Part XIV: This is No Man
"It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things."
-Lemony Snicket, The Reptile Room
"You look worn." Ginjo murmured, his hand trailing lazily off the end of the railing.
"And you look lost." Byakuya answered, his hand clenching the handle of his sword. "Are you certain you mean to face me?"
"I will be your opponent." Tsukishima said as he appeared at the top of the stair.
"Ah." Byakuya nodded his head in realization. "Of course…" He swallowed the heavy lump lodged in the back of his throat. "And that would leave you, Ginjo, free to do as you please."
"I'm just gonna go kill our lil' guest…" Ginjo drawled. "He's made quite a mess of my manor."
"Which one?" Byakuya asked, his lip quivering with the hint of a smile. "They've both made quite an example out of you."
"I'll gut them both." Ginjo snarled. "And bleed them dry."
"I'm afraid that I cannot allow…" Byakuya hissed.
"You can't defeat me." Tsukishima said, drawing his own sword.
Tsukishima lunged forward, sparks spraying as their swords connected. Byakuya parried the blow, his curved blade darting sideways, blocking Ginjo's path. Ginjo raised his hands at the suddenness of the motion and Byakuya grinned. But Tsukishima wasted no time, within seconds Byakuya's attention was back on him. Byakuya twisted to the side, dipping low enough that the ends of his hair brushed against the ground.
Byakuya's sword shot upward, but, unbelievably, Tsukishima was primed to block it. "You're not a better swordsman than me…" Byakuya breathed, running to intercept Ginjo. He slid in front of the other vampire, his palm connecting with Ginjo's chest. Ginjo growled furiously, outraged at being stopped with a single hand.
Tsukishima stepped slowly, thoughtfully. He moved as if he had no intention of truly stopping Byakuya. Byakuya switched from one opponent to the next, severely limiting himself to mere defensive moves.
Tsukishima carved his sword along the floor, raising it just in time to block Byakuya's next swing. He smiled puckishly, his sword scraping along the floor noisily. Tsukishima moved first, his sword nicking the flesh just above Byakuya's protracted hipbone. Tsukishima's smile faltered as a stream of blood dripped from a wound on his cheek.
Ginjo grew impatient, putting all of his force into knocking Byakuya into the wall. "Haziq! Amar! Come!" Ginjo bellowed, his foot crushing down through the empty space Byakuya had occupied. "This is ridiculous!"
Byakuya rolled across the floor nimbly, his sword held in his hands. He climbed to his feet and, with an audible twist of his neck, he beckoned Tsukishima forward. "Come."
"I'm right here." Tsukishima murmured, his dark lashes fluttering against his paper-white skin. Once again Tsukishima dug his sword into the wooden floor beneath them. The noise was grating and made Byakuya's jaw twitch.
"Be serious." Byakuya demanded, thick rage cutting through his smooth voice.
"I am serious…" Tsukishima claimed with mock indignation.
"You waste time." Byakuya accused, looking from Tsukishima to Ginjo with realization. "Why?"
However, Byakuya didn't have the luxury of waiting for their reply. Tsukishima pounced forward, into the center of the sword-drawn circle. The wood groaned loudly and, before Byakuya could react, the floor boards cracked beneath the sudden pressure.
"Oh." The word escaped Byakuya's lips like a sigh. He was standing, his feet shoulder-width apart, his hands clutching his sword; and then, he was weightless. He stood in mid-air for a millisecond before abruptly crashing through the broken floor and into the room below.
"I'm going on ahead…" Ginjo called down the hole, giving a slight wave before disappearing.
Byakuya had landed on a bed, the footboard to be precise. The wood had splintered and he could feel blood draining into the skin at the point of contact. He grimaced, letting his body lay suspended on the rubble. He took a deep, agonized breath before sitting up.
Tsukishima was beside him, so close that they could reach out and touch one another. Byakuya threw his body to the other side, rolling across the broken wood until he hit the wall. He cursed and stood, his sword still held tightly in his hand.
Byakuya looked around the feminine room with piqued interest. The boudoir was rather elegant with tiny, glass figurines arranged neatly on the shelves. Glass and wood littered the floor and Byakuya felt a twinge of remorse as he crushed a rabbit statuette beneath his boot.
"This is rather unsporting…" Byakuya complained.
"Why?" Tsukishima asked, stumbling over a bit of debris. "I have just given myself the same handicap as you."
"I meant for Ginjo." Byakuya clarified. "He must not think much of you," Byakuya drawled cruelly. He knew Tsukishima's inner most insecurities, and he used his words like a knife. Byakuya rotated one of the figurines around, spacing it properly from the one beside it. "To have you resort to such a plan…"
"It was my plan." Tsukishima spat.
