I am back!

Bet you didn't expect to see me again huh? Well guess what? I am back baby!

I have to say that things have been hectic for me over these last two and a half months. With my dad going into surgery, and actually going again in a weeks' time. But he recovered from the first one alright and he is doing fine so hopefully there will be no complications with this next surgery.

But apart from that work has been piling up at my job and at home. Apart from me taking over the household I am actually forced to maintain the place. Four aces is surprising hard to maintain on your own, especially since we have been having suspicion break-ins along our street and we are setting up some new security. A new automatic gate and a new fence, been fun digging those holes to put the posts in. It really hasn't, digging holes sucks.

Apart from the menial labor and handling things at home and work starting to calm down I am happy to report that I am back in business.

Sad note though is that the Account is still being set up. Content is being placed in it and I am fighting to get it done as soon as possible. I posted these chapters because I didn't want to keep you guys waiting anymore. Two chapters for you, was originally one but it got so big I split it into two.

Now I will finish the account hopefully soon, not going to give a date because I have failed myself on that but I will try to get it done soon. I have been talking with some of the artists who I commission and some of them were kind enough to give me permission to present their images to those who contribute.

But the I plan to actually offer early access to chapters, new stories and even documents details things about my own AU for Warcraft and Bleach that deal with my stories. I have plans for rather than it being a money dump, I want to use its full capabilities and actually bring together people who are genuinely interesting in knowing more about how I see the different universes I present and give in depth analysis about their structure and how they work.

But anyway, on with the story. Two chapters for you all. Enjoy them.


Transcendence

Chapter 63: Pure Death and Defiled Earth

Zaetar's Grave

Ichigo ran, pushing hard with each footfall. His destination was in sight, a single island of stone floating over nothing but air. Imposing walls of white stone that seemed endlessly tall closed in around from all sides, barriers of a long white canyon that was several kilometers long. The skies above were clear blue, almost as blue as the crystal waters that rested several hundred feet below him.

It was beautiful. He had not expected that the den of evil and corruption would be such a pristine and pure place. For the deeper he delved into the personal realm of Theradras, the air became clearer and the sights became only more beautiful.

He did not pay much attention to the vistas he ran through, his eyes set on his ever nearing goal. The stone island had only a single means to reach, a large natural stone bridge, and it was guarded by an army. Ichigo was undaunted by the numbers, he fought his way through what opposition came his way.

His blade flew forward, Zangetsu stabbed into a large arachnid creature. It was a large monstrosity, almost the size of a horse. Covered in violet chitin, yet that thick armor shattered when his Zanpakutō speared through its face. The blade burying itself up to the hilt and making the beast shudder as whatever remaining nerves flared as its brain was skewered.

Ichigo leaped onto its thorax and ripped his blade from its trembling corpse, leaping up and cutting another large insect apart as he touched down. Scowling he ripped his blade free from the carapace before swinging to the next foe. Metal connected with hard stone and shattering the limb rather than cleaving through it. Ichigo kicked outwards, sending the wounded elemental staggering back with a missing arm and half its torso cracked and crumbling.

'What are these things?' Ichigo thought quietly. His mind turning to those strange, if not hideous, insectoid creatures he had recently begun encountering.

They were mostly strange four legged insects, eight feet long and nearly as tall as he was, and awash with a variety of colors. Strong jaws and sharp singular pointed legs that were like daggers, they were monstrous – and most certainly dangerous. No matter how many he seemed to carve apart their numbers seemed only to continue growing. Where he left a trail of death in his wake, only these beasts seem to rise up from behind him to pursue. It was as if the many elementals he had faced already in the mountain were just the minority.

'Could these things be Aqir?' Ichigo wondered.

They certainly fit the descriptions given by Cavindra, large and ugly beasts were the most descriptive words she gave. These had to be the same creatures that were mentioned, but it seemed strange for them to be here. Hundreds of kilometers from Silithus, even if he was not as familiar with this world as his own, that shouldn't be possible.

As if to spite common sense here they were, could this mean something about who was behind this entire ordeal? That maybe these Aqir are possibly connected with the Master behind Theradras? If that was the case then maybe there was a way to figure out who this Old God was, and if possible, too hunt him down.

"First I deal with Theradras, then you." Ichigo muttered.

He carved through more of the insects and elementals as he advanced, gaining ground as he tore down these sentries that protected the island. But even with the progress he made Ichigo was not inclined to go about this slowly, he wanted to end this without having to annihilate an entire army – or at least do it without having to cut them apart one by one.

He didn't have the time to fight through the fodder, not when the world above was skirting closer to oblivion. They had to be dispatched quickly, the longer he was delayed the closer the end came. That should have given him a greater deal of resolve, only his mind drifted to the many souls that had perished throughout this conflict.

Ichigo had come down here because he had enough, unwilling to let another person who fought beside him to die for another hopeless cause.

They fought to reach the Vault so that the Highborne didn't steal Heart of Veles.

Protect the borders of the Desolace so the Centaur couldn't escape.

Prevent the elementals from escaping the mountain.

Retrieve the Heart of Veles so that all this chaos could end.

All had failed, all those plans and schemes they had concocted to save the world had failed. All that careful planning had amounted to nothing but failure after failure, everything unraveled in the end and all those sacrifices were for nothing. But now he was here, doing what he usually does when all else fails. Something he should have done from the beginning, come down here and ripped that bitch's fucking heart out.

