Chapter 37 – You Are (Not) God
The new arrancar reached for a large iron mace strapped to his back, and before Kiyomi had time to snap out of her fear, he struck fast. Kiyomi tried to move but felt a piercing pain in her chest as the mace smashed into her, cracking some ribs. She crashed into the ground and barely managed to get onto her knees, coughing blood.
She had little time to recuperate as Ichirou followed up his attack quickly, spinning downward with his raised iron mace. As he made contact with the back of Kiyomi's body, she was forced to the ground again, and she cursed in pain.
Ichirou moved back, looking in disgust at what was crouched before him. He then looked at his wrist, then back at Kiyomi with the same disgusted look. "Your hair tainted my skin, you whore!" he spat, sincere hate in his eyes. "I don't care if it was accidental or not, you'll pay for tainting my purity!"
He then rushed at Kiyomi again, swinging his mace up just as Kiyomi got back to her knees. He connected with her stomach, vaulting her into the air. He followed, using sonido to get higher than Kiyomi, and readied his mace again, swinging down this time. He connected with her spine, rocketing Kiyomi down back into the dirt, where she coughed more blood up.
There was dead silence for a minute, before Kiyomi wiped the blood from her face and stood up shakily with a grin. "If it's taken you 3 versions of yourself just to get me on the ground then I don't think I have much to fear. You don't stand a chance," she declared, panting heavily.
Ichirou ignored her statement and held his mace out, tracing a cross into the air. A white energy was left behind as he drew, which started charging. "Cero Crucifijo!" he yelled, the cero growing in size as it charged.
Kiyomi quickly raised her Bankai and swung it out, knocking a surprised Ichirou back and dissipating his cero. The thick vine stretched further back, reaching Kamiko and Kenichi. Kamiko jumped and glided backwards at a faster pace than the outstretching vine, whilst Kenichi vanished and charged forwards for Kiyomi.
Kiyomi moved back and held her hand in front of her mouth. "Hado 92, Explosive Blast Seed." She inhaled, feigning swallowing something, and then spat out a small compact ball of red energy that whizzed towards Kenichi like a bullet. He tried to swerve out of its way, but it exploded about a metre away from him, knocking him into the ground. The hand he shielded himself with was badly burnt, with red and black scorch marks scattered in odd shapes around it. The part of his face that was exposed to the blast had lost its skin, and only the dark red rawness of what was underneath remained, covered only by the dark remnants of carbon.
Kiyomi swiftly tucked the handle of her whip away and raised her hands. "Bakudo 96, Life Prolonging Treatment: Tree Of Heaven!" There was a rumbling from the ground behind her, where large tentacle-like shoots forced their way out of the ground and entrenched themselves deeply around the area they came out from. As if watching a sped-up video, a small tree grew out from the centre of the shoots and continued to grow larger and larger, until it was as tall as skyscraper. As it grew, the battlefield was slowly covered by a blanket of green fog.
Kiyomi took in a deep breath of the green gas, and the visible wounds on her body started the close.
As her opponents watched with surprise, she said, "This is a Bakudou spell that I, and only I alone, can use to perfection," as if hearing and answering their mental questionings. "This gaseous substance you see around you heals the user. But that's not all, it poisons everyone else in its radius, regardless of friend or foe. This mist dries up the air around it and also allows any fire to burn indefinitely."
Kenichi made no emotions, but instead rushed out at Kiyomi as soon as he was back on his feet. Ichirou followed whilst Kamiko stayed back.
Kiyomi held her hands out, one on top of the other with her palm facing outwards, and shouted, "Bakudou 96, Life-Prolonging Treatment: Burning Tree Of Heaven."
There was a spark from the tree behind her, before it suddenly burst into flames. Without any wind, the flames fanned out at incredible speed using the mist, and they rushed towards Kiyomi's enemies.
"You were never going to win Kenichi!" Kiyomi shouted with one palm out, gathering a large amount of crimson energy. "Your arrogance is where you failed. Your attacks may have been flashy and impressive, but you fail to notice the strength in others. If you live through this, then I suggest you fix that attitude of yours. You are as far away from a God as I am to perfection. Now taste the fires of Hell and perish! Hadou 97: Inexhuastible Burning Hell: Sorrowful Torment!"
A stream of black flames caught up with the tree's flames and shot past straight for the three arrancar. Ichirou turned to run, but the flames were too fast and he was completely engulfed before he could take another step. "No!" he screamed in agony. "How could I be defeated by you! No!" The rest of his screams were drowned out as more flames roared past him, intended for Kenichi and Kamiko.
Kenichi stepped in and held his hands together, slowly bringing them apart as a ball of darkness grew larger and larger between his palms. "I won't go down like this" he shouted and rammed the ball of darkness into the flames. At first it seemed like he was able to hold off them off. But as the flames from the tree caught up, he was no match for their combined might.
'Was I a fool to challenge the Gotei?" He asked himself as he saw his end approach. 'No, I don't think I was. But perhaps I was a fool to think that I could win with this new Kiyomi in charge." He spread out his arms and released his attacks. "Fine, I lose! This is your win Kiyomi," he called out and laughed loudly, allowing the flames to incinerate him.
