Chapter 59: The Last thing you see before you fall asleep
Reiichi
Appointed commander of the zero division
Also known as Masahiro
He wanted to die ever since he watched an angel fall from Heaven. He knew he was going to die ever since that angel fell. He knew the rule better than anyone. Father always listens.
"Full transfer ... Infiltration of command line not authorized ... Interlocking Braking System ... Lashing in progress ... Lashing planned in ... 85 seconds ... Alert ... Dysfunctional Propulsion Reactor ... Defective braking system ... Incorrect speed settings ... Impact in ... 30 seconds ... Faulting Autopilot ... Alert ... Impact ... Inevitable collision ... Incorrect speed settings ... impact in…9... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ..."
Like a train returning to the station at full speed, Muken docked with Soul Society, fracturing the interdimensional layers in the collision. By reflex, Masahiro grabbed Kakira's small hand as she was thrown back in the air, and for a millisecond, gravity had no weight on them. The sarcophagus of Aizen soared in the air and struck the walls with rare violence, fracturing over its entire length. Kakira saw the walls approaching quickly, and she closed her eyes to ready herself for pain. The inevitable collision she was expecting never came, however, and she woke up in her father's warm embrace. It was boiling warm indeed, and she rolled on the ground quickly, suffocated by his toxic reiatsu. They faced each other. Reiichi was back on his feet before her and stood there like nothing happened. She dusted herself up, troubled.
"Thanks."
He said nothing, not even pretending he was paying attention to her. He was staring ahead at Aizen's open cell with that same neutral expression. It meant nothing. It meant everything. Kakira followed his gaze slowly and gasped. The door of the cell was ajar, and the sarcophagus lying on its side fractured. She had to check the security panel. She looked for her lost portable tablet in vain. The room was dark, glowing intermittently red. They were running out of time, and she entered the cell, stepping closer to the sarcophagus.
"No need. He is gone. Izayoi is also gone." She heard Reiichi said, his voice startling her.
Oh! She even forgot about her mother. Where was she? Was she hurt? Stay focus. She heard his voice directly in her soul without him having uttered a word. It made her pause. He is out and waiting. Don't make a sound. The incident unlocked three seals on him. He is trying to get the others off. She swallowed hard. Hairs started to rise at the back of her neck as she started to feel the threat approach. Ink spilled in one eye; her fangs elongated. Aizen must not get out. She could feel her father receding in the background. She thought it was because he was about to stroll back to his control room… She will understand too late; he was merely trying to protect her from the initial blast.
"We don't have much time. Find your mother. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." That is what he said aloud.
But it was only a diversion. A signal to duck. She wanted to protest. There was no way he could take Aizen on his own if he was half the threat, they said he was.
"But Aizen…"
She had barely finished her sentence, however, that something brushed her shoulders, and her hair was swept by a sudden strong wind as she skidded out of the way instinctively. The sudden noise was not enough. It was the brutality of it, Aizen bumping into Reiichi as they crashed the walls behind them one by one. One by one, the walls collapsed, sending Kakira's menagerie of monster guardians into a frenzy. It opened a new path between the cells and the machine room. It felt suddenly cold as a gust of air rushed in madly. Giant snakes, Deadly caterpillar dashed toward Muken's slowly opening gates. The noises the chains were making were deafening.
"Run," Reiichi said as he grabbed Aizen by the throat. His palms and claws burning from the contact with the hōgyoku bearer.
Aizen looked up, completely unbothered, not even a bit frightened by their size difference. The former captain of the fifth division sneered his tongue bloody. He was healing fast, however, and was back to staring smugly into the face of the God of Destruction itself.
"That must hurt. You are different from what I imagined. It's my first time in ages seeing one of you pureblooded wonder. Yet, I can't help being underwhelmed. I expected more…"
He never finished that sentence as Reiichi send him crashing against the wall, then grabbed him by one leg and slammed him on the ground repeatedly, the Kaiju almost delirious for violence. He furiously tore at Aizen's flesh with his claws. But each time a wound was open, the hōgyoku would close it immediately. Blindly, he kept at it without a strategy. When finally, he managed to tear Aizen apart, leaving his charred body bleeding on the floor, he stumbled back, leaning heavily against the wall, staring at his handy work with detachment.
Masahiro silently stared at his burnt hands. A labyrinth of purple veins showed beneath his armors, the testament of how quickly the poison was infiltrating his body. He stumbled forward, then back. Was this pain? It barely registered in his mind. Why couldn't he connect with the elements? He had difficulty connecting with his surroundings. He couldn't even sense Izayoi anymore. Where was he? He could no longer feel… the cycle… He seemed here and not there. He felt lonely. He felt disoriented.
He looked up as Aizen rose again like a zombie, his mangled body healing unnaturally.
"What a welcome committee! My sentence is being commuted to parole. Who should I thank for this new lease of life?! Is it you? Or is it the imposter upstairs? He does want me to pay him a visit after all. Maybe he wants to be relieved of his duty."
"You're still under arrest, Sousuke Aizen. Don't move." Kakira screamed.
Aizen started toward Masahiro before he was again slammed back, punched, kicked, and crushed on the ground by a girl three sizes shorter than him. She did it over and over until it seemed like he would give in and fall unconscious. But he was resisting, and they started chasing each other at full speed in the corridor, getting dangerously close to Muken's gates. Aizen evaded her small but deadly fist. He swept her off her feet, and she hit the ground on her back, struggling to get up. He ruthlessly kicked her face. This was no battle between gentlemen. She barely ducked his second attack. She grabbed her Teddy bear backpack and launched it forward. Before it touched the ground, it sprung into life-transforming into a giant polar bear with three heads.
