Author's Note: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are the property of Tite Kubo. The original characters, settings and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with Tite Kubo and no copyright infringement is intended. This work is an amateur fan effort and no profit is being made.

With that in mind, check your sensibilities at the door. AU. Pure entertainment only. You've been warned. Enjoy!

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Everyone sat in the living room. There was a couch and a loveseat and directly behind it was the dinning room, which had a kitchen table. The area was much too small to have a dinning table and the one I had would have taken up more than half the room. This was a Japanese apartment. I had to make do with what I had and used the furniture to make a distinction between the rooms. At a wall near the kitchen was a bar table with matching stools. Antique ones, no less. They were sturdy and had been through their fair share of a tavern fight, not to mention all manner of house projects. Gods knew how many times I had to replace the wood, but always to the original specifications. There were antique lamps with their original Tiffany glass here and there, a small end table with a frosted glass and amber chess set. The kind where you lift the top and underneath it is a velvet covered holding place for all the pieces. Just peeking out from behind one of the Victorian styled screens I used as part of the dividing wall between the living room and the sitting room was a traveling harp and next to it was a dulcimer. Hanging from the walls were paintings, ornate plates, a relatively small tapestry (I was half tempted to use it to cover up "the hole"), and a sword with its sheath placed in a velvet backed display case. The sword looked as though it had seen better days. There were scratches and dents along its blade, part of the crosstree was missing, and the leather braiding around the hilt was worn. The sheath was battered and some parts of it were worn down, such as the entrance and a spot where a shield had rested against it. There were remains of leather wrapping around the shield worn spot, but it was beginning to come off. Another ancient relic from the distant past.

I pulled over the two leather wing backed chairs from the sitting room for Juushirou and I to sit in. Aodhan was sitting on the arm of the loveseat facing the ruined wall (which now exhibited some signs of being resuscitated and a plastic drape around it). Rangiku and Toshirou were sitting in it. It was a little cramped and they were practically sitting on each other, but that was why it was called a 'loveseat.' Toshirou, needless to say, looked highly annoyed. Ichigo was perched on one of the bar stools that I normally kept by the bar table near the kitchen. He had probably dragged it over so that there weren't three gentlemen sitting on the couch all crowded together. Humans were so funny sometimes. Renji and Ikkaku shared the couch but were sitting at opposite ends of each other. Typical.

The air in the room was permeated with tension, expectation, and dread with an undercurrent of curiosity. As far as I could tell, Aodhan, Juushirou, and I were the oldest in the room and Juushirou was the only Shinigami present that had any experience with other realms. These younger Death Gods were entering new territory just by talking with Aodhan and me. I could feel the heaviness in the room and the steady stream of energy, which flickered over my skin like fireflies at twilight. The air was so thick I could taste it. My mind waded through it as I tried to focus my attention at the task at hand.

Ichigo was giving me a blank stare. So did most of those assembled before me. I think Aodhan and Juushirou were the only ones who knew what 'nathar sgiathach' meant. This was going to be more difficult than I thought.

"The winged serpent," I said, watching their expressions.

Rangiku looked curious and listened to every word I said with an attentiveness that I hadn't seen before. There were probably reasons why she was a lieutenant. Toshirou was frowning more than he normally did but I could see in his eyes that he was weighing everything that was being said. I couldn't tell if he believed me or not. Ikkaku looked bored with the conversation. Every time something was said he rolled his eyes. He struck me as the type of man that, unless it involved fighting and maiming something, he wasn't interested. Ichigo… Well, he was trying to understand. I'll give him that. Renji was only half paying attention, his attitude of one who wonders why he should care if it didn't directly affect him.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Renji asked, stifling a yawn.

"Everything," Aodhan answered before I could. All eyes turned on him. "The nathar sgiathach is what you would call a serpent. But one in particular is ancient. It was here long before Man and Elf alike and it is not happy about the current state of affairs here on this world."

"They were all here before we were," I added. "All of the nathar sgiathach."

Aodhan gave me a slightly annoyed look as he continued. "Most serpents Cinnia and I have encountered are guardians or they wish to be left alone and want nothing to do with the world. Those we call 'dragons.'; however, there are a few that wish to return the world to the way that it once was."