He leaped, ducked and weaved above and around. Passing by elementals and Aqir, evading them with no intent other than to get around them without having to use his blade. Fighting them was only costing him precious time, he wouldn't waste a single sword swing on these guard dogs. He took off at blinding speeds, Flash Step turning his strides into massive leaps across great distances, passing dozens within the blink of an eye.

Insect or elemental alike failed to bar his way, even the lumbering Mountain Giants could do nothing but grasp at air as he moved by before they could act.

The islet was within reach, he could see the verdant grass pasture and strange shrine at its center. Only a few more elementals barred access, but they would be easily evaded with another quick use of Shunpo. Ducking between the legs of a Mountain Giant, who tried in futility to crush him by sitting down, Ichigo was within throwing distance from the mesa. A distance he quickly covered, his armored boot touching down onto the fresh grass with a welcoming crunch.

But that was the only hospitality Ichigo had received, he had an army of elementals and insects behind him that would fall upon him in moments. Where they had formally held their ground at his advance, acting as living barricades, they now moved like a tide to overwhelm him as one. Their actions were expected, knowing fully that as soon as his feet touched the grassy surface they would move to attack.

Smirking he had the perfect way to deal with them all. Ichigo raised Zangetsu up, bathing the Zanpakutō in spiritual pressure, before driving it into the rocky ground. The length of his blade dug into the edge that linked the bridge and the island plateau.

He couldn't fight them all, not that it was not within his power to do so – but time was of the essence and not something he could waste. So he chose the quick way out, remove them all with as minimal effort as possible. His Zanpakutō released the built-up energy, creating a powerful concussive blast of force that shattered the bridge ahead of him.

At first only the point connecting to the island broke apart, but it quickly spread outwards. Soon the bridge leading all the way across the canyon, several kilometers in fact, began to buckle and shatter. The stone broke apart, what supports that kept them up unable to tolerate itself for more than a few seconds before it tumbled. The elementals and Aqir cried out in surprise and rage, their cries overshadowed by the breaking of stone beneath their feet.

With the ground beneath them gone they all fell, hundreds of feet down towards the crystal waters. The lake below thrashed with each collision, bubbling and exploding with every impact and swallowing up anything that came in contact. Even with how crystal clear the waters were, able to see even at this distance several meters beneath the surface. He lost sight of everything that drifted below, making it appear that the waters were fathomlessly deep.

"And that's that." Ichigo quietly muttered.

With nothing left to take his attention he could face Princess Theradras without any distractions.

Yet as he pivoted around a wave of force struck him, Ichigo was given no time to move or defend himself before he was swept up in the wave and thrown off the island. Cast away uncontrollably by the pressure, loose rocks and dust flying with him.

"The hell was that?!" Ichigo yelled.

Realization didn't strike the Substitute at first, but given a moment he was able to catch on, that he didn't see or feel it coming.

Gravity took hold moments later, his horizontal flight turned vertical. He had to act quickly, grasping the cloth in hand and quickly flinging Zangetsu towards the mesa. He was lucky when the blade impaled itself into the island's underside. When the cloth went taut Ichigo held on tightly and rode it down to under the floating landmass. Dangling there for a moment he steadied his heart before he glanced about.

His eyes looked to the underside, it certainly was just that, a large mass of land floating over nothing. Not a single support or tether existed that seemed to keep the mound of earth afloat. Narrowing his eyes, perhaps it was kept adrift by some form of magic or other mystical art that he was unaware of. He filed away that info, knowing the battlefield would be a good idea, even if he didn't understand exactly how it functioned the way it did.

Eyes drifting upwards, he had a long way to climb before he reached where his blade was embedded. But an even longer and more precarious scramble to reach the edge where his feet could rest on solid ground. One hand at a time Ichigo hoisted himself up, moving as quickly as he could. Reaching his weapon he ripped it free from the stone, his other hand grasping a loose crevice and handing only by his fingers.

He sheathed the Zanpakutō before he drew another blade, his trusty dagger, which he sunk into the stone and then began to climb. Each meter was dangerous, climbing up at a forty degree angle was not easy, having no previous experienced this was something Ichigo loathed. For he had to be careful, something that required patience, but he had no time to waste on caution.

Opting to try and mix between the two, taking a less than absolutely safe approach that would get him over the edge faster. It proved beneficial, for he felt his fingers grasp against the rim. Pulling himself over the edge, Ichigo believed his ordeal was over, he was taken by surprise by another peril. As soon as his foot touched the grass the section he stood upon fractured and broke away from the island.

Nothing escaped his lips but a snarl, knowing full well that this was another attempt to dispose of him. He quickly glanced up to the retreating island, he inspected the angle of the section he now stood on. With a quick mental calculation and observation he was certain he could make it, a single step with Shunpo and he would clear the rim. He put that theory to practice, proving himself right like so many other times he had made spur-of-the-moment strategies.

He flew through the air, the speed of his Shunpo carrying him far and high, well over the rim of the island and sailing just above it. He was given a chance to see the island from above, from the strange alter at its center to the many monolithic stones that circled the island at random intervals. These had been all he could quickly discern before he was attacked a third time, this one coming directly from his attacker.

It was only a glimpse he caught, something as large as he and marble white. But what he failed to see he certainly felt. Ichigo felt his muscles ache and his bones creek as he was thrown through the air, flung across the island and again sent tumbling over its side. Ichigo gritted his teeth and fought back a curse, it hurt more than he cared to admit – a bruise to the body as well as his pride.

