Ichigo ran his fingers through his hair. Just processing the scale of what they were up against was giving him a headache.

"So, to summarize, the enemy has tapped into the power of the Soul King, and our only hope is our own piece of that power," Shinji said, sounding annoyed. "Problem is, our guy has been captured by the enemy, and we don't know if he's even still alive. Is that right?"

"It is." Captain Kyōraku nodded. He sat at the center of a small assembly, surrounded by incredulous faces and frustrated sighs. All things considered, he was taking the pressure well. "Any more questions?"

Shinji threw his hands up. "Sure, I've got one for you. Why are you so calm about all of this?! You saw the Quincies capture Ukitake. And not only that, you loosened Aizen's chains and then lost him too! How is this anything other than a catastrophe?"

"Simple," Kyōraku spread his arms. "We're still here. If the Quincies had already won, they would have used the power of the Soul King's arms to wipe us out. That's the level of power we're dealing with, remember? That we're having this conversation is proof that Jūshirō is still alive and putting up a fight. More than anything else, that means we have a shot of turning things around."

That answer didn't exactly satisfy, but Shinji backed off with a huff. From what Ichigo had heard, he had good reason to be frustrated. Most of the other Captains were indisposed, and so the responsibility of representing them fell to Shinji.

"I won't stop you if you want to give up. But at least listen to my plan before you make that decision." Kyōraku cleared his throat, "I propose an all-or-nothing frontal assault on the Soul King's palace."

The room itself held its breath. It was so quiet that the usually unflappable Kyōraku actually winced.

"You want us to rush blindly into the monster's den? Sure, why wait for the end of the world when we can go and get ourselves killed attacking the power that created the universe!"

"Power that holds the universe together," Ichibē corrected, cheerfully.

Shinji rolled his eyes, "Whatever. A head-on attack was really the best you could come up with?"

"Would you rather we take a page out of the Quincy playbook? I'm sure I could find us a hole to hide in for the next thousand years, if that's more to your tastes." Kyōraku said frankly. There was no malice in his voice or demeanor, but Shinji bristled anyway.

He didn't object, though. Nobody did. The scale and history of this war might have gone well over Ichigo's head, but there was one thing he understood. They couldn't just sit around and wait for the enemy to make a move. The Shinigami had to take the initiative or be destroyed.

When Kyōraku turned that frankness towards Ichigo, he couldn't help but stand up a little straighter. "Kurosaki Ichigo, Inoue Orihime, Yasutora Sado, and Ishida Uryu. You four have done a great deal for the Soul Society in the past. However, no matter your involvement in our conflicts leading up to now, this war is our fight and our fight alone. A bunch of kids from the living world have no business risking their lives for our sake."

Ichigo was taken aback. He felt his hackles rising, and he almost spat that nonsense right back in Kyōraku's face. Then the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 bowed his head.

"That being said, we could use your help. Would you please put yourselves in harm's way to help fix this problem that we adults created?" That things could get even more quiet than before seemed to come as a shock to everybody.

Several long moments passed while Ichigo waited for Kyōraku to take back what he'd said; to pretend like those words were never spoken. But he kept his head bowed, fully committed to his request.

Ichigo jumped when somebody touched his arm. It was Inoue, looking up at him with a confident smile on her face. He looked to Chad and Ishida, and they wore the same expressions. All three of them nodded, assuring him that they were of one mind. Ichigo nodded, then stepped up to Captain Kyōraku. "We'd be glad to help. And honestly, we would have helped even if you told us not to." He turned to the other Shinigami in the room. "You all are our friends, and we would never abandon you no matter how bad things get. This is our fight too."

Kyōraku raised his head, and thanked Ichigo and his friends, but he didn't look relieved to have their help. If anything, he looked even more concerned. He didn't give Ichigo a chance to ask him about it, though. "Now that that's sorted, we need to discuss personnel."

Shinji raised his hand. "If you're wondering who's fit to go on this suicide mission, we're pretty much all here. Rose and Kensei are down for the count, Soi Fon's conscious, but she's in no condition to fight, Hitsugaya is MIA, Komamura isn't going to be much help anymore, and I couldn't even begin to figure out what the deal is with Kurotsuchi or Zaraki. So, what you see is what you're getting."

"Actually, about Zaraki . . ." a series of thunderous crashes sounded in the hallway, growing louder at a steady pace. Ichigo heard frantic yelling as the noises came closer. Then he heard footsteps. They all turned towards the door as Zaraki Kenpachi cast his shadow into the room. He ducked in, trailing a number of frazzled members of the 4th Division.