"And he agreed?" Byakuya asked. He lifted his sword in challenge. "He must have known you would die down here… and he still let you do it…"
"The beast upstairs…" Tsukishima began coolly. "The red-haired half-creature… He dies tonight." Tsukishima climbed over the rubble toward Byakuya. "But you will follow him soon thereafter…"
Shunsui strode through the battered front doors and into the manor. The place was in chaos. A large number of vampires stood huddled together, their hands over their heads. Conversely, a group of the males were mustering their courage; it seems they intended to fight the invaders along with their Master.
His scent was easily lost in the confusion, masked by panic and excitability. Without drawing attention, he had come to stand in the center of the room. He turned in a slow circle, an aggressive scent rolling off his shoulders and into the air.
Shunsui recalled his battle with the Quincys. He could still taste the scorching intensity in his throat. He could close his eyes and visualize the green eyed dragon. He could feel that eccentric laughter shake his entire body through the rock. Transform all the way, the dragon had told him.
The air in the manor shifted and suddenly Shunsui's heavy, murderous scent was the only thing on anyone's mind.
Two floors above, the twins paused. "The Black Horse." Haziq murmured, holding onto his brother securely.
"What?" Ginjo asked, clearing his throat anxiously.
"The Black horseman." Amar began. "Famine."
"Famine?" Ginjo's eyes narrowed in thought. "I don't understand. Explain yourself."
"I can't." Amar answered. "I cannot see what is coming."
"What about you?" Ginjo demanded, grabbing hold of Haziq's shirt.
"I see nothing." Haziq replied, his black eyes meeting Ginjo's. "This is no man."
A chill settled into the castle, sinking into the framework as if it were bones. Ginjo's breath curled from his lips and he closed his mouth angrily. He released the slight vampire and turned away from the twins in anger. "I am no man either…"
"Renji-kun," Jushiro breathed, pulling the heavy shifter into his lap. He brushed his hands over Renji's slackened face, cupping his cold hands against the other's warm skin. "Renji…"
The shifter remained motionless. His beautiful tanned skin had taken on an alarming pallid complexion. Blood was smeared across his face, neck and chest. Jushiro leaned over, pressing his ear to Renji's chest. Suddenly, Renji gasped for air. The abrupt and loud sucking sound had caused Jushiro to curse aloud. Embarrassed, he slapped his palm against Renji's face impatiently. "Renji."
"Mmm?" A single brown eye opened.
"Are you alright?" Jushiro asked, leaning into Renji closely.
"I feel heavy…" Renji admitted. "And cold…"
"As long as you are speaking," Jushiro murmured, standing up unceremoniously. Renji groaned as he settled onto the floor. He looked up at Jushiro with sweetly blinking eyes. "You have the strength to walk."
"Walk?" Renji groaned. "Where are we walking?"
"Away."
"Huh?" Renji rocked himself onto his knees, slowly pulling himself to his feet.
"With haste, Renji-kun." Jushiro insisted, hooking his arm around Renji's.
"Why?" Renji asked dumbly, looking around the room in confusion.
"Because someone is about to walk through that door…" Jushiro explained, ushering Renji through another door. "And they want to kill you."
"I'm not gonna run away." Renji groaned, skidding to a halt.
"Yes you are." Jushiro ordered, his green eyes wide. "You're half-drunk on your feet."
"I'm fine." Renji lied, forcing his body to stop swaying where he stood.
"I also have my pride as a man," Jushiro acknowledged. He grabbed Renji's wrist and tugged him roughly. "I want to stay and fight, but that's impossible now. We're both too heavily wounded."
"I'm a shifter. I heal quick." Renji grunted, resisting Jushiro's pull.
"This is not the time for misplaced courage." Jushiro snapped. "You must recuperate."
"I'm fine…" Renji insisted. "I'd be even better if that damn son-of-a-bitch hadn't drained me like that…" Renji began to mutter heatedly beneath his breath.
"You have absolutely no chance of defeating him." Jushiro chastised, heaving Renji behind him as he walked. "I promise!"
"And how do you know?" Renji asked obstinately.
"He doesn't fight." Jushiro sighed, stopping for a moment to rest. He looked up at the shifter and shook his head. "It could be mistaken for cowardice, but it's concerning. He didn't become the Master of the Coven for no reason. He had to earn his title."
"Now I really want to fight him." Renji purred.
"Your life is not guaranteed, Renji." Jushiro snapped. "There is no guarantee any of us will live to see tomorrow."
"I thought you liked that about battle." Renji mused.
"I have a duty." Jushiro put both hands on Renji, pushing him through another door. "Orihime is just a child. She can't be left alone."
"I have no obligation to Orihime." Renji argued. "Let me face this guy."