But he was given no time to nurse injury or wounded pride, he was falling again and had to halt his descent quickly. He grasped for anything that was close, that which happened to be some form of protruding rock formation along the cliff face. But the smooth water worn stone had nothing for him to grip or find traction. Clawing for purchase he fought to keep himself from slipping another inch. When he heard the clink of metal from above he glanced upwards, his eyes trailing a falling piece of silver through the air.

His trusty dagger, he had lost when he was struck, was now falling towards him. Seeing no choice Ichigo kicked off the stone root and towards his falling knife, snatching it from the air and burying it into the smooth white stone walls.

Releasing a breath, even as he hung there with no real way to save himself from this predicament, he was happy to at least be motionless for a while. Although he couldn't remain stagnant for too long, his host would likely be quick to discover his survival and move to rectify that. He had only a few moments to think of his next move to get back onto that island.

He had only half of those few moments before he was forced to act, because something was coming his way fast. He looked back towards the island, his view partially obscured by the massive boulder that sailed right for him.

'This Princess is not kidding around.' Ichigo thought.

Ripping his dagger free and descending into a free fall, narrowly avoiding being crushed under the many tons of stone.

As the boulder crash and shattered the section above him Ichigo was wracking his brain for a plan to save himself. The fall might not kill him, he suspected that being in the water might be detrimental if Theradras somehow dropped something on top of him. So staying as high as possible was likely going to be the smartest thing he should stick too.

Quickly he looked to the rock outcrop he fell onto when he was thrown off of the island. Seeing it from this angle, nearly directly beneath it, gave him an idea. Drawing Zangetsu he speared the blade up towards it, hand wrapped around the cloth. When the blade was sheathed into the stone Ichigo began to move, planting his feet against the stone wall he began to run. Using the wall to move as fast as he could, if he was able to run along the wall and then face upwards he could use Shunpo.

The technique had proven useful at scaling any flat surface so long as his feet were firmly planted on the ground. If he was facing towards the sky and use it he could gain the altitude needed and then leap towards the island, or at least close enough to make another climb. But knowing Theradras she would stop him as quickly as she could throw things at him, so he needed to do this fast or he would die.

But again Ichigo was thrown off his footing, literally thrown back when a large obelisk shot out of the wall and tossed him away. Ichigo felt his chest burn, the next moment his back flared as he slammed into the underside of the island. He fell away from there and let himself hang, letting his own weight carry him back down to underneath the protruding rock formation.

'How the hell did she do that?' Ichigo wondered, coughing and sucking in some air.

How powerful was this Princess that she could do stuff like this on a whim, he had never seen someone powerful enough to change the environment like that. It was instantaneous and precise, he could understand her blowing him off the side of the island when he broke the bridge and when she broke the section where he was climbing.

But when he was up in the air and then running along the wall? That was too precise, too quick for someone to track and anticipate when casting a spell. Could it be that she was powerful enough she could move the earth and alter the landscape around her on a whim? Maybe her being the daughter to the Elemental Lord of Earth was not just for boasting purposes. Who knows what kind of control and power she possessed.

That was as much contemplation he was given, hearing a thundering crack he saw that the protrusion above him was slowly beginning to give. It would break from the wall and fall away, Ichigo needed to gain some height. He made another attempt, running along the wall and trying to angle himself upwards. Resistance met him, stones and rock flung from the wall to try and throw him off balance. It did its job, snagging his cloth and twisting him up and around until he slammed into it.

Gripping the edge of this new protrusion Ichigo pulled himself onto solid earth, but he was surprised next when the entire wall began to crack apart. The entire section of the cliff was breaking apart, the size of a damn multistory skyscraper was collapsing and he was going to be stuck under it. Ichigo looked back towards the island, the protrusion he stood on was angled just right for his Shunpo to launch him in the right direction. Pulling Zangetsu back he kept the blade in hand along with his dagger, he would need them both.

Not wasting his only chance Ichigo used Shunpo to launch himself towards the island. Even with the speed and angle he knew he wouldn't reach the edge, but if he could get at least along the mostly vertical sides he could climb up. He sailed past the edge by a good margin, but he speared Zangetsu into the underside and quickly started climbing up to the rim. He didn't get more than a few feet before the damn side was sheared off, sliding away from the mesa.

"Dammit!" Ichigo cursed.

Again the thought entered his mind, how powerful was Theradras to do something like that with only a moment's notice?

Reaching the edge would be impossible, Ichigo knew that, as the section fell away and began to shift. Already Ichigo was underneath the massive rock, he couldn't climb up and around it to launch himself off. Even if he was quick about it he would be further down the valley and closer to the water he desperately did not want to fall into.

Eyes remained focused ahead of him, trying to think of an escape route, a way to turn this around and not be beaten. His gaze fell upon the falling section of the wall, it was larger than he expected it to be. It was less of a building and more akin to a small mountain. The size was not what caught his attention, but the way it fell. The way it descended, the highest point tipping forward, it would come close to actually touching the island.

A dangerous idea ignited in Ichigo's mind, yet it was probably one of the more mildest of the half dozen that have already passed through it. But the benefits would finally see that he would be on solid ground, somewhere he was eager to return to after all this swinging around. The problem was the execution of his brilliant plan, not something you do on a whim and without at least considering it.