He scanned the room and frowned. "Any of you seen Yachiru anywhere? I've looked all over the place." Nobody responded. How could they when the most frightening swordsman in the Seireitei showed up with a butcher knife that was nearly the size of the mountain of a man holding it. He turned to leave, but Kyōraku stopped him.

"Captain Zaraki. I take it your training went well?" He didn't seem nearly as nervous as everyone else, but a few drops of sweat pooled beneath his chin. "We can discuss your missing Lieutenant at length, but first, there is a battle to be fought."

"I doubt there's a Quincy out there that could stand a chance against me now. Unless you mean I can go a few rounds with Kurosaki over there."

Kyōraku narrowed his eyes. "And if I told you our enemy wields the power of the Soul King?"

Kenpachi stopped in the doorway. He tilted his head, thinking. Finally, he turned around, with a surprisingly tame look. "You got my attention."

Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. But there was still a question that Ichigo couldn't let go. "So, Kenpachi, what's the deal with that thing on your shoulder?"

"What do you mean? It's my Zanpakuto, obviously. You got a problem?" The look in Kenpachi's eyes was significantly less wild than Ichigo remembered, but the fire behind them was as strong as ever. Stronger, even.

"Right . . . your Zanpakuto . . ." It made sense when he thought about it, though he could have sworn Kenpachi was never able to release his sword for whatever reason. The Shinigami in the room took this news more poorly. Some of them openly gaped at the thought of Kenpachi swinging anything other than that jagged shard of a sword they were so familiar with.

After giving everyone a chance to calm down, Urahara-san took a turn voicing his concerns. "The inclusion of Captain Zaraki puts my mind at ease a fair bit. However, there are some things we still need to discuss. A frontal assault is all well and good, but even a simple plan requires careful consideration to execute smoothly. Captain-Commander, you mentioned a group of Quinces accompanying their leader, correct?"

"That's right," Kyōraku said, feeling at his side. "Odds are, no matter how we approach the palace, we'll be faced with resistance from Yhwach's retainers. Their abilities and strengths are unknown, so we need whatever information we can get." He eyed Ishida, clearly hoping his time in the Wandenreich would serve them. Another voice chimed in before they could find out.

"I may be able to offer you some valuable information." Captain Kurotsuchi glided through the doorway. A bizarre procession followed him. His Lieutenant entered, then Tōshirō and Rangiku shuffled in. They looked like they'd been through hell and back, but even that wasn't the strangest thing. A group of Arrancar followed after them. They regarded Ichigo's group with a familiarity that ranged from respectful to downright hostile. The last to enter was clearly a Quincy-one that Ichigo and his friends recognized.

Kurotsuchi pushed her into the center of the room like a parent encouraging their child. He somehow made the gesture feel sinister. "My name is Liltotto Lamperd," she said. "I am . . . was a Sternritter under the direct command of that bastard Haschwalth. I think I might have some information that could help you in your fight."

"This is a joke, right?"Shinji wasn't having any of this, whatever it was. "You can't seriously expect me to sit here and take advice from an enemy elite."

"I'm not exactly thrilled about this either." Liltotto responded in kind. They locked eyes, looking like they were going to rip each other's throats out. "Say what you want. My grudge against the Shinigami is nothing compared to how I feel about the Wandenreich and their brainwashing. I'm not here to help you. I only want to bring Yhwach and Haschwalth down. End of story."

"I'd like to mention that I am currently caring for her friends," Kurotsuchi cut in. "So keep that in mind when judging her honesty." Liltotto's glare shifted to the Captain of the 12th Division, but she didn't deny it. She was trapped no matter how things were split.

Ichigo stepped forward and said, "We've seen that a lot of the Quincy army was being brainwashed already, so her story is believable. I say we hear her out." He nodded to her, but she only shot him a dirty look. That was fine. He really did hope she could help, but it was more important to keep people focused on the real enemy whether she could or not.

Shinji crossed his arms and sat back, giving her room to speak. She shifted, facing Kyōraku. "I'll start by saying I don't know anything about what Yhwach's ultimate plan is. He and Haschwalth pulled us in with vague promises to save the world, but I don't recall them ever going into detail about how they would accomplish that. That . . . thing growing out of the ground is as much a mystery to me as it is to you, maybe more so. What I can offer is information about the Special War Potentials."