Shugo Shago Shiro, Kakira's favorite pet guardian and best friend, A mythological beast tall like a two-stories building, didn't like to be awoken abruptly. It surprised Aizen with a roar and, with his left paw, send the hōgyoku bearer slamming a line of machines. Kakira took advantage to get up and run to Reiichi. She watched helplessly as his knees touched the ground, one trembling hand holding his flanks. When she touched the armor, it was no longer boiling with reiatsu, and that may have been the first sign of distress. The metal was cold to the touch. She took off his helmet, discarding it quickly. It took a minute for her to get used to his features being disfigured by pain.
Opening his eyes wide, dark like the night, Reiichi pushed her aside to feed, dragging back all the reishi he could. More walls collapsed to provide for his need in a deafening metallic noise. Above their heads, the roof disintegrated, revealing a glimpse of a galaxy of stars. Kakira felt a wave of panic overtaking her heart, unlike anything she felt before. Talk about the apocalypse. She could only watch Reiichi helplessly as he proceeded to destroy the royal jail without even engaging in the destruction protocol. Reiichi jerked back abruptly, unable to digest. He crawled away and heaved liters of putrid black blood on the floor. He stared at the puddle of blood with wide eyes and wiped his mouth with unusually shivering hands.
"Father? Please?! Tell me what to do to help you?" Kakira started sobbing like she was a lesser soul as if she hadn't wished for them to get to this point, to get to a point where her life actually started to make sense. She stared into his eyes in realization. She did wish for all of this. Chaos. The end of the world. Holding the hand of her father just once. Be careful what you wish for is what Masahiro always said. But it wasn't until now that she really understood what he meant by that. What's going on? Who was behind all of this appeared more and more clear as time went on? If Aizen escapes… It won't be just the end of the world. It will be the end. The king will come out, and it will simply be the end.
"Why are you crying?" Masahiro almost growled. This is already happening. Get over it now. You know what must be done.
The little girl only sobbed harder. Until she reached a point where she no longer felt the tears stream down her cheek.
"It's my fault. The gates are open. If I wasn't so stubborn..."
Tilting his head, Masahiro concentrated as he crawled back into a seated position. His face relaxed. He morphed back to his more human mask. It was as if he just integrated the finality of the situation. He was on the verge of falling into an eternal slumber. Soon, he won't ever be able to start the countdown remotely. Soon, his powers are going to fade, and he won't be able to do anything about it. If he was ever to close his eyes here, it might be the last time. He smirked at the incongruity of it all. How many years has it been since he ever felt the bittersweet feel of the vulnerability? This happened before. Standing face to face with an hōgyoku. Him facing his worst sin. He pushed her to her death. He pushed his beloved sister to her death. He watched the Angel fall.
"That was an interesting plan… True, my sister, your aunt…"
He paused. Kakira looked up. It was the first time he ever acknowledged their ties.
"She would have tried to save everybody. Even Aizen's life… "he said, his words coming out between ragged breath. He was no longer resisting the inevitable.
"Father…"
His eyes started bleeding, as well as his nostrils, ears, and mouth. Black fumes coming out of his mouth, each unhurried breath.
"I will help you… I will enter my Henzai State… one… last… time… But I don't know how long I can hold on before… before…"
He didn't finish his sentence, a whistle coming out of his mouth instead of words.
"No… please… No…"
When he could speak again, his words were slurred.
"You won't have much time… But I am not worried… You will succeed. You were not unneeded. You were made, Kakira, for this. When you're done, find your mother. Stop her by any means necessary. Forgive her. "
"Father…"
"For this step, is the only rational one for her… But whatever she says… Whatever she promised… Don't trust her… Never…"
Audiomachine - Nevertheless, She Persisted
Aizen grabbed the Polar Bear and propelled him against the doors and into the void. He was satisfied when he heard the devastating noise when the creature crashed down. His hand covering his eyes to accommodate to the light, he got a glimpse of Soul Society's sky through the interstice of the opening gates. He never thought he would get to see this sky again in this lifetime. He couldn't hide his amusement. Everything played out the way he wanted at last. He slowly limped toward the door, the hōgyoku shining brightly on his chest. He stood on the threshold of the world… looking down at the Seireitei burning. He watched the clouds of smoke and fumes rising to the heavens. Tears coming into his eyes. It was even more beautiful than what he could have imagined all those years.
Before he could cross the threshold, Kakira launched herself on him, slammed him to the ground. They rolled together, neither one of them managing to get the upper hand on the other. Aizen started up again. She punched his face into the ground in an explosion of dust and destruction. Losing balance, he crawled on his knees, striking her twice to let go. They exchanged blows for a minute or so, Aizen surprised by the level of skills of his opponent. What was she? They danced around each other, blood splattering the walls. Many times, he tried using kiddo, but each time he wanted to release a spell, some part of his clothes got in the way, binding his mouth shut. Damn those seals.