'Fuck it.'

He had considered, and decided to wing it.

Ichigo held onto Zangetsu tightly, shifting himself into the proper stance to take off. He needed to use Shunpo again, even upside down he should still be able to use it, so he needed his feet planted firmly against the stone surface.

One a single motion he pulled his Zanpakutō free and took off into a burst of Shunpo, he sailed across the open expanse and right under the falling mountain of stone. He slammed into the wall and buried Zangetsu into the stone, once fastened he glanced upwards. The rock was falling nearly parallel to the wall, but it was already leaning away.

The slant of its descent was apparent, enough to stand upon without the need to sink his dagger or Zanpakuto into the stone to gain wrest. As the stone fell closer, the angle lining itself up as he wanted to, he pushed himself up the wall. Shunpo guiding himself upwards, he only needed to cover a few meters, and then he leaped off and onto the falling stone.

He took off, stride after stride enhanced by Shunpo, he came to the pinnacle within a few heartbeats and with a final push he launched himself forward.

'This better damn work!'

The wind whipped past his face as he slowed down, the friction made his eyes water and skin burn but he kept his gaze focused and did not risk to blink. He knew not to let his guard down, not against someone who had foiled so many of his attempts to reach the island. His caution was wise to have, for as soon as he passed the lip he was attacked, a large boulder was only a few arm lengths from him.

But Ichigo was not surprised, he had expected at least some kind of attack as soon as he got close. A quick contortion of his body along with a backwards swing of Zangetsu, he sailed over the boulder unharmed.

He corrected his form and landed without injury, rolling to a knee he quickly rose up and took his Zanpakuto in both hands. His gaze narrowed, shifting quickly from side to side to locate his quarry. Scrutinizing every rock and pebble, expecting it to be either the Princess or another one of her attacks waiting to be delivered.

But he was surprised, while no attack came, the perpetrator stepped forward with heavy footsteps that shook the ground beneath his boots. While he would have been glad to finally face her, the sight of his opponent did not match up to the mental image he had in his head.

The Princess was not the prettiest thing to look at, in fact, grotesque might be too kind of a word to describe her appearance. Obese was the first thing he took note of, fat around the belly that appeared to be made of many large pale marble boulders that had been chiseled to appear smooth. Another thing he noticed was that she had four arms, two normal ones while two other jutted up from just behind her shoulders.

Her snarling face was probably the most damning of all, fat and appearing to have folds – in spite of it being made of stone – made her black eye glare repulsive. With the tusks jutting from her lower lip and the long mossy brown hair that she used as a bra, she was by far the ugliest thing he had ever laid eyes on.

"You are not what I expected." Ichigo admitted.

The thing lumbered forward, two short disproportional legs carrying its massive body, her body rattling with each movement and creaking as stone grinded against stone. As it drew closer he realized just how tall she was, easily towering over him by a fair margin. It would be no contest to say she was taller than those Mountain Giants he has fought. By how much he could not give an accurate guess, but she was without a doubt the largest foes he had faced yet.

"You surprise me mortal, even if I had warning of your coming. I never expected you to reach me or survive my attacks with no harm befalling you." Princess Theradras said. Her words deep and rumbling – although still noticeably effeminate – and grated on Ichigo's ears.

"That won't be the only surprise you get today." Ichigo replied, raising his blade and grasping his extended arm. "Bankai."

Immediately he was shrouded in a wave of spiritual power, blinding blue flecks of energy surrounding him as the energy shot up into the sky. When it dissipated Ichigo stood tall, Tensa Zangetsu in hand and his armor changed.

He wasn't going to be taking chances in this fight, go in with everything from the start and finish her quick. The fact she could pressure him, nearly killing him with just some casual manipulation of the earth within this canyon, he couldn't take the chance that she was only just warming up. Especially if Theradras had the spiritual presence of a Captain, she was someone he couldn't underestimate.

"Marvelous, just as the master said it would be." Theradras uttered.

Dropping to a knee she reached into the ground, her fat fingers sinking into the stone like it was sand, and pulled something free.

A thick root, she straightened it and gave it a quick flick to make it rigid. Then she raised her other hand, immediately the stones around her began to rise and fly towards the massive root. The rocks crashed into the dark root, smothering it and creating a large block or malformed obelisk. With a twist it shattered, stray pieces falling away and giving the weapon the appearance of a flanged mace.

"But it will not save you from me!" Theradras roared.

With a single bound she leaped back to her feet, with only the delay between two heartbeats she had already covered half to ground towards Ichigo. Surprising the substitute with the swiftness she could move on those stumpy legs, along with moving so fast with a body over the threshold of being whatever was above obese.

Ichigo evaded – easily he might add – the mace, the strike shattered the ground where he stood and making the entire plateau quake. Stepping in close he attacked, attempting to deliver a debilitating strike to her leg. But to his aggravation his blade didn't cut through, it touched the skin and halted on contact. All he noted was an indent made where the edge made contact, leaving nary a scratch.

Not allowing himself to remain motionless with surprise he leaped back, avoiding one of her upper arms from crushing him. He maintained some distance to scrutinize the effect of his failed attack, she had taken that hit and come out unscathed.

'Alright, that proves that her skin is about as tough as a damn mountain, that means I need to focus my power to a fine point.' Ichigo thought. It was a tried and true method.

