Lifted Up

by Tomas the Betrayer

Sequel to 'Hammered Down'. Under the shadow of a heaven ruled by monsters, Rukia Kuchiki continues to fulfill her duties with new lives and hearts added to the mix. And above all, there is a mother's love.

18. Rebirth: Make Peace With Yourself part 1

Isane Kotetsu looked around in confusion. She had no idea what just happened. One minute Ichigo Kurosaki was there, and the next he wasn't. There was no conceivable way he would abandon this duel, not with everything at stake. Which left only the option that he had not gone voluntarily. Was he abducted?

Lord Katsurou Arashi did not appear to share her anxieties. He slid his sword into the sheathe held out by his second and accepted a crimson robe hemmed in olive which he slipped into, leaving it unknotted around his waist. The huge wound in his chest left by Ichigo had closed up after sealing his shikai and was now nothing more than a pale scar. The victorious noble then marched across the field until he stood face to face with his fellow clan heads. Yoruichi Shihoin was holding onto her husband Byakuya's arm as though expecting him to leap forward. The former liege lord of House Kuchiki wore a dark expression that certainly might be construed as a prelude to violence.

Isane, this could be the start of another war.

"The match is settled," Katsurou said with utmost certainty. "My engagement to Lady Kuchiki can now be finalized. I trust the materials are in order and there will be no further talk of delays?"

He addressed the whole assembly, but his words were clearly meant for Byakuya and Yoruichi. Neither of them spoke. The bearded nobleman lifted an eyebrow, then turned to Isane. "Lady Kotetsu, since your clan is the designated official overseeing this contest, I request you declare me–"

"HOLD IT!"

This authoritative shout caused several people to jump. It did not originate from any of the noblemen and servants already in attendance. The assembled company turned almost as one to learn who was responsible.

Emerging from the woods behind the pavilion came Kukaku Shiba, flanked by her brother Ganju and Kaizou Konpaku, of all people. The two siblings had on ceremonial attire in the traditional colors of their house, emerald green and pure white. Kon had donned his power suit, giving him the appearance of a Winter Olympics athlete about to compete in the luge. Wearing a snow-white cloak and an expression of deadly seriousness, Kukaku marched across the glade with such brazen authority the minor dignitaries made way for her party without having to be told. At last the Shiba head came to a halt before the leaders of Seireitei's Four Great Houses.

Isane felt ice crawl up her spine. She turned to Katsurou, dreading what was about to take place. His expression had grown dark. Single hand clenched with wrath, he gazed at the daughter of his hated enemy as though she were a stain on the world.

"Hey," Yoruichi spoke softly while they glared daggers at one another. When her old drinking buddy looked at her, she added, "What are you doing?"

"The Shiba have come to participate in this contest," Kukaku announced with a proud tilt of her head.

"These proceedings are reserved for the members of a Great House," Katsurou responded in deadly soft tones before anyone else could speak. "Peasants have no business here."

"What did you say?!" Ganju Shiba looked ready to leap forward, but was stilled by a glance from his older sister. He subsided with a murderous look at the Lord of the Arashi. She turned back to address him.

"I beg to differ, Your Lordship," the one-armed pyromaniac said with a smile. "While the Shiba are no longer nobility, exclusion from that assembly in no way denies us our ancient prerogatives. Lacking money, lands or retainers, we remain the descendants of one of the Six Families who bound the Wolf. This is the same claim upon which all the Great Houses are based. Nobility may decide who can be counted among its ranks, but the Law existed long before royalty was ever established. And we may exercise our rights under that Law, which includes the application of yurei."

Several onlookers conferred with one another in immediate debate on this assertion. For her part Isane felt a touch of wonder. While it was true the Shiba had lost their rank, this interpretation of ancient law was not without merit. Old concepts like the yurei duel predated the establishment of the Great Houses and had simply been appropriated by them at their convenience. Technically, her status as a Shiba gave Kukaku the power to initiate or accept the terms of a duel. But even if that was the case…

"Shiba-san," she spoke with trepidation, "you are not intending to challenge Lord Arashi yourself, are you?"

Isane had half expected her to take offense at this potential slight. Instead the younger woman regarded her with a confident smirk that caused Isane to blush nervously for some reason. She just seemed so very sure of herself, and this was borne out when Kukaku spoke next.

"No, Isane-dono. My brother is."

Everyone now looked at Ganju, who regarded them right back with burly arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Even those not endowed with the powers of a death god could tell such a contest would be short-lived. There was simply no denying that Katsurou outclassed the beefy fellow in every single way.

Then Kon stepped forward. "She means me," he said quietly.

As they all stared in disbelief, Ganju joined his sister at the forefront. He coughed once, shifting his eyes about restlessly, and then announced in a booming voice, "TO ALL THOSE PRESENT! Let it here and now be known that I, Ganju of the House of Shiba, have taken this man as my sworn brother! He has spilled his blood and pledged to defend the honor of our clan in accordance with the ancient ways! The head of our family, Lady Kukaku Shiba, has borne witness to his oath and given her blessing! Thus it is so! He stands before you now as SHIBA KONPAKU!"

With that Kon took three steps to stand before Katsurou. "Lord of the Arashi," he stated simply, "I hereby challenge you to a yurei duel."

The Tiger Lord stared at the mod soul with simmering fury. He either had no words to answer such a challenge or did not trust himself to speak them. They all could feel his wrath washing out in waves of fiery reiatsu. Kon was sweating and shaking at the experience.

Byakuya stirred from the surprise this statement had invoked in all present. "On whose behalf do you make your challenge?" he asked in a voice quiet with what might almost be restrained hope.

The newly inducted scion of Shiba did not break eye contact with the baleful tiger king. "On behalf of Lady Rukia Kuchiki, to prevent her unwanted wedding to Lord Arashi."

At this Katsurou's eyes narrowed in malice. "There is no legal precedent for the member of one family to challenge on behalf of another."

"There is," Kukaku answered. "My brother Kon owes a life debt to Lady Kuchiki. When faced with certain death, she stepped in and rescued him. He has come before you all now to discharge that obligation and thereby secure the pride of our clan."

"Pride?" From Katsurou's mouth the word dropped like a poisonous stone. He leveled wintry black eyes on the Mistress of the Shiba, who returned his stare without the slightest hint of intimidation. "Damn your pride, woman."

Isane shuddered at the vicious hatred in this sentence. She looked desperately between him and the resolute Kukaku. A part of her just wanted to step forward and declare this challenge invalid on its face. Afterwards it wouldn't take much effort to block any appeals made by the tiny Shiba clan. Their voice had been silenced years ago. And yet… might this not still work out? She had no idea what Kon's combat capabilities might be, but should he somehow manage to best Katsurou, the engagement would be nullified and this whole ugly situation might be defused before it could balloon into a full-blown war between houses. Isn't that best for all concerned when you come right down to it?

As she pondered, her old ally continued to heap scorn on the proposed match. "Any honor your family could lay claim to was lost in the time of your father. It is well documented. And now you come before us touting this…" he spared Kon a brief glance that held only deepest disdain, "… mod soul as your champion? An artificial creation deemed an abomination under the law, not even worth the time it would take to exterminate it. You think I would subject myself to such an indignity as to even briefly consider this thing worthy of facing me? The very idea shows your lack of anything remotely resembling honor." He turned his back on them with slow grace. "You should return to whatever hovel serves as your home. There is no reason for the Shiba clan to involve themselves in our world anymore."

"The last time you faced a Shiba in honorable combat, you were soundly defeated."

Katsurou went still. All eyes were on Kukaku, who remained with feet planted wide in a bearing of firm majestic strength after having spoken. She had thrown back her cloak and placed one hand on her hip in a sardonic fashion. Yet her furrowed brow and intense gaze was that of a warrior about to engage in perilous battle. "I suppose I can understand how that would make you not so keen to face us again. But if pride means so little to you, would you not at least like the chance to even the score?"

The long braid on Katsurou's back shifted at a slight movement of his head. "I will not be drawn in by mere words again. That has already proven a waste of time." And he moved to depart.

Kukaku strode by the press of curious nobles to stand alone. "Then consider this! I stake my future on the outcome of this duel! Should you win, you may command me to do anything, even take my life as my father did."

"NO!"

"NEE-SAN!"

The first came from Kon, and the second was Ganju. Hard to say which of them sounded more appalled. Several courtiers even cried out at this proposal. Yoruichi's golden eyes went wide and she strode forward to grab Shiba by the arm. Kukaku wrenched herself free without even turning her head. Jūshirō came up to speak earnestly to Isane, who could only gape in dismay while barely registering his words. How in the name of heaven did we come to this?

But the most pertinent reaction belonged to Katsurou. He had stopped and now stood without turning around. His fist clenched, and they all saw him tilt his head up to gaze at the bright blue sky dotted with clouds, take a deep breath, and release it.

Then he shrugged out of his robe. Katsurou held out a hand. Immediately the seneschal bearing his sword rushed forward and offered it to him. He gripped the handle, pulling it loose before striding back into the designated arena. There he spun around to level his blade at Kon. "Come," he rasped.

The mod soul flinched. He looked back at Kukaku, who offered him only a solid reassuring nod. This show of confidence seemed to brace his resolve. Ganju saluted him in turn by placing fist to heart. Apparently he was willing to entrust his sister's life in the hands of his new brother. Kon swallowed and returned the salute a little shakily. After this he headed over to join Arashi in the circle. None of the observers bothered returning to the shade of the pavilion. They remained where they were as though rooted to the spot.

Isane couldn't say what was about to take place. A slaughter? A miracle? A sacrifice? Rather than entrusting it to an envoy she herself glided over to administer the ritual opening. "The yurei, being met on this day, shall settle all differences relating to the matter at hand. Leaving the bounds of the arena is grounds for disqualification. Blades alone shall determine the outcome; no spells are permitted. First blood will give cause for a resignation should it be so stated. Honor to you both."

With a silent prayer for both parties, she cried out louder than intended, "BEGIN!"

---

He's tired from the fight with Ichigo. He's never fought a mod soul, even if he seems to know what they are. You've seen his weapon and what it can do so there's no mystery about that. At the same time, he probably doesn't know what you're capable of. You have your suit, you're at full strength, and all you need him to do is underestimate you for a second to knock him out of the ring.

He held off Ichigo, maybe even beat him. You're just a mod soul. Knowing how his sword can kill you won't stop it from killing you. All you're capable of is speed. Your suit's a joke, your strength is too, and there are so many ways for him to beat you it's not even funny.

I think that covers all the pros and cons. Time to see what I'm capable of.

"BEGIN!"

This was all the warning Kon got before Jorōgumo's claws were raking towards his face.

Instinct and training saved him. Without thinking he ducked down, already anticipating the swing from the other hand, and was not disappointed. Kon skipped gracefully to the side as this rending stroke tore through the spot he had previously occupied. Doing so put him directly behind his opponent. Any notion of striking back was thwarted when Arashi whipped around claws first, making Kon thankful he hadn't listened to that impulse.

Don't let him touch you with those, even just a scratch. Remember what happened to Ichigo.

I survived the first three seconds. I can keep track of his movements. That's something, at any rate.

The two combatants regarded one another. Kon did indeed feel elation at not having lost yet. For his part Katsurou seemed to have a newfound appreciation of him for that very same reason. His shikai was spread wide like two webs of steel on either wrist. Contact with either of them would prove fatal. But only if he can catch me. Kon had witnessed the level of speed Arashi was capable of thanks to Ichigo's match. The guy had nothing on Noboru. Plus the Training from Hell that Kukaku put me through for the past two months saw an amazing improvement on what I'm capable of. Okay, maybe not 'amazing', but still noticeable. I'm the best I can be at this point. That'll have to be enough.

Lucky thing, too. Because now if you fail, not just Rukia loses out. Kukaku might actually die.

Fear at this thought spurred him to do more than just dodge. Now Kon leapt and spun in midair, launching one leg out at the same time. Yellow spirit energy flared around his foot as it streaked around like a comet, and he sent this arc of destructive force right at Arashi.

Unlike with Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshou, the Tiger Lord did not deign to dodge the incoming assault. Instead he stood his ground, awaiting its approach. Just when that burst of power was about to connect he gave one fierce swipe of his claws. The bolt split apart and went careening past him to blow several holes in the ground.

Swell. I might as well have sneezed at him. Doesn't mean they won't hurt if I get one to connect, though.

With this in mind Kon broke out what he affectionately referred to as 'Cannonball Run'. Flipping head over heels multiple times while bounding about the enclosed space, he shot out multiple yellow projectiles with precision accuracy at his foe. Rather than taking the barrage this time Katsurou was on the move. He flash-stepped towards Kon, who altered course while making sure not to leave the perimeter of the circle. Several misses detonated beyond the arena bounds. Guardian mages on the outside had already erected a barrier that protected the spectators from any stray shots or random debris. That was a relief. One less thing to worry about. To say nothing of the fact that he's getting closer-ohshit!

Kon was forced to check his path mid-leap to evade a nasty swipe from those poisonous talons. That was a little too close for comfort. He backpedaled while never letting up on the rain of missiles, none of which had connected so far.

Feeling anxious, the valiant mod soul reflected on his situation. While he was restrained by the limits of this field and couldn't achieve anything close to maximum speed, Arashi had the same problem. Go too fast without looking where you're headed and you might wind up out of bounds. So the best recourse is to keep my distance and pour on the hailstorm until one of them connects and hopefully knocks him for a loop. Right?

He yelped as Katsurou got close enough to almost connect, forcing Kon to abandon his attacks and zip away fast. They wound up at opposite ends of the arena where both combatants sized one another up.

Screw that. Kick his ass.

Kon began to tap one heel against the ground rapidly. In no time at all his foot had become a glowing yellow blur. The very earth began to rumble, sending mini-quakes well past the confines of their duel that actually cost a few unprepared observers their balance. Katsurou took note of this. Apparently letting Kon finish whatever this move might be didn't sit well with him, as he sprang across the rattling terrain intent on the attack.

At his approach the earth between them exploded.

Screams filled the air. Dirt rained down everywhere. Several people craned their heads trying to see through the smoke. Soon enough they caught sight of Katsurou, white skin streaked with dust. Small black marks dotted one side of his chest and body. Teeth clenched, eyes wide with surprise and anger, he regarded the source of this unexpected assault.

Across the way Kon remained in the same place as before, only now both his feet had become charged pistons that pounded the soil a hundred times a second. Katsurou flash-stepped in response, but was forced back by two blasts so close together they formed a wall between them. Another detonation at his back nearly sent him sprawling, but he recovered in time to evade the next one without sustaining any injury. Despite this the Tiger Lord was unable to advance any closer to his quarry and now scrambled like a mad spider to avoid one explosion underfoot after another.

Kon concentrated on routing his destructive charges to best effect. This technique, dubbed 'Land Mine', was developed through the application of his suit's abilities with Shiba-style earth sorcery. There had been some confusion as to whether something like this constituted a spell and was therefore illegal during yurei duels. But after fierce debate his trainers had decided it probably wouldn't get him disqualified. Combined with the fact that it was a new ability, not to mention dangerous if used improperly, had made Kon resolve to call on it only as a last resort. Only problem was he couldn't move while using it which basically made him a sitting duck.