"Which would be?" Ichigo asked. He was scratching the back of his head. For whatever reason, it annoyed me greatly. Points to him for asking questions at least.

"Before Elf and Man ever set foot on the world," Aiden replied.

"And this serpent-"

"Nathar sgiathach," I supplied.

This time, both Aodhan and Ichigo gave me annoyed looks. I ignored them.

"Right," Ichigo said. I could hear the irritation in his voice. "It wants to return the world to that state."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It hates us," Aodhan replied. "It hates all of us. It claims that we destroyed the world."

"Let me guess: it wants to destroy us?" Ichigo looked amused.

It did seem cliché but that wasn't quite what this particular nathar sgiathach wanted. I told them as much.

"Then what does it want?" Rangiku asked. She had leaned back in her seat on the loveseat and was now looking at us in a manner that spoke of keen interest. Or concern. I wondered if perhaps she had heard of these particular dragons.

"To return the world to what it once was," I replied.

"You've said that."

"Yes, I know." Aodhan was beginning to get frustrated. I could see it in the way he sat, the way he frowned, and was floundering for the right words. He cast about, trying to find a way to explain things to them in a manner that they would understand. "There are many nathar sgiathach, but there is one in particular that hates the Elves and Humans the most. It is ancient, powerful, and holds a hatred for the world as it is now that is unrivaled. It has attempted many times to bring about the fall of Man," Aodhan explained. "It has also corrupted many of our brethren, turning them into Drow."

"Drow?" Ichigo looked confused. I could see his gaze turn inward as he thought of the Drow that were typically described in those newer books. Wretched things. They hardly ever got anything right.

"Not what you think," I said quickly. "In our language 'drow' means 'dark elf.' They live in the bowels of the earth near the winged serpent that had tainted and corrupted them. They are highly skilled warriors and are extremely adept at poisons. No purple skin, white hair, or red eyes. Don't always take what you read as truth about our kind or any others."

"I thought Drow were just born Drow," Ichigo mused. He had his chin in his hand and was listening to Aodhan and I intently.

Aodhan was shaking his head. "No. Drow were originally Elves. You see, when an Elf looses his heart he becomes susceptible to temptations of a darker nature. When that happens, he becomes Drow."

I decided to bring the conversation back on track. "I know it sounds cliché and predictable but this nathar sgiathach has the ability to reduce the world to nothing with no more than a thought."

"But it doesn't want that."

"No. What it longs for is something that existed in the distant past."

"The world as it once was."

I smiled. "So you are listening." I waved off his retort and continued. "The nathar sgiathach in question will attempt to rid the world of Man. How? I don't know."

"And the Elves?"

Aodhan and I remained quiet. I saw Juushirou look at me in alarm. I glanced over at the others and saw that look mirrored on Toshirou's face. I turned away, not wanting to see the thoughts of the others imprinted on their faces. "It will attempt to turn the Elves into Drow or kill them," I said very quietly.

"Which will the dragon do first?" I heard Juushirou ask just as quietly.

I clenched my hands in my lap as Aodhan replied.

"Us," he said oh so calmly. It was almost maddening. "We are the greatest threat. After we are gone there will be very few people who will be able to stop it."

I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as I tried to still the rushing tide. This was no time to panic. I had to remain calm. If it came down to a fight, the others would be depending on me. I couldn't begin to explain it, this feeling. This nathar sgiathach inspired a fear in me that was unrivaled by any other creature. Demons and Drow seemed like gnats, a nuisance, in comparison. This was an all encompassing evil that had grown when the first Elf set foot on the world. I wasn't so proud to say that we didn't cause any of the strife. We did fight wars against the dragons and ourselves. If anything, we had created the wound. The Humans made it fester. But it wasn't their fault. It was ours.

The grumbling from the Shinigami, their angry voices and protests, brought me out of my reverie. Something inside of me, not so much snapped loose, but came together. I was an Elf, a self-charged protector of the world and its ancient ways. There was no time for pity, for self-loathing. Something had to be done and we needed the help of the Death Gods.