Charging in once more, blade poised to cut through her thick skin. He evaded a wide swing before he slashed to her side, carving a small gash into her bulging belly. Wasn't anything to be proud of but it was a whole lot better than the nick he gave her before. A second swing and he cut in the same place, this time he saw the stone flake and particles escape.

'Repetition is the key.' Ichigo mused, ducking under the massive mace before leaping to the side as her upper arm tried to swat him.

Ichigo continued to backpedal as she tried in futility to try and crush him, her attacks may be fast in their own right but he was faster. If there was one thing he had an edge over most of the people on this planet was his speed, nothing could really match it.

Strength, raw power, and durability, she had all of that. Even so, she had all these things, it didn't matter. Ichigo knew that he could overcome each of those strengths, because he had one trait that made him a perfect counter to every trick they could send at him. His speed, the greatest asset he had, allowed him to best and keep pace with some of the most powerful of Shinigami and Arrancar. He was proving it right now, she couldn't hit him or come close to catching him.

He was doing so well, in fact, he couldn't help but smirk.

"Having trouble keeping up?" Ichigo asked.

He casually drew Tensa Zangetsu back and bathed it in dark spiritual energy, preparing to deliver a Getsuga enhanced slash. He vanished into another burst of Shunpo, appearing next to the elemental Princess and slamming into her side. This time the effect was noticeable, the wave of blackness crashed into her stomach and sent the elemental staggering.

"You dare strike at me!" Theradras roared.

"Yep." Was Ichigo's nonchalant response.

He leaped aside, avoiding the barrage of strikes that followed after him from the infuriated elemental.

The ground shook and exploded with each of her swings, even those that didn't touch the soil seem to uproot the very ground with its passing. Ichigo's gaze feel upon the wound, the nice little crevice he had cut into her side was now noticeable without having to scrutinize the spot. It wasn't more than a superficial wound, but he would grind that stone down before blowing right through that massive gut.

"You will pay for your insolence! For you face the daughter of the Stone Mother! For none who walk this world can hope to match my might and dominion over all stone and earth!" Therazane said.

Ichigo didn't bother to listen, it was pure bravado considering all she was doing was charging in and trying to beat him with muscle. Easy to anticipate and easy to dodge, with how erratic she was behaving there was no way she was a threat to him. Again a smirk played at his lips, those fears and doubts that he couldn't face her on even ground had evaporated. Theradras was nothing more than a spoiled brat with a superiority complex, he was almost reminded of Byakuya during their final confrontation.

'Only this time I plan to put her down before she starts doing anymore tricks.' Ichigo mused.

But when he attempted to move only to remain locked in place did he realize that she had already started using one of those tricks. A surge of worry gnawed at his gut when he felt his feet resist their attempts to leave the ground.

Looking down he found the loose soil coiling around his greaves and holding him in place. With a silent curse, he looked up to the only one responsible, finding the massive Princess looming over him with her massive mace raised high to crush him. How fitting, he compared her to Byakuya and he was right on the money. He thought that fight would be easy with Bankai, but it seems he would be getting a beating for his overconfidence.

Ichigo swung up to deflect her attack, narrowly doing so, and saving himself from being pulverized like the ground just to his right. But when she continued to attack, her mace falling towards him over and over again, Ichigo was forced to deflect her blows as they came. Not an easy thing to do, immobilized and unable to do anything but parry the earth-shattering strikes that were as hard to deflect as pushing aside a truck speeding towards you.

'Got to get out of this!' Ichigo thought.

He knew it would be as simple as shattering the ground beneath him, but the opportunity to do so was not given. Theradras was not letting up her assault, one attack was followed by another and would continue until one actually struck him. Yet even this inevitable assured method was too monotonous for her, so she tried a new tactic.

As he mace rose up for another swing she attacked, but in a way that took Ichigo completely by surprise. Her free hand came down right on top of him, the unexpected move nearly flattened the Substitute before he could raise Tensa Zangetsu. He had saved himself from being crushed under her palm, yet the likelihood his end would come from the flat of her palm was still a possibility. Her strength greatly exceeded his own, the only reason he did not fall to his knees was because his feet were locked in place and provided some leverage to keep himself standing.

His arms fought and ached for release, unable to overcome the overwhelming strength and weight she seemed to put forward. This was not the worst she had to offer, that was when she decided to attack him from the side. Her mace came around and was going to rip him out from under her hand and his feet from his ankles when it struck.

Reluctantly he pulled Tensa Zangetsu from her hand and used it to block the mace, he felt his entire arm go numb for the briefest of seconds before the pain hit him. Something was probably broken or slowly breaking as he held the mace back. But even then he was still holding back her hand that was right over him, and he was only using one arm now.

With his attention diverted between her palm and the mace he was starting to give in, the weight and pressure was too much for him to resist. He was trapped, Zanpakuto connected to her mace and his free hand fighting to keep her palm from turning him into paste.

"Did you honestly think you could beat me? I have lived for eons, walked this world when it belonged to the elements! Too think that some mortal could even fantasize besting me, your arrogance is astounding!"

Ichigo could barely make out a word she spoke, his face red as he strained to hold her back. All his effort was focused towards holding her back and escaping, he desperately needed to figure out the latter because he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

In another act of cruelty, Theradras gathered her power and formed another weapon. With her other set of arms she gathered the stone to her palm and began to fashion new weapons, two blades. A set of long serrated daggers, these diamond sharp blades were longer than Ichigo was tall.