Unable to control the sudden spasms in his body, the earth trembling beneath him, Reiichi sat still, his eyes unblinking. One eye was red, and the other swimming in darkness. Both pupils jumped frenetically, his irises dilating. He remembered her flamboyant mane and the way her laughter would travel the walls, echoing in the whole palace. He remembered the soft touch of her neck. The fumes of hell they would share… He remembered pushing her to her death over and over. He witnessed her fall, watched the puffy white clouds swallow her, recalled his heart being shattered like glass in his own chest.
Nothing was ever the same since. He recalled the ache he lived with ever since. The agony the beast endured missing a part of him, not even alleviated when later he leaned over Kakira's crib and watched that child breathe on her own. He remembered being surprised the first time he heard that child laugh. It was not for him. It was at something Kirio said. For Masahiro of House of Kurosaki, it was all about how it resonated brightly through the palace. She was a thing. Built to fulfill a purpose. Yet, she crawled, gargled, and giggled like something new. Masahiro could see further than the floating castle of clouds. He could see behind the curtain of lights. He spread his mind to race the stars, amassing above his head. The stars were flickering like jewels in his consciousness. He jumped in the river of time.
Muken was shaking whole. The central doors opened with a metallic squeak, flooding the inter-dimensional portal with light. It caused a call for air, which sucked chimera and giant caterpillars in the Seireitei. Aizen straightened up, his face bloody. Kakira was still recovering, her head bleeding, her eyes obsidian black, her fangs out. This Hōgyoku was so damn strong. Its power had almost managed to leave her pinned down on the ground. She struggled to stand, leaning on her knees to catch. Aizen smirked as he retreated slowly toward the gates. But he wouldn't keep the smile for long. As he made it closer to the threshold, a jolt of electricity went up to his spine, and the world went black. He crashed on the ground, unconscious.
Breathing hard, holding her stomach, Kakira looked up in the direction of her father. Dust was floating around him even as he sat in the same awkward position. She crawled quickly next to Aizen and pressed her palms on either side of his face. She closed her eyes in concentration. Her nostrils bleeding, she opened her eyes to find herself standing next to Reiichi facing a door.
Reiichi was the first to move, slowly pushing the door open. Aizen's Past, his present, his future, his dreams, she could see it all. She glanced one last time over her shoulder and disappeared inside.
Masahiro watched her go before he was forced to kneel, taking off his helmet. Someone patted his shoulder slowly. A faceless woman was standing in a bright halo of light, her flamboyant mane swept by the wind. They both stared at the open precipice before them and watched the clouds poetically gather before she finally broke the silence.
She pulled her hair behind one ear, crouching to his level.
"Will it be a long journey down?"
"I should be the one asking that." He said gruffly, staring at the void.
"If it's any consolation, you are the one asking. I only take the voice of the only one you listen to."
"You are not here."
"No…"
"You are gone."
"Yes…"
He groaned, almost delirious at the renewed pain.
"How could you choose that path? How could you? Knowing it will only lead you to your doom… You choose that path anyway… Tadashi too… For what? I don't understand it."
"Yet, you made exactly the same choice, Otōto."
He grunted in answer, shaking his head. Nonsense, he did no such things.
"Well, again, let me ask you this, why did you come to her rescue? She is not me. You knew she was going to die like this ever since she was made. She was just a weapon. But you came to her rescue, and you change your own destiny. Something you believed was impossible."
"I didn't come to her rescue… He planned this… Father… "
Masahiro paused as if realizing.
"I see… He did this on purpose. Even that he anticipated…"
"Certainly…"
"He wants out."
"More than anything in the universe."
"It will be the end then…"
The red-haired nodded vigorously.
"I hate that he still got this much power over us. There is no outwitting him, onee-chan. He knew I would come to her. That's why he was adamant about making Kakira look like you in the first place. I knew that."
She smiled brightly, the artificial sun adding golden layers to her hair.
"But he failed, and she doesn't look like me at all. You also know that. Why did you come?"
"I miss you. I miss the all-time simplicity of your reasoning. Like that of a child. Every single minute of every single day of every single year… of every single Century… Time goes by. I marched toward my doom, incomplete, famished, enraged also. To add insult to injury, I hold the knowledge that that other guy downstairs, a bare human, feels the same… He mourns you the same as me… He never deserved you, you know. I still believe that. Those mortals never know their places."
A tear of blood wet the sandy ground.
"Why did you come for her?"
"Why are you still asking? Does it matter?"
"It does… You will understand why later…I promise."
"Are you sure you're not hiding somewhere? I was never this good at imitating your nagging voice, even in my worst delusions."
"Hiro-chan…"
" He said she was mine. He gave Izayoi to me as a punishment for losing you, for letting you go on your path… knowing that woman hated me. We could never be anything but enemies, me and her… But… Kakira was supposed to be… He created her to heal me. So that I didn't destroy this world I abhorred, this world I hate without you in it. I'd turn this world to ashes myself if Kakira wasn't breathing in it… Whatever shell of life and freedom we got from Father… Whatever that meant. It means nothing. It's all about power and leashes. Was that the reason you left?"
She nodded vigorously again.
"My children, I also needed to protect. It was also revealed to me in my Henzai state. I taught you that, remember. I knew there was no other way. Dear brother, believe me. I didn't want to leave you or Masakira behind. I missed you both. I missed you even more during storms…I didn't leave because I felt lonely. I left for them…"
"You even talk like one of them. This is sad. This is not a dream. This is me… doing something I must not do. This is me wishing… wishing there was a way for us to have this conversation before I depart this world."