Another explosion close to Katsurou sent him flying into the air. However it soon became clear this was done intentionally, for he was headed straight at Kon's current position.

So he figured out the weakness already. That was quick.

Yup. But I'm quicker.

He had enough time to catch the rage evident on the shinigami lord's face before Kon slammed both heels into the ground. Immediately a line of explosions went off between him and the approaching death god. Much bigger and reaching higher than any previous efforts, the resulting detonation caught Katsurou mid-dive and blew him away. He landed on his back to go sliding across the torn soil. For a moment it looked as though he was going to pass the boundary.

At the last second he dug all ten of his gauntlets' fingers into the earth. Doing so brought him up just short of the rim. He lay on his back breathing hard, then craned his neck up to throw a positively savage look back at the master of explosives.

Katsurou sprang upright, only to pause as he felt something stir underfoot.

"I wouldn't advise it," Kon called out when he saw Arashi about to move. "You're currently standing on a ring of bombs. One more step and you lose a leg." He then added, "I can't hold them off forever."

That last part was a bluff. The 'mines' wouldn't detonate unless they received the signal. Not that I would really go through with it. I'm not going to kill anyone, after all. But if this keeps going one of us might wind up dead, and it's not going to be him. Maybe if this guy listens to reason we can settle things peacefully.

So decided, Kon drew a deep breath and proclaimed, "Yield, Lord Arashi."

Breathing hard, Katsurou scanned the ground for any sign of impending peril. After a few seconds the tension drained from his shoulders. The gauntlets on both arms hung limp, and he looked up to regard Kon.

His eyes made the mod soul cringe. They were half-mad, the eyes of a wounded predator gone wild with pain. Kon felt his heart sink as Katsurou said…

"Bankai."

Gargantuan power slammed into him, so heavy his knees crumpled and he found himself bent at the waist fighting to remain upright. Oh, shit. Things just took a turn for the worse.

In an instant mist covered the world. Kon peered around in desperation. He couldn't see anything clearly through this morass. The crowd had vanished, as had the Tiger Lord himself. With an effort he managed to rise upright sufficiently to get his bearings. Where moments before a beautiful cloud-spotted sky beamed down on them now there was only this wall of dense fog reaching to the heavens. A bright spot that might have been the sun glowed up there, but nothing more.

Movement caught his eye. Focusing on it, to his astonishment he realized it was Katsurou. The Tiger Lord hung high overhead as though standing on these shifting white tides. No longer wearing any gauntlets, he gazed down at Kon with arms crossed, face devoid of mercy.

"Tsuchigumo Sōshi."

This is his bankai, this mist? What if it's poisonous?! He clapped a hand over his mouth and nose in what he recognized was probably a futile effort. Both heart and mind were racing, and his stomach felt sick with fear.

Then Kon saw something that caused him to scream out loud.

From the fog-filled sky, spiders were descending. Dozens of them, maybe hundreds, each the size of a grapefruit. Pure white with black eyes, they slid slowly down on gleaming lines from their spinnerets. In moments they would completely cover the ground, which he could hardly see to begin with.

Kon panicked. There was no other word for it. In a mad frenzy he sent forth a whirlwind of blazing energy kicks at the approaching nest. There were so many arachnids that the barrage could hardly miss. Yet it seemed that even when they struck their targets another spider emerged to take its place.

This is nuts! I'm trapped in a nowhere place and about to be eaten by spiders! This is just plain nuts!

Eventually he stopped attacking. Panting in and out, Kon tried to bring himself under control. They haven't reached me yet. I've still got time. I can mine the ground again… but that won't keep them from coming straight down on top of me! So what the hell do I do?!

The answer hit him so hard he could have choked. Of course! Take out the source!

Quickly he located Arashi still hovering amidst his falling eight-legged horde. I could jump to get him, but that would only put me in the middle of the spiders. Which leaves one viable option. The desperate mod crouched down, bunching his legs beneath him and then springing upward with a crazed yell. A streak of neon yellow lightning sped from both feet. They incinerated several spiders on their way towards the true target, who watched them coming without sign of concern.

A moment before impact Katsurou simply drifted off to the side with all the grace of a feather. The shots passed harmlessly by and disappeared into the fog. Stunned, Kon fired again, and again. Yet every time the airborne warrior maneuvered out of the way without visible effort. He didn't even appear to be moving on his own. It was as if there were strings attached to his body and some marionette master high overhead was manipulating him back and forth. The terrified mod stared trembling upward. Only now did it dawn on him that what he had assumed to be the sun hidden behind clouds was actually a bunch of smaller lights all clustered together. Six of them, staring down at him while around it something disturbed the fog like the waving limbs of a gigantic creature.

Oh, Mother, tell me that's not what I think it is.

While contemplating this further horror, Kon realized too late that the spiders were almost at eye level. A blast from each heel managed to incinerate the ones directly above him but did nothing about the rest. Giving a wail of despair, he ducked down to initiate his Land Mine attack again, almost disappearing into the fog as he did. At this point the huge tarantulas entered the misty veil as well.

Explosions went off all around. They happened with greater frequency, yet still more spiders descended. The blasts became larger and less discriminate. Nothing could be seen of what might actually be taking place beneath that white ground cover.

All of a sudden the explosions stopped. A choking sound came from the mist as further supernatural arachnids dropped down. This continued for a few moments more.

When he had judged the matter settled, Katsurou Arashi signaled his partner, who lowered him to earth. With a wave of his hand the mist drew away from over the arena. Revealed below was a swarming mass of spiders that covered every available inch of surface. He stood among them without fear of their touch.

A few paces away a figure slumped on its knees. Partially hidden in a cocoon of binding silk threads, its frame was wasted, shrunken as though not having fed in weeks. Numerous spider bites littered the wrinkled white skin visible. The face looked as though it belonged to a corpse, blue eyes bulging over a mouth open in a silent scream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary it still lived, judging by a faint gasping sound from its throat.

Katsurou moved to stand before his half-dead opponent. "Do you yield?"

Eyes filled with pain and terror sought him out. They seemed to recognize that only by the grace of his will did this thing still draw breath. It was utterly beaten. The dried-up stub of tongue moved, and from that wasted form came a feeble croak.

"…n… o."

This denial infuriated Katsurou. The human boy was one thing, but to be balked by a mere golem such as this?! What could possibly motivate such a meaningless creature to hold on in spite of everything that had been done to it? At this stage all he had to do was pick it up and fling it from the ring to achieve victory. Yet Katsurou did not do so. The very idea would serve as a humiliation, proof that he could not break this puppet! Maybe with anyone else he might be willing to accept such a resolution for the sake of all those concerned. Yet from one who dared to bear the name Shiba…!

I will not suffer another defeat at their hands, in any way!

He raised his good arm high into the air. In response the great presence hovering above began to slide down. From the highest reaches of the mist there emerged long slender legs that could only belong to a gargantuan spider. Judging by their size it had to be bigger than a house. However as this monster descended from on high, the bankai began to assume a different shape. By the time she touched down near her master, Tsuchigumo Sōshi had taken the guise of a slender maiden dressed in fine robes of luminous purple. Long black hair spilled to the ground, and a crown decorated her head from which fell a veil that completely covered her face.

"You will yield, creature," Katsurou swore darkly to Kon. "Or I will subject you to the worst punishment imaginable. Know also that I shall not kill you, for that would forfeit the contest, if such was your last desperate stratagem. Instead you shall continue to experience unprecedented agony until you acknowledge your defeat. Make no mistake, if necessary I intend to carve your gikongan pill from that gigai and insert you into another for the torment to proceed anew, as often as it takes. We have all the time in the world here. Think on that."

The mod soul gave no response. Without speaking his zanpakutō turned to regard her lord in a questioning manner.

"Very well."

He indicated to Tsuchigumo. The Queen Earth Spider swept gracefully through the carpet of her brood until she stood before Kon. Bending down, she lifted the fabric of her veil ever so slightly. Doing so laid bare a mouth filled with sharp hungry teeth. Hairy mandibles emerged from either side, pulled this gaping maw even wider until it spread from one end of her face to another. The malevolent spirit smiled hungrily at her victim and leaned forward.

Staring helplessly at his impending torture, Kon's throat moved. Tsuchigumo Sōshi paused. A brief sound emerged, like a cough. She drew closer to listen. The corpse-like figure jerked where it lay.

And with a dying gasp, it spat a green pill into her mouth.

The zanpakutō reared upright. She clutched frantically at her throat in disbelief. A convulsive swallow came, and she spun around to stare at her master, arms reaching out to beseech him. Katsurou gazed right back, horrified.

Then something surged into his soul, and Katsurou Arashi found himself invaded.

---

Isane hugged herself anxiously while peering into the column of fog. Upon activating his bankai, Katsurou cloaked the circular arena completely from earth to heaven. She had never actually seen him use his second release, despite knowing full well he was capable of it. Centuries of diligent, patient practice had earned the former lieutenant once reviled as a failure a truly monstrous level of power. Any who might have doubted Katsurou's ability to captain a shinigami division in the past would have had to eat their words were they here now. The sheer level of almost suffocating power in the air alone served as testament to his skill. Several weaker members of their entourage had passed out entirely.

"He can't kill him," Ganju stated bluntly. "If he does, Arashi will lose the duel. He knows that, right?" The younger Shiba sibling cast a pleading look all around. "Right?!"

"Stay calm," Jūshirō Ukitake laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We must trust them both to behave accordingly in this matter."

His lady wife could only wish she shared his confidence. Despite being close confidantes and friends for over half a millennia, she was not blind to Katsurou's faults. Quick to anger, merciless when insulted, he recognized these traits sufficiently to control them under normal circumstances. But this was far from normal. Isane dreaded the thought that all her anxieties about today might pale in comparison to reality.

Just as she was thinking this, the bankai vanished. Taken by surprise, Lady Kotetsu looked over to see two figures revealed, only one of whom was standing. No spiritual signature came from the fallen combatant. Oh, no… Katsurou, you didn't…!

An instant later she felt something strange. Disbelief crowded out all prior concerns. No… it can't be! That's simply not possible!

From within the upright man, there were two soul patterns!

What is going on?!

---

Kon didn't know where he was. Only darkness registered all around him. What he did know was that he was fighting for his life. And losing.

The mod soul hung in the lightless expanse struggling mightily against its only other occupant. Before him Katsurou Arashi's face was twisted with rage and affront. His hands, two of them even, were fastened around Kon's neck in a bid to strangle him that he strove unsuccessfully to fight off. The two spirits clashed against one another within the very depths of the Tiger Lord's being.

"YOU DARE?!" Arashi snarled as he throttled his nemesis. "You dare to sully ME with your repellant false spirit?! A mere MOD SOUL impugns MY INNERMOST SANCTITY?"

"You didn't… leave me much choice!" Kon gasped back. In truth, he hadn't known if something like this would even work. Gikongan were designed to be placed into faux bodies, or corpses in the case of mods. It had never occurred to him to wonder what might happen were an actual spirit to swallow one. Did that really mean their souls were intermingled? Was this ability a factor in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's creation of the Spearhead Project, or was it something to do with Kon specifically? Regardless, when Katsurou mentioned removing him from his gigai, this bold plan had sprung to mind. Since a zanpakutō was part of their wielder's soul, it made sense at the time that if he got into Tsuchigumo, that might also serve to connect him to Arashi as well. Any other prospect had been frankly unappetizing.

Yet somehow Kon felt certain that nothing they might have done to him on the outside could be worse than what he was experiencing now.

The two beings battled for supremacy within the soul body of Katsurou Arashi. Every blow rocked Kon so badly it felt as if he might burst apart. It felt as if his soul was being torn open with each wound Katsurou inflicted upon him. This whole business of hand-to-hand combat might just be a metaphysical abstraction of the war between them, but it hurt all the same.

There was so much power here, of such potency that one couldn't even put a name to it. Like a massive wellspring of force that called out to all those present, promising something he couldn't describe if he would only give himself up to it. Mixed in, however, was the personality that ruled over this domain. Here lurked the mind and will of Katsurou, High Lord of the Noble House of Arashi.

Anger. Compassion. Suspicion. Concern. Fear. Resolve. Sorrow. Pride. Desire. Generosity.

On and on it went. The heft of so much presence suffocated Kon as surely as Katsurou's strong hands. He felt himself sinking, as though the blackness was swallowing him up. Arashi was now hanging above him, pushing him down into the emptiness. And still more came to assail the frightened little mod.

Despair. Hope. Disillusionment. Acceptance. Arrogance. Respect. Dismay. Wonder.

These presences more than anything crushed Kon with their insistence. There were so many of them! As if… as if Katsurou's shinigami soul had more than one person inside it already! Multitudes, even! Family, friends, enemies, strangers; they were all part of what made up his soul. But does that mean the same is true for me? Can he feel mine too? What do I have to offer in response? What makes up my soul? Come on, control the soul! Come on! Come on!

Love. Fright. Bravery. Envy. Grief. Gratitude. Lust. Grief. Pride. Grief. Grief. Grief.

No.

Grief.

Kon pushed back, and found himself lifted up. His descent halted until once more he stood on equal footing with the Prince of Tigers. They had their hands braced against each other's shoulders, foreheads practically touching in a battle of wills. Katsurou's hateful eyes narrowed, while Kon fought with a panic born from trauma. Amazingly, he felt himself gaining ground.

GRIEF.

No… it's not that I'm catching up to him. We're both slipping! We're both falling!

GRIEF. GRIEF!

I don't. I don't wanna feel this!

"Damn you," Katsurou hissed. "You think to overcome me… with sorrow? The misery of a petty creature like you? What could a mod soul ever know about true regret?! Let… me… SHOW YOU!"

FAILURE.

Stronger than all that came before it. Omnipresent, swallowing up any trace of self-worth.

"Stop it," Kon whispered. He drifted lower as a result.

SHAME. REGRET.

"Stop! Don't…!"

It was a plea now. He felt himself hanging on to the other man for dear life. If he let go, all would be lost. But the horrible feelings came crashing down with the unbearable weight of…

"DON'T… KILL ME!"

GRIEF!

DON'T KILL ME, FATHER! PLEASE!

Katsurou jerked up in shock. From all around him there came voices ringing throughout the abyss. And each one of them held nothing but terror.

I'M SORRY! I'LL DO BETTER IN THE NEXT TEST! PLEASE, I SWEAR I WILL! DON'T KILL ME! DON'T KILL ME!

I DON'T UNDERSTAND! FATHER, WHAT'S GOING ON?! YOU TOLD US WE WERE GOING TO FIGHT! WHERE ARE THEY TAKING ME?

Hundreds of voices. Thousands. Virtually identical, yet undeniably individual.

MOTHER! WHERE ARE YOU?! PLEASE SAVE US, MOTHER! BIG SISTER IS KILLING US!

I WANT TO LIVE! I ONLY WANT TO LIVE!

PLEASE SAVE ME, BROTHER! SAVE ME!

Kon was sobbing with fists pressed to his ears. "I'm sorry," he wept over and over again, tears streaming from between closed eyelids. "I'm sorry!" Katsurou stared at him in amazement, only to be wracked with more devastating grief in return.

