Welcome to chapter 11! Thank you to all my reviews so far. Sorry it took so long to update, I have been super busy with things, but I have finally got around to it! IT was hard writing all this fighting, but I like the way it came out please enjoy!
Raising Hyorinmaru above his head, Toshiro managed to block the incoming ice shards that flew towards him. Using Hyorinmaru's powers, he transformed the ice shards to water briefly before reforming the liquid into a wall of ice to block a strike from the larger dragon's talons. Dagateru let out a frustrated roar before striking the ice wall with his tail, breaking it in the process. Toshiro used the cover of ice shards to shunpo close to the dragon's chest and slicing his blade downward, leaving a clean gash. The dragon roared with a mixture of pain and frustration as he tried to grab the boy, who spun out of the way and brought Hyorinmaru down onto the dragon's wrist in the same motion. Toshiro jumped backwards while muttering under his breath.
"What are up to now, boy!" the dragon roared as he stepped forwards only to find his foot glued to the floor.
"Rokui Hyōketsujin" the silver haired young man smirked as ice shards climbed up the dragon's body and freezing him in a column of ice.
Toshiro sighed briefly before Dagateru suddenly broke free from the ice prison in full rage. Taken off guard, Toshiro was unprepared for the dragon's talons that caught him across his side and threw him into a nearby wall. He stood up gasping and barely dodged the next attack of razor sharp ice shards that flew at him. Some of the ice caught him across the; left side of his face and shoulder leaving deep gashes.
"Is that all you got, Toshiro?" the dragon sneered. "I expected more out of a shinigami captain."
"Be careful what you wish for." Toshiro panted as he raised Hyorinmaru in front of him. "Bankai."
Ice flew out from the sword and carefully swirled around the young man, and forming around him.
Without hesitation, Toshiro sent a barrage of ice towards the beast who swooped high to avoid the attack, but he failed to notice a second blow and took the attack head on sending him crashing towards the ground. Toshiro used shunpo and flew over to the dragon while striking downwards with his blade, catching the beast across his face.
Dagateru used the opportunity to catch Toshiro in his grasp, making the boy's eyes widen in surprise. The dragon sneered at this as he squeezed harder.
"I will admit that you have turned out to be a worthy opponent even without your dragon powers, but you are still no match for me." Dagateru grinned slightly as he watched the boy struggling to free himself. "You have lost, Toshiro."
"Not yet. . ." Toshiro ground out through struggled breathes. "Hyōten Hyakkasō"
Dagateru looked upwards as snowflakes began to fall from above. Curiosity took hold as he watched the flakes fall down, until the first one hit his snout and bloomed into an ice shard embedded in his body. He roared and dropped Toshiro as his body began to fill with ice shards. The young man quickly moved out of range of the attack as he watched his father become engulfed in shards of ice until only a icy silhouette of the dragon remained.
Panting Toshiro watched as the ice shattered. He braced himself for an attack, but it never came. The dragon took one step forward and transformed back into his human form before falling to the ground. The young man raced over to his father's side and was relieved to find the man was still alive.
"It appears I have underestimated you, my son." Dagateru panted between struggled breaths.
"It didn't have to be like this." Toshiro calmed retorted as he put his father's head in his lap. The older man just smiled through his pain.
"You do not understand the pain I have gone through. My desire for revenge." he paused as he winced from internal pain.
"Revenge is not always the answer." Toshiro answered as he felt the pain from his own words. "Trust me, it brings nothing but heartache." Dagateru just smiled as he brought his hand up to Toshiro's uninjured cheek.
"Who would have guessed that one so young could show me wisdom." he whispered as consciousness left him. Toshiro stood up and picked up his father as he carried him out of the Soul King's palace.
The dragon's that had been fighting stopped as they saw Toshiro carrying out the unconscious form of their leader. They muttered amongst themselves, but none of them moved.
"I cannot thank you enough for defeating Dagateru for me, Toshiro Hitsugaya." Aizen's smug voice cut through the silence. "Now nothing stands in my way!" Toshiro carefully set his father down as he turned to see Aizen on the steps of the Soul King's palace. Slightly panting he drew Hyorinmaru as he readied himself for battle once more. Aizen tilted his head at this.
"You do not have the energy to fight me, young dragon." the burnette sneered.