'Shit!' Ichigo thought.

His mind reeled, thinking of what she might intend with that newest instrument of pain. The images he conjured up gave him more motivation to escape before she brought imagination to reality. Ichigo glanced at Tensa Zangetsu and quickly coming up with a way to save his ass, it was risky. But he wasn't in any position to care about that.

Bathing the blades edge in spiritual pressure, it roared with energies that wanted to be released. Ichigo stabbed it down as far as he could to release the energy, sending it right into the ground next to himself. The explosion was powerful and sent him flying, ripping the ground apart and the earth that had held him down.

He hit the ground running, vaulting to his feet and got ready to defend himself. Looking back he saw the Elemental Princess stagger away, mostly unharmed by the explosion but the sneering visage made it hard to tell if she was angry he had escaped.

He maintained his distance, that little experience had wiped away what arrogance he had. She was more powerful than he was, if only by virtue of experience and the scope of her powers. Truthfully almost all the enemies he had faced in the past had been like that, but this enemy was older and likely the most experienced he had come across to date.

He didn't know the full scope of her powers, which by now have shown themselves to be diverse and highly refined.

She possessed superior strength, his arms still burned and would be a reminder to that. Highly durable, that is for certain. His Bankai can cut through and wear down her hide, but beating her might not be possible with that tactic. The breach on her left side would be the perfect place to start, he had already cracked it and dug a wound. He just needed to get his weapon in there deep enough and punch through her.

But there was one major problem he had right now.

It was her ability to manipulate the earth.

It was her greatest asset in this fight, and was likely going to be the toughest obstacle to deal with. Considering that she could create weapons from loose rocks around her, cause mountain size boulders to fall from the walls and actually levitate them, she was well versed in controlling the earth. Given it is her element it was as much a part of her being as his Shinigami powers were part of his.

But it wasn't the big flashy things she did that made her dangerous, it was the small unnoticeable tricks she employed that had gotten him. She could use the dust and dirt on the ground to bar his movements, meaning she can keep him immobile when she attacks. His speed was his greatest advantage and the only real thing he had over her, and she had a way to counter it.

'Terrific.' Ichigo thought, that complicates things more than he needed.

But he was still alive and mostly uninjured, his side hurt and his left arm felt numb but he was far from being out of commission. Hell, these injuries were minor, especially compared to all his other battles in the past. Almost reminded Ichigo of home, getting into all those scraps and having the shit beaten out of him.

Smirking, it felt kind of exciting to be in such a familiar situation, he charged Theradras and drew back Tensa Zangetsu. He knocked her mace up and then slashed into her side, aiming for the wound. She retaliated, lurching forward and stabbing her dagger into the ground. Leaping aside he evaded easily enough, as well as leaping over the mace as she flung it around.

He backpedaled as her strikes grew more erratic, he kept only as close as needed so he could quickly get in a strike when an opening came. Yet he was forced to a halt when he backed into something, glancing over his shoulder he saw a jagged spike jutting from the earth. He had little time to admire it before Theradras took advantage of the distraction. Swinging her mace around, he leaped to the side and saved himself from being pulverized like the spike.

'Well that is another thing to look out for.' Ichigo thought.

He had to follow to that little bit of hindsight a moment later.

The earth below him shift, the only warning given that something was about to emerge. Ichigo leaped to the side, watching as a new spike sprouted from the ground. Then a second sprung up, followed quickly by a third and fourth, narrowly avoiding being impaled took most of his attention. Leaving him open for the elemental Princess, she came in when his back was turned.

Ichigo swung around and parried the strike, only to duck to the side when she moved to crush him with her free hand. As soon as the limb was imprinted into the ground Ichigo struck, aiming for the back of her palm. He cracked her entire hand, leaving a nice shattered hole in its center, and making her howl. She tried to user her daggers, but he skipped side to side to avoid them both.

"You struggle! Can you not see that you will not win? I will bring about the return of the Elements to this world, and it will be ours again!" Theradras cried out. "My master has plans for you, what they are mean nothing compared to the return of this world to its rightful owners!"

"I don't give a rat's ass!" Ichigo retorted.

Leaping over the mace as it pulverized a large standing boulder, rushing up its falling face Ichigo lunged towards her. The mace came back around, aiming for the airborne Shinigami, yet he quickly parried the blow. His swing strong enough to knocked the weapon downward, completely altering its momentum.

Theradras staggered as she kept hold of her weapon, Ichigo twisted around to keep himself in the air and attack again. He charged up a Getsuga Tenshō, with a final twist he fired it right into the side of her head. Theradras didn't utter a sound when she was rocked off her feet and sent tumbling through the air. Her landing thundered through the ground, rocky pillars were broken apart as she barreled through them.

She seemed to struggle to rise, as if the strike had concussed her. He wouldn't think it was possible to do that to a non-biological spiritual being, but he wasn't going to waste the glance to get a few more hits in. As soon as his soles touched the ground he took off, making a beeline for the slowly rising Elemental.

Ichigo was already drawing back Tensa Zangetsu when he was forced to a halt, yet it was not of his own choosing. The Substitute choked as he struggled to remain standing, he couldn't describe it at first, his entire body felt so heavy that he couldn't even move a muscle without the risk of collapsing. Ichigo's eyes feel to the ground, even that small motion nearly lost him his footing, he could see the earth cracking under this oppressive weight that had captured him.