She turned her head, looking at specific people. "The Special War Potentials are a list of Shinigami combatants that pose a particular threat to the Wandenreich's goals."

"And how exactly does that help us now?" Shinji asked.

"It helps because you're all clearly oblivious to Yhwach's true power." They exchanged glares again, but Liltotto broke off quickly. "You might have noticed that the Sternritter possess powers beyond those of a typical Quincy. We call this power Schrift; you can think of it as something close to your Zanpakuto for the sake of brevity. Yhwach's Schrift is The All-seeing, an ability that allows him to see into the future."

That got everyone's attention. A power that let someone predict the future . . . that seemed incredibly dangerous. How did they fight someone who knew what they were going to do before they did it?

Kyōraku rubbed his temples. He looked exhausted. "That explains a great deal. So, how do these War Potentials help us counteract his power?"

"I'm getting to that." Liltotto snapped, earning a wave of dirty looks. "The All-seeing has a weakness. The stronger the opponent, the less effective Yhwach's future sight is. The list of Special War Potentials is made up of individuals who were deemed powerful enough or clever enough to render The All-seeing completely useless."

"And do you know who these War Potentials are?"

"Of course. One of our responsibilities as Sternritter was to keep them away from Yhwach." As she started going down the list, the mood in the room fluctuated wildly. "Top of the list was Yamamoto Genryūsai. We were straight up told to run away if we encountered him. That was how badly Yhwach and Haschwalth were scared of him. Then there was the Kenpachi, who we were supposed to engage with as many Sternritter as possible." She turned towards Kenpachi, cocking an eyebrow. "We were told to watch out for a woman drenched in blood, but this big ogre fits the bill pretty well." Ichigo got the impression he was missing a lot there, but he let it slide.

"Then there's Urahara Kisuke and Kurotsuchi Mayuri, who could apparently undermine The All-seeing through sheer ingenuity. The last three are oddities. Kurosaki Ichigo, Hyōsube Ichibē, and Ukitake Jūshirō each possess qualities of spirit that blind The All-seeing. I never understood what that meant, but I think I get it now." She pulled a piece of candy out of her uniform and started chewing loudly. She was done talking, apparently.

Shinji sat up, scoffing, "Great, now we know who among us can stop the enemy from predicting the future. That's just so helpful. I'm sure it will give us an advantage against the current god-like threat."

"Don't be so quick to dismiss this, Shinji. It tells us more than you think." Urahara-san wandered over to where Kyōraku was sitting. "We've just learned that, despite their borderline divine power, the enemy is afraid of us."

He said it so matter-of-fact that Ichigo almost missed it, but that realization lifted the mood in the room dramatically. Everyone stood a little taller and Kyōraku looked considerably less haggard. Even Shinji showed a hint of a smile.

Kyōraku and Urahara-san started talking tactics, and Kurotsuchi dragged Liltotto in. She would still have useful information, even if she didn't think so. That gave Ichigo and his friends some time to relax.

They sat in a circle, away from the more serious discussions. Rukia dismissed any suggestions that she and Renji should participate in planning their next move. "There's no way our voices wouldn't get lost in their ideas anyway," she said.

Ichigo nodded. Urahara-san always seemed to already have plans in place before a discussion even began, and he could imagine Kurotsuchi being much the same.

"Forget about all that for a second," Rukia said, wagging a finger at Inoue, Chad, and Ishida. "Let's talk about you three. I barely recognized you with all that Spiritual Pressure. Has it really been that long since we last got together like this?"

Inoue perked up, beaming. "Oh! It's not like we're that much stronger. We just had a little boot camp for a few days."

"Little, maybe. But Yoruichi can be a very ruthless instructor when it comes down to it." Chad said.

"You can say that again," Renji sighed, leaning back on his palms. Ichigo felt the same, remembering the mad dash to achieve Bankai for the first time.

"She pushed us well past our limits without hitting our breaking points. I may be stating the obvious, but Yoruichi is a genius when it comes to training." Chad chuckled, then shook his head. "Comparing our growth to Ichigo's or Ishida's, however, I can't help but feel like we should have worked harder."

"Hey now," Rukia frowned. "I don't know what Ishida's deal is, but Ichigo's a special case among special cases, and even he had to be rebuilt from the ground up before he reached this point. Don't be so hard on yourselves."