"I will not let you win, Aizen." he spat with all the energy he had.
"You cannot possibly hope to beat me, especially without your dragon abilities."
Toshiro snarled and was about to leap forward when a hand grabbed his good shoulder gently but firmly. The silver haired young man turned to see Ichigo standing next to his with determination in his eyes.
"We can beat him together, Toshiro." the orange haired man smiled. "Besides, I know the guardian here would love to have of piece of this bastard."
"Let's end this then, Kurosaki." Toshiro smirked. As both men turned back to a grinning Aizen who raised his sword to challenge the two young men.
Ichigo made the first move by instantly releasing his bankai.
"Getsuga Tensho!" the orange haired shinigami shouted as he raced towards the burnett. Aizen merely smirked as he easily deflect the blow, but he quickly flipped backwards as Toshiro sliced upwards where his head had just been. As soon as Aizen landed, he side stepped as another Getsuga Tensho blast.
"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui" Aizen calmy muttered as a massive blast of blue energy fly towards Ichigo, knocking the shinigami back a ways. The burnett then brought his sword up just in time to block another strike from Toshiro.
"Bakai!" the silvered haired man screamed as Aizen shunpoed backwards to avoid the onslaught of ice.
"Hadō #88. Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō" the older man fired at Toshiro who blocked the attack with a wall of ice. Seeing his attack failed Aizen instantly attacked again without hesitation. "Hadō #99. Goryūtenmetsu."
Toshiro's eyes widen as five massive energy dragon's collided into his body. Shouting in pain the teal eyed man struggled to stay standing. Aizen smirked, but instantly dove away as Ichigo's Getsuga managed to catch his across his left side. Ichigo shunpoed next to Toshiro and helped steady him before Aizen's voice angrily cut across the field.
"I grow tired of this game, and I have come too far to let the two of you stand in my way any longer. It's time that I ended this game."
Ichigo and Toshiro braced themselves for Aizen's move, but their eyes widened as the saw the smirk on his face and heard his incantation.
"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness! Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi!"
Blackness enveloped the two young shinigami as the spell completely encased them within. The black coffin then shattered leaving the two young men wounded from head to toe. The two collapsed onto their hands and knees, panting heavily and barely conscious.
"I must commend you two for still being alive and conscious." Aizen smirked as he approached the duo." But alas, all things must eventually come to an end. You two have been worthy opponents over these past few years, but it's time for this farce to end. Farewell Ichigo Kurosaki and Toshiro Hitsugaya."
While Aizen raised his hand once more and prepared his final attack, the Guardian spoke to Ichigo.
Allow me to take over, Kurosaki. I have once last attack I can do. I can end him.
"No way, I will not let you sacrifice yourself.!" Ichigo shouted internally.
It is the only way. My sole purpose has been to keep the Oken safe, and I failed in that mission. The least I can do is prevent this mad man from overthrowing the Soul King.
Reluctantly Ichigo allowed the Guardian to take over his body. Toshiro noticed the change in Ichigo's spiritual pressure and turned his attention to the orange haired man. His eyes widened in shock when he realized he was looking into the eyes of the Guardian.
"Hinotsuchi" he whispered.
"I am going to end this, Toshiro." the guardian's voice solemnly replied through Ichigo.
"You can't. There must be another way." Toshiro pleaded as emotions began to whell up inside him.
"It is the only way we can stop him. I owe it to your mother to keep this man from destroying everything she worked to build. It has been an honor getting to know you over these past few years. Your mother would have been proud of the man you have grown up to be. Farewell, young dragon."
"No!" Toshiro shouted in protest. He felt the way he did when Hyorinmaru was taken from, and it pained him to his core.
The guardian in Ichigo's body stepped forward to meet Aizen head on who had stopped his incantation at this new development. Once Ichigo stopped walking the entire area was engulfed in an incredibly intense spiritual energy that could only be described in comparison with the wrath of a dragon. Toshiro's consciousness began to fade as he watched Aizen become overcome with the shear power of the guardian. The last this Toshiro saw was Aizen's body falling to the ground as the whispers of Hyorinmaru as he faded to black.
Goodbye, my brother.
I'm sorry for the sad ending, but it was necessary! Please review, I love to here from my readers. The next chapter will more than likely be the conclusion for this story.