'The… hell…?'

He fought to look up towards Theradras, who was slowly and gingerly getting back to her feet. Her movements were unrestrained compared to Ichigo, who couldn't risk a muscle twitch unless he fell to his hands and knees. Ichigo flair his Reiatsu, hoping to escape before she could get close, if this was her exhibiting spiritual pressure he could counter it with his own. Yet even as he released all the power he could muster the pressure did not abate. He was trapped and had no idea how to escape.

'Did she… turn up gravity or something?'

Was that even possible for her to do? Could the elementals actually control the fundamental nature of gravity by altering the mass of the ground beneath him?

"Foolish mortal, nothing can defeat me. You blade grinds against my skin and your power is wild and unfocused, it is a mystery why my master would want such a thing." Theradras said, slowly wobbling towards Ichigo. "What could he want from you? A fleshy little speck of nothing, while you hold great power, is not even capable of doing anything more than nibble on my skin like a geo-worm."

Ichigo didn't pay her words any mind, yet he grew uncomfortable with how close she was getting. Quickly he used Shunpo, attempting to take a step and hopefully escape the gravity well he was trapped in. But all he did was unbalance himself, his knees buckled and he was forced to the ground.

He tried to stand back up, she was right next to him now. He could feel that repulsive glare of her focused on his back, he had to stand back up and try to fight back. Then to his surprise the pressure was gone, the strain and agony of it abated and he was left feeling almost weightless.

Truth be told, that was exactly what had happened. Looking down he found himself floating away from the ground, he rolled through the air uncontrolled. His eyes were wide, looking around frantically and attempting to right himself but found the task to be all but impossible.

'She really can control gravity.'

Just another one of her powers she could use against him.

"Shocked and easily rattled, as you should be. But even so, what a pathetic excuse you turned out to be." Theradras sneered.

Swinging her mace forward she smashed the Substitute aside. Ichigo was sent sailing across the island and dangerously close to the edge. He impaled Tensa Zangetsu into the rock, trying to arrest his movements before he fell off the edge.

The danger of falling was no longer a concern, but that did not mean he was safe.

Glancing up he found a boulder coming right for him, Ichigo leaped to his feet and shattered it with Tensa Zangetsu. He staggered with his swing, his balance was completely thrown off and he was struggling to keep himself centered. Fighting through it he tried to charge Theradras, unwilling to allow himself to be put on the defensive.

However, the constant barrage from spikes and the ground rising up to ensnare him made his attempted counter attack falter. He ducked, sidestepped, leaped away and around any attack she sent, regaining his equilibrium and waiting for the right moment to go on the offensive once more.

That moment came when a path to Theradras became open, one that he was quick to take. With Shunpo he was right beside Theradras, blade held in both hands and ready to swing.

Yet his movements were arrested by another gravity well. The restrictive pressure lasted only a moment before he was floating several feet above the ground. But the peaceful floating was ended, in a similar manner to his previous stint in a gravity well, when Theradras' mace came down right on top of him.

Agony shot through him, every muscle and bone screamed and shuddered, and kept growing with every consecutive hit that followed. But the sadistic pleasure from Theradras was easily felt and heard, her laugher rumbled through the cavern.

"What did you expect mortal?" Theradras roared out in delight. Ichigo floated up from the ground after she withdrew her mace, only to smack him down again when he was high enough. "Here I am at my strongest, with the Elemental Planes so close I am unbound. While you are just as fragile and soft as the flesh you inhabit!"

Ichigo didn't reply, not that he could have, instead he tried to keep himself from throwing up. He could taste the copper in the back of his throat, was all he needed to tell him he was grievously injured. He should have been dead by now, had Veles not given Ichigo this blessing and power he most certainly would be. But he had also hoped that it would even the playing field against Theradras.

It appears he was stuck to his own skills for this fight.

"Getsuga…"

Ichigo flung his chain forward, it wrapped around the tusk poking from the elemental's lower jaw, and he reeled himself towards her. Close enough he drew back his Bankai and swung hard.

"Tenshō!"

Theradras was flung off her feet, landing heavily and leaving her to writhe on the ground as she tries to get her fat body back onto her feet. But Ichigo leaped up and right on top of her, slamming Tensa Zangetsu right into her face, fracturing her brow and eye. She let out a howl, equal parts pain and rage, before she stabbed with one of her daggers. Ichigo twisted his blade around and blocked the slash, narrowly keeping himself from being flung off her chest.

With the two blades lock Theradras reached up and grabbed the Substitute and tossed him down beside her. Ichigo grunted as he rolled onto a knee and glanced up, quick to see the mace coming right down for him. He leaped aside and rolled to his feet, then attacked. Theradras had not gotten back onto her feet, he could keep the pressure up and make sure she didn't get her balance back.

Even as she staggered away and fought to keep her balance, dropping to a knee from a strike and trying to rise up, she didn't stop attacking. Ichigo parried one of her daggers before doing the same to the mace, he got in close and slashed at the slowly growing wound on her side. Always on the offensive, turning every attack she sent towards him a failure that cost her ground and poise.

He could see the wound was growing, several inches deep, he just hoped that she wasn't stone all the way through. But even if she was, he would keep hitting there and either crack to the soft core or eventually cut her in half. In either scenario he was meeting resistance, she was not going to make it easy for him to win.

