Author's note: This chapter will probably be the one I do before I take a break. I am not so sure, but I will decide about it myself. Now as for this chapter, it will be all about the Sonneritters, as well as how things have changed around the Soul Society. Also, we will get to see what Akon and his fellow researchers of Squad 12 have been doing ever since the Sereitei's destruction.


Chapter 55: Feeling Fullmight

Near what appears to be a large icy tower, somewhere near Die Wiege, Soul Society

At this location, near some quarries stood an imposing tower. But its impressive size was not the most catching of the view. You just had to look in the quarries and see thousands of men and women work, the majority of them as slaves or prisoners. These were of course denizens of the Soul Society, forced to perform harsh labor under the watchful eyes of the Quincies…as well as their newly acquired allies.

Everything, from Soldats to Shinigami-loyalists of the Bewachen watched as the slaves dragged large chunks of boulder from the quarries below them, not to mention cutting down the nearby trees in the area. Just what kind of place was this?

"COME ON, YA LOUSY SLACKERS! PICK UP THE PACE! THE WALL ISN'T GONNA BUILD BY ITSELF!" this voice belonged to one of the Sonneritters, who sat on a large chair on top of a platform while giving orders to all laborers around him.

This was Gosuke Kiganjo, once the former Captain of Squad 11, as well as the 10th Kenpachi to carry the title. In other words, he was the captain before being "killed" by Kenpachi Zaraki in combat. Yet somehow, this lazy Shinigami had been brought back to life, and was now one of the outer members of the Sonneritters.

Kiganjo groaned as he scratched the back of his neck. He appeared to be itchy there. "Argh! This place is such a craphole! There's so many damn mosquitoes trying to eat me!" he complained before turning his attention to one of the Quincy-officers who stood beside him. "YOU THERE! GO FETCH ME A FLY SWATTER OR SOMETHING! I'M TAKING A BREAK FROM ALL THIS MESS!" the tall, dark-skinned man commanded him.

The Quincy gulped in return. "B-but sir! You s-shouldn't be taking breaks. With you gone, operations here at Eisenauge will be…" he tried explaining, only to be met by a large Zanpakutou in the form of a cleaver.

This was the Zanpakutou belonging to Kiganjo, and it had a large, black ring inlaid with gold on the end that was roughly the size of his palm. It was attached to the end of the handle, which also had a rim of gold, by a small red sash. To put it bluntly, it was huge.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TALKIN' TO, HUH!? AS THE OVERSEER OF THIS PLACE, ALL YOU RUNTS ARE TO OBEY MY COMMANDS TO THE LETTER! NOW, GET ME A FLY SWATTER, UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR HEAD RIPPED OFF!" the tall man was not being generous.

"Y-YESSIR!" the Quincy was on his way quickly, not daring to question this bullying man any further.

With that taken care off, Kiganjo rested his weapon behind his chair. He groaned, irritated at his responsibilities he carried at this place.

"Why do I have to supervise this place on my own!? I was hoping that Kusajishi and Matsumoto would've been more than happy to give me some assistance by taking this post for a while!" Kiganjo cursed those two Shinigamis, who were Sonneritters as well. The muscular man grumbled. "Kusajishi…..that little twerp is probably slacking off by playing as usual! But as for Matsumoto….I really can't be pissed at her. Yeah, she's too cute to be reprimanded" he was acting all lecherous by just thinking of the latter person and her measurements.

"It's unwise to neglect your responsibilities here" a firm voice could be heard to his left.

Looking there, Kiganjo saw Sajin Komamura, former Captain of Squad 7, standing there all dressed in the Sonneritter's uniform. He was quite tall, about the same size as Kiganjo himself. The wolfman's eyes narrowed as he rested his arms in a cross. From what Kiganjo could tell, Komamura was not pleased with his conduct.

"You accepted this task as a member of His Majesty's Sonneritters. Live by your duty, Gosuke Kiganjo" Komamura sternly reminded him.

"Tch, Sajin Komamura. Probably my least favorite colleague" the bearded Sonneritter rudely responded. "And for the last time, refer to me as Kenpachi Kiganjo! I was a captain, way before you were even born!" he then barked out some demands for recognition.