Chad smiled, appreciative, and Inoue's face got even brighter. It was good to see those two so confident in their growth even with their doubts. It made Ichigo's own insecurities feel like much less of a burden. Knowing that he could rely on them gave him hope beyond what his own strength offered.

There was still that other matter, though. "Speaking of which, I think it's about time you gave us an explanation, Ishida." The group turned towards their Quincy friend. They all had the same question on their minds for sure.

Ishida was much, much stronger than he was. Not only that, but just sitting here it was clear that he was still getting stronger. He was actively growing. That Reiatsu he was giving off raised even more questions.

He took a deep breath. What about this power demanded that he prepare himself like that? "First, the most obvious change should be clear to you." His gaze swept over Renji and Rukia before landing on Ichigo. "You've already sensed it. It simply doesn't make sense, correct? Well, this Shinigami power you're feeling is the result of having that aspect forcibly attached to my soul."

"What?!"

"That sounds extremely dangerous!" Rukia and Renji were shaken. It really sounded bad the way he said it, but he raised a hand to settle them.

"I can assure you, it was. According to Captain Kurotsuchi, doing so could have consumed my soul right off the bat. Fortunately, that didn't happen." Well, that was barely comforting. The others sat back, grinding their teeth. "And before you go blaming Kurotsuchi, I asked him to do this."

"Why?" Ichigo said, locking eyes with Ishida. He thought he knew the answer already, though.

"You're thinking I did it to keep up with you, right? You aren't wrong. Kurosaki, your soul is a rarity. A spirit that holds the four major aspects of Balance in equilibrium. Your potential is something special, and you've put in a tremendous amount of work to make the most of it. I, on the other hand, am a Quincy. Just a Quincy." He clutched his chest. He didn't look angry or resentful. That was a relief, but there was still something there. A sadness?

He continued, "The Sternritter, Haschwalth, and Yhwach all prove that the Quincies can reach great heights by their own strength as well, but getting there takes time. Time I didn't have." No, he didn't look sad. He was resigned. "Shinigami and Quincy, Stability and Instability, are aspects of reality that naturally oppose each other. As such, combining them creates a volatile imbalance. These opposing forces inside me create a chain reaction as they try to smother one another. As a result, my power increases exponentially over time. Eventually, my soul will reach a critical mass, of sorts. My power should be incredible by then, but afterwards . . . those warring aspects will snuff each other out, leaving me completely powerless. Forever."

A shock ran through the group, but Ishida only shrugged. How could he take this so lightly?! "Do you know what you're saying, Ishida? Losing your power . . . burning out your soul like that . . ." Ichigo could barely find the words to express his concern.

"I know exactly what I'm saying. Better than you do, in fact." Ichigo just stared at him. "You've experienced a full loss of your abilities before, Kurosaki. You made a decision knowing full well that it would leave you as a normal human being. But then you came back. Part of your soul was burned out and left dormant, but you still had so much more power to pull from. That additional power preserved your Shinigami abilities, allowing you to regain them with a little prodding."

"I experienced something similar, once." Ishida ignored the worried glances and pale faces around him. "I pushed my Quincy powers to their absolute limits, or so I thought. I overtaxed my soul, yes, but I was far from burnt out. A little training, a little exposure to Quincy power, and I was back in business, better than ever. What I'm experiencing now is an entirely different beast from what either you or I have experienced before. In short, my soul will be rendered inert."

"That's too cruel." Inoue said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Despite the mood, Ishida actually smiled. "I wouldn't say that. It isn't like this is going to kill me. All people have a tiny bit of every aspect within them naturally, apparently. So, once the warring powers within me disappear, the regular human side of me will still be around."

"Even so, we can't just accept that you won't be fighting by our side anymore." Chad made a fist and slammed into the ground. The floorboards cracked with a sharp sound. Ichigo felt like lashing out the same way, but a look from Ishida stopped him.

Ishida cleared his throat pulling the others out of their private grief and remorse. "Listen, everyone, I didn't just do this to keep up. I have a personal stake in this fight. This sacrifice . . . if it means I can stand up to these monsters, then it's worth it." The determination in his voice drew everyone in. For a moment, they all seemed to forget their bitterness. "I won't sit by and let my own people cause so much wanton destruction, no matter their reasons."

With that final declaration, Ishida sat back, letting the rest of the group chew on his words. Ichigo found them hard to swallow, frankly. Knowing that one of his friends was giving up everything to help was driving him crazy. But hadn't he done the same thing? When he fought Aizen, he'd willingly given up all of his power to save everyone. What was so wrong about Ishida doing the same?

