Chapter 26: The False God
What a fool I am.
To think we stood a chance.
Three poorly rested soldiers against a dozen elite personal guards. Not even a fool's shot existed. Starrk, Ichigo and I are all badly wounded. Starrk's hounds hardly able to hold their shape much less cut an imposing figure. Yhwach's personal guard are just as ruthless and cruel as the man himself. We had managed to slip past the first line of defence, thinking we had the advantage of surprise. Only to realize we were lured into a trap of fighting on two fronts.
So much for plans. They always go to shit. I curse myself in my head not willing to spare the breath as we flee through the maze of a castle to find a spot to better stand our ground. We of course run into a dead-end. This wing of the castle has caved in at some point and rubble blocks our turn panting waiting for the inevitable assault. I hazard a glance at my husband, no sliver of Shiro to be seen. Ichigo has been able to hold his own remarkably well. If it wasn't an entirely inappropriate timing, I might actually be swooning over him.
We wait till our breathing evens out.
We take turns patching ourselves up with the meagre supplies we have.
When no assault comes, I grow weary being lured into a feeling of false security. We inch slowly out and down the corridors we ran through. Still neither of us knowing exactly what to expect nor where we are going. We make our way around a corner and stumble on the body of a charred corpse.
"Thought ya'd come scurrying out soon enough" An abrasive man with a god awful pink mohawks sneers at us. We simultaneously raise our weapons and take on defensive positions.
"It was a clever plan I'll give you that. It was a genocide." I stiffen at his comments, did the plan work? Is Yhwach weakened?
"But you were too late, those who managed to avoid direct contact with the light had their powers stolen and those who didn't lost their lives." I glance at Starrk and Ichigo trying not to let the confusion cover my face. What light does he speak of?
"You're here to kill his Majesty. I won't stop you. When the night falls His Majesty will lose his powers to an old friend. Kill Yhwach, I will handle the traitor." He wanders off down another hall. None of us the wiser to his meaning. The day is slowly fading and if Yhwach does loose his power then now would be the time to strike. But are the ramblings of a wounded rival to be trusted?
We venture further into the palace following a wake of charred corpses. Whoever the man was his power is formidable. We jog through the palace the high ceilings and random open courtyards we wander through are silent and deserted. We continue making our way deeper into the castle. We are being followed, for some time now. From friend or foe we don't know. Neither of us wish to tip our hand to alert that we are aware of their presence. We never let our guards down, as they follow us deeper and deeper in. In a fit of impatience unlike the man Starrk summons a pup and chases after our tail.
"What the fuck is that?" a familiar voice calls out stopping Ichigo dead in his tracks. We find a sheltered corner and wait.
Shinji rounds a corner not long after with Starrk's puppy nipping at his heels. The hound is playful not sensing a threat from our ally. He skips over to his master proud of bringing the man to us and vanishes. Kensei and the bad-tempered teen follow him. Ichigo much to my chagrin runs and gives Shinji a hug followed by a slap.
"What took you so damn long. We thought we'd have to do this without you!"
"Well sorry" the teen in pigtails snaps "Not like we had to manoeuvre around a 10,000 strong army undetected to get here ya dick" The irritating child crosses their arms and glare at each of us in turn. I guess I had forgot to account for this. If my father was here I'm sure he'd give me a beating or two for overlooking such a crucial information. Kensei glowers at me, unimpressed. It's not good having the captain of your guard think his future king is an idiot.
"And the others..." I hazard to ask.
"We decided in infiltrate the palace in waves, Lisa, Rōjūrō and Love will follow. Mashiro and Hachi will take up the tail." Kensei grunts out.
"Good plan" I clear my throat, Kensei levels another glare at me.
"We believe Yhwach is weakest at night, we ran into one of his soldier's who seems to be discontent with his ruling. He said when night falls his Majesty loses his powers to a friend. So, if we can kill him before the morning come's we have a chance." Ichigo relays what little information we have gained. The rest of us nod and continue further into the devils lair.
We grow increasingly desperate as the night passes; it can't be much longer till the sun comes up and if what the Mohawk man said is to be trusted we lose our shot for another 12 hrs. The rest of the Visords catch up to us and we fear we are running in circles, not making any progress. The more halls we turn down the more rubble we find. It feels like we are rats being directed through a maze and into a snake's mouth. However, no more attacks come. The silence weighs heavy on us all. The less experienced of us show their tension all over their face and movements. They become jumpy, startling at any sound. Finally, we venture into a wing we haven't been before, but mohawk man must've. Scorch marks mare the ceiling and walls. There was a battle here. We come across the eccentric man's dead body further in. I see Ichigo's face take on a hardened edge. Whoever he was after must've been stronger than him.
Distracted by the corpse we don't see the approaching foes. The battle that follows is ugly and we are separated again, Ichigo, Starrk and I forge head on the insistence of our allies. It is hard leaving them to fight such powerful adversaries, but we must get to Yhwach. We try to ignore the screams and sounds of battle as we run ahead. The throne room must be close the rooms are getting larger and more ostentatious.
"You cannot defeat his Majesty."
A tall blond man emerges from the shadows, his white coat and piercing gaze cut a formidable figure, even with his slight frame.
"Even if you could, I would never allow it." He raises his sword. An arrow pierces his shield that had materialized from nowhere and his eyes widen.
"I knew you would betray his Majesty" Behind us Uryu emerges dressed similarly in white bow raised, arrow notched, and string drawn.