Komamura seemed far from intimidated. "Not in this lifetime. You were neither respected nor feared. That is painfully evident by your lack of commitment to your duties. Then there is your laziness as you are clearly demonstrating now" the wolfman responded plainly.

This struck a nerve within Kiganjo, and he was this close to reach for his Zanpakutou. But surprisingly, he resisted the temptation.

"Watch your mouth, ya damn mutt! I'm the one running this joint, not you!" Kiganjo responded back with an insult.

"Says the one who fell in battle against his own protégé" Komamura hit back with a jibe.

This made Kiganjo want to slash him for real, yet he realized how more preferable it was trying to get under the wolfman's fur.

"Speaking of protégé, where's that ridiculous lieutenant of yours? I was under the impression that Iba couldn't accomplish anything on his own without you backing his ass" the brutish man asked and let out a deep chuckle.

As offended as Kiganjo's jibe was, Komamura would not let that hurt him personally. He understood the kind of man this former captain was. Kiganjo didn't neccesarily have such as positive legacy.

"Tetsuzaemon does not need my assistance with patrolling Die Wiege. He is strong enough to handle security issues on his own" he firmly replied.

Kiganjo scoffed. "Whatever. But if you're not looking for that idiot, why are you here at Eisenauge?" the Sonneritter demanded some answers.

"I am only here to make sure that you obey the orders from His Majesty and the seven Erzengels. Surely you would've not liked if Azashiro found out about your incompetence" Komamura answered, mentioning a person whom Kiganjo knew very fell.

For a quick second, the usually laid-back ex-captain tensed as he heard that name being mentioned. It also brought so much hostility towards Komamura.

"DON'T EVER BRING HIM INTO THIS! YOU HEAR ME!?" Kiganjo barked, feeling more than angered at the wolfman. "You're only saying those things because you envy him and the Erzengels! Isn't that right, Komamura!?" he then asked.

For a moment, silence took hold upon the tall Sonneritter. Yet Komamura eventually turned around and walked away from Kiganjo.

"Not in the slightest. After all, His Majesty only picks his most devoted followers for those titles. I have not earned my right to be called such" Komamura spoke humbly as he walked off the platform.

Seeing his fellow Sonneritter disappear, Kiganjo grunted, turning his attention towards the scene taking place around Eisenauge.

"Hmph. Pitiful creature. Whether it's Yamamoto or Yhwach, he's always the loyal pet chained to his owner" he ridiculed Komamura's sense of loyalty.

Across Eisenauge, there were all forms of manual labor taking place. Even Shinigamis who had refused to serve under the Wandenreich were made slaves. But among the most prolific slaves working at the large machineries and the wall were the Four Great Seiremon Gatekeepers.

Having at first resisted Yhwach's rule, these enormous guardians of the Sereitei were eventually captured and made into beasts of labor. Three of them: Kaiwan, Danzomaru and Higonyudo, were already pulling levers that were bringing large bricks from the holes in the ground below. All chained up and powerless to resist, these former gatekeepers were whipped into submission and forced to do the toughest forms of manual labor.

"Keep moving the boulders! This wall needs to be finished quickly!" the voice came from a woman with a quite voluptuous figure.

While she wore a Sonneritter-uniform in the style of women, her face and appearance remained the same. But on the other hand, she looked quite stoic as she stood on the wall that was being built.

This woman was the former Lieutenant of Squad 10, Rangiku Matsumoto. Along with her captain, she had been brought into Yhwach's ranks. However, nobody, not even her former friends, could fathom what reason she had for defecting from the 13 Court Guard Squads.

"Milady. The wall's western end is near completion. We're already starting on the opposite side as we speak" a man belonging to the Bewachen informed Rangiku as she stood there surveying the progress taking place below her.

"Good. Then tell the workers to push on. Lord Yhwach will not tolerate any delays" Rangiku ordered the man, who saluted before her in return.

As the soldier took his leave, the strawberry-haired woman continued watching over the operations from her position. She did that until someone's voice interrupted her vigilant watch.

"You…I…remember you…" a loud voice could be heard to her right.

Rangiku turned her head to see the former gatekeeper Jidanbo Ikkanzaka, standing near the wall. He was all bloodied and bruised up, not to mention the chains that hung around his enormous body. Yet despite his deep panting, Jidanbo still possessed enough strength to see clearly, let alone speak.