"I'm being quite serious," I snapped. I was angry. Mostly at myself than at them. "How many of you know how to manipulate the magic in the earth and in the air? In the fire and the water? How many of you can sense a difference in the flow of the world when it changes? How many of you know how to defeat a winged serpent so ancient that it's impervious to most of our spells and simple weapons?" I stared at them, chin lifted and with indignation in my eyes, waiting for an answer but knowing none would come. "This nathar sgiathach can change the world and none of you would know it. This change wouldn't be obvious. It would be something so subtle that no one would notice. Why? Because most Humans have lost the ability to sense the world's moods." I stared at them each in turn. "Do you understand now why this is so important?"

"Yes," Toshirou answered quietly, calmly. The look he gave me made me realize how much older he was. In that moment, he was no longer a boy playing at samurai and trying to be more grownup than he looked. In my eyes, he was infinitely older than most of those present. I had been sorely wrong about him. I inclined my head to him, slowly, eyes lowered. An acknowledgement of his wisdom without having to say a word. I saw a look pass over his face for just a moment, long enough for me to see: understanding. Yes. I had been very wrong about him.

"Now," he began in brisk, business-like tones, "the question remains: why were Hollows after Aiden?"

I sighed, my anger gone now. I couldn't let myself loose control. I couldn't fall into the same traps as some of my cousins had: pride, arrogance, and scorn for the Humans. "I don't know," I said finally. "There's also the question of the iron. How did they know that iron is near lethal for Elves?" I stood up from my seat and began to pace. A nervous habit of mine. "Only those of the old world would know about it." I gave Juushirou and Aodhan a meaningful glance as I passed them.

"Cinnia, sit down," Juushirou told me in an off-hand manner. His brows were furrowed slightly as he considered the possibilities against what he knew. "Hollows wouldn't know on their own about something like that," Juushirou mused.

"Hollows wouldn't, but what about Arrancar?" Ikkaku suggested.

I mouthed that last world to Juushirou. He shook his head. I'd have to ask him about it later.

"What would Aizen have to gain from capturing an Elf?" Toshirou retorted with disdain. "If Aizen was working with the serpent, he wouldn't want the world destroyed. Just under his control."

"Unless Aizen doesn't know about the serpent," Juushirou pointed out.

"Who's Aizen?" I asked.

I saw Toshirou stiffen and Juushirou frown. There was a hard look in Rangiku's eyes and Renji looked murderous. That same look was mirrored in Ichigo's face. Ikkaku looked less perturbed than the rest but still uncomfortable.

"Aizen," Juushirou said slowly, "was once a Shinigami. He was captain of the 5th Division until his betrayal. He-"he paused, seemingly collecting his thoughts "-he wanted to accomplish something that was forbidden. He wanted to create Shinigami that possess the powers of a Hollow. He was successful to an extent. Currently, we are unaware of whatever else he's planning."

I looked directly at Aodhan. "Hollows and Drow. A Drow would know about iron and the only Drow that I know of that would want Aiden is Rhys."

"Rhys?"

"He used to be Aiden's brother. He-" Now it was my turn to explain things in an easy manner. "Something happened, something that he couldn't understand and handle, and he was tempted by the nathar sgiathach. He became a Drow after that, but he still has strong feelings for Aiden as a brother. He probably wants to turn Aiden into one so they can be family again."

I could see the pieces begin to fall into place. Some of it was speculative, but so far everything was making sense. Still, one thing was bugging me: why would such an ancient creature work with a creature so obviously linked to Death's Realm?

"So, the real question is: is the nathar sgiathach and this Aizen working together or is this mere coincidence?" I asked. "The serpent may be using a Drow to communicate with the outside world." It was a possibility. A strong possibility.

"But why would they work together in the first place?" Rangiku mused aloud. "Did Aizen know about the serpent all along or was it a recent discovery? If he did know about these serpents and dragons, could this be part of his ultimate plan?"

"That's the million dollar question," Aodhan muttered darkly.

I glanced over at him. He stood with his arms crossed and glowering at nothing in particular. The mention of his brother must have set him in a foul mood. I couldn't blame him. He glanced at me and muttered that he was going to bed. I nodded.