"You're too weak, idiot." Jushiro growled, his elbow connecting with Renji's face. Renji's head knocked backward and he collapsed to the ground unconscious. Jushiro cursed to himself as he grabbed Renji's feet, dragging the shifter into a room off to the side. "Just lie down and be quiet."
Shunsui blinked rapidly, warm blood squishing deeper into his eyelashes. He wiped at his face, over and over, nearly clawing the blood from his skin. He turned in a tight circle, he felt nauseous, as if he had been spinning for hours, and he staggered forward.
His bare feet squeaked against the wet floor and with a small groan Shunsui hit the floor. He landed on his side, his hip, shoulder and the ends of his hair soaking up a fair amount of blood. He looked around the salon in a panic, scrambling to his feet. He slipped again, a curse escaping his lips, and he finally grabbed ahold of the couch in front of him. He dug his nails into the stained fabric, pulling himself to his feet.
His heart pounded nervously in his chest. He blinked unsurely again, scanning the room for any signs of life. I need to bury them, Shunsui thought suddenly. He tiptoed naked through the carnage toward a corpse. He kneeled beside them, his fingers touching their pale skin. The vampire was dead, an inexplicable stone pillar thrust through her shoulder and out of her mouth. It was gruesome and Shunsui fought the urge to be sick.
He stood slowly, surveying the room. There were countless vampires littering the salon. Each body was horribly mangled. Each corpse was mutilated by stone. Shunsui was confused. He took a shallow breath and sat down on the edge of a chaise. He remembered coming through the front door. He remembered the vampires' unawareness. He remembered the thick, vicious limbs that had stretched from his own shadow.
And after that Shunsui woke up, standing in the center of the room with foul blood dripping into his eyes. The entire battle was obliterated from his memory. He squatted down into a vulnerable position, his hands wrapped over his head. He wracked his brain. What the hell was that stone? How the hell could he not remember the fight?
He realized that he wasn't going to get answers while cowering on the floor. He stood and searched for his clothing. He found them floating on top of a bona fide pool of blood. He sighed and threw his arms into the air.
Without much hesitation, he undressed the large vampire beside him. He was nearly the same height and possibly even wider than Shunsui. He pulled the pants up quickly, slinging the jacket, with minimal blood-staining, on with a relieved sigh. He left the shirt; it was doused with blood and torn nearly to shreds.
Shunsui felt weak. Whatever sort of battle had taken place, he had exerted all of his energy. He sat on the third stair from the bottom. He watched the vampire corpses carefully, looking for any signs of reanimation. After several long, boring minutes, he lay back on the stair, and even though it was awkward at first, he was so truly exhausted that he fell asleep stretched across the steps.
Silently, Ginjo ascended the stairs. He turned sharply onto the landing, his eyes narrowing.
"Shit."
Ginjo paused briefly, Amar and Haziq nearly running into the back of him, as his eyes settled on the shifter in front of him. "Who are you?"
"Eh." Grimmjow shrugged nonchalantly.
"Eh?" Ginjo asked, his claws protracting in anger.
"I already fought one of your kind." Grimmjow explained, scratching at the pink, new skin on his exposed stomach. He looked up into the air and sighed. "I've had a tough day."
"Oh? Is that so?" Ginjo arched a brow in irritation. "And?"
"And… I hate to do this, but I feel like fucking shit." Grimmjow announced before suddenly looking back to Ginjo. He winked impishly while giving a lazy wave. And then unexpectedly, he twisted around and began to run full-out in the opposite direction.
"You fucking son-of-a-" Ginjo roared.
But Ginjo's words died in his throat. Almost as if there had been an explosion behind them, Haziq and Amar floated into the air. They separated swiftly, Haziq hitting the wall with a sickening crunch. Amar bounced in the air for several seconds before blood began to spray down on Ginjo in a fine mist.
Ginjo began to shake, the veins in his face and neck throbbing. He bellowed, watching Amar being ripped apart helplessly. Amar's leg hit the wall, and then an arm, and Ginjo moved out of the way just as Amar's blackened organs began to spill out. Amar's lifeless body finally dropped to the ground, his unseeing eyes staring up at Ginjo.
"What is this?" Ginjo whispered, looking around in shock.
"Amar…" Haziq cried out, scrambling to his knees. Blood oozed from his forehead, dripping down his face and into his eye. "Amar!'
"Be quiet!" Ginjo shouted. "Focus! Something is here!"
"The pale horseman…" Haziq moaned, crawling along the floor toward his brother's corpse. "The harbinger of death…"
"Stop with this insanity!" Ginjo ordered. He reached down and grabbed Haziq's wrist, pulling him to his feet. He ignored the slighter man's protests, pinning him in place with sheer force. "Where is it?"
"My brother!" Haziq cried. "Let me be with my brother."
"Unless you want to die, shut up." Ginjo barked, pressing his back against the wall of the hallway. He peered around suspiciously. "Show yourself demon! Show yourself!"