"You…are the Lieutenant of Squad 10…Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya's…subordinate…" the giant man remarked as he kept looking at her.

Despite the terrible state Jidanbo was in, Rangiku remained far from sympathetic towards him. She kept looking as if Jidanbo didn't mean anything to her.

"That's former Lieutenant to you, Jidanbo Ikkanzaka. As for Hitsugaya, he's no longer a captain. Now, he is one of the Sonneritters' seven Erzengels" Rangiku nonchalantly responded.

The giant man kept looking at her as if he had many questions on his mind.

"How…...how could you have done this?" Jidanbo resisted deep breathings to ask Rangiku all these questions. "The 13 Court Guard Squads are sworn to protect the Sereitei, the Rukon District and the rest of the Soul Society…yet you have abandoned us by serving the Wandenreich!?" he kept pushing on, still powerless to do anything besides speaking.

Rangiku narrowed her eyes. "It is you who has abandoned us, lumbering oaf. You, the Court Guard and the other foolish denizens still clinging to on to this false community built on lies" she reprimanded the gentle giant. "The Soul Society has finally gotten its rightful ruler back. With Lord Yhwach, there is nothing for us to fear. Our enemies will fall. No longer will we be bound by flawed designs like protecting senseless humans!" she then blurted out.

Jidanbo was shocked, completely stunned by this woman's lack of concern towards Humans, given that's what Shinigamis were sworn to protect.

"But I don't understand…Humans…are you not friends with some of them?" Jidanbo asked, speechless at Rangiku's words.

When that question was being asked, something happened with Rangiku's expression. It changed dramatically. Clearly, Jidanbo's words had brought her some really valid points. After all, there was some truth to what he asked.

However, the strawberry-haired woman quickly reverted back to her nonchalant persona.

"What I did in the past…...stays in the past" Rangiku responded, only to look down at some of the men who were seen whipping the slaves. "Slave handlers! Why is he not working!? Get up here and make sure that Jidanbo Ikkanzaka remains focused on his duties!" she called out to them.

Without so much as a delay, several men with long whips made out of Reishi gathered around Jidanbo, starting to mercilessly whip him. This was most likely done with the intent on subjugating the huge man to do slave labor. Jidanbo, already a broken man with almost no willpower, submitted easily.

But even as he got whipped like some wild animal, Rangiku still showed no sympathy towards the former gatekeeper's harsh treatment. Instead, she turned around and walked away from seeing the sight.

As the young woman didn't even look over her shoulder to watch, something else had taken hold over her mind. It was impossible to verify what Rangiku's feelings truly was, but one could tell that there was some sense of guilt lingering inside of her.

In fact, a single tear was seen running from her left eye. Clearly, this woman abhorred what she saw. But another part of her saw all of this as a necessary sacrifice.

"Sometimes…..some ends justify the means" Rangiku said, only to think of a certain person who probably held similar beliefs as hers. "You can fully understand that, can't you…Gin Ichimaru…" she remenised about her childhood friend, who had committed heinous crimes in the past, all for the sake of a good cause.


Inside a hidden underground study room, somewhere in the Soul Society

This place, consisting of bookshelves and research equipment, had been transformed into a small laboratory. The people holed up in this dark underground complex, were a group of researchers from the Sereitei's S.R.D.I., as well as members of the Court Guard's Squad 12. Needless to say, these were Shinigamis.

"Alright. Looks like it's another day of researching for us" the vice-president of the S.R.D.I.: Akon, remarked as he sat on the chair with a cigarette in his mouth. "Not that it'll make a difference in any way" he begrudgingly noted before igniting his lighter.

All around him, the other researchers of Squad 12 were each doing their fair share of work in what had become a computer room. It was impressive how they'd manage to set up all these computers in an antique place like this.

"With all due respect, Akon. Must you really smoke while we're all down here?" Hiyosu, the scientist with the peculiar appearance, asked the vice-president as he was carrying a box with something in it.

"I agree with Hiyosu. If a smoke break is what you really need, then at least go up to the surface and do it" the voluptuous woman named Torue spoke up in favor of his colleague's words.

Akon puffed out some smoke before replying. "And get myself captured by the Wandenreich's patrols? I don't think so. Not to mention how any of us venturing outside would only compromise our hideout. Don't forget, there are spies in almost every corner of the Soul Society" he responded, putting out some tobacco from his cigarette on a nearby ashtray.

