Whew! A chapter over 2000 words. Hope you enjoy reading.
25. Palace of pain
MASANE:
We had finally reached the palace of Las Noches, however Ichigo was severely wounded by Nora's poison. Our only hope was if we could find Orihime and get her to use her healing powers to reject the venom from his body.
The corridors were dark and had a creepy aura to them. I didn't feel safe when I couldn't see where our enemy might strike next. But I had to push on. Something inside of me was urging me to continue.
"M...Ma...Masane...Use your cero to light up the room."
"But won't that alert the others?"
"Masane. They already know we're here from our reiatsu, just form a ball of cero and use it as a torch."
"Um...Okay." I responded. How do I do cero? Did I even use cero?
I looked down at Ichigo. His head slumped over my shoulder as I carried him. I have to hurry.
"Masane." Ichigo's voice was becoming fainter as the poison spread through his body. "If I'm going to weigh you down...please don't hesitate to leave me here."
I'm shocked to hear his words. "Why are you saying that? You're not weighing me down. I promise I will find Orihime and you won't die."
Ichigo smiled and tried to laugh but coughed up his own blood instead.
"Ichigo!" I rushed to his aid.
"Too bad eh? He could really use some treatment for that poison."
A voice. "Who's there?"
Moonlight penetrates the room and I recognise the man from the previous battle.
"Ul...qu...or...ra" Ichigo spits his words.
"I think we could make a deal out of this Witchblade bearer." Ulquiorra drags from the darkness a young girl in white clothing. Her hands are tied and her mouth is gagged. She looks at me with eyes of despair.
"Orihime!" I shout out to her. Ulquiorra let her go!"
"Please don't interrupt." He raises his bony white hand. Let's say I give you back the girl...and Ichigo will be spared...but at a cost."
Knowing the current situation I respond with, "What kind of cost?"
"Ulquiorra wraps his hand around Orihime in an intimate manner, even though she seems most uncomfortable. "Orihime has a very special power. It is not simply healing, but the power to reject reality." He walks down the stairs. Each step he takes sounds more and more intense. "If I save your friend, you must let her reject your Witchblade powers."
A dagger felt like it had pierced my heart. He wanted me to exchange my Witchblade powers for Ichigo's life? What would he want with such a power? And could I afford to let him take that power. As much as I loathed the blade that had been bestowed upon me I was not suddenly willing to give it up to the next bidder.
"Mama."
"Rihoko!" My body froze in a brief trance before I returned to reality.
"Is that why you can't let go Masane?" Ulquiorra offered his hand. "Are you worried you will pass it down to your daughter? Is that why you have held onto the blade even in the afterlife?"
I clasped my blade tightly, recalling the battles and memories which came about through this thing. If I did want a future with Rihoko, should I give up the Witchblade?
"You know she would have a better life if we destroyed the blade once and for all. Your daughter would be able to live a life of peace."
"So we would destroy the Witchblade?" I murmur.
"Yes of course, that is what the power of rejection can do, once the Witchblade is gone, we can leave this conflict and return to our normal lives, the Espada will have no more qualms with you Shinigami, and Ichigo will live."
Do I dare trust a hollow? I may have no choice. To save my daughter from this fate...I...I...I
"I forfeit the Witchblade."
Ulquiorra doesn't react but nudges Orihime over to where we stand. "Orihime, you know what to do."
"Mmmffnnfffgff." Her protests are muffled.
I plead with Orihime. "Please Orihime, do this for me, and Ichigo."
She grabs my arm and rubbed her hands against the metallic gauntlet of my Witchblade. She gives Ulquiorra a stern look.
"Oh that's right you need to speak to summon your little fairies." He pulls down the cloth and she now calls forth her rejection power."
"SOTTEN KASHUN I REJECT." The orange aura that was once used to heal me was now healing me of the Witchblade. The arm was gradually feeling lighter as the blade flickered into many pieces and slowly decayed from my arm.
"Amazing..." Ulquiorra watched on in awe. "The Witchblade is disappearing...soon it will be completely removed from your body and you will be liberated from its bidding."