BROTHERS? SISTERS? WHAT'S GOING ON?! WHERE IS SHE TAKING ME? I DON'T LIKE THIS! I WANT TO GO BACK AND BE WITH YOU!

YOU SAID I PERFORMED WELL! YOU SAID I SHOULD BE PROUD! WHY DID YOU TELL BIG SISTER TO KILL ME?

MOTHER! I LOVE YOU! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!

Death. That was what he experienced now: the death of Kon's siblings. Thousands of brothers and sisters begging one another for aid as they faced a cruel, lonely, violent end. Mod souls; the discarded enforcers who were terminated following the pronouncement forbidding their use. Kon had been forced to hear them die. Their pleas as they were taken away burned into him as he lay in his shell, helpless to act. The weight of so many souls, kept inside by this being Katsurou had scorned as less than himself. He lost all his brothers and sisters… and he… grieved for them.

So much… grief…

"She was pregnant."

Hearing this, Kon opened his eyes. Katsurou had dropped lower than him. It looked as though he were dangling over the edge of a pit. His arms were laced around Kon's neck like it was the only thing keeping him from falling into the darkness. They stared into one another's eyes.

"My sister!" The Arashi Lord wept, face twisted by loss. "She was pregnant… when they killed her!"

His hands slid down further. He began to sink into darkness.

"Manami… my little sister… she told only me! Not even her husband knew. It happened the last time he came to see her. She was too afraid to tell him afterwards. With everything going on, the deaths, the accusations! I…"

Another violent jerk, and now just his fingers were laced behind Kon's neck. These too were slipping as Katsurou revealed a shameful secret which had rotted him out for centuries.

"I told her I would protect her. When Kaito was arrested and charged with high treason, she begged me to help. I went to speak before the Council. But by the time I arrived… the King had made his decree… and Yamamoto sent his captains to…"

Kon realized the despairing soul was about to fall. And once he does, I will survive.

"Yudai killed her." Katsurou looked as though he knew what was coming, but did not care. "He killed Manami, and her baby boy Sosuke, my nephew. But he also killed… the baby inside her! So I challenged him… to a yurei duel. And I made certain to state that it was… an ubume. The 'mother-ghost'… they thought it was for poor little Sosuke… but it was also for his sibling! The one never even born! I tried to avenge them all… but I failed… I failed them…"

Katsurou let go.

Am I letting him…

"I should… die…" Arashi whispered, and closed his eyes.

… DIE?

"NO!"

Kon lunged down to seize hold of the limp hands. Katsurou's eyes flew wide at this unexpected rescue. Above him, the mod held on with all his strength.

"You CAN'T die!" he shouted, now in tears himself. "You have to live! For all of them! All the people you loved who aren't here anymore!"

He began to haul the unresisting noble up.

"When I was saved from termination, I didn't know what to do! And that made me so scared because I wasn't sure when someone might decide to come finish me. I thought maybe I should be dead as well so then I could be with them again."

They had almost reached the same level again. Katsurou could do nothing but stare at this strong-willed being who held his life in his hands.

"But in the time I spent alone afterwards," Kon gasped, "it occurred to me I was the only one left! All my brothers and sisters died! I felt it happen! And when I realized that, I resolved to live for their sakes! To preserve their memories and remember all their accomplishments because maybe no one else would! When they were happy, when they were sad! I had to carry on and show them, so that when I did die, and we met once more, I could say that we weren't mistakes! We weren't failures who couldn't do anything! We were alive, however briefly, and we lived! I did it to show the world that they all could have too! You can't die! You're the only one who has all the memories spent with your little sister, and her children, and even the one who didn't get to live! So don't… don't let their memories die!"

With one last determined heave he brought Katsurou back up. They faced one another in the void of shared self. The shocked noble started at his rescuer. "You saved me."

Kon gave a hapless shrug. "I also promised to never kill anyone. And I'm not about to start with you."

Wonder stole over Katsurou's face. "You… are a soul!"

Around them, the light came on.

---

Katsurou Arashi clutched at his chest, nails tearing bloody strips in an effort to rid himself of some inner defect. Uncontrollable spasms rocked his frame. Isane could only watch in horror. The clashing souls within him flared one against the other as though locked in combat. At this rate, she feared the total collapse of his spirit.

Then he went still. Isane held her breath. Could this be the end?

Slowly Katsurou stood upright. He looked all around him, blinking in a daze. He studied his hand for a while as though puzzled why there was only one. At last he took note of the people watching him.

Lady Isane Kotetsu gripped her husband's arm tightly. His face registered alarm as she seemed unable to draw breath. This was because Jūshirō couldn't feel what she did.

The person standing there wasn't Katsurou. It was Kon.

Before she could even think to ask him how this had happened he brought up a hand to his mouth and coughed loudly. Right then his legs almost gave out and he swayed alarmingly before righting himself. Dark eyes blinked in confusion on a face more ashen and haggard than that of the desiccated gigai slumped only a few yards away. He looked terrible, yet no one could deny that standing before them now was indeed Katsurou Arashi as he was meant to be.

The stupefied lord examined the green pill cradled in his hand. He then noticed his soul cutter lying on the ground in sealed form. Crossing over Katsurou picked up the blade once more. In an instant Jorōgumo had entered shikai, granting metal mitts on both of his arms. Rather than engage in violence, however, he walked the remaining distance to Kon's body and stood there. The hand not holding the mod pill extended out to tap a single finger against that hollowed out chest. To the wonder of all the body fleshed out before their eyes until it again had the appearance of a healthy young man, though it still did not move. For just a moment Katsurou peered at the gikongan in his palm like they were having a conversation. Then he reached out and inserted it into the gigai's mouth.

Reanimated, Kon lurched over to one side and caught himself, breathing heavily. He covered his eyes with a forearm to sit there shuddering. While doing so, Katsurou Arashi turned to address the audience.

"I yield," he said.

As if this were a signal they had been waiting on, both he and Kon passed out.

---

All was dark in Karakura, though the sun had yet to fully go down. Babies cried without stop as their anguished parents sought to comfort them. Even those without spiritual senses registered something terrible was about to occur. All remained huddled in their homes, awaiting they knew not what; a hurricane, or an earthquake. Some calamity so huge mortal hands could not hope to prevent it. A force of nature. An act of God.

Oushima Reiichi stood watching the roiling cloud-filled sky. Violent winds whipped his robes back and forth. His soul was in torment. For the first time in months, he remembered the fear that had haunted him since that awful day. He could practically hear the spirit's maddened laughter as it pursued him, screaming with joy and baying for blood. This felt so disturbingly similar. It made him want to run once more and never look back.

Instead he plopped down on the grass in the hospital's garden area. The sweating monk fumbled to remove a set of prayer beads around his wrist. He caught himself from cursing once or twice. Oushima took several deep breaths in an attempt to steady his laboring heart. He tried to tell himself to believe in the power of salvation to prevail over the failings of the lost. But nothing worked. He remained as terrified as ever. Run inside, a voice whispered in his ear. There you will be safe.

But that was his old self talking. There was no use going back now. He had a job to do.

Squaring his shoulders, Reiichi shut his eyes and began to intone fervent prayers, thumbing over the beads as he did so.

The Arashi guardsman at his side stood up and looked at his partner, who shrugged. The boy wouldn't acknowledge their warnings or even seemed aware of their presence. Curious. Brave, even.

All around the building 108 of the Arashi's elite took up their positions. They floated in carefully arranged levels with legs crossed. A channel formed between them. Lightning lit the heavens, and when it faded, there now glowed around the entire perimeter of the hospital an orange cube whose surface swam with mystic markings in combinations that defied comprehension.

Unaware of what was transpiring, Reiichi continued his earnest devotions now encased within this barrier. The Arashi warriors from before floated to either side of him. They had each reached out and placed a hand upon his shoulder. A feeling of peace stole over the dutiful priest at their touch. Taking strength from this, he renewed his efforts. And to their surprise, the conclave of sorcerers felt their own efforts enhanced as a result of his humble contribution. How very odd…

Night fell, and a terrible howl split the heavens.

---

It had taken longer to reach the hospital than expected. The gale kept trying to blow her off the road. Despite this Tatsuki kept pedaling. She made sure to keep abreast of Inoue. Driven by equal parts terror and determination, both girls pressed on.

At long last they reached their destination. Jumping off her bike and letting it fall forgotten, she was about to go charging in when Orihime patted her arm. The flame-haired girl pointed up, and on following, Tatsuki was astonished to see what appeared to be dozens of masked specters hovering in midair all about the building. At first she thought they must be Hollows. Yet to a man they were all facing outwards as though to ward off any attackers. Maybe this was some Quincy magic Ishida-sensei practiced?

At any rate there was no time to waste. Breathing hard, they took each other's hands and marched towards that forbidding chain. Tatsuki felt Orihime's grip tighten as they approached what she judged to be the perimeter. One of the demon fighters near the ground turned their head as the two girls drew up but gave no further reaction. A few step later and they were past the line of guardians. Tatsuki let out a grateful breath and headed towards the brightly lit front doors.

There were many people in the waiting room when they entered. Not all of them seemed to be here for treatment. Some paced nervously while glancing outside. A mother stroked her two children's hair as they lay in her lap with eyes wide and cheeks wet with tears. Beside her an elderly man bent over the handle of his cane and softly chanted an old song about soldiers going off to war. The air was tense with dread and apprehension. It made Tatsuki shudder.

Together they went over to the admittance station where a lone nurse was speaking urgently into a telephone. "Pardon me…" Orihime began.

The nurse made eye contact long enough to hold up a hand, then went back to arguing.

A faint blossom of anger at being ignored like this prompted Tatsuki to rest an elbow on the counter and glare pointedly at the woman. "We need to talk to Ishida-sensei." She hiked a thumb over one shoulder to point at Inoue. "This is his son Uryu's fiancée."

If mention of the hospital's owner and chief administrator didn't do it, oddly enough the second name dropped got the ball rolling. In moments the nurse had ended her very important call and was hastily dialing a new number. After a brief exchange she hung up to regard the high schoolers. "Someone will be down for you in a moment. Please accept my apologies for any trouble."

"Thanks." She took Orihime's arm, who appeared too stunned at her previous pronouncement to resist. They went over to sit together in the lounge.

"Ummm… Tatsuki-chan?"

"Don't worry about it," she spoke off-handedly without looking at her friend. "I won't tell anyone if you don't. We're just lucky he never brought Michiru around for a visit."

"Yes, but… I mean, you shouldn't… that is to say…"

"Arisawa-san! Inoue-san!"

That didn't take long. When they looked up to her surprise it was to find the very person under discussion running down the hall towards them. All thought of romantic entanglements were swept away when she saw the look on Ishida Uryu's face. He slid to a halt before them as they both swiftly stood up.

"How's Rukia?" Tatsuki asked without hesitation.

He looked baffled. "How did you… I thought Ohgawa…!" A shake of the head brought him back to solid mental ground. "Forgive me. It's not important. Please follow me." He then proceeded to lead them towards an elevator. After flashing a card key, the three of them got inside. Ishida wasted no time in bringing them up to speed.

"Sorry for the bother. Rukia is in the pre-natal unit. Ryūken is consulting with the obstetricians now. He contacted me when she arrived, and I came right over after warning Ohgawa to stay at home. Our house is warded much like this building, so no Hollows should be able to get in. Noboru-sama and Komamura-san arrived here a short while ago, I had to go and get them. They're meeting in my father's office with the leader of that strike force outside. We can all get up to date on the situation when we arrive." He cast a stern look at them both. "You shouldn't have come."

"Considering what we're up against, neither should you," Tatsuki shot back.

Orihime stole a hesitant step closer to their classmate. "Ummm… Ishida-kun… what's going on out there?"

He looked down at the elevator floor with a grimace. All of a sudden the Quincy's fist clenched and he drove it into the wall, shocking them both. His voice when he spoke next was tight with emotion. "My family's bane."

No further information was forthcoming. At last they came upon the correct floor and got out. Uryu led them unhesitatingly to the head doctor's office. Upon stepping inside, they found Noboru Kuchiki and Saijin Komamura in discussion with another masked individual, this one a woman. Tatsuki remembered now Noboru had promised to bring his dog-headed friend around sometime soon for introductions. It had been a very strange prospect at the time. Not so much now.

All three were spirits, yet at some point in time they had been joined by Uryu's father Ryūken Ishida. The white-haired doctor was standing to one side of the door as they came in. Tatsuki almost didn't recognize him by the look of wide-eyed shock on his face. He looked… well, as though he had seen a ghost; practically paralyzed. She herself was rather discomfited at the sight of the giant man with clearly canine physiognomy, but it hadn't cost Tatsuki her composure as it had him. For some reason she expected Ishida-sensei to be more used to this sort of thing. He was a Quincy, after all.

Yet the adult made absolutely no acknowledgement of them as they came in, which his son gladly reciprocated as he strode by. "Have you received any word from Soul Society?"

"No." The woman turned her frozen devil grimace to regard him. "Do not fear, human. 108 Demon Generals of the Arashi Clan stand in our defense even now. Before night falls, they shall activate the barrier, at which point not even the Hunt will be able to penetrate our defenses. We wait as long as we do now only to conserve our strength for as long as possible."

"We should go and fight!" Noboru insisted as he hung restlessly in midair. "If we find the Hunt Master and kill it, the Wild Hunt will be banished as well!"

"Noboru-sama, you must not put yourself in harm's way." Komamura rumbled beside him. "Our best strategy is to hold out until dawn. Reinforcements are surely en route by now." The giant stood hunched over with arms dangling limply at his sides. His head reached clear to the ceiling. He was the biggest person in the room, yet he bore himself as though he might collapse at any moment. Maybe all this bad mojo was hurting him more than those with strong spiritual powers.

A glow from outside caught her attention. It looked like an ochre pall had fallen over everything. Mere moments later there came an awful howl that caused Arisawa to drop down on instinct, casting about for its source. She then noticed no one else had done so, not even Orihime, and arose somewhat sheepishly. "So what's this Wild Hunt?" she asked in part to detract from that embarrassing display.

"A pack of crazy immortal Hollows who kill folks," Noboru said. His expression was dark as he twirled a switchblade in one hand. Tatsuki could never remember seeing the normally fun-loving spirit quite so serious. It made her think of his father.

Uryu looked between the ghostly trio. "The question is, why is this happening now? It's unlikely this is a random occurrence what with Ichigo and his father both being absent."

Saijin spoke up. "While the Hunt may attack where they will among the world of men, that they are targeting Lady Kuchiki would rather indicate they have been specifically sent to kill her." He turned a brooding look on the young noble. "This may be the work of the same entity responsible for releasing them in the first place."

Noboru hugged his hands beneath his armpits restlessly. "Mom told me they were going to try and flush out the traitor in the Vaizard soon. Maybe they got him and this is payback? But if that's so, then why Aunt Rukia?"

"Vaizard?" Arisawa sought further clarification.

The kid threw her an absent nod. "Yeah. We think one of 'em's a traitor. Probably the same guy responsible for bringing fresa's Hollow out to play that one time. There's a lot going on that we don't know about."