Hiyosu grunted in disgust. "Either way, the smell of tobacco is not suitable to a crowded place like this" he pointed out, yet Akon didn't pay him any heed.

Meanwhile, the clumsy and meekly researcher by the name of Rin Tsubokura was carrying a box (filled with candies, of course) to a corner. But as he got there, Rin accidentally stepped into spiderweb. He got it in his face and he screamed.

"AAAAAHHHH! SPIDERWEB! GET IF OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!" the young scientist screamed and ran, until he crashed into the wall. It hurt him, and Rin rubbed his sore face. "Owww…this place feels so uninhabitable! Too much dust and spiderwebs!" he complained.

The vice-president rolled his eyes as he heard Rin. "We are down here hiding from an empire that seeks our extermination and THOSE are the things that worries you the most? Grow a thicker spine, Rin!" he rebuked the young boy.

In response, Rin immediately regretted his choice of words. "I-I didn't mean it l-like that, vice-president! Those words I s-said…...they were said out of frustration!" he insisted and begged, much to the annoyance of his superior.

"At least Rin appears to be his usual self. Yet I still can't conclude whether that's good or bad" Akon thought, only to look to his left.

Over there, the purple-haired girl with glasses named Niko Kuna was tapping on some computers. From what he could tell, she looked quite devastated, and for a good reason too.

"Poor Niko. It was bad enough to witness the Sereitei being destroyed in the blink of an eye…but it was even more distressing to see your own sister ending up joining Yhwach's side" Akon noted in his thoughts.

That's right, Niko Kuna was the younger sister of Mashiro Kuna, one of the three Vizards who had ended up becoming members of Yhwach's Sonneritters. At first, Niko had refused to believe that. But when she learned watched photos of Mashiro riding a horse while leading Quincies to battle, the young researcher was left devastated.

"I know that you want us to forget the whole ordeal and move on. But we can't as long as you haven't made peace with it" Akon thought, wishing that he could tell that to Niko personally.

Niko was already tapping on the many buttons on the keyboard. That was when she discovered something shocking. As such, she would share it with her colleagues.

"Vice-President! I have bad news! Two figures of the anti-Quincy movement, Genji Isawa and Nayura Amakado, has been captured by the Sonneritters. They're already being escorted to Urteil" the four-eyed girl informed them all.

There was nothing but shock taking hold amongst the researchers. They knew who at least Genji was.

"Gensji Isawa…...the former headmaster of the Shin'o Academy? He has also been taken?" Torue was in disbelief at what she heard.

"But who's this Nayura Amakado? I've never heard of her" Rin asked.

Niko started tapping that name on the keyboard. Her profile was brought up on the screen.

"From what I gather, Nayura Amakado was one of the many sages of Central 46, as well as the Chief Librarian of the Great Archive. Apparently, the Wandenreich had sought her capture for a reason. But I can't quite put what motive they would have" the four-eyed girl informed them all.

Akon scowled, knowing what this meant. "Tch, the motives for capturing Amakado is painfully obvious, Niko" he said while dumping tobacco on the ashtray. "Just think, with the librarian of that place itself in their captivity, they'll get the key from her. And once the Wandenreich gains access to the Great Archive itself….only God knows what will happen….." he summarized the outcome.

Niko looked at her superior awfully concerned. "You don't suppose that they will rewrite the Soul Society's history, do you, vice-president?" she asked him.

"Like I just said, what they do next is up for speculation. But let's not dwell on what's irrelevant now. Isawa and Amakado are the latest anti-Quincy fighters to be captured. Only time when the next ones are brought in chains" Akon informed everyone.

"This looks really bad. Dissent across the Soul Society is quickly suppressed" Hiyosu expressed his deepest worries as he looked at the computer. "But surely the Sonneritters didn't find those two on their own. They must've gotten some assistance" he then speculated.

"Probably due to the majority of Souls cooperating with them" Torue spoke up, all eyes on the woman. "Let's be real here, almost every denizen of the Soul Society has begun accepting Yhwach as their ruler or whatever, so there's really no surprise that they would sell out Isawa and Amakado to the Quincies" she went on explaining the details.