"Master Ginjo!" another vampire screamed, clambering up the stairs. "Master Ginjo! It is madness! There is death-" The vampire's face made a little 'o' of surprise, and then he was launched into the air. He was torn apart in seconds, his mutilated remains sliding back down the stairs.
"I see you now." Ginjo murmured. "Show yourself, little witch."
"I am not a witch." The disembodied voice seemed to reverberate around the hall.
"Your shape was lean enough to mistake for a woman." Ginjo purred. He reached up on the tips of his toes, his fingertips brushing over a silvery scale. The image shivered and the blood on the ceiling shifted. Ginjo smiled in relief. "I've got you."
"Hardly."
Ginjo was stunned into silence as a tiny orb of light began to grow in front of his eyes. The light shimmered across the invisible scales and Ginjo realized he had been mistaken. This invisible creature was enormous and now stood mere inches from him. The orb of light continued to grow, heat and a high-pitched sound emanating from it.
"Move!" Haziq shouted, kicking Ginjo's legs out from under him. The orb exploded harmlessly into the wall behind them. The wall was vaporized, the orb cutting through the house like a knife through butter.
"Haziq…" Was all Ginjo could manage to say. He climbed back to his feet, helping the smaller vampire up.
"Master, please…" Haziq pleaded. "You cannot win this."
"I will not be defeated by that fucking…" Ginjo growled, clenching his fists.
"The battle is over." Haziq continued. "We've lost…"
"He's right." Ichigo said, his human form shimmering into view. "Two battles are left."
"Ha." Ginjo laughed humorlessly. "You silly little boy…" Ginjo's teeth jutted from his mouth and he licked his lips hungrily. "Those two battles are what decide the war! I will not lose! Tsukishima will not lose!"
"Had I not been your opponent…" Ichigo began, walking toward Ginjo slowly. "Perhaps you could have been successful."
"You're pretty arrogant, kid." Ginjo said, his voice gravelly.
"Tch." Ichigo snorted impatiently. "I won't be gentle."
"Neither will I." Ginjo fumed.
Ginjo leapt forward, his claws slicing the air where Ichigo's face had been. He swiped and clawed, Ichigo blocking with his arms. Ginjo pushed forward, stepping over Amar's corpse, backing Ichigo against the wall. But instead of being trapped, Ichigo sprang into the air, walking along the ceiling with ease. He dropped down on the other side of Ginjo, easily blocking Ginjo's next attack.
"You're strong." Ginjo breathed, wiping the mingling blood and sweat from his eyes. "This isn't even your fight. Why'd you get involved?"
"Us? Weren't you the ones who threatened us first?" Ichigo demanded, his brown eyes wide and angry. "Who drew the first blood? It was your coven! All we wanted was to continue on… We were just passing through! This blood, this massacre is not on us. Your kind started it and my kind will damn well finish it…"
As if fueled by the challenge, Ginjo's speed and strength increased. He rammed his body against Ichigo's, pushing with all of his force. Ichigo let out a scream as Ginjo's teeth sank into his neck. Ginjo drank rapidly, blood spilling down Ichigo's peach-colored skin.
"Get off!" Ichigo grunted, knocking his knees into Ginjo's stomach. The vampire staggered backward, his tongue hungrily lapping at Ichigo's blood.
"You're all talk." Ginjo derided. "I've already had a taste and we've just started."
"It is a courtesy that I give." Ichigo declared, his eyes narrowed. "I think that a person should feel honor at their time of deaths. Not humiliating defeat. Not instant failure…" Ichigo's entire body seemed to hum with energy. "But if your wish is a swift death, I shall give it to you."
Ginjo could only throw his arms over his head as a stream of light exploded toward him. He felt the gust of wind wash over him, his clothes fluttering around his body. He felt the intense heat. He heard the screeching sound of the attack. But it wasn't until the hallway was silent that he realized what had happened.
He looked down at his boots, watching the mysterious red liquid fall in droplets. The droplets gushed uncontrollably and he took a labored breath. With each breath the droplets increased. Finally, he realized the whole in his chest. He placed his hand over the left side of his body. The wound was clean, instantly cauterized. He turned slowly, staring at his blackened heart lying decimated on the floor behind him.
"Whoa." Ginjo murmured, nodding slowly. And then he collapsed dead.
"Master Ginjo!" Haziq screamed, kneeling beside Ginjo's corpse. "Master, please!"
"Fight me." Ichigo requested.
"I won't." Haziq moaned. "I can't."
"I'm sorry." Ichigo spoke softly, an orb growing between his hands. "In that case I will simply reunite you and your brother."
"Thank you." Haziq said bravely. He closed his eyes and folded his hands together in prayer. "Thank you."