"Hiro-chan, listen to your big sis…"
He turned to her and frowned as his sight was flooded with light. Could it be?
"Things don't die. Not really. They live under another form. That's the first rule."
"Even us? I couldn't find you anywhere…"
"Father, had you believed that wishes are a bad thing. Humans do so all the time. They pray to him, and he listens to them. He is forced to by the Spirit Mother. Who do you think are the truly powerful ones? Who listens to who? Who must obey who? The red king, for all his faults, knew that. That's how he could do it. That is how he was able to do it. It was simple all along. The answers are in the Humans."
"You made a wish… "
" He made one with me. We did…The kind of wish that change your life. I don't care that father resents me ever since. That he has forsaken me after that. My wish was granted. I had a happy life…"
There was a pause as he contemplated the precipice.
"I watched you die not once but twice. I felt so lonely."
"You did well…"
"I killed you…"
"I had a good life. I became truly immortal because I was loved, and I loved back. I became truly immortal because somewhere I'm still alive. I'm so proud of you. I'm so grateful. Only you could temper with the reality engine under father's nose."
"But he must know now. I'm afraid your son is in danger. That's why he wants me out of the way. I did the best I could to preserve the world Masaki-chan loved so much."
He smiled boyishly, finally at peace. She nodded.
"What I want now… What I really want… Onee-chan. Stay, please… Until I fall asleep."
"Do you want me to tell you a story?"
"Make it good…"
Reini
Second Member of the Zero division
The empress without a Kingdom
Aka Izayoi
Where she came from, regrets and sorrow were the main currency, and blood was thicker than water.
Izayoi maintained a regal demeanor in the middle of an apocalypse. She moved like a snake through the sinuous hallways of the royal jail, all too aware her "husband" was fighting Aizen Sousuke. Every five steps, she felt the walls shaking, dust floating heavily in the air. The tension was almost unbearable. In one graceful jump backward, she got out of the way of the two titans brawling. She watched with detachment as they tossed and crashed, the world slowly crumbling around them. They just made a giant hole all the way to the machine room, and just tilting her head, she could see the opening gates. The Guardians, Kakira's little pet friends, went into a frenzy, cackling, grunting, and screaming. She hissed at them menacingly, her fangs out, her eyes like sharp shards of ice. She went on in the dark, and the guardians' parted ways before her.
If one must be honest with oneself, she realized she couldn't care less if Muken crumbled under their combined assault. She could not care less if the world was to burn today. She had no intention to intervene. She was exactly where she wanted to be.
" How the Sun, the Earth, and the Abyss came to be, born from greed. It's about triplets born on the same day… in an explosion of stars…before humankind… before the creature of the nights..."
"I like this story so far… Who came first?"
"The sun… of course. She always came first, flooding lights into the world. She was the strongest but also the bravest. She was also pretty to look at, I might add." She said smugly.
"That she was… I sometimes wonder if the girl forgave her younger brother for being so short-tempered…"
"I'm the one telling the story. You were always so impatient, Hiro."
Red Angel by
sandara
Izayoi looked up slowly, half expecting she will have to destroy the damn door. But the Sleeping Monarch's cell door slid opened before her, and she realized the system must have been down. The metallic panels grinding noisily. She was momentarily paralyzed to the spot as she felt the pull of Ashuku kujō when another kaiju was trying to feed in the vicinity, black ink spilling in her icy blue eyes. She gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to feed too. She looked down, holding her precious kimono up as she started to climb the pyramidal platform. The floor lighted itself following each step, drawing a complex pattern on the ground. She approached the giant sarcophagus. Without unsheathing the small sword tied to her obi, she cut down all the chains holding the sarcophagus, leaving only the Kido chains. The incantations flowed easily from her lips, her hands signing the air with short precisions. The room was alive with sparks of golden and blue as she untied every seal. She grabbed the lids and started to push them with all her strength. But it didn't move; she pushed again, this time exerting more strength, the ground undulating beneath her feet. She pushed with all her strength until finally, the lid gave in inches by inches. Tears of blood streamed down her cheeks.
"They are here, your Majesty. They will breach our walls soon."
Yomi said as he leaned respectfully in front of the Triumvirate of Las Niches.
Black Bird by Sephiroth-Art
Although it was very much a monarchy and not a democracy, the King presided his court surrounded by his children. On the left, there was the Primo Lorde, the father of all hollows, his firstborn, Mammongi. In appearance, Mammongi was clearly the one with all the demon genes. In his less lethal form, he was a humanoid with striking blue eyes, dressed in black from head to toe, and everywhere he went, he was followed by death and despair like he was wearing them as a mantle. On the right, yours truly, the Silver Princess, Luna D'Argento, The Moon in the Hueco Mundo's sky, Izayoi. She wore white mostly but her favorite color was red like her father. The last one was too young to be at court. It didn't mean the King didn't dot on him every chance he got, taking him to the factory every day.
On the left, in tribune, sat the council of Vasto Lorde, the Lord Commanders of the Red King's Hollow armies, "sons and daughters" of Mammongi, feeding of regrets and sorrow. Outside the court, Adjuchas, Menos Grande, Menos Clara, and other low-class creatures were free to run wild. Inside, The Vasto Lorde behaved like a pack of untamed wolves, bickering among one another, drinking, bantering, mating everywhere. Not that different. On the right, sat the Queen Mother's followers, the Quincy' s side of the Royal Family. Barragan, one of Mammongi's child used to call it the Banquet table. It was always very quiet on this side. Yomi was the one highest officer among this group. He wasn't even of Quincy blood. A lot of people resented his designation as their leader as a form of colonialism.