The Shinigami discussed amongst themselves what to do. I politely excused myself and readied for bed. It had been a long day. I bathed instead of showered, using my favorite oils: lavender and chamomile. I washed my hair and dressed. When I emerged from my bedroom everyone was gone except for Renji.

"Are you here by yourself?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nah. Ichigo's here with me. He wanted to ask you some questions when he got back."

I nodded. I wanted to know what questions but I would find out soon enough. I walked over to my favorite sitting chair again with the book from last night. I opened it but couldn't seem to concentrate on the words. I gave up, closed the book, and walked back into the dining room, book in hand.

The window was almost done. Aodhan really knew what he was doing when it came to carpentry. I looked over at the door to see Ichigo return with Aodhan, who said he was going to bed. He must have gone out with Ichigo to get whatever he needed without handing out the key. Trusting yet paranoid at the same time. That's Aodhan.

I sat down on the couch and watched Ichigo put something in my fridge. He came back over and sat down across from me.

"I was confused by one of your comments," he said.

Here it comes.

"You said that Rhys was once Aiden's brother and yet you said that he would be the only one who would be after him."

Ah. I knew the answer to this question.

"Rhys became a Drow a little over a thousand years ago. When that happens, we no longer consider them as part of the family. Why hold on to something that no longer exists?"

Ichigo looked thoughtful for a moment. I glanced over at Renji and he looked mildly interested in the conversation.

"Why did he become a Drow?" Renji asked suddenly. "You said that Elves don't become Drow unless they loose their heart."

"And you and Captain Ukitake seem to know each other, too," Ichigo pointed out with a hint of mischief.

I laughed. "Juushirou and I know each other from long ago." I could feel the smile fade from my lips. "I don't suppose you two are interested in hearing a story, are you?" I didn't wait for a response.

"When the world was still young and green, my sister Soraya met Rhys. They seemed happy together and I think they may even have had plans to marry. I met Aiden because of Rhys and we became friends.

"Anyway, something happened. The balance between the Demon realm and our realm was thrown off and began to bleed over into the mortal realm, which affected Paer'mvaer, or Death's Realm. You see, some rogue Demons were trying to break free of their bonds and wreak havoc in Talvaer, or the World of Man. We felt the world cry out and came to its aid. That was when my sister met Maero. He was part of Juushirou's unit. He was the one that saved her that first time."

"First time?"

"The first time that we fought against the Demons. It was how they met. He saved her during that initial fight. He fended them off before they overwhelmed her. She fought beside him once she regained her footing and held the first wave off until reinforcements came."

I grew quiet and closed my eyes. "They fought together, spent time together, and soon Soraya found herself in love with a Shinigami. It wasn't that such a love was forbidden. It was just difficult. You see, in Aelovaer time flows differently and at that time we Elves lived there. We would venture out only when needed. And since Maero lived in Paer'mvaer, what you call Soul Society, it made things extremely difficult."

"So, what did they do?" Ichigo asked quietly.

"Soraya gave up her life in Aelovaer to live in Talvaer. I didn't want her to be alone during the times when Maero couldn't be there so I came as well. Rhys flew into a jealous rage, which surprised everyone. He tried to drag Soraya back. I tried to stop him but I was too weak. Rhys was one of our strongest warriors when he had been an Elf. I didn't stand a chance against him as a Drow. I was lucky Aiden and Vaeramae, a friend of mine, showed up when they did. While Rhys could have easily beaten Aiden and myself, he couldn't withstand the might of a Valkyrie. But something changed in his heart that day forever. I think that was the day when he lost his heart."

"He became a Drow then, didn't he?"

I nodded. "He must have. I never saw him after that. I took Aiden in and cared for him in the absence of his brother. It was shortly after that that we were able to close off the hole in the Demon Realm with the help of the Demon King and the Shinigami; however, Maero lost his life during that last battle. Soraya died shortly thereafter from grief."

"Wait a minute. I thought-"

I held up a hand to stop any more questions and comments. "Elves do not die like Humans do. Mortal wounds don't affect us the same way as they do for you; however, we can die from things such as grief or despair." I dropped my hand back into my lap. I looked down and I could feel a heavy weight descend upon me. "She just couldn't bear to be away from him."