Seeing Kenichi surrender, Kamiko yelled out, "Angel Polvo!" Just as she was swallowed up by the roaring flames, she dissipated into dust. An explosion occurred where she had been, and white lights zoomed away like comets. They were the souls Kenichi had originally absorbed, returning to their bodies.
Kiyomi had no time to watch this however, as the flames started to spread backwards and the entirety of her hands and forearms were burnt. But she didn't stop her attack until she made sure her enemies were all dead.
She tried to move her darkened, shrivelled fingers but couldn't. So, she shakily turned her wrinkled hands towards her and smiled before collapsing on the ground. Her Bankai faded away and she breathed out with relief, "It's over..."
Terri felt the fluctuating faint spiritual pressures of her family at her back, as though pulling her to return. But she ignored that urge and pressed on, as she climbed further and further up the familiar stairs to her clan's secret house.
She'd only been there twice, once when she was smaller to give respects to Haruka, and to show her where the Zakura clan's most secretive item was. However, that was so long ago she didn't remember much that happened. The second time was before her parents left. They told her to always protect the item no matter what the cost. And ever since then, she'd never returned. It was in a place where not many people would want to go to, and it was sealed off by a barrier that could hold off all but the most powerful of invaders.
As she glided up the stairs with flash step, she wondered why anyone would want anything to do with the sword in the first place, but she could tell that she'd know soon enough.
The climb seemed to last forever, Terri wondered to herself what could have happened. Matthew was up here, but either he managed to hide away his spiritual pressure completely, or he was defeated completely. But both of them seemed equally unlikely, to be able to hide your spiritual pressure so well in such an instant is too difficult even for Matthew, but then who could have defeated him so easily in just a single moment? Whatever was the case, Terri knew she needed to be prepared.
Although she sensed no-one present in the vicinity of the mansion, there was an eerie feeling lingering about. A cold isolated feeling that seemed to surround her and drag her away to an empty desolate land. However, as the atmosphere settled, it was sad and lonely like it had been felt over a long period of time.
As Terri neared the top of the mountain, the distant battles and faint spiritual pressures she sensed seemed miles away. The air around the top of the mountain felt different, as if suppressing spiritual pressure in the area and reflecting any from outside it.
She couldn't see the tall mansion she remembered and when she finally arrived at the summit she knew why. The entire mansion had been destroyed, what lay before her was nothing more than a pile of wood and concrete.
But for someone who had only visited the place twice, the destruction of it wasn't much of a worry. What was a worry was that if the item it was hiding had been taken. For what purpose, Terri had no idea.
There was still no trace of Matthew anywhere, it seemed that Matthew was likely taken out by someone, as the remnants of the building were enough indication of a battle.
Terri walked around the debris on high alert, but sensed nothing at all. It wasn't a pleasant nothing though; it was a chilling one. In the end, she found nothing of interest. Strangely disappointed, she turned her back to the mansion and was about to leave before a bolt of lightning came crashing down.
She moved with a speed as fast as the lightning and managed to dodge. She drew her sword swiftly but as more lightning struck down, it had no chance of reaching her.
The skies above quickly darkened as thick clouds gathered, shrouding Seireitei in a blanket of darkness.
The ground started to shake slightly and the pile of rubble around Terri started to disintegrate. The reishi particles detached themselves from each other and dispersed into the air, like the scattering of dandelion seeds from a strong wind. Minutes later, there was nothing there apart from an empty plot of land.
A sudden thick ray of light shone straight through the clouds, clearing the way as it hit the ground in front of Terri. As suddenly as it appeared, it had disappeared just as quickly and darkness filled the world again.
But now, standing before Terri, was a girl. She looked around the same age as Terri and wore completely black clothes, with jet black hair to match. She was looking up at the sky at first, before turning her face towards Terri.
Terri couldn't help but stare into the girl's white distant eyes, and she felt a sudden chill down her spine that made her shiver.
"This darkness is lovely," the girl said. It was a dull cold voice, with enough animosity that it froze Terri on the spot. "If only it could last forever, do you not agree, Terri?"
The question took Terri by surprise, she didn't know what to say. She moved her mouth to speak but no words came out.
The girl let out a sigh, "It is the saddest of times when we creators realise that what we have created has failed. A sad time indeed." She hadn't moved from her spot and her arms rested gently by her sides, with no intention of moving. She only gave off an ominous feeling, yet it was unclear what she wanted to do.
Terri took a deep breath and finally found her voice. "Who are you?" she asked, although her voice was no more than a mere whimper.
"Who am I?" said the girl back to Terri, as though questioning herself. She let out another sigh and looked down at the ground. "Who am I indeed. I suppose it is only natural for the created to forget their creator. How painful it is to hear those words. Oh, I despise you all so much. But all will be over soon, when I rid this world of such nuisances. Perfection is truly impossible it seems."
Terri listened to the girl's words carefully and even through the girl's monotonous voice, Terri could still feel the sadness and anger that she spoke with. "I don't understand," Terri replied, confused. "What are you talking about?"
The girl turned her head back up so violently that Terri jumped back, fully alert as though anticipating an attack.
The girl was unaffected by this and continued, "You asked who I was, did you not?" she asked, and Terri gave a slow nod. "I am Ferocitas-Phasmatis Animus, and I am the one who created this wretched world. Therefore, I am the God of this world."