"How did they make it this far under your watch, you worm?!" Izayoi screamed, outraged. She was the youngest in the assembly, looking like a porcelain doll, not unlike Kakira. For some reason, she also resented Yomi for just being Yomi.
Yomi shrugged innocently.
"Well, forgive us, my grace, their weapons were vastly superior this time."
"What weapon?"
"They call it a zanpakutō. A weapon that enabled them to wield the spirit energy within everyone. They're getting the upper hand on our best foot soldiers with it. There is not much I can do about it."
"Lies!" Izayoi countered. But she was interrupted by the Queen Mother sitting in the gallery alone.
"This is not Yomi's fault. I told all of you they were slaying entire villages of Quincies on the border. Your brother and you did nothing about it. To the contrary, the Primo Lorde sent his troupes, Children of the Damned, feeding on the carcass of the dead and finishing the job."
"We are not addressing you." Izayoi snapped again, almost rising from her chair. But she was immediately silenced by the Red King as he quietly raised his hand, demanding silence. He turned to Mammongi expectantly, demanding an explanation.
"Well, my children were hungry. Should we waste nutrient now? Does that seem logical to you? What a father to do when his child goes hungry!"
The Primo Lorde shrugged.
"Do not mind them, aniki! That's not important! What we must know is how the hell did these shinigami, as they call themselves, ventured so far on our land without a shackle to their necks? Father, we must take actions now… Punish these disobedient creatures! Let me do it!"
Izayoi, unlike her brothers, was always eager to prove herself. She thought she needed to be this amount of cruel and ruthless for the King to be proud.
The Red King turned to Yomi expectantly. Yomi fell to his knees, his translucid features strangely unreadable.
"I fail you, Your Majesty. That is true. But I didn't betray you. You know I didn't. I will serve the crown till the day I turned to dust."
"Father, Mammongi, you cannot believe a word he is saying."
The King smirked, showing a range of sharp fangs. He rose his hand again.
"You are dismissed, Yomi."
"Father…"
Yomi bowed down, grateful.
"My queen, you can go too."
The woman stood up and frowned.
"I need to have a moment with my children."
Both left the room without a word. As soon as they were gone, Izayoi started pleading again.
"Father, don't be so merciful. You know that little parasite. I'm sure he betrayed us. That wretched woman probably helped him. I say we kill all of them!"
"Then who will serve you, Luna Nera, Luna d'argento? Izayoi, never let your temper get the best of you, especially in front of food… That is unbecoming of the crown."
She plopped herself back on her throne in defeat.
"Well said, Mammongi. Of course, Yomi betrayed us. That is his very nature. That is what made him unique. His lack of morals."
The king said, laughing madly.
"You knew that…"
He brushed her face with large claws.
"To bring Change, you must go through Tremendous pain. Didn't I teach you that?"
She sat back quietly.
"Pain, tears and blood, brings flavor to everything. That is true even for us. Mammongi? How is your little one?"
"He is fine… "
"How is your mate?"
"She is fine."
"Good."
Father, please…"
"Luna D'Argento… so young… so Feisty… She always wants to decimate her own people."
"That's not true..." She pouted.
"I don't know what I will do without you. You are the one nursing your youngest brother back to health. You are a godsend for the crown. You are revered by the masses. Even the ones you pretend to dislike so much… Continue to care for him; it seems it is your true calling to be a mother to the People. "
She was young then, easily flattered any time the king and Mammongi called her his Silver Moon. She smiled adorably.
"He is getting strong too. Ikki is naturally curious about the world, and he gazed upon it the way you do, father."
"Well, curiosity is something he will need in his journey for sure."
She frowned.
"A journey?"
There was a curt pause.
"I have decided… If our roads were to be separated, my children always remember to be there for one another. You are the Future. All that will be happening is all part of a bigger canvas, thanks to the Spirit God. The one and true God. Always be grateful for every drop of bloodshed…"
Mammongi nodded.
"We were… We are… We always will be…"
"The future?" The little one asked.
"I have been blessed and cursed at once, to have witnessed the beginning and the end. The end and the Beginning. Through it all, I saw a Future… A new path where Las Noches was no more, and in its stead, there was a river of blood running backward to Heaven. Pain, so much pain, children… Follow the trail, and you will find the Beast… My children, you will be chased like animals. There will be endless torment in the near future. "
Mammongi, the Lord of Darkness, only smirked harder as he could see dancing the shadows of chaos and destruction, deeming the obsidian light in the eyes of The Red King.
"They will come in number to my last supper. They will try to erase my legacy, not knowing I made them who they were in the first place. Would people be eager to fight if there was only peace to begin with? Would they love as deeply if there was nothing to lose? No one will remember my name for a time. But my Spirit shall endure… It shall… In the end, do not despair… I saw you children…rising and walking in the sun… Reclaiming what is yours truly… in fire and ashes. Free of shame, regrets, and sorrow…Walking the earth… Free of constraints."
"Father?"
"Whatever happened, don't look back. It is useless a motion. My brother will stop at nothing to get his hand on the Spirit God. It is a question of survival for him. It is a question of survival for me. I understand his greed since I was also born with it. I have been him. I once steal the Spirit God from him.