"And that left you and Aiden by yourselves."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you go back?"

Ichigo just had to ask the complicated questions. "Aelovaer… Aelovaer was large then. But as time flowed ever forward, more and more of that ancient world began to die as Man continued to spread. Many of my kind have left to travel across the Great Sea to never return. Others have opted to live mostly in this world. There is only so much of Aelovaer left and it's not much."

Renji and Ichigo were quiet. Ichigo sat with his elbows on his knees leaning forward, staring down at the floor with a serious expression on his face. Probably because of that perpetual scowl of his. Renji sat on the couch with his arms hanging over the back and his legs stretched out in front of him. He stared off into the distance. Who knew what he was thinking.

I left them to their thoughts. I tucked my legs under me and opened my book.

"So, why do you stay?"

The question gave me pause. I looked up at Ichigo and stared for a long while before answering. "For love of the world as it once was," I said ever so quietly. I looked back down at my book. I still hadn't finished L'Morte D'Arthur. "I love this world too much to just leave it all behind. I will continue with this existence until I am no longer able."

"You love it that much?" Ichigo asked.

"I do."

We lapsed into silence again when Ichigo brought up another complicated issue. "That night when the Hollows were trying to take Aiden away you called him 'Aodhan'…" He left the rest hanging in the air.

I sighed. I seemed to sigh a lot these days. "Those from Aelovaer have names that have power over them called 'true names.' Aodhan is Aiden's true name. Keep this amongst yourselves and tell no one. What you two now posses is a great advantage over my cousin."

I wasn't sure if I had impressed upon them the importance of this matter but they nodded. I would have to be sure that they didn't use this information unwittingly.

Ichigo looked as though he was about to ask more about the subject but I shook my head. True names were a difficult subject. "Just promise me that you will not use his name. Swear that you will keep this to yourselves," I pleaded.

"If it means that much to you we won't say anything," Ichigo promised. "Will we?" He looked over at Renji, who nodded.

I breathed a faint sigh of relief. "Thank you." I pulled my book back into my lap and attempted to read.

I was content to leave things the way they were for several days. Aodhan worked on the window until it was finished and the Shinigami guards were rotated. We were beginning to develop a comfortable routine.

I went back to work. Aodhan and I wouldn't exactly survive off of what little we had left and if I stayed away from work any longer I would most certainly be fired. So, off to the 'grind,' as the Humans called it, once more.

Juushirou insisted that someone accompany me but I dissuaded him from implementing such a thing. I reminded him that I wasn't the one in danger that Adohan was. He relented and let me go to work by myself. I'm sure he sent someone to follow and watch over me, anyway. It was just as well.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into first one month, then another. Nothing. Nothing at all. I wondered if it was because whoever was our assailant knew that we were keeping company now and if they knew that our company were Shinigami. There was no guarantee that it was Rhys. I couldn't divine past, present, or future. It wasn't one of my talents and it certainly wasn't one of Aodhan's. I had never been so nervous while waiting before in my life.

During the wait, we were able to relax. Probably a misstep on our part. Rotation was still in twelve hours and still with two Shinigami. Juushirou stopped by when he could, usually with a message from Shunsui, whom I knew from the Demon War, or occasionally from Yamamoto-Genryusai Shigekuni. I had a lot of respect for that man. I would never want to cross him.

I was able to talk at length with the others and found myself instantly liking Rangiku. While she complained and was sometimes lazy, if you really needed her help she was there. She was smarter than she looked but it was the effort of actually applying herself to the task at hand that did her in. She would also spend hours in the bath applying makeup and complain about its poor quality. She liked to tell stories and loved a good drink. She had no problem telling me what Soul Society was like and would even relate stories again so that Aodhan could hear them. She was good company and always brightened my day. I imagined that she and Vaeramae would have been friends. Probably good drinking buddies, too.

Ikkaku didn't talk much unless it was about fighting. I knew there was more to him than that for I would catch him talking with Renji about a variety of things. I even caught him doing his "lucky dance" once. I found that highly amusing. To be honest, we didn't have much in common. Hell, Renji and I had more in common than we did.