She would have demanded more information, but right then a roar loud as thunder burst through the room. Now virtually everyone jumped with the exception of Komamura and that Arashi General. When she looked out the window Tatsuki was further horrified to see a multitude of black-robed giants standing all throughout Karakura. They were converging on the hospital while emitting awesome cries that froze the blood with terror. That must be the Wild Hunt. She hadn't known what to expect, but not their being so big, and certainly not so many. It was a whole damn army! And they're all coming here?

Tatsuki turned to regard them all with mouth hanging open in shock. "We're dead."

Out of all of them, Ishida-sensei seemed to agree with her the most. His face had gone pale to match his hair, and he stared out the window in a sort of daze. There was sweat dripping down his face which he absently reached up to wipe away. He had never seemed more human. Which in and of itself was disconcerting.

Apparently Uryu had a stiffer spine, for he came over and touched Tatsuki on the shoulder. "Arisawa-san, maybe you and Inoue-san should wait in the lounge down the hall. I'll check with the doctors and come to inform you when we have a plan."

For once that didn't provoke an automatic hostile reaction. It was rather obvious they had little to contribute in this situation. Orihime didn't say anything; truth be told, she hadn't spoken for a while, appearing to be absorbed in deep thought. When Tatsuki stepped forward and touched her hand, however, she came back swiftly and nodded in acceptance when her friend jerked a thumb outside. They went past the unmoving doctor and exited the room. Uryu pointed the way for them before departing back to his war council.

Tatsuki thought to herself while walking. What are we going to do? Can those Demon Generals the woman spoke about really hold off all that until the cavalry arrives? Will Rukia be alright either way?

A sudden pull on her wrist nearly sent the confounded young woman for a loop. She managed to keep from falling as Orihime dragged her into what turned out to be an empty office. The busty teen locked the door before turning to confront her bewildered friend.

"We have to help."

Tatsuki very nearly did a double-take. "Orihime, whatever you can do, I don't think it's going to be enough this time."

"Rukia's going to die."

A chill settled in her at these words. Standing outlined against the glow of the shield outside, Orihime had a faint ghostly look to her, almost as though she was not quite solid.

"I know you feel it the same way I do, Tatsuki-chan. What's out there right now may not be as strong as a vasto lorde, but it's more than bad enough. I can't tell whether those weird death gods can handle this or not." She took a shaky breath and let it out. There was a fierce cast to her face Arisawa could never remember seeing before. "But that's not important. The fact someone's trying to kill Rukia means we have to act. You told me yourself that you didn't want to sit on the sidelines when our future was at stake. Well, the future… she's carrying it right now. And we have to go all out so that there's no doubt they'll both survive."

There was a demand for action in that statement which brooked no refusal. Her eyes bore into Tatsuki, making the other girl feel oddly juvenile. Since when was there such a huge gap in our resolve?

'And whatever you do...'

I know what she's asking. But does she? Has Orihime known all along?

"Orihime," she spoke carefully, "Going… all out… it means calling on something that… hates us. For all I know, this might be more dangerous than that Hunt out there."

Inoue shook her head and stepped forward to clasp Arisawa's hand. "Don't worry. I can deal with things if they start to look bad. It's what I've been training to do. Just… no regrets, okay?"

Heart pounding. Head racing. She felt hot and sick with fever. Was it the presence of all those Hollows outside, or merely the result of even contemplating this? Of all the horrible mistakes I've made… please… don't let this be one of them.

Tatsuki brought their hands up to settle against her breast. She closed her eyes, fighting down the rising surge of panic and nausea. Find the connection. It's there, always. Follow it. Not here. Don't bring him here. No way I'd let that monster inside the barrier. Instead do that trick he did when I was in Soul Society. When I was confronted by that horrible…

The memory came back sharp as glass. Primordial fear; hate, so strong it threatened to explode her heart and dash her soul to pieces. Titanic burning demon snuffing out the world as it reached down to rend…

A slight gasp from Orihime alerted her. Tatsuki looked up in time to see two great wings wrapping around her body. The night closed in, so suddenly and tightly she could feel nothing at all. Disorientation, like being flung into the deepest darkest depths of the ocean with no idea which way to swim for air. Lost and alone and bereft of hope…

Then she stood on the crest of a hill overlooking the cemetery.

"Oh!"

Her heart sank into her shoes, for there in front of her still holding on tight was Orihime, blinking and disheveled as the wind sent orange hair flying. The question was there in her eyes: how?

"What is it?"

Those eyes, full of hope and life a moment past, went blank with fear. There was no need to ask why. Swallowing down her own self-loathing at what was taking place, Tatsuki turned to find Ulquiorra Schiffer watching them with flat lifeless features.

"Why did you bring her too?" Tatsuki rasped, shaking and sick so that she had to fight the urge to throw up.

He ignored the question. The wind didn't touch him. Nothing did. He was back to that semi-human form she first remembered seeing when it all began between them, but in place of the white uniform Ulquiorra now wore only a wrap around his waist that reached to his bony knees. The hole in his sternum was fully on display, allowing her to see right through him. Bad enough when he had the form of a demon; like this it almost made the creature look human. That was categorically false on its face.

When it became clear he wasn't going to respond, she tried another tack. "I need your help."

He spoke without raising his voice, yet still his words carried over the wind, as though it recognized a far greater force at work. "I am obliged to do only one thing, and that you already know." His green eyes flicked momentarily to Orihime, who flinched before her former captor but remained where she was. Apparently her presence did not merit further explanation, for Ulquiorra raised a dismissive hand. "Are you calling on my services in that regard, then?"

Understanding of what he meant caused Tatsuki to bark, "NO!" She wanted to slap him, or herself. This was a stupid idea. But like Orihime said, I have to try. Lifting a hand, she pointed off towards another part of the city where monsters the size of mountains converged on their prey. "You know what that is?"

He actually followed her gesture, studying the Hunt with courteous dispassion. Then Schiffer brought himself back. "Yes. What of it?"

"Help us kill it!"

If Ulquiorra had been capable of laughing, she felt certain he would have done so. Instead all the Hollow overlord did was calmly regard her as though wondering if she was an idiot. Or maybe contemplating whether it would be worth the trouble to just kill them both right here.

"Even if I were to do so, the Hunt would simply return again at a later date. The only way to ensure their departure is by eliminating the one who has sent them here."

"You mean that Vaizard thing? We don't know where it is!"

"No." Ulquiorra's hiss was soft as air entering a long-sealed tomb. Yet there was a palpable intensity which hadn't been present before. "That one is merely a pawn. On its own, it could never command the Wild Hunt. So it must rely upon the strength of the one who released the Hunt from Barragan's prison to begin with. The very one upon whom we made our agreement."

An interminable silence stretched between them for several moments. The two unwilling accomplices stared at one another. After a while Orihime took a step closer to touch her shoulder. "Tatsuki-chan?" There was fear laden in every word. "What does he mean?"

Her lifelong friend made no response. He's lying. There's no way to know that Ichigo's Hollow is behind all this. This is a trick. He's just looking for an excuse. But if he feels strong enough to take the Hollow on, what does it matter what I think? Does he need me to agree for some reason? Was there more to that deal we made than I realized? Maybe he can't move against the Hollow until I give my permission. He's ready for it, that much I can figure. And once he's finished I'll probably die. I just didn't expect Orihime to be in on this too.

"Can you do it then?" Tatsuki asked.

Cat-like eyes narrowed. All he said was, "I am ready."

A shiver went through her. He's a monster through and through. And so am I. But Ichigo shouldn't be involved. He's in Soul Society right now, fighting for Rukia's sake. Which is what we're doing. And the Hollow is in Hueco Mundo… unless it isn't. Still, if he goes after Ichigo instead, he'll have to deal with the entire Gotei 7 as well. Even Ulquiorra's not strong enough to survive that, right?

She glanced over to where the bestial pack was congregating. In the face of this dread siege, all moral arguments seemed trivial. It has to be stopped. "So what are we waiting for? Let's go before somebody gets hurt!"

Schiffer actually seemed even less animated than before. "I know not where the creature is. Hueco Mundo is an easy place to become lost if one does not wish to be found. In the time it takes for us to locate him, the Hunt will have already long completed their task."

He hadn't even bothered to ask who was the intended victim. This alone made Tatsuki furious. "Stop making excuses, you piece of–!"

"I can find him."

They both turned to regard Orihime. The anxious teen was gripping her hands hard enough to turn the knuckles white. She shot uneasy looks between them both as though uncertain which was more intimidating. All the same she continued speaking. "I can tell where Kurosaki-kun is. His Hollow's the same. I mean, they both feel the same to me." She shook her head and raised her eyes to return their stares. "You need me. So I'm coming too."

Ulquiorra tilted his head forward. "Agreed."

For her part Tatsuki could have screamed. Of all the stupid… ! WHY?! Why are you putting yourself at risk like this? Do you want to die? I'm not letting you do it! Get this through your head right now, you little…!

Orihime just looked at her, and the words died before they could leave her throat.

I can't stop this. I'm not in control. There's something else at work. It's like we're just actors in a play. Nothing to do but keep going until the curtain falls.

She reached forward to embrace Orihime. "Stay with me!" Tatsuki whispered. "I'll keep you safe."

The other girl returned the hug. For a moment Tatsuki considered knocking her out and leaving her behind. But then how would they find the Hollow? Orihime was right. There was too much at stake to not take risks.

She turned her head and gave a nod to Ulquiorra. At this he made a small movement with his hand, and the air split, like a black mouth with rectangular teeth opening. He gestured for them to enter. Without hesitation they both did, hands clasped securely. The vasto lorde followed, and the path to Hueco Mundo closed.

---

"…at about any people outside the hospital? They're gonna get flattened by those things unless we drive them off!"

Uryu returned to find an argument raging. He had gone to check on Rukia's status after tending to the girls. The colossal loci of negative energy converging on this site was making him ill, and the obstetrician's words sounded like nonsense as a result. By the time he got back things had grown more heated in his absence.

"Dividing our forces in such a manner would only weaken the barrier! Our responsibility is to Lady Kuchiki's well-being! Are you willing to trade her safety, and that of her child, for those you have never even met?!"

"¡Vete al carajo, perra!"

The Oni General, as he thought of her, had actually grabbed Noboru by the arm to restrain him. This was a dangerous prospect as the kid had dropped the glamour on his soul cutter and now wielded a very real-looking katana. He looked mad enough to take the woman's head off. They were both shouting non-stop now. Komamura had withdrawn a few paces away where he just stood in a subdued funk.

Steeling himself, Ishida stormed past his silent parent and jumped right into the fray. "Calm down! What's the point of yelling at each other like this?"

Noboru ripped his arm free and stumbled back. He leveled his zanpakutō at the woman when she tried to pursue, who hesitated to draw any nearer. With eyes full of tears that he made no pretense at hiding the youth rounded on his hulking cohort. "I can't believe you're taking her side!" he shouted. "You know the Hunt better than anybody! You told me yourself you beat them once before, right? Help me do it again!"

"You are severely overestimating yourself, Noboru-sama." The furry giant didn't look at them when he spoke. He just bit the words out as if every single one pained him. "We have a fortified position protected by powerful Arashi magic. There are tales of those who successfully managed to outlast the Hunt with far less working in their favor. You should let these warriors do their part."

"Like hell I will!" The Kuchiki prince abruptly floated into the air until he was at eye level with the enormous spirit. Ishida feared he meant to strike him, but the sword hung all but unnoticed in one hand. He looked more confused than outraged. "C'mon, Jefe! Don't quit now! You and me, we're a team! Okay, so maybe you can't fight anymore, but if you give me, like, support from the corner, I know, believe me I know, we can win this!"

Komamura kept his head turned away. "There is nothing more I can do. Please relent. It is for your own good."

"Listen to him, young one." The Oni crossed her arms authoritatively. "The best thing for all involved is to remain calm and not rush headlong into danger. This will bring more honor to you than any thoughtless attempt at heroics."

Uryu had his own opinions on what constituted meritorious action in this case. But before he could voice these sentiments young Prince Kuchiki flung up both arms. "What do you want, huh? You want I should beg? Fine!" With that he fell to his knees and prostrated himself to them. Face down the ghost-boy spoke in solemn tones. "Saijin Komamura, former captain of the Seireitei; pray lend us your strength and wisdom! I, Noboru Kuchiki, beseech you most humbly to aid me at this time."

The resulting horror on Komamura's furry features was a sight to behold. He looked on the verge of panic. "Noboru-sama, cease this at once! You disgrace yourself and your family by…!"

"I demean myself before you, in utter humility and without any consideration for pride or status. Though I am weak and foolish and not worthy of your consideration…"

The masked woman stood behind this display unimpressed. "Ridiculous," was all she said.

Noboru's chant actually became louder at her insult. "…STILL DO I IMPLORE YOU TO SHOW MY ENTREATY YOUR FAVOR!" The supplicant held out his sword in both hands from that abeyant position. "This lowly person asks of you what he himself is unable to accomplish! I will heap dirt upon my head and allow you to step on me should such be your will! For a hero such as yourself to even–!"

"STOP!"

The volume behind this scream served its purpose. Noboru cut off and sat up breathing fast. Before him Saijin Komamura's muzzle was pulled back to expose sharp fangs, and his huge hands were balled into fists.

"Stop talking like this!" The beast man backed up until he stood against the wall. From there he looked from one to another of the assembled party with wild, hunted eyes. "You stupid boy, can't you see that I'm NOTHING?!"

Hostile magic glowed around the Oni General in anticipation of some violence on his part. But all Komamura did was unleash a torrent of angry words, heaping bitterest scorn on himself with every breath, desperate as a fox brought to bay.

"I am worthless! Even before, when I held the title of Captain, it was nothing more than a joke! I failed everyone; my command, my lord, the souls who depended on me for protection. Even my friend! I abandoned any vestige of pride for the mere semblance of authority which allowed me to stand as one of you, but it was all a lie! A mask! I was unfit to live among men. And I proved this at the moment of our world's greatest need! Darkness rose, and I fell without so much as putting up a fight! Any contributions I could have made were rendered meaningless, like my whole worthless life! I failed time and again until the heavens could no longer bear the sight of me and so reduced me to less than a worm. And you call one such as me a man?! A hero?! Are you BLIND?! I am NOTHING!" That great head dropped and shook from side to side in defeat. "Nothing."

Ishida Uryu had no response for this. Apparently he was not alone in that respect. The Demon General had let her enchantments fade and now conversed behind her mask in a low voice with her forces outside. Noboru gaped at Saijin, then pushed both hands back through his hair and remained with fingers clasped behind his neck, head bowed. He seemed ready to just abandon any talk of support and go tearing outside to fight all on his own.

Then to Uryu's surprise, his father strode past him.

Ryūken came to a halt before the despondent Saijin. His eyes had not left Komamura since he started speaking, and now they continued to regard him without saying a word. Noboru appeared confused but drew aside as though sensing something was about to transpire between them. At last the former shinigami took note of the silent figure confronting him and looked up with an expression of slack bewilderment.

Ryūken studied this sad despondent form. At last he opened his mouth and said…

"Do you know me?"