"You can't betray someone you were never loyal to." Uryu whispers releasing another arrow that imbeds in the shield.
"Go Ichigo, I will take care of him." Uryu steps in front of us. Ignoring the pleading look Starrk gives him.
"We will handle him" Starrk assures us as he summons his wolves with renewed life.
"No Starrk. Uryu whispers lovingly. They will need you. You kill Yhwach you kill them all." Uryu urges pulling his fiancé in for a quick kiss before shoving him hard away. Blondie tries to follow, but Uyru keeps him at bay somehow. We stumble into a wide open antechamber, with vaulted ceilings and fading tapestries. The throne sits just ahead empty and covered in dust. We stumble unsure of how to proceed. So sure we'd find him here. We glance around the room trying to catch come glimpse of the tyrant. The sun is rising quickly and early morning light fills the room the shadows are dark and seem to linger sinisterly.
"I simply cannot understand why you are in such a rush to die." The shadows speak, a booming voice that sends shivers down our spines. Any doubt that this being is not a mere mortal is eradicated for no one of our earth holds such power. For the first time in my life I feel helplessly out matched. We stand motionless watching as the shadows converge and join the man. He is the shadows dark and full of despair. Hundreds of eyes splatter the shadows that emit from his face, striking fear to my core.
Ichigo strikes quick and hard, a mask materializing on his face. The man stumbles but the shadows reach out to encompass my husband. A powerful blast disperses the encroaching darkness and Shiro lands beside me. Eyes gold and furious. His blade aglow with an unearthly power. This really is not a fight for mere mortals. But this does not stop Starrk and I. He summons his hounds which attack Yhwach, while him and I go to strike his flanks. It was bound to fail when with just a gesture of Yhwach's hand the demon dogs disperse with pitiful whimpers. The monster turns to Starrk forcing a full-frontal attack. Starrk valiantly counters and parries but is soon over-powered and cut down. Blood gushes from the wound and I force myself not to falter when presented with the tyrants back. Yhwach has had centuries of fighting experience and it shows, my sword glances off his as he counters and grabs it with his bare hand like it were a stick of wood. He raises his sword to strike me.
Shiro intervenes taking the brunt of the blow to his mask severing one of his horns. Yhwach's multiple eyes widen as he opens himself up to an attack. He retreats across the room to recover his footing. Landing close to Starrks unconscious body.
"Yours is truly a magnificent power, one I will not fall to again!" The fallen god screams as he lunches his mask of shadow and eyes lashing out and destroying the room around him. I dodge the incoming attack stumbling over the rumble of the crumbling room. Yhwach and Shiro are lost in a world of their own as they battle to the death. I rush over to Starrk feeling as useless as I am. The crumbling room has littered his body with debris and his would still bleeds heavily. I pull his unconscious form over to a pillar that looks reasonably stable and away from the ensuring fight. I watch in dismay as it looks like Shiro is losing badly. Every step he takes shadows pierce his skin. The room is rigged with hundreds of traps that Yhwach seems to activate at will.
One particular strike lands heavily on Shiro and he's thrown aside crashing into the debris. Yhwach advances, Shiro is slow to rise and I know what I have to do. Shiro is our best option of defeating Yhwach, I have to buy him time. I pick up my sword and charge. Yhwach regards me and swats me aside like a fly. He raises his sword slices at my arm. My sword clatters to the ground. Shiro appears just in time to kick the false god aside before he severs my head.
"Pathetic really. I am tired playing these games with you. Let's end this." With a scream of power he raises his face to the sky and darkness covers the room. What's left of the throne rooms grows heavy with power. The floor and walls seem to crumble under the weight of it all.
"My subjects served me well" the darkness surrounding Yhwach grows further,
"I have no further need of my children, I will bring ruin to your world than to my father and my precious siblings. They will suffer as I have." I can barely bring myself to look up at the despicable king. What a truly disgusting excuse for a ruler.
"A king serves his people they do not serve him" Ichigo snaps. His voice his own again, no longer shrouded by Shiro. He makes a last effort for his sword and I see the twinkle in his eye that he had when he threw it at me. For all the life left in me I hope it works.
The weapon sails through the air, Yhwach easily doges it and grabs the handle as it sails by his head.
"Did you think such a pathetic attempt would end me" the king screams, his madness radiating around him like his power. He throws the blade back at my husband and I watch in horror as it strikes home and catches Ichigo in the side. Bleeding heavily his own blade piercing his flesh the young stupid man still has the audacity to smile.
"Made you look" he smirks. Yhwach seems to understand his mistake as well, an arrow pierces his heart. The darkness slips from his eyes and slips between the cracks of the floor. His body falls slowly fading away dissolving into nothing before he can hit the ground. The projectile which I had thought to be an arrow clatters to the ground. The horn from Shiro's mask disappears slowly in much the same manner as his victim.
Uryu falls to his knees looking both pleased and relieved. His fingers bloody from drawing his bow string so many times. Starrk from what I can see lays motionless off to the corner and I fear for the worst. The other Visords should be upon us soon, and if all went according to plan both our fathers not far behind them.
I wait, hearing their footsteps approach, waiting for the shoe to drop. For our incredible foe to gather his strength and lead another assult.
It never comes.
Not when Ichigo is carted off unconscious, his father looking worried following behind him.
Not when Uryu stumbles over to Starrk tears streaming down his face while he pulls his fiancés head into his lap.
I fear I may never stop dreading that Yhwach will resurrect.
Gods are fickle creatures.