"Yeah." I was starting to feel a bit unsure about this. I mean it was great to think I had finally lost the 'thing'....But something didn't feel right.
"STOP THIS!" I hear a group of people rush through a wall, Orihime falls back in the melee and the rejection process is interrupted.
"WHAT!!!??? NO!!! YOU PEOPLE RUINED EVERYTHING!!!" Ulquiorra curses heavily and rises up to the ceiling. "I will make you all suffer for this. BIND...MURCEILAGO"
"Are you alright Masane?" I see Shunsui cradling me in his arms. I nod and notice the rest of the group. Rukia tends to Ichigo whilst Yasutora and Yuichi fight Ulquiorra.
"Wait Ichigo!"
"It's alright Masane; Rukia knows a thing or two about healing herself."
"How did you all get here?" I look up into his soft eyes. I feel safe when I'm nestled amongst his big chest. Oh God I hope I'm not falling for him! He still needs a shave.
"Nemu opened a Garganta for us. We have to look for Mayuri-sama as well. He should be around here."
"Kill the intruders." A croaky voice interrupts the somewhat peaceful scene as a dozen footsisters attack.
"Hold on tight Masane, I wouldn't want you to get chopped up with these girls." He uses his free left arm to slash at the oncoming Arrancars. I heard something about how he tricks the enemy with his ambidextrous manoeuvres.
"Hoahhh!!!" Chad sends a blast of blue energy at his opponent while Yuichi backs his captain up with a kido blast.
"Your movements are sluggish, how did they make you captain." Ulquiorra moves freely through the air with his black bat wings. He forms a javelin out of energy and hurtles it at Chad. He blocks it with his shield arm. "Interesting...let's see how many it can fend in one go." Ulquiorra decides to send a flurry of the little spears at Chad. I can no longer see what is happening as the ground has been raised by the force of the energy spears.
"Please be okay Chad." Meanwhile Shunsui seems to be easily fighting the footsisters with me still comfortably in his grasp.
As the fog clears from the other battle I see Chad's lieutenant staggering as red goo dribbles from his body.
"Oh no!"
Chad call to his lieutenant; he is miraculously unharmed. "Yuichi why!"
"I owe you for saving me from Shrieker a hundred years ago. I'm glad I finally had the chance to truly thank you." His body spews red liquid as he collapses to the ground.
"NOOOO!!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!" But it soon becomes more tragic when Chad is slashed from behind. Ulquiorra had used sonido to strike at Chad's back. Blood fountains over his body as he succumbs to defeat.
Rukia cried out to her lieutenants to attend to Chad. Both of them were unfortunate to enter the fray and were tragically cut down by Ulquiorra's blade.
"SENTAURO! KIYONE!" Rukia engaged in battle with Ulquiorra swinging her sword erratically while she panted and cried for her slain comrades. "DIIEEE!!!!"
Ulquiorra stops her sword with one hand. Everything is silent for a moment. "I wish I could have met your brother. I bet he had more pride than to become a slave to emotions like you have."
"HHHHAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Rukia's voice was enough to crack the walls, but it was no use in fighting a man as powerful as Ulquiorra. Now she was the next victim of the seemingly nihilistic foe. I had to do something but Shunsui still held me.
"Please let me go Shunsui, I must help them."
"But you need to be protected. You're very valuable Masane."
"PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT I AM NOTHING." I punch his chest trying to free myself but he just holds me tighter.
He whispers in my ear. "Masane, you are very significant, perhaps the fate of the world rests with you."
I dry my tears. "What?"
"You are *****"
I gasp in shock. Can this really be true? Surely not...but why would Shunsui lie to me? No it must be the truth.
*****
KARIN KUROSAKI:
I'll show Ichigo how strong I am.
"Hey goth-hard!" I call out to the Arrancar.
"Karin, what are you doing here?" Ichigo seems surprised by my arrival.
"I came to kick some arse, that's what I'm doing here."
The gothic Arrancar looks unimpressed by my arrival. "A child...you want to challenge me...child."