Rin was getting slightly more paranoid the more he heard those words. "It's obvious….WE'RE NOT SAFE HERE!" the clumsy scientist was about to go insane, only for him to be shaken by Akon.

"WILL YOU CALM THE HELL DOWN!?" the scientist did that while making sure his grip on Rin was firm. Realizing that all eyes were on him, Akon took a deep breath before turning his attention towards all his colleagues. "What I meant to say…..is that as long as we're down here in the underground, we'll be safe. The walls of this cellar are able to mask our Spiritual Pressures, so the Wandenreich won't know of our operations" he explained to everyone.

Some of the researchers didn't find Akon's words convincing enough.

"How can you be so certain, Akon? After all, this dusty cellar couldn't possibly be this hidden from civilization. Not to mention how the former districts has changed" Hiyosu wanted some answers.

Akon shook his head slightly in response. "That is where you're wrong, Hiyosu. This underground study is more than just a relic of the past" he said while walking over to what appeared to be an old table of wood. It was dusty, yet Akon brushed some of it off by using the sleeve of his coat. "Long ago, before the S.R.D.I. even existed, there lived a man who was considered the smartest most intelligent in the entire Soul Society. His knowledge surpassed that of the richest nobles of the Royal Realm" Akon said, only to hold up what appeared to be an old picture of someone.

The researchers were shocked once they witnessed the photo of the man in the frame. It was a Shinigami captain with long purple hair and some facial beard.

"I don't believe it…." Niko was almost speechless.

"That man…then this place is…" Hiyosu got a closer look.

"You are correct. This cellar was the personal study of a former captain in the 13 Court Guard Squads: Bansui Amatsuki of Squad 3. In his age, he was considered the wisest and smartest of all in the Sereitei" Akon revealed the identity of this man.

"That man was a legend" Torue remarked, smirking with her lips. "To think we're actually in his own secret study really makes me feel honored" the voluptuous researcher admitted.

"Wasn't he a teacher or something? From what I've read about him, he was very compassionate towards those children who were often neglected by the Soul Society's nobility" Rin asked curiously as he sat down.

Akon nodded with a smile. "Indeed, he was. Many of those tutored by Amatsuki would later go on to have important roles in the Court Guard, including becoming captains. In other words, he would create strong Shinigamis. Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, Tessai Tsukabishi, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Shinji Hirako and Love Aikawa were among those who present at his classes" the researcher noted, only to frown when realizing that he had left out something else. "And of course, there was Kaname Tousen and Sosuke Aizen, yet they would end up using Amatsuki's gift for their own twisted design" he then revealed, having some regret in doing so.

"R-really!?" Rin was getting uncomfortable when hearing this revelation. "They were also students under him? I never realized!" he blurted out.

"That's right. In fact, I've read some of the old scrolls and papers belonging to Amatsuki. From what was written in them, Aizen seemed to have a rivalry with Urahara, seeing as they were considered the smartest of his students" Akon explained to Rin.

"Amatsuki possessed plenty of studies about the Soul King and his history, didn't he?" Niko asked everyone.

"To my knowledge, yes. Among those were studies that were often outlawed in the Soul Society" Akon responded, looking at the picture of Bansui. "While he may no longer be with us anymore, we of the S.R.D.I. owe him much. If not for his works and knowledge, we might've not even become the researchers that we are today" the vice-president mused over the fact.

His colleagues seemed to be in agreement of that statement.

"Of that there is no question. Amatsuki's fate was very unfortunate, though" Hiyosu stated.

Akon put the picture back on the table and walked over to the computers to join his colleagues.

"Alright. This is no time to dwell on the past. While things may be difficult for us, our operations will remain undiscovered as long as we remain here" he informed everyone.

"But what about Captain Kurotsuchi….as well as the rest of the Court Guard?" Niko asked as she looked on the screen. "Judging from the data we've collected, none of them appear to be in Soul Society anymore. I can only assume one thing" the young researcher started speculating.

"They're all dead!?" Rin feared the worst.

Hiyosu glanced at him annoyingly. "Rin! Have you been eating too much candy again!? All that sugar you're consuming is making you paranoid!" he berated his colleague.

This led Rin to snap out in embarrassment. "N-no! I swear, I haven't eaten candy for days!" he insisted.