It was clear by the way those dull yellow orbs rested on him without blinking that the answer was no. That is, until a small furrow formed between them indicative of concentration. Komamura stared at the white-haired man, and after only a few moments his brow cleared. A look of disbelief stole over that previously disconsolate face, leaving him with his mouth hanging open in shock and eyes wide as though doubting what they might be telling him.

"The Quincy youth?" he whispered in amazement.

At this Ryūken nodded. Without breaking eye contact he tilted his head to the side. "Uryu. Come here."

The teen obeyed, uncertain what was transpiring but aware somehow of its significance. He crossed over to stand by his side. Ryūken took a step behind him and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"This is my son," the doctor stated in firm tones. "His name is Uryu Ishida. He is a careless, disobedient, overconfident boy who vexes me dearly…"

His hold tightened to preempt an outcry from the person in question. More than this, however, it was the words his father spoke next that drew Uryu up short.

"… but he would never have existed were it not for you!"

Komamura regarded the bespectacled teenager with astonishment. The younger Ishida found himself gazing back much the same, unable to look away. They watched one another, two strangers, having never met before this day. Still a connection existed between them. Perhaps neither could explain it to their satisfaction; yet had you asked them at that time, they could not have denied its validity.

"You are not nothing." Ryūken rasped. They could all hear the anguish he no longer strove to hide, an emotion so strong it rendered him hoarse. "Never say that! You are everything good in my world. My son lives because of you. I live thanks entirely to you! I have blessed the work of death gods and held them all to a standard set by you! And I will permit no one to revile your worth and ability when I am living proof of both! Never speak of yourself in such a way again! For you are… a GOD!"

All present could hear the sound of the Wild Hunt drawing ever closer. Yet even this could not serve to break the tableau they found themselves in. The air was charged with a force beyond spiritual power. It drew from memories, from recognition of something greater than oneself, from helplessness and respect and gratitude.

It was the source of faith. It was belief.

Blinking, Komamura finally looked away. He seemed uncertain how to deal with this clear demonstration of his own value. Yet the truth was standing not three feet in front of him, in the form of father and son. The sight was so mesmerizing he found himself drawn back to it without fail.

Is this really my doing? The child survived and lived on to have a son of his own. Because I was there, and did my duty. Did I make good on the trust placed in me, if only once?

Was once enough? To make a difference in both our lives?

Right then a scream sounded, one which only he could hear and understand. Pointed ears pricked up as he registered that Cernunnos had just given the signal to attack.

The answer came to him then, and he turned back to Ryūken. "There… might be a way!"

Dozens of Ceros pierced the night outside. They struck the Arashi barrier, inundating it from every angle. For several seconds everything seen from their perspective looked red. Komamura could not be bothered to acknowledge the danger they were currently in. He remained intent on relaying the very information that might save them.

"One who has been targeted for death by the Wild Hunt and managed to escape can never be hunted by them again. This goes beyond conventional notions of clemency; to those multitudes of Hollows out there, you simply do not exist!"

While the savage onslaught still rained down, the nearest Menos hurled themselves bodily against the redoubt without regard for being struck as well. They screamed and tore at the great cube of magic tooth and nail in a mindless frenzy. A huge set of gnashing jaws filled the window from one wall to another as a member of the Hunt strove to bite through the barrier without success.

In spite of all this, the defenses held. For the time being, at least. Ryūken turned to look outside at that slavering horror, eyes narrowed. "You're saying they can't even see me?"

"Exactly. Your soul has no flavor to them. They are as unaware of your existence as normal humans are of spirits. And that is why out of all the beings in existence, you stand the greatest chance of defeating Cernunnos."

The elder Quincy continued to stare at the insane nightmare fighting to reach them. "Me?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Uryu could never recall seeing his stalwart parent look so uncertain before. He had some notion of what such a challenge represented to Ryūken. Having heard the story from his grandfather Souken, it was no secret that the Wild Hunt was responsible for ending the Quincy tribe long years past in nightmarish fashion. Virtually their entire family was exterminated. Yet it never occurred to him to wonder if the shinigami responsible for saving both his father and grandfather had survived to this day. It was like learning a fairy tale had been based on real live people complete with names and histories. Family lore turned real and solid. Or rather, tangible.

Off to one side, Noboru remained by himself, listening unobtrusively to all that was being said.

Saijin continued in grim tones. "The menace of the Hunt Master derives largely from his pack. It is their combined strength which makes him such a formidable threat. If in danger he can call the entire assembly to ensure his protection. By the law of the Hunt they must do so, and they will target any prey on his command without regard for their own wellbeing. But even were Cernunnos to order them to assault you, they would not be able to do so. The lesser Hunt has not even an inkling of your existence whatsoever. You are the Hunt Master's natural enemy, for the greatest part of his forces cannot touch you!" Here something occurred to him, and he asked, "Have you… maintained your Quincy powers since our last meeting?"

Ryūken stirred and came around to regard his old savior. He hesitated for a moment, as though in doubt. Upon seeing Komamura's eyes, however, all he said was, "There are hundreds of them. How do we find him?"

"Leave that to me." The canine soldier then marched over to address the Arashi general. "Can your forces allow one of us to breach the barrier outside if necessary?"

No emotion could be discerned from behind that shiny white helm, yet there was a cautious edge to her response. "It is designed to keep enemies out, not in. You may pass through it freely. Once without, though, none but Arashi may return. We can permit no breaks in our formation." She studied Ryūken through those empty black eye-holes. "Are you resolved to do this?"

He considered for a moment. "I need to make some preparations first."

"We will meet you on the roof, then," Saijin responded. "I pray you, make haste."

He and the Oni General drifted towards the ceiling. As they did though, Ryūken called out, "Shinigami-sama!"

The two spirits paused, and Saijin glanced down. The boy he had once saved stared up at him with that same expression he had worn forty years past. "I never learned your name," Ryūken said, his regret at this lapse obvious.

That shaggy head tilted. "Saijin Komamura," he declared at last.

"I am Ishida Ryūken."

Mindful of what this meant to him, Komamura gave a brief nod back before vanishing together with the Oni General. This left the two Quincy by themselves.

"Ryūken…" Uryu began.

"Whatever happens to me, do not try and help." He marched by to open a drawer in his desk, then touched a panel in its top to withdraw a hidden compartment. Within were stored any number of small artifacts used in performing Quincy magic. Ryūken began to stash these around his person as he spoke. "I've tuned the warding charms so that they will remain active as long as one of us is present in the building. Combined with those shinigami outside it should be strong enough to keep out any Hollows until reinforcements arrive. I'm trusting you to look after everyone while I'm gone." He paused in strapping on a brace of small silver throwing knives to his ankle. "Do you understand?"

There was nothing but deadly seriousness in his face now. Seeing this Uryu found it hard to believe that previous display of weakness on his father's part had ever taken place. This was the man he recognized, the same one he had dreaded and loathed his whole life. However now all he could say in return was, "Yes."

"Good." Having finished his preparations the elder Quincy then approached his son. Reaching into his coat pocket Ryūken produced a silver pentacle on a chain and held it out to him.

For a moment Uryu could only stare. "That… that's Grandfather's…"

"I've decided. This belongs to you now." Without so much as a change in expression he then added, "It's fitting you should have this. Your grandfather taught you well, but the time for training is over." Then in a more urgent tone, "Take it."

Hardly daring to believe, Uryu did as his father bid. He held up that mystical artifact and watched it turn slowly from side to side.

"Stop gawking and get to the roof," the elder Ishida ordered him. "I'll check on the status of my patient and join you soon. Go."

Too much was happening all at once to even consider arguing. With one last anxious glance at the ungodly power screaming outside the hospital, Uryu spun about and raced from the room.

Once he was alone Ryūken withdrew a small wooden box and shut the drawer once again. Reverently, like a priest performing his order's holiest ritual, he set it on the desk and opened the lid to reveal a silver pentacle on a chain virtually identical to the one he had given Uryu. However this example differed in one important respect. On its otherwise immaculate surface there was spattered a dried dark substance that flaked off with every movement. Like his son, the doctor held this curious family keepsake at eye level to examine it in detail.

I swore I would only use this if they returned. That time is now.

He wound the chain around his wrist and tied it firmly in place. There was no more time to waste. Now ready for battle, the Last Quincy set out to confront his most hated enemy.

---

Their small force gathered on the roof of the hospital. Father and son said nothing more to one another, clothes whipping from the tempest. Saijin Komamura stood at the edge waiting. Ryūken did not hesitate to join him, and together they looked out over the city.

It was like something spewed from a delusional artist's brain. Whole fleets of gigantic black-robed horrors hurled themselves time and again in a mad scramble against the shield wall protecting the living. They shrieked and tore into one another without regard for anything beyond slaughtering the helpless victims who waited inside. Some had the generic appearance of Gillian, while others had managed to take on distinctive traits before losing out to their own bestial instincts. Office buildings in the medical district had been smashed underfoot on the giants' approach. It was fortunate this was happening at night when most of the surrounding community was deserted. There were absolutely hundreds of them, venting deranged cries as they obeyed the will of their master in search of blood.

Ryūken watched this vile display intently. For the past forty years he had seen and heard much the same in his dreams, deriving from a childhood trauma that tore apart his world. There had been no warning back then. The secret Quincy training facility which served as their headquarters suddenly found themselves under attack one evening. He remembered hearing an alarm sound, but by then it was far too late. The horde was upon them, composed of gigantic Hollows who simply refused to die.

It was like a nightmare made real. Upon overcoming the initial shock, the elders had tried to manage a coordinated counterattack while sending all trainees and children to seek cover. It didn't take long for even this basic strategy to fall apart. Dozens died. Then hundreds. The safe houses were torn open, their protective spells failing against this unimaginable evil which seemed like a force of nature intent upon their destruction. Everywhere he looked there was only chaos. Terrified pleas for help mixed with the screams of the dying and the roars of demons. A small group led by his parents managed to fight their way through the carnage and rescue him, only to find themselves relentlessly pursued through a wintry white death hunt. Their numbers dwindled. Soon enough they found themselves pinned down and fighting like mad just to stay alive for a few moments more. Ryūken remembered thinking he had died already and this was Hell.

That is, until a god descended to save him. The very same one who now stood at his side.

Once out there, I'll be all alone, against that. Had anyone else asked me to do this I would have reviled them as fools. But this man… he is the only one I can trust unreservedly with my life. No peril is too great when I have him with me. As a boy I used to imagine us fighting side by side against all my enemies. Together we would destroy the madness if it ever dared to invade our lands again. A child's comforting fantasy, born of shame and inadequacy. Yet now here we are.

It won't end the same way. This time… I will let no one else perish.

On the very edge of the roof Ryūken formed his silvery bow, keeping it in a reduced form for the time being. No point in going all out until he knew his target. On that note he looked over at Komamura expectantly.

The warrior spirit placed a large hand on his shoulder in reassuring fashion. He then looked out across the scene of carnage. Clouds of dust rose from collapsed edifices. A seemingly endless screaming filled the air as that wriggling orgy of tremendous torn bodies reformed whole only to attack anew. Somewhere among them was the source of it all. Carefully Komamura scanned their surroundings, his eyes narrowed. One arm rose to gradually drift back and forth. Ryūken followed its path, waiting for the signal to strike. He palmed a small canister from his pocket and pulled back an arrow in preparation. The floating Arashi magicians out there had a great deal of space between them, for which he was glad.

Nerves on edge, he forced his breathing to remain calm and even. Wait for it. He knows what he's doing. I have faith in him, above all others.

Of a sudden Saijin's eyes flew wide. His arm swung to point at a spot outside the barrier. "THERE!"

Immediately Ryūken sighted along this line and fired. A lance of blue Quincy magic shot forth to penetrate the Arashi shield, blowing right through several Gillian on its way until it struck the ground a short distance away from the hospital and exploded in a blue burst.

There then came a howl that only Komamura could pick out from the rest. It told him everything he needed to know. "GO NOW!" he cried, and in a flash Ryūken Ishida formed a carpet of Hirenkyaku beneath his feet. He launched forward fast as another arrow, passing through both magic and Menos before they could recuperate and landing amid a grassy dell in a small copse of trees.

He was now outside the barrier. If Saijin was wrong about them not being able to see me, then that means I'm dead. The archer waited in one spot without moving. Nothing presented itself. The raging pack did not turn to swarm him en masse. Even the ones he had attacked to get here paid him no mind as they pulled themselves together while continuing to bombard the hospital's defenses. Part of him wished they had taken note of his presence if only to give the defenders a brief respite.

Another matter demanded his attention. There was no sign of Cernunnos. But that shot had been more than just an attack. And I know how you like to play, filth. It won't be long before you show yourself…

Something sprang from the very ground beneath him, but already the Quincy had vaulted clear, sending a blazing projectile from his bow in return. There came an awful shriek, and when he landed, it was to find his enemy had emerged from concealment.

The creature that rose from the ground was nothing like what he remembered. While huge, this thing more closely resembled a man to some extent, though the way it crouched reminded him of a toad. It had massive arms and legs attached to a bulky body. The forearms ended in long thick claws like a mole. Its feet were conical lumps, and its skull-like mask bore a resemblance to a bear. Yet there were antlers sprouting from its bare scalp, and even some traces of clothing, like the huge fur cloak that fell from its shoulders, and what looked to be a broad belt of white brambles wound about its waist. A Hollow hole perforated its chest. There were spikes all over its striped skin, as well as lumps and pustules which might have been indicative of disease. Perhaps that was simply a doctor's perspective.

Whatever the case, this new version differed in every respect from the previous Hunt Master save for the smell. That same stinking, noxious odor of moldering flesh hung heavy in the air exactly as before, strong enough to make him gag. Like a dead animal whose carcass had been left to rot out in the open. He almost vomited at the memory of it.

As they watched one another, Cernunnos uttered a roar. Immediately Ryūken strung his bow and aimed for its head. He did not fire, though, only waited to confirm his hopes.

For a while nothing happened. And that in and of itself caught his attention. While the wind continued to blow madly, and lightning snapped across the sky in intermittent flashes, nothing else moved. They remained in their standoff.

All around them, the Hunt had fallen quiet.

He risked a quick glance at those spiritual skyscrapers. They were just standing there. None of the masked titans made a move, rooted in one place as though uncertain what to do next. Their ranks remained spread about as far as the eye could see, rendered quiescent.

While a relief for him, this turn of events apparently caught Cernunnos completely off guard. The great beast looked all about at its immobile pack and uttered a high-pitched scream. He could almost hear the confusion in that cry. 'What the hell are you idiots DOING?!' In response those fearsome juggernauts trembled, uttering whines akin to thrashed dogs.

"They can't help you now."

A blazing bolt sped across the clearing to strike Cernunnos right in the eye. The great brute stumbled back clutching a hand against its smoldering socket. It howled anew, rage and panic latent in every ululation. Around them the Hunt twisted massive heads frantically while jerking and slavering in a frenzy. Yet still no move was made to offer aid. The slaves had disregarded their master's order once again.

