The screaming tore at the ears of any who could hear it as Ichigo slowly became more and more hollow-like. Tessi attempted to keep him bound as the mask slowly became more and more solid on Ichigo's face.

"Just a little longer," Urahara said as they watched what very well could be the end of his newest pupil.

-

Ichigo stared around as he awoke somewhere new. It looked like a city made of grey uniform buildings with a perpetual cloudy sky. Rain fell endlessly on the featureless city and he could feel himself get soaked immediately.

"Where am I?"

"What is this place?"

"This is your soul," spoke a deep booming voice.

Looking toward the voice he saw nothing except a massive tower piercing the sky.

"Enter the tower before your soul is destroyed Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Do you not see the rot that is the hollow spreading?"

Ichigo looked around quickly after hearing the voice speak. The city was quickly disappearing on its edges. Starting to sprint along a dirt road leading toward the tower he slowed as the rain had created a river flowing away from the tower toward the void. Tudging ahead ignoring the continued flow he slowly made his way toward the tower.

"Just my luck that my soul is having a fucking hurricane," Ichigo grumbled as he finally got to the massive doors at the bottom of the tower. Sparing a second to look behind he saw the void devouring the city only a block of houses away. Frowning at the destruction of his soul he threw his body against the massive doors and slipped threw the crack that opened.

Shaking off some of the water coating his body he looked up a set of deep grey steps towards a throne of the same. Sitting calmly on that throne was a being who looked like him but withered and sickly with massive rods of some black metal protruding from his back. As it opened its eyes Ichigo saw rings around its iris in a deep purple shade. The eyes held nothing but a void of sorrow and spoke of a broken soul.

"You have come my wielder."

"Your my sword then. How do I stop this destruction?"

"You must understand."

"Understand what?"

"Take me up and sacrifice."

The figure made a gesture and an alter rose in front of Ichigo. Laying on top of the alter was the hilt of a sword made of a pure black metal but instead of a guard and blade a rod of the same metal about two feet long came out the top with a sharp point at the end.

Ichigo stared at the sword and thought hard as he reached forward to pick it up. He looked at the figure with its many black rods coming out of its body. Looking back he saw the beginnings of the door fading away.

"Do you wish to save her?"

"Pain is the only path that will lead to her freedom!"

Ichigo shook for a second deep in thought. His eyes stared into the abyss as his hands almost lost their grip on his sword.

Suddenly becoming completely still his eyes met his swords as he growled out his response.

"Anything to save her!"

He reversed his grip on the weapon and held it in front of his heart. Driving it home he screamed as everything went black.