Chapter 22: The Battle Continues

Byakuya's POV

"It's time for me to get serious." says the Espada as he holds out his blade, this time in a slightly less threatening manner. "Suppress, Brujeria!"

The Espada lets his blade go and it hovers in the air for a few seconds before, well, contorting. It bends into pieces as the Espada takes up a squat-like stance. His head begins to contort sideways till it was completely vertical. A puff of smoke envelops his entire form, and once it fully dissolves, the best way I can describe the Espada's appearance is as a cross between a giant pink pumpkin and a pin cushion.

"Now, let's continue shall we?" he asks me as he outstretches his arm toward me. He opens up his hand, revealing his palm, which had a small slit right in the middle of his skin. It opens to reveal an eye, similar to his main two. The eye emits a purplish aura and I instantly move away from his coming attack. Once I turn around, I see the spot I was previously in was not disturbed.

"Ah, foolish shinigami, do you really think my attack would be that, direct?"

I turn to the Espada, his glare still on me, his palm still outstretched toward the area I was previously standing in.

"I did attack, but I didn't do it in a way that you would actually expect," he tells me as he points downward. "Why don't you look at your left leg to see for yourself?"

I slowly look down to see that a large sun shaped eye was right along my left leg, similar to the eye that was on the Espada's palm.

"The attack I used is called Amor," he tells me as his eyes met mine. "It's a special technique of my Resurreccion. Anything my eyes look at will soon come under my control. For example, come here left leg."

I feel my left side move and I look down to see my left leg struggling to move forward at the Espada's command. Everything else along my body, remained still except for my leg, struggling to come forward at its' newfound master's request.

"It doesn't matter what part of the body the eye lands on. Once that body part is marked, it is mine to control."

Knowing that, I raise my blade and slash my leg, cutting it deep enough so that it would cut into the nerves and tendons. It was a painful thing to do, but it was a necessary sacrifice, one I needed to complete if I was going to still be able to defeat him. I look up to see the momentary shock in the Espada's eyes before his glare came back into place. Apparently, he didn't like my counter move. . .

Good.

"Smart. You cut your leg to damage the tendons and nerves that controlled it, preventing me from controlling it any further. I'm impressed . . ." he tells me grimly before turning to face Rukia. "But foolish shinigami, I can control other things."

He outstretched his hand just as I grabbed her. I reappeared a few feet away just as Seventh Seat Yamada appeared from the hallway, finally managing to reach us despite his lack of shunpo.

"Captain Kuchiki, you and Third Seat Fukudome know I can't use shunpo. I'm sorry that I took too long, but I am not as fast as you two . . . Wait a second, where is Third Seat Fukudome?" and that's when he saw the Espada. ". . . Uh oh."

"Hmm, what an amusing shinigami . . ." he mutters, taking a quick look at Yamada before looking away.

"Fall back Seventh seat Yamada," I tell him bluntly as I ready my blade, leaving no room for disagreement. "You may get caught in the crossfire."

"But Captain Kuchiki, you're injured!" he exclaims in that panicky voice of his. I raise my spiritual pressure just a tad to issue a warning, hoping he has the sense to take the hint. Back off or you will get hurt.

"You must get distracted quite easily, Nameless Shinigami."

At the Espada's sudden words, I look down at my left hand to see that another one of the enemy's eyes was adorning my glove and parts of my skin. Thinking quickly, I cut my arm to sever the tendons there, taking away the Espada's control and sending the Seventh Seat into a panic attack. I quickly use Sho to free Rukia from the ice that covers her before turning to Yamada, who looks at my arm warily the entire time.

"Take Rukia and get out of here quickly."

"Uh, yes, Captain Kuchiki, right away." I keep my eyes on the Espada the entire time as Yamada takes my sister and slowly takes her from the scene, well, lugging her along is more like it. Once they leave, there will be nothing holding me back from using my full power on this accursed creature.

"Hmm, looking out for the subordinates," the Espada mumbles, his tone low in amusement. "How noble of you? But, you should be more aware of your surroundings and of your enemies. Do you really think that the eye on my hand is the only eye that I can use to control other beings?"

I stay silent, not wanting to speak as I listen to the Espada's explanation.

"Nameless shinigami, any eye on my body is able to use the technique, and since I have these two eyes I usually see with in my head . . . Well, let's just say you're not the only shinigami I have attempted to put under my control."

It takes me only two seconds to realize what he's done. I hear the sounds of blade slicing flesh and I turn to see Rukia, a large eye now decorating the right side of her head, slashing Yamada across the chest. I move to stop her, but she soon brings her own zanpakuto to her neck, ready to cut her jugular as soon as she's ordered to.

"Drop your sword shinigami, or else I will have the girl cut her own throat."

I use Rikujokoro to restrain my sister before the Espada could retaliate. She tries to move, but the spell restricts her movement, making her no longer a danger to herself or to anyone else for the moment.

"Now that that is settled," I say stoically as I turn to face the Espada. "Let's finish what we started . . . Bankai!"

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