As if realizing this, the Lord of the Hunt sank underground. Immediately Ryūken unleashed a volley that trailed over the earth in a deliberate line. The bellow that resulted almost brought a smile to his face. He reflected this was rather like playing 'whack-the-watermelon' at the beach. Only in this case, even while blindfolded, he knew precisely where his target was. That first shot he used to get things started had been enhanced to leave a tracking mark on Cernunnos, allowing him to sense its location even without Saijin-sama's help. He had developed this technique after fighting the same enemy years past. There was nowhere for it to hide. The creature must have realized this, for it reemerged a few yards distant to watch him once more.

Upon first realizing the Hunt had returned, Ryūken had been virtually paralyzed with fear. Now his actions were motivated by a steel-cold clarity that took everything into account without allowing it to overwhelm his mind. I won't fail. I can't fail. They're here to murder a woman, a helpless girl struggling to give birth even now. But why stop there? My son, my employees, maybe everyone in this city could die. To prevent that from ever happening …

"You die today," he promised the Hollow in a flat whisper.

Those empty black eyes narrowed. It then lifted its snout and sent out another peeling wail. This time the effect was immediate. Once more the Hunt turned to attacking the glowing barrier which prevented them from reaching their quarry. Meanwhile the Master returned its attention to him. Apparently it recognized this was to be a duel between them alone. There were tiny holes in its form from that last volley, but they were quick to close. Any damage done to the eye socket had also healed. The Quincy observed this with a dispassionate air. So it can regenerate. That was not unexpected. Just means I will need a lethal blow to end this.

Suddenly the monster's arms began to spin around at the elbow like drills. At the same time sparks flew from its joints and eyes as though it was a toy ray gun from his childhood. The notion sounded absurd, yet there was no denying the incredible force building up in it as a result.

Ryūken went on the offensive immediately. Before Cernunnos could charge fully he had already sent a glowing blue shaft straight through the monster's forehead. A second arrow followed into its right breast, and then the left. All three remained smoking there, and he crossed both arms before his face with a cry of, "Trinität!"

The arrows blazed with power to form a white triangle between them bright as the sun. Upon fading it left a pit of similar shape that went clear through the Master from front to back. Half its chest was gone, including the Hollow hole, as well as most of its face. Nothing, whether mortal or no, should have been able to survive that.

Despite this the valiant Quincy was already dashing to one side while unleashing a further barrage. For even after receiving such an obviously mortal wound, the beast's arms were still spinning. And sure enough when he moved that blasted monstrosity swung in response. One sweep of its enormous paw sent forth a blast of yellow energy that inundated the spot he had just escaped from. The next came even closer to hitting its target, yet still the determined fighter slid clear without sustaining any damage.

To his frustration the same held true for Cernunnos. Before his eyes the blast crater in its chest filled in until it stood whole and unharmed once more. The face was restored as well. This went beyond simple regeneration. Could it be the creature was immortal, just like its followers?

No time to debate, as the Lord of the Hunt came barreling towards him on all fours with the grace and subtlety of a cannonball. Sparks still flying, its hands and feet pounded the earth, causing explosions with every strike that sent clumps of scorched dirt and rock flying.

In marked contrast Ryūken slid across their battleground as though gliding on air. Which, in essence, he was. The constant application of Hirenkyaku was an advanced art which required great strength and concentration. After decades of training it had become instinctive now, enabling him to focus on other matters with marked speed. He zipped along well out of his opponent's reach while determining what to do next.

It must have a weak spot. But if I can't locate one, the best solution is to destroy it all in a single strike. A brief check of the situation going on outside their battle reassured him that the shinigami barrier remained intact despite the Hunt's continued attempts to destroy it. Huge winged figures came swooping down from the night sky only to smash into their brethren and send them all careening earthward. At this rate they might actually last until morning. But there was simply no way he could run the risk of anything unexpected happening.

Right then something red shot across the clearing to slam into the back of Cernunnos' head only to explode on contact in a burst of purple fire. The crown of antlers burst apart and went pattering down its broad shoulders in pieces. The Hunt Master came grinding to a halt. It swiveled around with a hiss, one claw buried in the turf and another poised to attack. Doing so allowed Ryūken to see that the entire back of its skull was missing. He could actually look through the thing's eye sockets from this vantage. And still it remained alive.

Was nothing enough? More importantly, that was a shinigami spell. Who could have…?

That same crimson flash retracted, resolving into the shape of a gold-tipped pole held in the hands of a prepubescent boy. Ryūken recognized him as the same spirit that had accompanied Komamura earlier. Which explained nothing about what he was doing here.

"Sorry!" Noboru called as he took a firm grip on his enchanted weapon. "I was starting to wonder if maybe only a shinigami's power could kill this guy." He spat angrily as the half-beheaded Hunt Master regarded him from across the field. "Guess that's not the case."

In the time it took him to speak, the Hollow's cranial cavity had sealed up and the horned crown was regrown. The mad king let loose another awesome howl that rang over the wails of its minions.

I guess we made him mad.

You think that's bad, watch what happens next.

There was a certain satisfaction in the way Cernunnos just stood there like an idiot for a few seconds until the truth finally seemed to dawn on it. The beast whipped about to find that its call for aid had produced exactly the same result as before. The Wild Hunt had stopped moving altogether and now only moaned in a sort of existential distress. Those crazed cannibals had been ordered to kill something that, as far as they could tell, did not exist. Madness only went so far when it came to perceiving the world around you, and it seemed this was the one limit on their bloodlust. It reminded him of a stalled computer program unable to execute its next step. This might be what qualified as a '404 error' for the Hunt.

"He's not the only one you failed to hunt, asshole!" Noboru called out, anger and a desire for vengeance burning hot in his heart.

Cernunnos actually slammed its huge mitts into the ground and screamed with rage. The sight of its fury brought a smile to Noboru's face. "S'matter, Smokey?" he smirked meanly. "Gotta take a shit? We are in the woods, after all."

His wrist bent and Hanuman snapped forth once more to strike Cernunnos right in the eye. The sleeping kidō of Haien he had placed on each tip roared into life on contact, and the Abolishing Flames took off a huge chunk of its mask. Not that this would do any lasting harm, but damn, did it feel good to get some payback.

In response the rejuvenating Hollow began to whirl its arms again as sparks came pouring forth from the clockwork titan's hinges. Its elephantine feet drummed the turf in preparation. Noboru gripped his soul cutter with both hands for whatever came next.

Wait a second…

What's wrong?

Hanuman… don't we know this guy?

Yeah, from your last birthday party, along with Amelia Earhart and the King of Shang.

I'm serious! There's something familiar about him! If I can just remember what, maybe it'll help…

Before he could finish the Hunt Master came rocketing towards him. His limitless weapon crossed the space between them in a split second to carom off its temple, but the blazing juggernaut didn't even slow down. With a curse Noboru flash stepped out of the way moments before it could reach him, just as Cernunnos erupted in a blast of yellow energy that shook the earth and pierced the sky.

The Monkey Prince righted himself and swore. He could practically hear Feng yelling at him: "Never hesitate! Once your course is determined you must put all your will behind it! Worrying about harm that might come to you as a result becomes irrelevant!"

Would be kind of nice to have her around.

Speak for yourself. We can do this alone.

"You should leave," a cold voice interrupted his thoughts. "This is no place for children."

He glanced over his shoulder at the Quincy, who had come up a moment past. The guy was giving him pretty much the same disapproving look Feng normally wore. Considering that even under normal circumstances he didn't like being ordered around, this provoked exactly the response one might expect.

"I'm over twice your age, Blanquito." Noboru turned his attention to the smoking crater that marked their enemy's presence. "And I've got a score to settle with this thing same as you."

"Your power is still immature," Ryūken remarked. "As one who respects death gods, I ask you to leave this to me." When the boy only shook his staff irritably at him, he added, "I swear to you, I will not allow this beast to harm your aunt, shinigami-san. On my pride as a Quincy."

"You can take your pride and-WHOAH!"

Both he and Ryūken sprang in opposite directions as something launched from the smokescreen to pass between them. Noboru flipped head over heels while reciting an incantation at the same time. "Bakudo #20: Kagerō Kyūden!" At once their attacker was ensnared in a tangle of thick sticky filaments. He was just about to send an attacking spell to follow up when it struck him just what he had caught.

It was a gigantic arm, thrashing about as it sought to free itself.

The human hurled a silver globe over the captured limb and fired an arrow into it, resulting in a downpour of raindrops that glimmered like diamonds. Where they fell both arm and the enchantment binding it smoked and dissolved away in a matter of moments as though consumed by acid.

Even in such a short span of time, however, the sight of that severed body part struck a memory in Noboru.

He wheeled about in astonishment as its mate rocketed forth followed by two big feet leap-frogging over one another that caused explosions with every impact. The now limbless Cernunnos came with them, floating at the center of its rocket-powered appendages that whirled about fast as the wind. Cero after Cero flew from its mouth that blasted the surrounding woods to pieces.

Unencumbered by a body, the flying limbs were definitely faster than they had been as a whole. Nevertheless Noboru remained the son of Yoruichi Shihoin, Goddess of Flash. When they aimed for him he had already disappeared like a tiny gnat, zipping around the ruined environment and ducking beneath searing beams of energy with no more effort than if he was playing jump-rope. At one point both arms swooped in from front and back to try and catch him in a coordinated strike. He waited until those clawed paws were virtually tickling his skin before springing high into the air and firing Hanuman back down, smashing each to earth in one go.

As he did, Noboru looked up with both hands tightly gripping the crimson shaft. Across the field of battle, gold-tinged gray eyes met a fallen soul's empty sockets. The Lord of the Hunt powered up another Cero, and in response he roared its name like a challenge.

"BERRINHOLTZ!"

The ursine skull twitched ever so slightly just before firing. Noboru was long gone before the shot even reached him. But he had his answer.

I don't believe it! I was right, it really is him! That big stupid Hollow we fought in the caves of Hueco Mundo! But he's changed. Not just the antlers and the cape, those must have been what threw me before. That guy was a moron; all mask and no brains. This time's different. He actually used the smoke as cover earlier to try and pick us off. To say nothing of the fact he's controlling the Wild Hunt when before he was just dumb muscle for bigger fish. Somehow after our last fight Berrinholtz became Cernunnos.

Whatever the reason, I know how to beat him now.

Elsewhere Ryūken rapidly fired two arrows that neatly penetrated the legs pursuing him. A band of blue light then shot out to connect them together like meat on a skewer. Into this he tossed a silver stake and watched as a vertical spire rose between the pair that transfixed the whole thing to the ground, rendering them unable to continue in their path of devastation. Any relief this might have granted him was short-lived as he was forced to dive for cover from another Cero. From here he could see that even the arm which had been completely eradicated by his Weihwasser had grown back on the monster's torso good as new.

His current plan was simple; if they can't be destroyed, perhaps they can be caged. Unfortunately this tactic did not prove as effective as one might have hoped. The imprisoned legs began to grind and smoke in a shower of sparks as they sought to break free. An instant later they simply exploded, obliterating themselves in a flash. Before the sound of their destruction could even fade a new set had sprouted on Cernunnos and detached to renew the chase.

The archer pondered their situation. This creature… is it mechanical? Perhaps we've been misled and there's an outside force controlling it. Since it's composed of independent segments, the possibility exists that what we've been fighting isn't the main body at all. The core might be located elsewhere while its component parts draw our fire. Should that be the case, we'll have to change tactics. I must inform the boy.

"Hey, Doc!"

The person in question landed beside him, twirling his magic rod around until it was no longer than a ruler. He wore a smile that didn't even try to hide his excitement, a far cry from the icy determination in which the Quincy fought. Could I have asked for a more dissimilar ally in this battle?

"Shinigami-san, I'm beginning to suspect–"

"Never mind that! I know who this guy is!"

Ryūken strongly weighed the merits of clapping the obstreperous monkey in a shelter of Quincy magic and leaving him to proceed with the fight. He was not tired, but neither was he quite so sanguine anymore. "You know it?" he bit out sharply.

Noboru waved his weapon in high animation. "Cernunnos! I mean, this Hollow, I've met him before! Before he became the Hunt Master, that is. His name's Berrinholtz. He was working for this monster-goddess in Hueco Mundo. Remember that time Don Kanonji messed up and got all the girls captured? Berrinholtz was one of the goons that caught 'em! And he had a weakness!" He swung a finger to point at the creature. "It's in his midsection, a big black marble. See the part that looks like a girdle made of horns? That's new! I think it's there to protect his core."

They had to fly at this point when further attacks came their way. Both man and spirit reappeared over a hundred feet above the ground to give themselves a chance to catch their breath. A Menos actually walked right by them roaring savagely without noticing the potential threats hovering at eye level.

"The only time he really got hurt was when his core was damaged. We've gotta break through the thorn belt if we want to beat him. What do you say?" Noboru indicated where Berrinholtz-Cernunnos lurked far below. "You go behind, I go in front? We catch him in a crossfire and crack him right open!"

Ryūken considered. "Fine. But I'll handle the front. You stay in back out of sight."

"Whatever! Let's just do this!"

"I'll lay down cover fire." The Quincy strung his bow and aimed towards the Hunt Master. At the same time Cernunnos' arms appeared to either side of them, whirling around so fast they were nothing but blurs. Quicker still, Noboru's zanpakutō launched forth in both directions, knocking the incoming attacks for a loop. Afterwards an absolute torrent of blue arrows came raining down on the park below. So omnipresent was this attack that for a time it completely filled the sky, blocking out any view from the ground. In response Berrinholtz-Cernunnos spat a prolonged Cero that met the incoming onslaught overhead, creating a hole in the downpour under which it could shelter.

The instant the last falling projectile hit home, however, two forms joined the Hunt Master. The one standing before it hurled bolas made of four connected silver weights. This restraining weapon wrapped around their target's massive chest, at which point the ends of the enchanted cords shot into the turf and anchored there, momentarily preventing it from escaping. Berrinholtz-Cernunnos snarled, drool dripping from its fangs as it cast about.

Across the way Ishida Ryūken had already strung his weapon. Between each clenched finger of the hand he had cocked back were serrated silver arrowheads, three in all. These were some of the rarest and deadliest implements in the archer's arsenal, requiring three years to make just one. They were not to be squandered, intended only for when a shot was absolutely certain. The shaft of spiritual energy they conjured was so intense it rocked the very ether around them. This enormous destructive power was now directed at Cernunnos' midsection. The brutal wraith's black sockets seemed to widen upon realizing where he was aiming.

By contrast Ryūken's eyes narrowed behind his glasses, face dripping with cold sweat. Never had he felt such clear purpose as he did now. While Saijin Komamura embodied all decency and nobility in his mind, the creature that struggled before him served the opposite, in that it was pure evil. Without reason; without a single solitary validation that might excuse its diseased existence. It hunted the living relentlessly. Destroyed families. Slaughtered children. It offered death to any who approached it, and deserved nothing but the same. It was the reason Quincy existed in the first place; to utterly exterminate the likes of this.

And I am a Quincy far different than all the ones you killed before. Unlike them, I have a god at my back.

As do you.