So, I forgive him. Yet, I know it doesn't belong to us. The Spirit God is searching for his own wielder. This quest gives the universe a purpose. One day, it will find him, the one who can carry its weight, the one who died three times, the one who will unite hollow and mortal souls together under one banner, the one who will grow a heart in a sterile garden. It will be one Kingdom. "
"Is it Ikki?"
"If Father tells you, won't it spoil the surprise, Sis?"
"You are always so calm, Mammongi. You can't tell me you're not curious. How do you manage it?"
"Well, the privilege of being so old, Izayoi-chan. Nothing is more appealing to me than changes. Like, father, I welcome changes. Your impatience reminds me of Ulquiorra. He pestered his mother none other than yesterday to let him fly downstairs…"
"Did she let the child?"
"No, you know Paz. She is still so protective of her flesh. Her little Hueco Centro…. She called it. She is afraid the light will kill him. I won't ever deny my son his freewill if one day he wanted to go that way. A Primo Lorde he will be, following his own path… and guiding his siblings, navigating through rivers of sorrow and grief… Delightful."
"I don't understand why you, too, are so casual about this. They want to steal the Spirit God from you. Won't you be fighting? It's like you won't be fighting. It's like both of you don't care."
She was puzzled by their calm.
"Understanding is not necessary in this instance. Did you know your little brother molded his first soul yesterday? He created it with sheer will… Impressive… It took Century for Mammongi to do the same."
"I could only bring forth the dead, the damned, and the unreasonable. Turned them. I could hardly mold a soul. He added a whole new soul to the cycle. I can be modest and say that is quite a feat."
"He just did it… Told me it was for safekeeping in case he got lost where he couldn't reach us." The king said casually.
"The youngest is even more precocious than we thought. You must be proud, Father."
"I am."
"Does he have a role in all of this?"
"Of course, like every one of you, my children."
"Father! What happened if they made it here? "
"Did Ikki give it a name? So, I know who shall never be bled by us." Mammongi went on.
"Yes, but I can't recall… It was a strange-sounding name. "
" I am rather fascinated myself by my brother's abilities," Mammongi said.
"Father, Mammongi…"
"What?!" They both turned with a growl at the same time...
"Izayoi, can't you see, Father is tired… All the stars don't revolve around you, Luna Clara! Even when you shine the brightest…"
She hissed, annoyed. He simply winked defiantly before turning to his Majesty.
"Shush… Remember, the moon will always question her place in the universe. She doesn't understand that there will be no light reflecting in the sky and no future without her. As there is no way to counter greed… without Sacrifices. It is the greatest evil. A contagion… Yet, there is such thing as a necessary evil… Didn't I teach you, children?"
Mammongi shrugged.
"Will you have dinner here or in your bedchamber, Father?" Mammongi said.
"I will dine here tonight."
Mammongi shrugging.
"If the world you describe could exist, Your Majesty, I wish all my Hollow children could see it and finally walk in the light. I also wish to thank you, Father...
"For what? He didn't give us anything. Just more riddles and… Who should rule after you pass your Majesty? Who should inherit the Spirit God? Should it be Ikki or Mammongi? As you know, I cannot lift it, let alone carry it to safety... You need to tell us your will…"
The other two were no longer listening, it seems. Mammongi rose from his chair nonchalantly, stretched, and bowed respectfully. He had more swag than a rockstar. The king nodded.
"Very Well, I will pick the most potent soul in the cycle myself for the cook."
"Please do so. This day shall be glorious. It shall be a red day. This day will be my last as your king."
"Shinkōshokuō, you gave us Death. Beautiful Glorious Death! Glory be upon you, Red King! Glory be upon you in your sleep!" He said, deploying his giant wings slowly, darkness falling into the room.
"What a precious gift indeed, my son." He said with a boisterous laugh. "What a precious gift!"
Long after the room was covered with the heavy mantle of darkness, drowning in a sea of black, the king could be heard laughing.
Ravenking by
Sephiroth-Art
Betrayal Music - Subversion of the Sovereign
Finally, the lid fell on the floor, and Izayoi tried hard to catch her breath. She stared angrily at the sarcophagus, blood tears streaming down her cheeks. It came like a storm… her grief… Her sorrow… It was deep like the valley of shadows in Hueco Mundo. The sensation of having been denied in her flesh for far too long. She had been a hostage in this war for far too long. She wanted to scream but she couldn't. She could only stand up straighter and smirk through hurried breaths at the empty sarcophagus. She didn't understand until now her father and Mammongi's words. She thought at the time, they must have become senile. Or they didn't understand the danger. The true nature of the threat… She knew now he did it on purpose for her to be here. Because he knew Ikki would live. She and Ikki would live to take over. He trusted her all along and placed her like a pawn in a game of chess. All this pain will bring change.
"You can stop fighting now… Princess…" The voice she didn't recognize spoke directly to her soul.
She struggled to remain standing. Behind her, there were mounts and mounts of corpses and broken souls. She was holding the carotid of one of their enemies. She looked up at the two men approaching, each one brandishing zanpakutō. One was bald, his beard black as the night. She raised her small blade in defiance.
"You… You killed my brother… Your Primo Lorde… How dare you lay a hand on your Sire, slave?"
"The great Mammongi wasn't killed by me. But true, I was the one who led the charge against the fallen king." He said, showing the fresh scars on his head like a testimony. "You can call me Shigekuni."