Torue shook her head at seeing his antics. "I guess this is what happens when Rin gets too much energy drinks" she expressed her dismay with seeing her colleague acting so out of control.

Akon, growing weary of such nonsense, dedicated himself to tapping on the computer's keyboard.

"Listen, Captain Kurotsuchi and the rest of the Court Guard are not dead. After all, Urahara did inform them about how they all would escape the Royal Realm should things go bad…..which from what we all know, has" Akon informed them all, still looking at the screen. "Therefore, it's obvious that they're all somewhere…...in Hueco Mundo…..." he revealed.

"Hueco Mundo? But that place is dangerous!" Niko exclaimed, feeling worried. "Sure, the Quincies are no longer prowling around the dunes, but there is this Imperio de Hierro. What if they run into them?" he expressed her deepest concerns.

"They probably will, Niko. But that is something we can't do anything about. The least we can do is make contact with either Urahara or Kurotsuchi to get an update from them" the vice-president told her, returning his focus on the screen. "In the meantime, we must resume establishing a network with other anti-Quincy resistance figures. Even as we speak, I've managed to make contact with two of them" he then said with a smile.

The screen suddenly started showing everyone two individuals. Rin, Hiyosu and the others looked closer to see the identities of those figures.

"These are our informants. Kukaku Shiba….and Ryuken Ishida….." Akon revealed their identities. "Kukaku Shiba is the unofficial head of the Shiba clan. Ever since the Sereitei's destruction, she's been rumored to relocate her operations to somewhere more isolated in the forest. But we should have no problems contacting here from our standpoint" he went on with some details.

"And what about this Ryuken Ishida? Pardon me, but he appears to be a Quincy, isn't her?" Hiyosu asked the vice-president

"He is, and he's also the father of Uryu Ishida" Niko said as she dug up some more info about him. "But according to this data, Ryuken Ishida does not appear to be in alignment with the Wandenreich, unlike his son. But his current whereabouts is a mystery" she remarked.

"Wherever he is, it's worth a try corresponding with him. Right now, the Soul Society's free people can't afford to be picky about allies…unless they're Arrancars or Togabitos, of course" Akon assured his colleagues.

For how long these researchers from Squad 12 would stay hidden in this cellar, nobody would ever know. But all things considered, it was more preferable staying there than to go up to the surface.


At the place of what was once the Central 46 Compound, Soul Society

This pristine cathedral, despite looking frozen and surrounded with familiar looking architecture was famous for a good reason. It looked awfully similar to the real-life St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City. From the exact spot where the Central 46 Compound once stood, the cathedral towered all the nearby buildings.

Indeed, ever since conquering the Soul Society, the Wandenreich had started a cultural revolution to replace the old and inferior one with a new and tolerable one. In other words, they sought to create a new Soul Society in the image of Yhwach. So atop the former headquarters of Central 46 stood Urteil, the headquarters of the Sonneritters, as well as the main meeting place for the enigmatic 7 Erzengels.

In the main hall of Urteil itself, a people dressed in white and silver robes were sitting on the many benches, as if they were praying. None could tell whether these were Quincies, or just ordinary Souls who had openly embraced Yhwach as their messiah. Either way, these people looked like monks and nuns.

Underneath a large Quincy Cross engraved on the wall, a white-hooded man, who appeared to be a priest or some sort, stood in the middle of the hall. While his face couldn't be seen, one could barley see his mouth.

In time, the praying and the music ended and the priest made sure that all eyes were upon him.

"I did bid thee all welcome, sons and daughters…..brothers and sisters….friends and loved ones….." the priest started, speaking in an archaic accent. "We hast gathered here in Urteil, to bringeth judgement upon two sinners for their defiance of our almighty father Yhwach" he spoke as his voice filled the hall.

Small whisperings could be heard amongst the attendants, yet the noise ended soon. This only encouraged the priest to move on.

"But before we beginneth, we shall prayeth for the seven Erzengels, as they enter this hall. Now, let us rise for our father's knights" the priest told all of them.

As soon as the monks and nuns rose up, the large door at the end of the hall opened. In came seven individuals, each of them wearing white-hooded capes. Their Zanpakutous could also be seen. The people in the attendance looked as they walked past them, bowing their heads while folding their hands.

