising his voice to address the mob. "Were you the ones who raided this caravan a little while ago?"

"Yeah, so what of it?" the scarred leader asked cockily.

"Die, Cry Out, Ragnarok." His sword turned into a broadsword. Its hilt was embroidered by ravens. The blade had etchings of warriors that ran down its length. He pointed his sword at the shinigami. The ravens from the wagons came down upon the shinigami, as if on his signal. Half of them pecked the shinigami who tried to get them away. The rest surrounded them to make sure none got away. It was brutal and messy and the shinigami died slowly. The only shinigami that was left was the scarred leader and his five cronies.

"Spare my life please! Have mercy!" the leader cried out, crying like a small child. The other five were on their knees bowing.

"Where was mercy when my warriors and kin died? Where was the mercy when you raped the women? Where was the mercy when you killed the children?" The old man got up and pressed his zanpakuto into the leader's neck. He brought his free hand up and the ravens killed the five cronies slowly.

"I will let you run back. Run back, little boy. Tell them what happens when you attack Odin's followers!" The leader of the shinigami mob ran for his life, almost falling as he came back to the entrance. Standing there were Hitsugaya, Renji, and Ikkaku. They had been looking for the missing shinigami.

The shinigami cried out to them, falling to his knees and starting to weep. "Save me! Save me! The man means to kill me!" Hitsugaya and the other two looked toward the old man following the shinigami with a basket.

"Go back, Captain Hitsugaya. It is not your time to die yet." The old man made as to leave, but paused. "Wait actually. I have a present for you." He took firm hold of the basket and threw it to the shinigami. The scarred shinigami caught it and opened the basket. Inside were his five cronies' heads. They had their tongues ripped out and their eye sockets were empty. The shinigami yelled in horror and threw down the basket.

"Tell this to Yamamoto; he wanted a war and now he has one. Tell him Odin has answered his call!" Odin turned around and started to walk away.

Hitsugaya hadn't seen the contents and ordered the shinigami pick the basket back up. "Hey old man! You can't expect to walk here out alive to you?" The scarred shinigami, remembering who Hitsugaya was, stood up, once again cocky with strong numbers on his side. "You went against Soul Society; it is time to pay up." He laughed.

Odin's reiatsu flared. It forced the scarred shinigami to fall to the ground while the rest stepped back slightly. "You survived only because I let you. I will come for you and do what you have done to my kin hundreds of times over." Odin turned into a giant raven and flew into the sky.

Hitsugaya picked up the whimpering shinigami. "What have you done?!" he yelled furiously at the shinigami, before calming himself, speaking with cold words. "Actually don't tell me. You can tell the captains and the head captain." The four shinigami left. A raven followed them, perching on the cowed shinigami's shoulder. No one noticed it.

They arrived to find a still bickering Ichigo and Rukia. They were arguing about who should stay or go on the mission. They finally noticed the shinigami that came back. "Alright fine! Rukia you can come." Ichigo said giving up.

"She can't come Ichigo," Renji said as dryly as possible.

"Why can't I?" Rukia asked getting annoyed at Renji's betrayal.

"Cause we already went." Renji pointed at the closing door behind him. "And now Captain Hitsugaya has to bring up a case to the captain's meeting."

Ichigo looked at the whimpering shinigami. He had soiled his pants and was on the verge of going hysterical. "What happened to him and where are the others?"

"That is what we want to know and this little guy is going to tell us," Ikkaku said as he grinned at the shaking shinigami.

"Enough!" Hitsugaya snapped. "I must bring this to Head Captain Yamamoto." He shook the shinigami he still had a hold on. "Get up already. Are you a man or not?" The shinigami finally got to his feet but kept stumbling while he walked.

Ikkaku finally got tired of the shinigami's stumbling and threw him over his shoulder. "Let's go already!"

They ran through the corridors and entered into the hall containing the door to the captain's meeting. The Vice-Captain was waiting for them. "Head Captain Yamamoto has been expecting you Captain Hitsugaya." He bowed and opened the door. All the captains had arrived to receive word about the attack.

"So Captain Hitsugaya, how did the attack go?" Ukitake asked with a slight frown on his face. He still didn't like the idea of war.

"The raid was successful but we were hit hard." Hitsugaya motioned towards the shinigami with the raven still on his shoulder. Yamamoto's eyes widened.

"Wounded? I'll get my medics there right away," Unohana said, readying a hell butterfly. She was about to send it when Hitsugaya put his hand up to stop her.

"It would be better if you heard the story from this shinigami's mouth." He pushed the whimpering shinigami forward. All eyes fell on him.

"Well…well…" he started off.

"Well? Out with it boy!" Zaraki yelled. "Is this the way one of my men should be acting?" He strode forward and punched him in the gut.

"Come now, Captain Zaraki. This is no way to treat one of your subordinates," Shunsei said in a relaxed manner.

"Seems fitting Captain Shunsei. The man is obviously just a fool," Soi-Fong said glaring at the bowed over shinigami. He was clutching his gut and blood was dripping down his chin. He dropped the basket he was holding. The contents spilled out.