"I don't care for your name, slave. I will cut you down and drain your blood for this mutiny. I will kill every single one of you, naughty little beast. Throw you in the wheel and do it all over again for the next centuries. Then I will feast on your pitiful souls when I deem your amount of retribution satisfying. Trust me it won't be before a long time."
She was about to launch into action when a powerful hand with claws ensnared her neck from behind. She slipped from his reach with a backflip. He was behind her before she landed. She slammed her fist against his chest armor. She felt… pain. She retreated. He grabbed her neck again and slammed her against the marble table. It exploded on impact.
"I think we told you to settle down, little princess." He whispered against her neck.
She struggled in vain, pushing against his hand.
"Let me go, and I will settle for your throat."
"Let her go, brother. That is no way to treat a lady. Our work here is done." A feminine voice echoed in the background.
He was quick to obey, and Izayoi ungracefully fell on her butt. She realized then she was surrounded by pureblooded Kaiju. For a minute, she was tempted to greet them the old way.
"I see no lady here but you, Masaki."
"You are rude. Don't mind him. He is always so grumpy. I also think you can go, Yamamoto-Sensei. You and your men did well, and you brought freedom to your people. You can go and rest. You deserve it."
Yamamoto nodded and left, followed by his men.
"Who are you?"
Izayoi turned.
"Don't mind my brother Hiro. He was born with no manners. You're the Moon Princess, and you're even more beautiful than the tales said."
"You are from the house Kurosaki."
"She is bright."
"Hiro…" She sighed.
"I will not be disrespected in my home." Izayoi groaned.
"Cousin, you should not fear us. We only came because your father didn't respect his hand in the bargain. These two made a deal at the beginning of time to share the burden of the Spirit Mother. It was no longer his turn to rule. My father is simply here to collect his due. "
She finally noticed the red-haired was holding the Spirit God like it was a simple rock. She gasped because it could only mean one thing. Her father was…
"Where is my father? How can you do this? How come you're unaffected by it?"
The red-haired smiled as she approached, and Izayoi could feel the power of the Spirit God.
"I suggest you kneel."
She looked up at the entrance, her throat tight with sudden polarizing anxiety. She watched the shadow grow on the wall, and the air became toxic. She fell to her knees naturally.
"You could have stayed up, Princess Izayoi. It's been so long since I've been out and about. But I really wanted to meet you, my niece. You met my girl. Masaki-chan, My little Sunshine. She is my true joy. I think you will get along just fine."
She couldn't speak. Her body could only shiver in his presence. She watched him sit on her father's throne and extend his greedy claws toward the spirit god. That imposter!
"What a lovely place! It's so sad to see it go. See, I am not a Destroyer of worlds. I am not a Villain. I am here to do something just. Something righteous… See, my brother and I, we inherited this at birth. We took turns wielding it with the knowledge that no one could do what we could do. It has been like this for eons… This world we built together… Pushing the cycle… Watching the souls multiply… Life was monotonous."
"He said you betrayed him and tried to have these children."
"He said that. That is not the truth. See, I was sick…. I was dying… my flames dimming in the dark. I didn't want him to be alone with this burden. I didn't want to leave him. He is my brother. He is like a part of me."
"Lies… "
"It's the truth… He didn't understand it, yet he did the same…And only darkness would spawn from him… Mammongi, he called it. A demon. The father of all Hollows… But suddenly he wanted more… It was not enough for him, and he felt lonely… So, I guess he had you…"
"Where is my father?"
"Patient. I was so patient. The people in the street… My people now… They are asking for vengeance after an era spent in fear. I am tempted to let them. But I am not without a heart. I know that blood will bring more blood. I wish for peace. I feel deep in my heart that my brother was never given a chance to reflect on what he did. When I look at you… I can also see what he accomplished… Human and Kaiju fused together… Creating a brand-new generation… A brand-new race… How far along did he go from us being the only ones in the universe? Come closer, Izayoi. I want to take a good look at you."
"What do you want from me?"
"I want to help you achieve your true potential. See, you are my brother's kin. Izayoi… It makes us close so. It makes us family. Don't you think? I have no hate in my heart. I Believe in free will for all creatures."
"Humans are mortal souls; mortal souls are slaves to the cycle. We pushed the wheel and feed it what it needs for this universe to stand on its own. We also mold souls. Give them a fate and a purpose. That is what my father believed. Blood was necessary. Pain was necessary."
"Yet you are not a slave, and he distinguished the quincies whose blood is running through your veins and gifted them with special powers. He even has crossbreeds like you feel like gods. Do you find it fair? Shush, don't answer that. Better, he had children, half-mortal souls but fully-fledged Kaiju wielding the Spirit Mother, creating life out of nowhere. How many souls did he have to sacrifice to get this powerful? You can't answer me? We will never know. The truth is I envy his lack of morals. Yet, I want to make this world a better place and allow the little creature to live their lives freely. Somehow I want to take over where he left off and add a small twist to it. "
"I will never help."
"Your father could create life…like yours. You are a Kaiju, yet… you are also human. Mortals… How did he do that?
"I don't know."
"How did he subdue The Spirit Mother, so she did his bidding?" He asked again.
"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you!"
Another twin entered the room.
"Masakira? Did you find the other?"
"Yes…
"And…"
"We had a little accident…"
"Masakira…"
"The woman holding it slipped. The baby was swept in the Current. I guess it did not know how to swim yet."