He took a deep breath, "I guess . . . this will be the last time we fight together, then."

"I'm afraid so."

"Alright." Ichigo stood and held out his clenched fist. "In that case, we'll have to make sure you go out on a high note. Let's win this fight."

Ishida stared at him for a moment, then chuckled. He stood up and reached out with his own fist. They pressed their knuckles together in a show of solidarity. Ichigo refused to doubt his friends anymore. He wouldn't second guess them or try to make decisions for them. Instead, he'd stand by them to the bitter end, if necessary.

Inoue scrambled to her feet and reached out with a fist of her own. Her smile added a warmth to this pact that they were forming. It was like a binding energy. Chad stood next, and then Renji and Rukia joined.

The six of them stood there to affirm their convictions, and to declare that they would stand together, no matter what. Even without a plan, Ichigo was sure he and his friends would get through this battle.

Then the world began to shake.

+ Break +

"Oh what now?!" Marechiyo wrapped himself around a lantern in the 4th Division courtyard, holding on for dear life. Everyone around him-from the Shinigami running messages, to the hordes of confused Quincies being brought in by the dozens-stumbled as the earth beneath their feet shifted back and forth. If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

First, Captain Soi Fon sent him off to help Captain Hirako. Then, Captain Hirako set him to doing exactly what had been driving him crazy before Soi Fon reappeared! Except this time, he was managing reports from pretty much every Division! And now the earth itself was trying to bring him down!

Why was life so unfair?!

+ Break +

Shiba Kūkaku braced herself, resisting the quacking ground. She had been watching the Seireitei closely after the Seireiheki collapsed a short while ago, and now there was something ominous wafting through the air.

She hated being left in the dark, but until someone on the inside decided to let her in on what was going on, she had no choice but to wait and see what happened. Of course, with the walls gone, she could waltz right in and find out for herself.

Honestly, though, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

What was the world coming to?

+ Break +

Tier Harribel felt the sands shift beneath her feet. Hueco Mundo itself seemed to vibrate. The bleak white landscape felt as if it were receding from view any way she looked. This was her territory, and yet she had no idea what was happening to it.

Her first instinct was to blame the Shinigami. Time and again, their intrusion had spelled disaster for the Hollows residing in this realm. She did not feel their influence in this, however. At least, not directly. This power cutting through the stagnant air bore the stench of something other than Soul Society. It was something older.

And even more terrifying.

+ Break +

"Hey, dad? Do we really have to stay down here? It isn't that strong." Karin sat with an arm loosely around one of the table's legs. She must have figured out that this was no ordinary earthquake. She was clever like that.

"It might be weak, but that's no reason to let our guard down." Isshin did his best to placate her, but he could tell she wasn't convinced. Yuzu clung to another leg, looking worried. She did that a lot. Was that his fault for being so overprotective when they were younger? "That isn't to say we're in any danger, of course. It's just . . . important to maintain good habits! Yeah!" He laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Yuzu laughed with him, thank goodness.

Karin saw through him in an instant, though. She didn't say anything-she didn't want her sister to worry either, bless her heart-but the way her eyes moved . . . she could feel it too. The power in the air. It was putting her on edge.

"Karin . . ." She looked at him, brow furrowed. He met her eyes and gave her the most earnest nod he could manage. She relaxed, putting Isshin's mind at ease as well.

His daughters sorted, Isshin turned his thoughts to his reckless, bonehead of a son. That wasn't fair, he realized. Ichigo had grown tremendously in the past few years. He could take care of himself and then some.

He couldn't help but worry, so Isshin sent thoughts of support. Enough to drown out any bad vibes he might be giving off. No matter how bad things were on the other side, he believed that Ichigo would find a way to make it through. He had to.

What else was a father supposed to do in this situation?

+ Break +

The chambers of the Soul King's palace were just as grand as Haschwalth imagined. Pillars thicker than most buildings in the Wandenreich's hidden homestead reached vainly up towards broad, vaulted ceilings far overhead. He thought he could see clouds forming amongst the distant trusses.

A single long rug appeared to run the length of every corridor starting in the vast foyer. It was decorated with intricate patterns of gold that somehow danced off the fabric and onto the tile underneath.

The doors, taller than ten men at their smallest, were intricate, carved works of art in their own right. In pristine condition, they might have brought him to tears with their beauty. Too bad they were marred by dark stains now.