Speaking of which, I liked Renji for his bluntness. He would tell me or anyone else if he didn't like something in his typical brusque manner. In a way it made him honest, although I'm sure he wouldn't see it that way. Still, he never lied or hid things from me or Aodhan. He never tried to protect us from every imaginable danger and never sheltered us from the truth. I appreciated that the most. He was the type to accept things as they were. He couldn't change it so he would deal with them in his own time, in his own way, and would make sure to be on top after it was all said and done.

The first thing I noticed about Toshirou was that you didn't call him 'kid' or 'child' or use any Japanese term that alluded to such, like chan. From what Rangiku told me that was a big no-no, despite the fact that Juushirou did it to him quite often. Mostly giving him candy for one reason or another. It annoyed him to no end. Toshirou was also extremely talented. I had been told (by Rangiku, of course) that he was called the "genius captain" amongst the other captains because he had attained his position in the Gotei 13 at such a young age. He was truly a prodigy. I still thought that he was too serious, though, but most certainly wise.

Ichigo. What could I say about Ichigo? He argued with Renji constantly, talked about a girl named Rukia (all of the Shinigami seemed to know her or know of her. With his and Renji's constant chatter, I wanted to meet her), talked about his father launching sneak attacks on him, and just complained. Half of it I didn't even understand. There was school work he had to do (which he sometimes did at my apartment) things he had to learn about being a Shinigami (apparently, he didn't know that there were some things he could do in Paer'mvaer but would be much more difficult in Talvaer. I didn't know that either) and he could never seem to control his spirit energy. Apparently, I hadn't been the only one who could feel it. The others complained about his constant outpour often. Aodhan didn't seem to mind in the slightest. While Ichigo seemed annoyed with my brother, they got along to an extent and he put up with Aodhan's wild antics and occasionally helped him with the repairs.

The day began like normal with me hurrying about to get ready and be out the door by a certain time to catch the right train so that I wouldn't be late for work. It was just as boring and dull as it had been since I went back and I left at the same time I always did and was surprised to find Renji down in front waiting for me.

"Are you my protector for the night?" I joked.

Renji stuck his hands in his pockets and began to walk with me. "Something like that," he answered. "I figured hiding was pointless since you seemed to already know."

I smiled. "Well, thank you for not hiding, then," I said. And I meant it.

"Sure," he said. His way of saying, "You're welcome."

"Aiden still skulking about the apartment?"

"You expecting him to do anything else?"

"I was hoping that news that Rhys might be involved wouldn't have set him in so foul a mood for so long."

"Why?"

"Aiden feels as though Rhys not only abandoned him but betrayed us as well."

"Us?"

"Our kind. Aiden looked up to Rhys before he- before he left."

"So, he's angry."

"Yes."

We walked in silence for a bit, my mind wandering. Then I felt the world not so much change as shift. The presence was familiar and I whirled to meet it. I couldn't see anything at first. I saw Renji swallow something and then his Shinigami self emerge.

"Go tell the others!" he ordered as he drew his sword. I stared in amazement. His body was fully functioning without his soul within it. I didn't know that the Shinigami possessed such abilities. I was looking at mirror images of him, the only difference being the clothes he wore. Both were real, but his "physical" body was being operated by something or someone else. His body acknowledged the order and sped away. I made a mental note to ask him about that later.

I pulled my two daggers from my waist. "There's something else here other than a Hollow," I murmured.

"Drow?"

I tried to concentrate on the other presence. Everything I sent out slipped over it like water over glass. "I can't tell."

"Damn."

We waited in tense silence. I was gripping my weapons so tight that I had to force myself to relax. I heard Renji shift his weight. We were both anxious for the attack.

I felt the world change on my left and I lifted my dagger to meet it. The force of the blow nearly made my arm numb. I forced myself to follow through and alternated attacks between each blade.

The unseen force leaped back and I heard a laugh. I tried to look for its source but to no avail.

"We're in trouble," Renji ground out from between his teeth.

"How so?" I asked, alarmed.