Izayoi recoiled on the floor as if she's just been punched. Leaning forward, the pain was suddenly too great. She howled in pain, blood tears streaming down her cheeks in anguish.
"Masakira…"
"What-did I say? What is wrong with her?"
'You're an idiot." Masaki said.
"How could you do this? He was just a child?! How could you? I will kill you! I swear! I will destroy all of you!"
"Restrain her…" The king demanded. Masahiro could only oblige.
"Listen to me, let us help you," Masaki said.
Izayoi turned to her captor then.
"Kurosaki Masahiro, I swear… I will look into your eyes, and I will be the last thing you see. You will all pay for what you did today."
"I see, like your brother. You are no use to me. You don't know anything at all. So sad. Take her to the Doctor. See what he can do."
Masaki turned to Masahiro expectantly. He sighed. She always asked for him the impossible.
"Wait, maybe we could keep her…"
Masaki nodded, encouraging her brother to continue. He sighed and spoke.
"As a slave…"
She shook her head in disapproval.
"As a hostage…"
The red-haired turned to Masakira in disbelief, then to Masahiro again, pleading. Masahiro grunted in defeat.
"I mean as a pet project or a guest. In the meantime, Majesty, maybe you will find a way to replicate her father's miracle."
"Kill me."
"Actually, that is a wonderful idea," Masakira said.
"You think I will be your guest. I'd rather die."
"That could be arranged too." Masahiro countered, for the first time agreeing with his "twin."
"Down you two… What my brothers meant is that what will your father say when he wakes up and do not see you here?"
Masahiro turned toward his sister questioningly. She held out a hand for Izayoi and pulled her toward the throne.
"My father…"
"Is sleeping… But I guess he will want to see you when he wakes up… "
"What Masaki means is that there will be no reason to keep him embalmed if you are dead. That is a good incentive that works both ways. You help my father, and we help yours." Masahiro finished.
"My baby brother you just killed was the only human soul who could hold the Spirit God and command it."
"Now she decides to sing!" Masakira said.
They all turned to him, annoyed.
"I didn't know. He just slipped."
"How did you father do that?"
"I don't know."
"You must know!" The new king growled, rising from his seat. "Do you think if I swallowed you right now, will I finally learn all that you know?! If I cut you open, will I learn what I want to know? I want to know how he could create these new souls. It's as simple as that. Do I have to open you up to get what I want?"
She tried to jump back in fear, but Masahiro was clumsily holding her.
"Your Majesty, you are scaring her more than necessary! Father, perhaps she really doesn't know." Masaki shouted back.
The new king settled down.
"Enough, I heard enough. If you want to keep her fine, Children. I have a lot of work to bring peace to the realms. I need to show all these creatures their new station in life."
"What? What is he saying?" The princess stuttered. Masahiro dragged Izayoi out of the room. The other two followed suit, Masaki lingering as she took a last look at the king.
The king sat back on the throne alone and played with the Spirit God between his fingers absentmindedly.
"I hereby declare this to be the Age of Men. The hollows must not and will not remember what happened here. I wish it so."
The world faded to white.
.
Fading back to Izayoi, stuck in that cell with that same choice. She stared at the empty sarcophagus, her face slowly shifting in determination. Understand that remembering hadn't been the hardest part, the hardest part had been surviving and cohabiting with her doubts. This was like surrendering her power to sustain a lie. For that alone there shall be retribution. For that she needed reparation. What of the fate of the world then? What about it?
She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she was surrounded by glaciers and dunes of snow. She was standing behind Masakira in Jigoku. The Kaiju turned around, disturbed by her presence. But he couldn't see her, as one of the many talents and gifts of the Moon Princess was her ability to surround herself with a cloak of invisibility. He soon got back to the task at hand, holding down a mixed breed with hollow blood in a tight vice. She approached swiftly, her steps showing in the sand, ready to ambush him.
A chill traveled her spine. Before she could blink, he was gone as if summoned elsewhere. She fell back on her knees in front of Chad, letting back a sigh she didn't know she was holding, her invisibility cloak fading. Chad had the reflex of jumping out of the way, grabbing Ryo's hand.
"Are you okay, Madam?" Michiru said, holding out her hand to help the regal empress stand. "Do you know where we are?"
"Michiru…" Ryu yelled in warning. But it was too late, and Izayoi was only too happy with the hand that was offered. She pulled Michiru toward her and embraced her, blood splattering the dune. Unbothered by the screams of the crowd.
"You are in hell, literally, Sweetie. This is hell." Izayoi said she held Michiru's shiny bright soul in her hands. She was even a virgin soul. Just perfect.
Ryo was holding Chad's hands, muttering for herself.
"Don't… Please. Don't…"
But Chad had to. He needed to. So, he untangled their fingers slowly because he wouldn't be Chad if he let the townspeople or even his own girlfriend get hurt in this weird backward world.
"Don't go… These people…"
Most underrated character in History. That's how he wanted to leave this world. Before he could make a move, Izayoi was gone too, leaving Michiru's ethereal body to turn to dust.
Kirio, who was unprepared as she heard the Royal Chamber's latch unlock itself from the inside. She took a step back before she changed her mind. She nodded resolutely. Even traveling to the speed of light, Masakira was too late. When he finally made it back to the palace, the door closed behind Kirio as she entered the dark room. He almost growled back in frustration.
Series this work belongs to: Part 1 of the Four season of death series
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