Truly, the opulence of this place was befitting of a god. Such a shame that it had existed in service of the Balancer regime until now. A legacy of blood and deceit did not fit this heavenly structure, yet it was those very things that allowed it to exist in the first place.

How fitting, then, that it would change hands in a river of blood. Bodies lined the walls of the expansive corridors. Haschwalth breathed in, reveling in the metallic stench. He would need to have the entire palace scrubbed. A bother, to be certain, but one he would relish.

His footsteps did not echo as he marched across the plush rug. He would have preferred his arrival to be made obvious, but judging by what he was feeling, whether or not he made noise on his approach would make little difference.

A power permeated this place. A power that was much more dense than what he felt surrounding the 1st Division's headquarters. It was so similar to Pernida, but somehow higher. This wasn't the pressure of a mere piece of divinity. This was a truly divine presence! It was His Majesty's presence! With his power spread so far he must be aware of every little thing in this incredible fortress.

Haschwalth continued to follow the endless rug deeper into the bowels of the palace. The further he went, the more intense the pressure from His Majesty's presence. It was intoxicating. He found himself laughing, the sound echoing back seconds later.

They had won! The Enders had finally been avenged! And soon, the remnants of the Balancers would feel the righteous wrath of a new, just god! He reined in his features as the throne room came into view. It wouldn't do to show His Majesty such an uncouth face right before his ascension.

The entrance to the deepest chamber in the palace was every bit as glorious as the rest of the place. Its doorway was as large as the corridor that led to it. Its doors-surely only there for decoration-were painted a bright white . . . no, they weren't painted. They were constructed of the same crystalline stone as the walls around them. The carvings on their surface seemed to tell a story of some sort, but their actual meaning was lost in the impression of pure power they exuded.

Haschwalth's heart beat faster and faster the closer he got. His excitement was threatening to burst forth against his will. That feeling faded, however, when he noticed the Schutzstaffel loitering just outside the chamber. He dared not call out to them, lest his echoing voice disturb His Majesty.

Gerard bounced on his heels, mouth agape as he studied the frescoes high above. Gremmy kneeled beside him, seemingly twiddling his thumbs. Then again, who could say what went on inside that monster's mind. Lille was pacing anxiously across the rug, turning sharply each time he reached the edge. He looked up when Haschwalth approached, relief washing over him.

"Lord Haschwalth!" He said in a whispered shout. "Thank goodness you're here. There's been an incident."

A cold lump formed in Haschwalth's stomach. "What do mean 'an incident?'"

"You'd be better off seeing for yourself, Jugo. We aren't exactly equipped to explain." Askin pushed himself off of the pillar he was leaning on and strolled over. He ignored the vicious look Lille gave him.

"If you thought that our victory gave you the right to be so informal with me, you are sorely mistaken, Askin Nakk le Vaar." Haschwalth had always hated this man. The way he acted made it clear he didn't care one bit about the justice owed the Enders.

He raised his hands and turned right around. "Fine, fine. Just go look. Once you get things worked out and the world is remade, you won't have to put up with me anymore," he snickered.

Haschwalth's fingers twitched towards his sword. It would be so easy to end that insubordinate lout right here and now. But no, there were more pressing matters to attend to. He composed himself and gave Lille a reassuring nod. Then he strode, cold lump growing heavier, into the Soul King's private chamber.

He almost stopped dead when he crossed the threshold. Unbelievably oppressive Spiritual Pressure aside, the decor of this room-it couldn't be described as anything more-baffled him. It was so plain. There was no furniture, no gaudy gilding or excessive decoration. There was space for a sizable procession, but that was it. It was empty.

Empty, save for the people standing near its center. His Majesty was there, imposing as ever. An undulating darkness licked at his heels like a smoldering fire. He stood before the Soul King himself, a figure encased in a large crystal. The man's features were obscured, but they both knew who it was suspended there. The crystal was split in half, and the Soul King with it, cut by Yhwach himself. Justice. Only . . . something wasn't right. The crystal still floated. The Soul King remained upright.

"Your Majesty? What has-" He drew up short, unsure of what to make of the scene laid out before him.

"It would seem we've been had, Jugo." His Majesty growled. The exhaustion was clear in each syllable he spoke.

Ukitake Jūshirō knelt on the floor before the Soul King's cadaver. He looked like a corpse himself. His back was bare, revealing atrophied muscles and sunken skin. His bones showed clearly from within his withered husk.