He ducked back as she swung at him, evading and closing in to her exposed side. He appeared by the wound and made for a stab, the tip of the blade piercing through a few inches of rock with some resistance. But even with such a superficial strike he knew he hit something, the way she jolted and roared out proved he was hitting a nerve. Either to her dignity or something a little more biological didn't matter.

Pulling his blade free Ichigo retreated a few steps, evading another wild flurry of swings from the Princess before he closed in again.

'Just a little more.' Ichigo thought.

He took a step forward, just as the mace rushed past him, only to step back when something nearly impaled him from below. Ichigo stumbled back, a jagged scratch on the front of his breastplate, looking up at the large spike that had shot out of the ground. Another followed from behind, angled to pierce him through the back, a quick twist and swing obliterated the spike. Yet Ichigo was forced back when the hammer came in and struck him, throwing him off his feet and sailing across the glade.

Theradras however was not content to allow Ichigo to just fly and tumble, she wanted him on the ground and at her mercy. With a subtle gesture she summoned a gravity well, right below the Substitute and violently pulling him down to the ground. Ichigo gritted his teeth before he heard the thundering footfalls of Theradras coming right for him, glaring out of the corner of his eye he saw the bitch running right towards him.

The mace was high above her head and ready to drop, and just like before he had no real way to get out of the gravity well. His only option was to take the hits, and maybe pray she does something stupid like turning off the gravity.

He grunted at the first strike, he didn't know if a rib broke or not, something had definitely snapped. Ichigo pushed out with his spiritual pressure, if not to free him, to try and at least keep the damage at a minimum. But even so he started to feel things tear and break, bones and muscles were on their way out and he felt his power waver.

Blood dripped from his nose, leaking from there where the majority couldn't escape past his clenched teeth. Theradras was not going to stop until he was dead, the longer he held on the longer he prevented that inevitable outcome from occurring. He didn't want to delay his end, instead he planned to avert it all together.

He tossed Tensa Zangetsu aside, it didn't go far enough to escape the field however. But Ichigo never expected it too, instead he had to risk it being forced out. He grinded his teeth together but kept his eyes on the blade, watching as every single hit he took pushed the blade further from him.

Eventually one final strike threw the blade free of the gravity field, as it flung through the air he tried to will it through the chain he held onto – guiding the tip towards the ground. It impaled itself as he wished, something he fought to have done as the hammer continued to smash into him. But now came the tricky part, he couldn't reel himself free and he could pull on the chain. That was never the intent, but he had another idea.

He flared his reaitsu and pushed it through the chain, but not towards the blade. Instead he condensed the energy within the links of each chain, building the pressure within and forcing them to hold them for as long as possible. The thing about pressure, when enough of it is held in an unnatural container for too long it eventually tries to release the strain. Not too different than how a rubber hand releases the energy it holds when stretched, but he was going for a different approach.

This was a little something Aegwynn had taught him, how to channel his power in multiple places and actually have it act in different ways. He may not have an aptitude towards magic, but anything connected to his spiritual power and Zanpakuto he had unparalleled control.

While keeping that pressure within the chains, he focused in on the handle and prepared to release some of the energy there. In an instant he released the pressure, the entire blade spinning in the ground, the motion of the chain followed it and went tact as it flew away.

Basic physics, when an object has a lot of pressure and energy in it that moves, even something small, it holds a lot of force. Just enough to pull the Substitute out of the gravity field, sending him swinging away from the surprised Princess.

His feet touched the ground and he skidded along the soil, crasping the chain in both hands he pulled on it and turned his melee weapon into a chained one. He arced the chain around, it flaring with dark red spiritual energy, and channeled all that condensed energy into the edge of the blade. He sent it right towards the still surprised Theradras, who could do nothing but watch as the edge of the blade slam into her face.

Throwing her off her feet and through three stone obelisks behind her, all the while she roared out in agony as she clutched at her face.

'This still isn't enough.' Ichigo thought.

This had probably been the most debilitating of wounds delivered, but he had paid a hell of a beating to give it to her.

His armor had taken a massive beating, but the cracks and dents on the surface were only an imitation on what he likely looked like on the inside. Taking a deep breath and focusing himself he tried to use these few second he had to figure out how to deal with this stone cold walking rock.

The power he had now was just not enough, he could just see beneath her fingers that her face was cracked and broken. He was sure that a tusk and most of her cheek was missing, but that wouldn't be the end of her. If this power wasn't enough to do any real damage than he needed more.

"Guess I got no choice but to rely on you now." Ichigo muttered while raising a hand to his face.

He loathed using this power, it was always something of a last resort for him. Using that things power to win felt wrong, as if he was cheating and relying on someone he couldn't trust. But there was something else, that strange feeling he got whenever he wore the mask.

Calling it bloodlust was wrong, but more like a desire and want to inflict harm and prove his power over his enemies. Like the mask brought out a sort of primal desire to prove he was the best, to become the King, as his Inner Hollow was so fond of saying.

With a swipe of his hand, clawing his fingers in front of his face, he summoned up the hollow mask. Darkness clouded his vision, before a familiar oppressive weight settled on him and his heart. Despite the dark energies that touched him he felt stronger, he felt more alive than he had been in a long while.

"Now I got you." Ichigo words were distorted and reverberating through the pale white mask.


Not over yet, there is another chapter after this!