"Say it one more time and see what happens." I try and make myself sound as tough as possible.
"If you wish to rush to your death then by all means go ahead............................CHILD."
I call upon my zanpakuto. "NIBBLE ON YOUR FEAST...KIBA WO REIJINGU"
An explosion of reiatsu surprises my enemy as he observes my zanpakuto. Since I'm in the fighting squad, physical swords are most widely used. My zanpakuto takes the shape of a dual blade sword with a handle in between the blades so I can wield it with precision and ease.
"No Karin he is too strong." Ichigo continues to doubt my power.
"You're in no position to tell me who's stronger bro; I'll finish this with one strike."
I spin my blades with ferocity. "KYAH!" Aiming for my enemy, he is helpless now. I have won this match.
What is this thing doing poking out of my stomach? I look in confusion as a blade protrudes from my body. Why do I feel dizzy? I thought I had him. How can he just cheat like that?
"Damn...it seems I lost."
*****
ULQUIORRA:
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! ULQUIORRAAAA!!!"
So now the boy wishes to fight? How admirable, yet foolish. He has only just recovered from a serious injury. Oh well...I guess we can revive old times.
WHAT!? This power is unexpected...he seems to be stronger than ever. How is this possible?
"GETSUGA TENSHOU!!!" I may need to use my second form.
I transform fully and take the appearance of a demon with wings. It does feel refreshing to resurrect fully.
The boy charges up another Getsuga Tenshou. I must hurry before he becomes too powerful for even me to handle. "Orihime..."
Orihime faces me as I call to her.
"It is not like me to say this but...please retreat with your friends from this area...I would prefer it if you weren't caught in the battle."
"Yes." She hurry's and takes a couple of her friends with her. The other man takes a few more. A few have been left behind. I can understand – after all, they are already dead.
"It is now you and me Ichigo." I face my hundred year rival. "Let's finish this battle for good, the winner gets the girl."
Ichigo smirks. "Then in that case I will make sure I don't lose to a thug like you."
"Funny you call me a thug when you stole our hollow powers."
"Shut up and let's finish this. I have to avenge my sister and friends now."
"Okay boy. Let me finish this now..." I spread my arms and form an immensely destructive energy javelin. "Here we go....LANZA DEL RELAMPAGO."
*****
MASANE:
"What was that?" I felt a massive explosion from the room we were in before. Is that how powerful Ulquiorra really is?
"Come on we have to hurry." Shunsui is now carrying me as well as Chad and Rukia; Orihime is following behind with Rukia. Unfortunately, Yuichi, Sentauro and Kiyone's injuries were too severe and it was too late for them. Not even Orihime can revive the dead.
We rush up an infinitely long set of stairs. A light appears but more and more footsisters charge at us. Shunsui cuts them down with ease, yet his once calm and collected appearance had changed into distress and exhaustion. I'm not sure if I was looking forward to what may lie ahead of us.
The light is almost within reach....Almost...Almost...Just a few more metres.
We seem to have arrived at the king's (or queens) throne room. The walls are white marble and a long set of stairs reaches to the throne.
"Urk." My face is soaked by blood. But it's not my blood...it is Shunsui's
"You were foolish not to sense my presence Shunsui. I always envied your lack of discipline." I fall from Shunsui's' arms. I feel like I'm made of lead as my body slams to the cold hard ground.
"Mayuri...How could you betray us?"
"MAMA! Mama is that really you?" My face stiffens as I slowly raise my head. The last person I would expect to see in such a dark and evil place. She was there, sitting atop the throne, her hands were chained to the seat.
The voice of Reina emerges from behind the throne. "I was hoping you wouldn't make it past Ulquiorra...I'd hate to see my own daughter killed as well...but then again...she is my daughter..."
This battle with the Espada...has just gotten personal...
Masane has faced some strong enemies lately. How will her fighting spirit be when she finally faces her daughter? How is the battle between the Shinigami/I-weapons and Neo-genes/Espada in Tokyo? We will return there for the next chapter which you cannot afford to miss!!!