A wispy darkness streamed up from a mark on his back. That wisp reached up, wrapping around the pieces of the Soul King and his prison, holding them together. He was keeping the Soul King "alive" with the power of the right hand!

Haschwalth stepped forward, sliding his sword from its scabbard. He was going to strike down this insolent cretin and clear the way for His Majesty's ascension!

His Majesty held out a hand to stop him. "Not another step, Jugo. He is beyond your power." Such a preposterous assertion. And yet, His Majesty did not appear to be joking. Haschwalth backed down. "The power of the right hand protects him now. Watch." Yhwach raised a sword wreathed in darkness and swung it at the emaciated Captain.

The kindred dark powers collided, wrapping around one another in a violent swirl before rebounding. In an instant, it was as if the strike had never occurred.

"Pernida's power is not enough to break through?" Yhwach shook his head. "But he is so weak! How could he resist the power of one of the hands of the Soul King?"

"It is not him, but the right hand. He has access to the same power that Pernida grants me, Jugo." His Majesty glared at Ukitake. The Captain moved, turning slowly to face Yhwach and Haschwalth. He was too weak to emote, but there was clearly resentment in the way he regarded them. "We are at a stalemate."

A stalemate?! How could that be? After so many years planning, so many decades seeking the blessings of the left hand, so many lives lost, sacrificed to the greater good? It was . . . heartbreaking.

And infuriating. Haschwalth was tempted to bring the full weight of his power down on the Captain despite knowing how pointless that would be. He just needed to lash out at something.

"Calm yourself, Jugo. Victory is still within our grasp." His Majesty's eyes shone with determination. "I cannot seize the right hand while that barrier protects Ukitake, but he is just as stuck. In order to retaliate, he must drop his protection and let the Soul King crumble. Of course, he will not do that. Thus, this battle will come down to who can resist the Kamikake longer. In other words, it is only a matter of time before victory is ours."

Yes . . . yes that was true! Ukitake was notoriously weak of constitution. Between the all consuming Kamikake and his efforts to preserve the Soul King, his body would surely fail before Yhwach's. Once that happened, His Majesty could take the power of the right hand and bring their plans to fruition.

It was only a matter of time. But that gave their foes an opening as well. "Your Majesty, I will dispatch the Schutzstaffel to guard the palace. Until you have both hands, we must expect resistance."

"See it done. I'm counting on you, Jugo." His Majesty's words resonated with Haschwalth's very soul. He felt empowered by that trust, that need.

Haschwalth saluted, making it as crisp as he could manage. He wouldnotlet his king down.

He would not!

+ Break +

The shaking finally stopped.

Ichigo looked up, shuddering at the oddness of the sky above. It should still be daylight out, and it was still bright enough to be, but the sky itself was painted black. The others didn't seem too bothered by it, but then again, they had plenty to worry about already.

His friends gathered around him. He, Inoue, Chad, and Ishida would move as a unit. Their goal was to get Captain Ukitake out of the Soul King's palace, if he still lived. Other groups formed nearby.

Captain Kyōraku stood at the head of the formation, his Lieutenant, Ise, just behind. The others fanned out around him. Shinji fell in on his right with his Lieutenant and that big guy from the 2nd Division. Rukia and Renji lined up behind them. Tōshirō and Rangiku took the position to his left, followed by Urahara-san and Yoruichi. Captain Kurotsuchi stood aside with his Lieutenant, Nemu, as did Kenpachi. Ichigo's group brought up the rear.

This was their final assault team. It wasn't much considering the full might of the Gotei 13, but Ichigo had confidence. He knew that the people gathered here were some of the strongest the Soul Society had to offer.

Still, nerves started to creep into his mind. The ominous presence from the 1st Division barracks had receded, but he could still remember the feeling it gave him. An overwhelming pressure that could easily force him down if it focused on him. An understanding that it was merely disinterest that kept the full brunt of its power at bay. It was hard not to be intimidated. If he were on his own, he didn't think he'd be able to do this.

Fortunately, he wasn't alone. He nodded to Chad and Ishida. They had his back, and they knew he had theirs. Inoue stepped up next to him and smiled. A confident smile that filled him with the energy to move forward no matter the trials ahead.

What would he do without these guys?

With everyone in position, Kyōraku gave the order. Their hastily put together team set off on what very well could be a suicide mission. The odds of failure were that high.

But none of them even considered the possibility.