Behind the monster Noboru braced both feet securely and took aim with Hanuman. He sighted towards the center of that patchwork pelt obscuring his view in an educated guess of where the beast's heart lay. Miserable bastard! Think I'll let you touch my family?! You're the one being hunted this time, Cernunnos!

"NOW!" he screamed, and fired.

Die, Ishida thought to himself as he did the same.

Hanuman's golden tip and Ryūken's charged shot converged to strike at almost precisely the same moment. The strength of their combined blow was so great it created a whirlwind right in the heart of the storm. A howl tore from the Hunt Master's throat as it was enveloped between these opposing forces. Shinigami spirit and Quincy magic, virtually anathema to one another in design, emitted an outpouring of blinding light that made it seem as though a star had dropped into the city center.

The coruscating antipode faded swiftly. Noboru squinted against this dying glare. He could make out a tall form leaning at an angle like a partially uprooted tree. Something dropped down with a thud nearby, causing him to jump. Upon closer inspection he realized it was one of the Hunt Master's arms. The remaining appendages followed suit to lie scattered around them. Across from him, the scorched spire of Cernunnos was now stuck in the dirt, smoke drifting from its open mouth and eyes.

Did that do it?

I'm not sure…

He edged closer to inspect the totem pole, wrinkling his nose at its burned stink. Nothing else of note occurred.

Further off Ryūken regarded the seemingly lifeless remains of their enemy carefully. Rather than drawing nearer, he glided back until he could boast a better view of every fragment. His restraints had melted, and there was a dark hole where his arrow had gone in, but he couldn't tell how deep it went. Could it be over?

Then he heard it. The screaming. All around them, the baying of the Wild Hunt which was practically background noise by now had not diminished in the slightest. Jerking his head around, he spotted the horde of giant black crows still flocking towards the hospital. Which can only mean…!

"IT'S STILL ALIVE!"

This shout was all the encouragement his partner needed. Noboru instantly flash-stepped away from the fallen Hollow.

Too late. Stationed around him, the scattered limbs had already roared to life. Electricity arced from them to the tip of Berrinholtz-Cernunnos' upturned snout. Immediately a pyramid of sickly yellow energy sprang into being around the perimeter of those body parts. Noboru slammed right into it and recoiled with a cry. He fell to the ground, having sustained harsh electrical burns on one arm and across the side of his face.

A piercing bellow came from the Hunt Master. Its eyes and mouth flared brighter than a fiery furnace as arcs of deadly current now rained down everywhere within the confines of its trap. The prospect of imminent death did not go unnoticed by the wounded Noboru, who got to his feet and sped around that limited space so fast he appeared in several different places at once as after-images. None of the lightning bolts struck this fleet-footed mirage. However the prince still remained caught. It was only a matter of time before his luck ran out and a chance strike laid him low.

Without hesitation Ryūken rushed to the rescue. Around his forearm a metal bracer glowed. From there emerged an eight-pronged blue star the length and width of his body with concentric rings throughout. He raised this shield overhead to ward off any incoming attacks and dashed straight towards the raging lighting dome.

It came as no surprise when he reached the barrier only to pass straight through without resistance. Cernunnos would not object to any would-be rescuers, after all. More victims that way. Only once inside would a violent response be incurred should one try to leave. Rather than make any attempt at escaping this snare, he instead headed for the unearthly spire at its center. That last strike was one of my best, and still it couldn't penetrate. This explains why the creature seemed so flimsy despite being able to heal. Cernunnos must have channeled its entire defensive resources to protect that spot on its body above all else.

But one thing stood out. The damage his attack had wrought remained, a fist-sized cavity in the otherwise undisturbed mesh of braided antlers around its midsection. Ultimate durability meant no need to heal. This was the one weakness to exploit. By focusing on this area, there might be a chance to break through and reach the vulnerable interior.

As he ran, the Quincy militant unsheathed what looked to be a slender short sword he had strapped to his back. Similar to the Seele Schneider, this more advanced version could still be deployed as either a projectile or a hand weapon. He chose the latter for fear of hitting the now omnipresent Noboru. Having unobtrusively absorbed the energy of multiple enemy attacks since the fight started, the Seele was vastly more potent. Bolts of raw spiritual current bounced off his shield. Each one only made the weapon stronger. Little more than a blur himself, Ryūken lunged for the exposed crater. I must strike with everything I can before Cernunnos realizes what I'm doing.

Something sprang up to bar his way. The white knight skidded to a halt as a multitude of spears came stabbing towards him. His shield bore the brunt of this onslaught, yet still it proved fierce enough to bring him to his knees. The next thing he knew, huge bleached bone jaws were streaking towards his face. Ishida barely got his sword arm up in time before sharp fangs punched through the silver bracer. He screamed in wordless agony as they sank into flesh and lifted him on high.

Ryūken dangled from those bloodied teeth. The pyramid had vanished. Before him there loomed a wall of thick animal pelts all stitched together. Atop this was the antlered skull of the Hunt Master growling in joy while chewing on its captured prey.

Fool! You never stopped to think it might be able to remove the head as well!

Those tremendous mandibles bit down with crushing force, causing Ryūken to choke back another scream. Switching the Seele Schneider to his free hand, the Quincy stabbed it deep into the monster's gaping pit of an eye socket. This brought only a hiss from Berrinholtz-Cernunnos. He could feel the bones snap in his forearm like kindling, veins tearing to gush hot red blood all over the snow-white raiment he wore. Only one course of action remained. Withdrawing the blade, Ryūken inverted his grip and brought its edge down hard. Through an agonized haze he caught a glimpse of Noboru landing amid that forest of antlers to start smashing into its scalp with his zanpakutō like a jackhammer.

The grizzly Hollow reared upright to knock the valiant youth off. Supernatural jaws snapped tight. There followed a short scream. Moments later Ryūken Ishida was flung high over the treetops to disappear from view.

In short order Berrinholtz-Cernunnos had recombined into its full form. It then turned to where Noboru lay panting in shock and confusion. His face was slack, eyes wide as he sought to catch a breath. Hanuman was held out before him defensively. The monstrous huntsman snorted, blood dripping down its chin.

From the side of its mouth there dangled a severed human arm.

Noboru stared speechless at this grisly token. For the first time since he joined the fight, fear took hold. I thought there was no way we could lose. But now… it's going to kill us.

Terror flooded into his heart, just as it had the last time he faced the Wild Hunt. Am I about to die?

Don't just sit there! Get moving or you're next!

Neither of these things took place. Instead a small form landed on the Hunt Master's broad shoulders. Something like a pin punched into its skull impossibly fast, and then a second time in the precise same spot. That slight weight vanished just as Noboru felt himself picked up by a pair of brawny arms.

"Time to go, Masahiko!"

Noboru recognized his codename. His rescuer took off carrying the bewildered prince with him moments before a barrage of Ceros converged on their previous location. There then came a blaze of dark energy, followed by an unearthly shriek. Noboru looked behind and caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a black butterfly shape as it consumed Cernunnos in its entirety. More Ceros followed along in his wake, spat from a platoon of pursuing Hollows.

"Taichou? We seem to have got their attention."

"I can see that. Get him to safety, then return. I want the Hunt Master located and destroyed in the next five minutes or it's your head."

Noboru found himself staring into the macho visage of Tetsuzaemon Iba. Racing along nearby was his very pissed-off superior, Viper Company Captain Soifon.

There was no time to ask questions as they suddenly found themselves under attack from dozens of Menos Grande. Their maddened screams were cut off as Soifon activated her shunko, erupting in swirling energy. She then proceeded to tear through those ebon mountains as though they were no more than glossy black garbage bags. Iba didn't bother to stick around and instead sped determinedly off with Noboru held to his bare chest in a secure embrace.

The boy gazed around in amazement. There was a new sense in the air. Where before he had been almost suffocated by the sheer noxious pall of so much Hollow energy, now he found it balanced out by an absurd number of shinigami soul signatures. They were everywhere, battling the Wild Hunt in the air and on the ground. Some contrived to seal their foes with powerful warding spells, while others eschewed sorcery and just bashed away at them. There were thousands joining the fight, more than a whole division of death gods. A trumpet-like war cry overpowered all lesser noise as a great bone serpent came winding through the sky with a Menos clutched by the head between its teeth. Several Hollows were transformed into huge pillars of ice as a winged white-robed figure flashed from one end of the conflict to another. He even spotted a centaur galloping across the sky striking left and right with powered-up lance to send her cannibal counterparts tumbling in pieces around them.

As heartening as this might have been, one thing soon became clear. For all the damage being done to them, the Wild Hunt remained undiminished. They reconstituted seemingly from nothing in some cases or flung themselves at their restraints heedless of any injury it might cause. Which meant the Master still wasn't dead.

"Let me go!" he shouted desperately. "I need to go back!"

Tetsuzaemon's face remained utterly impassive. He took a firm hold on the prince's collar. "I have my orders, Masahiko. You're to be delivered to safety and then–HEY!"

Noboru wriggled out of his shirt like a greased weasel and went sliding between the lieutenant's legs before he could react. About to give chase, Tetsuzaemon found himself set upon by a brace of angry Gillians. He hoisted his Kingyosou with a curse before proceeding to catch one between its jaws and crush its skull into pulp.

Elsewhere Soifon was flitting across the battlefield in search of a target, of which there was no surfeit. Finding the right one was what made this such a frustrating endeavor. Marking those Hollows that had received mortal damage and recovered allowed her to eliminate them as potential candidates for the leader. The fact that so many of them looked virtually identical did not help matters. If necessary they would just have to kill them all in order to put an end to this infestation.

Three of the Hunt came charging at her in a frenzy. The head assassin had just decided how best to demolish them when a bright red streak slammed into one, carrying it along to crash into its fellows and send them all toppling in a heap of flailing white arms and legs.

"Feng!"

Her teeth clenched as Noboru popped up beside her minus his shirt. If I must drag him out of here myself, so be it! Her adolescent liege danced back as she made a grab for him. "Wait, I… Feng, I order you to listen to me!"

She paused, noticing the angry set to his face. There was fear there, to be sure, but also a determination that stemmed from more than just youthful bravado. The realization of this stayed her hand. Loyalty to the line earned him a further reprieve. "Be quick about it. We are in the middle of a military operation, and that takes precedence over even your wishes, Masahiko."

"If you're trying to find the Hunt Master, it's the one I was fighting back when you came in." He could see her gimlet eyes narrow and hurried to answer the unspoken question. "It isn't dead. Even Suzumebachi can't kill Cernunnos unless you hit him in the right spot. There's more to it this time. Haven't you noticed none of the lesser members are attacking me, even those guys I just hit?"

It was true. The trio of fallen Menos had clambered upright and now went baying off as if unaware they had been struck. This was certainly unusual behavior with the Hunt, which could be counted on for exorbitant reciprocity under normal circumstances.

Noboru continued to explain. "I escaped being hunted once before. That's why none of them can attack me now except for Cernunnos. If any of you try to go after him they'll all join in, but with me, he's at his weakest. Get it?"

She recognized what he was asking, and her frosty expression was enough to let him know what she thought of this suggestion. The youthful lord reached forward to grasp her bare shoulder.

"I can beat him, Soifon. Trust me. I'm not going to fail. I need you to protect everyone else until I can finish this. Okay?"

It wasn't a lie. For all his faults she knew this boy well enough by now to recognize when he might be playing games, and this wasn't one of them. She could feel him trembling. Noboru was out of breath, shaken and uncertain but resolute all the same. Which in no way diminished the threat he proposed facing alone.

This served to remind Soifon why her family would do anything for his.

"Very well."

Noboru blinked, as though he couldn't quite believe what she just said.

"At the first sign of danger you will be removed, and I will take over. As you value Lady Rukia's life, accept these terms."

He swallowed back a protest and nodded vigorously.

"Go." Soifon turned away from him. "I will judge your efforts. Do the Shihoin name proud, waka-sama."

She sped off to rejoin the melee. Noboru looked around. Everywhere was bedlam. Gods and demons chased one another through the storm-wracked city. This clash of warring otherworldly energy was gargantuan enough to affect the physical world. If things kept up it might actually start a typhoon.

"Okay," he breathed raggedly. "Let's do this."

You got a plan?

Yeah. Shut up and dance.

Classy.

Bite me.

The bare-chested prince looked down at the ground. From here he could make out the spot where Cernunnos remained. Its presence was like a hot sickness in the back of his skull. There was no sign of Ryūken, and no chance to look for him. It's all on me now.

I have to do it myself.

---

Back at the site of the battle between Hollow, Quincy and shinigami, a bizarre scene was taking place. Even one long used to things beyond the ordinary would have found themselves disturbed by it. Hanging in midair seemingly without any support was a mass of conjoined antlers so tightly grown into one another they left no gaps between them. After a short time a white liquid substance began to seep out from top and bottom. It grew, taking shape and solidifying into a durable mass. The torso reformed, followed by legs, arms, even the fur cape it wore. Last came the head which sported a rack of wide-reaching bone spikes proclaiming it as undisputed king of the wild.

Berrinholtz-Cernunnos huffed and shook itself as though to settle things about. It took note of how the conflict had changed in the last few minutes. More enemies boasting tremendous power now challenged the Hunt. In addition, the magic wall behind which their true quarry hid remained intact, giving no indication of having been weakened despite all their efforts. The hulking monster brooded upon this, raking the earth with its claws in agitation.

"Hey. Ursa Mierda."

The Hunt Master grew still. It turned to look behind it. There stood the tiny spirit from before, cradling his staff in the crook of one arm and feet planted shoulder-width apart.

"We're not done," the child said in a quiet voice.

It watched him for a time. There was fear evident in every inch of his bearing. Nor did he attempt to attack. Slowly the Hunt Master came about fully. Both its paws slammed into the ground, followed by a defiant growl that hummed with bloodlust. The child tensed but gave no response.

At this Berrinholtz-Cernunnos lifted its snout to the heavens and uttered a pealing wail. The call lasted several seconds. When it finally cut off that antlered head snapped down once more to regard the boy challenging it. Silence reigned. They stared one another down, waiting to see who would make the first move.

Unbeknownst to Noboru, the Hunt Master had already executed its end game.

---

"What's going on?" Uryu demanded. "Can you see my father? I can't tell what's happening, there's too much interference!"

Saijin crouched motionless on the roof. He did not respond to the anxious teen's entreaties, only continued observing. It had been shocking enough to realize Noboru had slipped away to join the attack, much less his immunity to the Hunt's tracking. This explained why the prince was so interested in them; he had been their target before and escaped. There was no point in telling Uryu that Ryūken had fallen. Doing so might prompt the boy to try and mount a rescue, which would only serve to put him at risk as well as weakening the enchantments protecting this place. That last part might have been a lie told to keep Uryu from running off. He knew the human's father would not wish this under any circumstances. With the introduction of Soul Society in the last few minutes, their chances of victory had improved considerably. It might even be possible to rescue Ryūken.

A ghastly shriek sounded sharply in his ears. Upon hearing it, Komamura stiffened. He understood what that call meant.

The response was instantaneous. In every visible direction the Wild Hunt went still, seemingly forgetting about the thousands of shinigami offering fierce resistance. Then all turned to face the hospital. Those imprisoned by ice broke free as much as possible, while the ones held inside bakudō spells twisted their heads at grotesque angles in imitation of their brethren.