Everyone in the room stood in wide-eyed shock about the sacrilege of the heads. "T-th-ee-y were my friends," the shinigami said. "We were going back to get some more plunder before he came."

"Who is this he?" Byakuya asked. He was interested to find out who could commit such a barbarous act. "What does he look like?"

"I really don't know. All I know is that he had an eye patch and a sword with incredible powers," the shinigami blurted out.

"So it isn't so bad. Any number of people could have an eye patch," Yamamoto thought to himself. He was trying to reassure himself when he heard the worst news.

"You fool. If you can't even remember my name, how do you expect to go far in life?" the raven perched on the shinigami's shoulder demanded. All eyes fell onto the raven. Everyone was shocked except for of course Mayuri who grinned and tried to get closer to the raven to examine it. "And you Hitsugaya get your priorities straight next time."

"What does he mean Captain Hitsugaya?" Komamura asked. "Does this THING actually know you?"

"Well yes Komamura. Thought I'm still angry about the treatment to my subordinates. It is time for revenge." The raven flew off of the shinigami's shoulder. It charged into the mouth of its former perch. The shinigami started shouting, giving the raven an easy opening. The raven went right into him. It started to eat and peck away at the shinigami's insides. The captains, unable to do anything to stop the raven's progress, watched in horror. The shinigami's stomach started to stretch out till a beak popped out of it and then a head.

"This is for the desecration of my people." The raven went back in the body and the shinigami screamed. Though only several more minutes ticked by, it seemed like an eternity till the screams finally stopped. They looked at the body still sitting upright. The raven head appeared in its belly once more. "Judgment has been given." The raven crawled out and leaped to the floor.

"So Odin, what is it you want to tell me?" Yamamoto asked, outwardly calm. The other captains even the oldest ones looked at Yamamoto in surprise.

"Well I came to give the message that your little boy couldn't tell you. You have set this war up and the forces of the Five Warlords have arrived. You have your war now and we have answered." The raven started to disappear. Slowly spirit particles flew into the air. Mayuri cried out and tried to get more notes before it went away completely—a complete failure.

"If I may ask, Head Captain Yamamoto, who is this Odin person?" Unohana queried politely. She noticed that Yamamoto was very tense.

"Yes why don't you tell us mister big-boss?" Zaraki said as he walked away from the body.

Yamamoto sighed. "I've been holding out on the captains for a long time," Yamamoto said, "but for good reason." All the captains strained to hear what the secret is.

"Almost two thousand years ago I had a friend named Tyr. He was my best I friend I'll admit," Yamamoto said while smiling about old memories. "We did everything together. I would always get us in trouble and then he would get us out of it. There were five others that we spent all our time with, Poseidon the grandfather of Jura, Bast the mother of Isis, Gaia mother of Hades, and Atlas father of Oranos. The descendents are what are now known as the Five Warlords, but also Tyr one of the Renegade Knights."

"I didn't know the old man was such a troublemaker," Shunsei whispered to Ukitake.

"This old man also has good ears, Captain Shunsei," Yamamoto retorted.

"This may sound odd, but how do you know so much about the Five Warlords?" Ukitake asked.

"I was supposed to be at each of their births. Even though they hated me they knew what power I represented," Yamamoto said.

"Continue please," Soi-Fong said impatiently.

"About two years after we had graduated from the academy we were on patrol for hollows. And we found them, a whole mess of them…I can't really blame them for hating me," Yamamoto said as he sighed sadly.

"Why, Head Captain Yamamoto?" Hitsugaya inquired. He was interested in knowing how Soul Society made such strong enemies.

"As we struggled to survive, I left them to die. I ran back to Soul Society with guilt hanging over my head," Yamamoto said, "but they all managed to come back. I apologized to them but they wouldn't accept it. I really can't blame them now that I think about it. I was so mad at the time that I didn't want anything to do with them and it was the same for them." He chuckled at his immaturity.

"Is that all of it?" Byakuya asked stoically.

"Well actually no. Three hundred years ago there was the Battle of the Midnight, but also known as the Massacre of the Midnight. I gave the order to kill over one thousand renegades. Twenty survived. They are the Five Warlords excluding Jura and Tyr. All of the parents except Jura's died in the effort to save their children and Jura's grandfather died as well," Yamamoto finished.

"Well it is no wonder why they want to attack Soul Society," Komamura exclaimed. "The injustice of a massacre would drive anyone for revenge."

"But the question is how do we fight an opponent who has such strong fighters?" Hitsugaya pointed out.

"As long as they're strong I don't care," Zaraki stated and grinned at the prospect of strong opponents. All the captains discussed how to best the new threat. Ichigo and others watched by the sidelines.

A messenger came in, panting with exertion. All the talking ceased. "Head Captain Yamamoto," he managed, "Renegades are in the cities!"

"What?! Who let them in?!" Shunsei asked surprised.

"That is unknown but they are led by a man with javelins and in his mid-thirties. He also has a huge scar on his arm," the messenger said.

"Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ikkaku—go with the messenger to the city. There will be fifty shinigami coming with you," Yamamoto said. All of those ordered to battle nodded and shunpoed away.

"So who do you think the person is, Renji?" Ichigo asked as they shunpoed.

"I don't know. Doesn't sound like Jura though," Renji replied.

"Stop yammering you two. We're here," Rukia said as they landed in the middle of a medieval Japanese city. The road was stained with blood and the streets were remarkably silent.

"Where is everyone?" Ikkaku asked as he looked into a nearby bar. He saw several figures sitting with sake in their hands. "Hey guys," Madarame greeted, "where is everyone?"

The guy sitting in the middle started to laugh. "We are everyone," he stated.

"What do you mean by that?" Renji asked and popped his head in.

The man pointed out the other door that led to the next street. They both looked to see bodies—bodies of the civilians who were supposed to live here. They were hanging on a wall, each with a javelin or arrow stuck in their mouths. "Holy shit!" Ichigo yelled as he looked up. On the balcony were bodies of children that were hung by rope.

Twenty men came out from the bar. Another one jumped down from the roof. "So new blood eh?" the renegade that had jumped down said. He held a javelin in his hand.

"Murders! There is no honor killing civilians!" Rukia screamed as drew her zanpakuto.

"Well just like Jura said. You do have a lot of spirit in you," the man said as the ones around him snickered. "It is a shame that you work for the shinigami though." The men around him started to draw their javelins.

"Hold it!" Everyone looked up. They saw Zaraki and his Vice-Captain Kusajika Yachiru on his shoulder. Fifty shinigami from the 11th Division were with them. "You can't start a battle without us!" Yachiru yelled. She jumped off from Zaraki's back and landed on the rooftop. The others jumped down to face the renegades.

"Well I guess shinigami can't fight without having overwhelming numbers," the man said, "so let me introduce you to my force, the force of Oranos!" He threw a javelin in the air. It exploded and created a shower of sparks. The shinigami were temporarily blinded.

"Well it has been a blast, but Jura said we have to be gone soon," Oranos yelled from above. They all struggled to look at him and his warriors, still partially blinded. Javelins fell upon them. Seven shinigami were killed. Two were mortally wounded and over half the force had minor cuts.

Oranos threw a javelin into a rip in the air. "Better watch out!" Oranos yelled. The javelin appeared next to a shinigami's head and blew it away.

"Buh-bye," he said happily. One of his warriors threw another javelin in the air that created a huge amount of light. Everyone had to shield their eyes once more. After five seconds it stopped. Looking around, the shinigami saw none of the renegades left, only the bodies and javelins.

Zaraki stomped his foot on the ground and created a small crater. "Damn it! I didn't even get to fight."

"Wasn't that one of the Five Warlords?" Renji asked Rukia.

"He said his name was Oranos. He is pretty powerful and the men did follow him," Rukia stated.

"So we met the second Warlord and we already had our asses handed back to us twice," Ichigo complained.

"No, it's the third time," Ikkaku pointed out, "I met Odin and he's a warlord."

"Alright that makes it three times our asses were handed to us," Ichigo said while he smacked his forehead. "Now there are only two more times to get our asses handed to us by all the warlords."

"Well Ichigo, look at it this way. They may be the tougher than Aizen so they can kill him for us!" Renji pointed out hopefully.

"They are only interested in us if you forgot, Renji," Ichigo sweat-dropped and continued, "and besides they actually helped the hollows if you forgot that to."

"Well, well. Oranos did give a lot of implications now did he?" Jura sat on the roof. He dangled his legs next to Yachiru who waved her hand at him.

"Jura!" Rukia yelled angrily and jumped to rooftop. She attacked with an overhead slash and cut him into two. Her sword sank in to his head. She gaped as the sword met little resistance and let go. His hand caught the sword and pulled it out.

"My, my. That was a scary experience," Jura said as he threw the sword onto the ground. "As you can tell I'm not actually there. I'm speaking through one of Odin's ravens."

"So what do you want then mister fake?" Yachiru asked cutely.

"Such a wonderful child Zaraki," Jura said. "It is a shame that she will have to die."

"Don't you lay a finger on Yachiru!" Zaraki growled.

"My, my, touchy, but that is beside the point. I'm just here to examine Oranos's handiwork. I must admit he did a good job." Jura nodded.

"Is that all, you coward? Can't you come and face us here?!" Ikkaku yelled.

Jura's face got serious. "You dare call me a coward, shinigami? You who had to fight with a hundred other men to kill fifty. You are the coward here and your time will soon come also." He pulled out a javelin from his body and threw it Ikkaku. It grazed his head.

"Alright, now you have seen his handiwork so leave!" Rukia shouted. She picked up her sword and prepared to attack him again.

"I'm leaving, but your king has been put into check. How will you respond?" Jura asked as his body disappeared. The raven inside the clay body also disappeared. All the shinigami wondered what they were going to do.

Yeah! The chapter is finished. I had trouble thinking of what the ending should be, but I got through it. I must admit I think I did a pretty good job on this one. Alright this preceptormyth101 signing out. R&R!