"There's an Arrancar here along with your buddy," he explained.

I didn't dare glance away from the energy I felt. I knew what an Arrancar was: a Hollow that had shed its mask in order to gain Shinigami powers. This was bad.

"I'm glad to see you haven't lost your keen fighting skills, Kieran. I would have been very disappointed otherwise."

That voice made my blood run cold. I felt the blood leave my face and an emptiness in the pit of my stomach. "Rhys," I whispered. When he had been an Elf he had been an exceptional warrior. As a Drow, I'm sure that hadn't changed.

"That's so sweet. You remembered my name," came his mocking voice.

"You can handle the Arrancar, right?" I whispered to Renji.

"Yeah."

I wasn't sure if I should believe him or not, but I had to trust him. "Good. I'll handle the Drow."

Two on two normally wasn't so bad. Normally. But considering the opponents we now faced, I wasn't all that confident about our odds.

I braced myself for the attack. I could feel it coming. I blocked with my dagger and attacked with the other, which was parried. I was dimly aware of Renji fighting with the Arrancar as I fended off a counterattack.

I let my body take over and tried not to think, tried not to hesitate. I opened up my senses and was suddenly aware of everything: the elemental powers that surged around me, the spirit of the world, the darkness that surrounded Rhys, and the battle going on behind me that crackled like electricity.

I met each blade in front of me with one of my own. Our blades flashed in and out of the dying light of day. Twilight was fast approaching. I pressed my attack to drive Rhys back on his heels. He only smiled.

We locked weapons. My immediate reaction was to strike with my left. He caught my wrist. Damn. I forced both of my arms down, forcing him to do the same. I stepped in close.

I was supposed to head butt him. Instead I felt iron, cold and sharp, pierce my flesh. I felt my eyes go wide. I glanced down at my wrist, which was held not by his hand but by some dark force.

"You were always so predictable," he murmured. His face was inches away from mine. His hair was black as pitch, his eyes were the color of ice, and his skin was darker than mine. He was still beautiful in a dark way, but his smile was cruel and I could see him calculating behind those eyes of his. "Know that I never wanted to kill you, Kieran, but I don't need you interfering with neither my master's nor my plans."

I could feel the iron poison working through my body as Rhys lowered me to the ground. It was becoming harder to breathe. My body was refusing to move. All because of one stupid dagger protruding from my side. Rhys jerked the dagger out and I gasped. The pain was unbearable. I saw the weapon and realized that Rhys had been there that night when Adohan had almost been taken away.

He stroked my face tenderly. I recoiled from the touch and tried to turn away. He wouldn't let me.

"Does it hurt, Kieran?" I could hear the sarcastic concern in his voice. "The pain must be exquisite." He touched the open wound none too gently. I cried out despite myself. "What glorious music you make. It's a shame I don't have time to play." I heard actual regret in his voice. He stood up abruptly. "Farewell, Kieran. Perhaps we can play some other time."

I continued to struggle to breathe as he began to walk away. I watched as Rhys made some sort of hand signal. Another man, the Arrancar, appeared next to him. Rhys paused just long enough to turn to where Renji was standing and say, "You may want to take a look at her before she dies, Laochailan." He gestured in my direction.

I saw a glint of metal in the darkness. My pulse began to race. I wasn't sure if he was going to kill me or Renji. I kept my eyes on Rhys. As soon as Renji moved, the knives came. Drow knives laced with poison.

I screamed. I heard Renji echo my cry of pain. He fell to his knees still clutching his sword, Zabimaru, in one hand. I watched as he yanked out one of the knives. He looked over at me, confusion on his face.

"Forgive me," I whispered.

He let the knife go and pulled out another one. "I won't let you die!" he growled. Renji reached for the nearest knife embedded in my body. He struggled to pull it out and cast it aside. He did this once more before collapsing next to me. He had managed to pull out the two that had hit me, but he still had three left in his body.

"So…sorry…" I mumbled. I felt myself grow weaker by the moment. Drow poison was incredibly efficient.

"Stupid," I heard him say. "Don't say…sorry…"

The pain finally overcame me. I let myself slip into the soothing darkness, and then there was nothingness.