This behavior had not gone unnoticed. Uryu was shouting in his ear. Impossible to determine what he might be saying. Saijin no longer heard anything, aghast at the implications.

Cernunnos had just ordered a full-scale attack.

No longer did the Gillian emit tortured screams. Instead their mouths opened wide. As one, they began to charge their Ceros. Hundreds of them. All at once. There was no longer even the remotest possibility that the Arashi Demon Generals would be able to withstand this. Even if subjected to fatal injuries, the Hunt would simply rejuvenate and continue to fire. The resulting devastation would annihilate this building and conceivably wipe out a significant portion of the town. Humans. Quincy. Shinigami. All gone. They were helpless to stop it.

Saijin closed his eyes. He could still hear the promise of death inherent in that absolute command, one the Hunt was compelled to obey. They must answer the call of their ruler.

"Komamura-san!"

He hadn't felt himself leave the rooftop. The dog general soared straight up into the air, passing through the Arashi kidō wall without even noticing it. Saijin Komamura was operating on instinct, a level of reaction that underlay all reason and consciousness. This was a part of his soul he could never fully comprehend. It remained past everything he had lost, and no matter how he wished it wasn't so, this side of him endured.

Finally he stood tall against the backdrop of the storm. Far below him war still raged. Saijin drew in a deep breath.

And he called.

---

"BASTARD!"

Noboru had realized what was happening the moment he saw all the Hollows turn. They were going to launch a coordinated attack, one that would completely obliterate the hospital and everyone within.

In an instant the fear that had previously immobilized him was replaced with heart-bursting rage! He whipped Hanuman up and fired it full strength at Cernunnos. The resulting detonation nearly blew him off his feet as every drop of spirit power he could lay claim to was compressed into a lightning-fast deployment of the magic rod. The entirety of Noboru Kuchiki's soul flooded down the length of his zanpakutō and went hurtling straight at the hole in Cernunnos' stomach Ryūken had gouged out earlier.

A clawed hand reached up and seized the soul cutter mid-flight. So great was the strength of this attack Berrinholtz-Cernunnos actually flew back a few paces, feet digging through the turf. At length it drew up short still holding onto the end of Hanuman. The Huge Hollow hissed. Its head rose to take in the boy now standing several dozen yards away. There were tears in his eyes, teeth gritted and tendons standing out in his neck as he furiously sought to force the pole past the Hunt Master's iron grip. To no avail.

Suddenly the world took on a red tint. Noboru looked up. Throughout the town a countless number of budding crimson Ceros now lit the night in preparation for slaughter. He wanted to scream in frustration, but knew it was useless.

Like me.

I failed. They placed their trust in me and I failed! He heard a scream then that embodied all the hate and savagery he felt in that very moment. For a second Noboru almost believed it came from him.

When he realized this wasn't the case, the startled prince looked up. Surprisingly, so did Cernunnos. And they were not alone. All around them, the Wild Hunt followed suit, their heads snapping skyward without hesitation like a puppet with its strings jerked. Deadly cannons still trembled on the cusp of firing from those great foaming mouths. Yet none did so. For the entire putrid conglomeration had heard the mark of command emblazoned upon their souls, and as such not a one of them could disobey, merely react in slavish deference to that heaven-sent cry.

Forgetting the helpless soul before it, Berrinholtz-Cernunnos sought out the source of this intrusion on its sovereignty. Its gaze raked the stormy sky until finally zeroing in on a lone figure high above even the loftiest Menos. When it did, the beast sucked in a gasp.

Even from this distance, their eyes met. And for the second time ever the Hunt Master found itself confronted by the dire visage of Saijin Komamura. His muzzle was pulled back to display sharp teeth. Spots of red burned in his pupils. That unforgiving soul focused on his nemesis with a rage that lanced across mere distance to stab straight into its core.

Know me now, DEMON!

The scream that burst from Cernunnos was terrible to hear. It was the sound of an animal in unbearable pain, twisting and thrashing as it sought to escape from whatever might be hurting it. Blind panic in search of an outlet. With utmost clarity this roar carried the Hunt Master's wishes directly to its pack.

KILL! KILL! KILL!

So they did. The Wild Hunt aimed all its collective power at this new target. Saijin remained where he was. He did not attempt to run. There was no fear in him. Instead, looking down on the force of valiant shinigami below, he felt only pride at their enduring resistance after all this time.

"FIGHT ON," he admonished them in a voice like thunder. "All of you, FIGHT against the monsters! Show your courage and determination! The world is full enough already of fear. Now let all see instead what bravery can accomplish! Create miracles for them to marvel at! Remind them why you bear the title… of GODS OF DEATH!"

At these words scarlet hell spewed from innumerable throats and rose in a wave to greet him. Arms flung wide, he accepted the incoming storm. Do your worst. All nightmares end eventually. You are no exception.

Saijin Komamura closed his eyes at death's approach. He felt it pick him up to carry him away a moment later, and knew only peace.

"I don't care what anybody else says…" a woman spoke.

Having not been expecting angelic intervention at this point in his life, Komamura blinked uncertainly and looked up to find himself being held by a Valkyrie.

"You're still a captain in my book, Komamura-taichou!"

Rangiku Matsumoto grinned at her shocked burden. With him dangling limply in the crook of one arm like a small puppy, she zipped away from the confluence of beams meeting far behind them now. When the Hunt attempted to adjust their aim, they were cut off, quite literally, by a silver flash that swept from one horizon to another, beheading the vast majority of the Menos Grande and causing their severed masks to fly screeching up into the air. The cannonade of Ceros died out in response.

Upon finding itself thwarted once again, the Hunt Master howled furiously. The usurper had escaped. This meant he could potentially divert its forces once again should it try the same tactic. With its options reduced, Berrinholtz-Cernunnos could rely upon no one but itself.

The Hunt Master flung away the stripling's staff contemptuously as if he posed no threat. Instead it whirled around and dropped to all fours like a great toad. The beast king drove its pointed claws deep into the earth to brace itself, then slammed both piston feet through the torn soil as well. Its forearms began to spin while the taloned tips remained immobile as tree stumps. Sparks leapt from its eyes and a terrible growling rose from the creature's throat.

Beneath them the ground began to rumble. Noboru looked on in dismay. What's happening?!

It feels like he's building up power, but there's too much! No way all that's coming from him!

The answer came as the Menos horde around them screamed. Flashes of electricity flowed down their long dark cloaks while they continued to clash with the shinigami. Like living lightning rods, spiritual current coursed through them to converge upon the Hunt Master. Berrinholtz-Cernunnos began to glow as raw energy surged and crackled into it.

No way! He's using them all as batteries!

Shit! Is he trying to finish this by himself?!

As if in response that living cannon took aim at the glowing cubicle which housed the hospital. Burning black holes appeared in its flesh through which yellow light came pouring out. The antlers were wreathed in electricity that danced from one spoke to the next. Its malodorous pelt had caught fire in several places and looked ready to go up in flames at any moment.

He can't handle it all! He's gonna blow! Noboru, RUN!

What if he pulls it off?! I can't risk it!

Will you stop trying to be a hero?! You can't win this, you're still just a kid! If you don't admit that, then your aunt's as good as dead!

The awesome power of the Wild Hunt in its entirety now focused within the body of its leader. A glowing nimbus surrounded Cernunnos. Noboru was brought to his knees from the spiritual calamity forming nearby. It felt like ground zero of a nuclear explosion.

I won't run! I've got to save her!

If that thing blows it'll take Cernunnos and us with it! Get clear and call Soifon, have her kill him! You know she can!

So that she can die instead of me? NO! Don't you get it?! We have to do this! You and me! Nobody else!

Noboru… please. I don't want you to die. You're all I've got!

I'm not a kid, dammit! And I'm not a hero! Saijin said it himself!

Berrinholtz-Cernunnos opened its mouth wide as possible. The suicidal Cero forming within took shape.

I'm a DEATH GOD!

On the brink of firing, something streaked in and whipped around the top of Cernunnos' snout. It snapped taut. The maniacal Hollow gave a startled bark as it was yanked upright.

Noboru remained on his knees facing resolutely away from that impending doomsday bomb. Hands wrapped around the haft of Hanuman, his eyes were shut tight and teeth clenched, tears streaming down his face as he braced himself. His limitless zanpakutō extended out as far as it would go, which resulted in nowhere near its proven length. The reason for this came from the casting of Bakudō #4: Winding Binding Rope around one end of the shaft while the other had lassoed the Hunt Master's upper jaw.

Grow!

The battle staff launched itself farther before slamming to a halt. Like a fish caught on a line the Hollow shot violently backward. Its trembling arms remained anchored deep in the turf. Desperately Berrinholtz-Cernunnos struggled to keep the massive amount of power it continued to absorb from bursting out. At the same time the brute called on all its colossal strength in a mighty struggle against the leash that held it. Slowly but surely the Hunt Master's aim began to realign with the medical center.

Hanuman, GROW!

Noboru…

Splinters burst off the straining red shaft. It managed to surge a few inches higher, dragging Cernunnos with it. The monster foamed and spat before gathering itself to heave forward once more. They were trapped in a tug-of-war, both sides throwing everything they had into this contest. Each felt themselves being torn apart by the opposing forces involved.

The zanpakutō was now bending in a bow shape. It produced no further result, however. As if sensing this, Cernunnos dug in and lunged ahead more forcefully.

Grow! C'MON!

I can't!

Don't give me that! GROW!

It's no use! This is as much as we can give!

No, it isn't! Now GROW!

Wheezing painfully, their monstrous enemy gained further ground. So much power was now contained inside it that the abomination might explode at any second.

The staff's master looked no better. Every muscle in his body stood out as he threw himself against that immovable bulk. He shook from the effort. Blood dripped down his chin, and he was covered in sweat. Yet still he held onto the magic rod with no intention of letting up. Further cracks appeared in Hanuman's surface.

Noboru, I… I'm gonna break!

Then BREAK! But do it AFTER we take the bastard's HEAD OFF!

The young shinigami gave a feral snarl. He bore down even harder, screaming wordless defiance.

Alright… alright! I won't quit! I won't fail you! We're gonna win, hear me? WE'RE GONNA WIN!

YEAH!

And he poured out the very depths his soul had to offer. In response Hanuman gleamed. Its splintering wood sealed back into place, then surged skyward with an almost audible shout of triumph, hauling Berrinholtz-Cernunnos with it. The massive Hollow bent like a pretzel, uttering a panicked squeal as its head snapped violently back to stare straight up. For one heart-stopping moment they were both frozen in this titanic test of strength. All sound went away. Critical mass had been reached, and the living bomb was set to explode.

A pale figure shot across the field to land right on top of Cernunnos. The Lord of the Hunt looked up to find itself surmounted by Ryūken Ishida, feet planted to either side of the thing's head and bow held in one remaining hand. The Seele Schneider salvaged from before rested across the frame, and the blood-spattered Quincy aimed this lethal bolt directly down the frantic beast's gullet. The stump of his missing arm was wrapped in a clumsy tourniquet. Undeterred, he had pulled the string back with his teeth and now stood ready to release.

Ryūken's glasses were gone, and his dark eyes blazed freely as they looked upon the momentarily helpless Hollow. Those eyes were the only part of him that had not changed since their last meeting. The past rose up to grip them both, so that for an instant it seemed they found themselves right back there in that snow-covered forest where this all began, the grown man bestriding the wicked spirit. They were surrounded by its victims, silent men and women wearing white raiment who looked on with the impassive faces of the dead.

My mother! My family! DIE!

Ryūken fired. The thrum of the unleashed bowstring sounded like an entire orchestra plucking their instruments at once. As he did, from his sleeve there slipped free a silver pentacle swinging on a chain, its gleaming surface encrusted with dried blood. Like a magnet the pendant arced over and was caught on the point of the Quincy arrow to be torn free. This murderous dart then went soaring down to be swallowed by the Hunt Master, taking all the energy building there with it. For a moment nothing happened. The archer remained in that position, breathing hard as he stared into the volcano of raw power about to erupt.

From out of the thorny belt encircling Cernunnos' waist there suddenly burst five huge lances of blue energy, their tips glowing a smoky crimson. The Hunt Master fell to its knees. Blood erupted from its eyes, mouth and limbs as though a bubble had been popped. Ryūken hit the ground shortly thereafter.

NOT ME! NOT ME-E-E-E-E!

Out of every gap and seam in the creature's body there erupted bright turquoise flames. Like hungry rats they swarmed over its skin, eating up everything they could find. A terrible wail split the night like a siren. The gigantic form cracked and split apart as though no more than cheap clay in an oven. Incandescent pieces tumbled down in a burning heap on the ground where they became a crackling primordial bonfire.

The top of its head peeled off from the rest, still dangling on Noboru's sorcerous chain. That burning skull went swinging side to side like a pendulum before the exhausted prince. He watched it get eaten alive by the vengeful Quincy's flames. Only those empty eyes remained untouched, swiftly becoming nothing more than rings of blue fire that glared at him with a queer sort of intensity.

He looks pissed.

You would be too if somebody just fired a nuke down your throat.

The crown of antlers snapped, withering to ash with no more resistance than dried leaves. As though this were a signal, the remainder of Berrinholtz-Cernunnos was completely consumed.

A chorus of howls accompanied this event. Throughout the city, the Wild Hunt caught fire and burned the same as their Master. A scant few simply vanished without a trace, but the majority joined in this shared immolation and quickly became towering infernos that lit the night blue. Their death screams dwindled away to nothing. In just a few seconds, the Wild Hunt was no more.

Well, that's enough excitement for one day. C'mon, let's go–

A rumbling noise followed, upon which two gigantic red doors with skeletons on each frame shot out of the ground.

Oh, look. The Gates of Hell.

The chains between the doors snapped, permitting them to swing wide. Out of the exposed formless mayhem there emerged a blob of swirling plasma that touched down and transformed into a man in a white dress suit. The hat he had on sported a face-concealing white veil upon which was written the word 'demon'.

Jigoku looked down at the astounded Noboru and said…

"H–E Y–U F–D T–E E–E?"

Didn't catch that, can you ask him to repeat it?

As if having heard, the demon promptly did so. "R–T: H–E Y–U F–D T–E E–E?"

"Umm…" Noboru looked around uncertainly. "No hablo… infierno?"

He had meant it as a joke. But there was an effect. Jigoku straightened up, and in doing so once more became that ribbon of lurid red smoke. It slipped soundlessly back into the gateway which closed behind it and sank out of sight until nothing remained to indicate it had ever existed.

Numbly the boy got up and went over to check on Ryūken. He found him still breathing, much to his surprise. Of course after what just happened, nothing should have surprised him. The Quincy stirred as the young death god knelt beside him. "Gone?" he breathed.

Noboru knew who he meant and gave a weary nod.

"Good," Ryūken grunted. "Well done, shinigami-san."

"My name's not 'shinigami'. It's Noboru. Noboru…" He hesitated for a moment, then decided. "Shihoin."

"Thank you, Shihoin-san," Ishida Ryūken said, and closed his eyes so that he might finally rest.

To be continued…