Soon enough, all seven Erzengels stood before the altar behind them, with the priest standing on the sidelines. Drawing out their Zanpakutous, they each held it up in the air before resting the blades on the floor. One by one, the Sonneritters removed their hoods for their faces to be seen.

For the men and women in the hall, it was a great honor to be in the presence of Yhwach's most favored Shinigami-servants. From left to right stood:

Rojuro "Rose" Otoribashi – former Captain of Squad 3 and one of the Vizards

Soya Azashiro – former Captain of Squad 11 and the 8th Kenpachi

Tokinada Tsunayashiro – the current Head of the Tsunayashiro clan

Ginrei Kuchiki – former Captain of Squad 6 and the 27th Head of the Kuchiki clan

Jushiro Ukitake – former Captain of Squad 13

Toshiro Hitsugaya – former Captain of Squad 10

Kensei Mugurama – former Captain of Squad 9 and one of the Vizards

These men were the Erzengels, personally handpicked by Yhwach himself to oversee and command the lower rank Sonneritters, almost like grandmasters. From what the denizens of the Soul Society knew, these men were devoted to their service of the Wandenreich. That said, they would clamp down on any foolish enough to stand against the one, true Soul King. Each Erzengel looked through the hall with almost zero emotion in their faces.

The praying soon ended and the priest signaled for them to sit down. The hooded-figure turned his attention towards the Sonneritters, even bowing his head deeply at them.

"I bid thee all welcome, Erzengels. Thy presence fills this hall with light and banishes shadows" he began praising them.

So far, none of the seven men had made any eye contact towards the priest. Still, it did not mind him at all. He knew how much his words were invaluable in comparison to theirs.

"We hast been waiting for thee to…" the priest's words were interrupted by Tokinada.

"Pardon me, priest. But could you please not waste our time with these meaningless praises?" he "kindly" asked him, his voice sounding quite gentle. "We all know our place here in Urteil" the dark green-haired man went on.

Realizing his mistake, the priest quickly got down on his knees, begging for forgiveness.

"Forgive me, milord. I didst not mean to sineth! I wilt atone for mine mistaketh!" the priest so desperate told him.

Tokinada chuckled lightly at seeing how foolish this man behaved in front of anyone, yet his fellow Erzengels didn't find any humor in this.

"Do not fret, father" the priest looked up to see Soya speaking to him in a surprisingly respectful manner. "You have not committed a sin. This is only a foolishness on Tsunayashiro's part" he said before turning his disapproving eyes upon Tokinada.

"Tch, you should feel so lucky. It's not everyday you get to be revered so highly" he muttered beneath his breath.

"Enough of this preposterousness" the firm voice came from Ginrei, the elderly man as stoic as he possibly could be. "His Majesty informed us of two infidels being captured. As such, they shall be punished for defying him" he reminded everyone.

Ukitake, whose hair had changed into black ever since the Soul King's Right Hand had left his body, closed his green eyes.

"Then we should start this trial immediately. Judgement must be bestowed upon those defiling the Soul King's domain" Ukitake suggested.

Ginrei looked at the priest, his eyes remaining serious. "Bring in the accused" he commanded the priest.

The priest quickly signaled for the couple of guards stationed at the doors to open them, and so they did.

In came Genji Isawa and Nayura Amakado, both chained while escorted by Quincy officers. Neither person looked around to see the rows of white-robed people staring at them. They faced the ground as if they were in defiance towards everything.

Even as they were brought before the peers, the two captives still refused to look up. Genji had his eyes closed while Nayura looked away to her left.

"Here art the infidels: Genji Isawa and Nayura Amakado" the priest explained to the seven Sonneritters.

Ginrei looked at the two with narrowed eyes. "A former headmaster and a former sage. How unfortunate. You must both be incredibly foolish to defy the one true Soul King. But for what purpose would that serve? Explain yourselves" the former Captain of Squad 6 demanded some answers from them.

Eventually, Genji had enough guts to look up to see his peers. The very sight of them standing there dressed like Quincies was even more horrifying.

"I don't believe it….so many valued members of the Court Guard…succumbing to such depravity…" the middle-aged man noted.

Ginrei was not impressed with his answer, yet Tokinada found himself snickering silently.

"I am sorry to disagree with you, but I have never been a member of the 13 Court Guard Squads. Indeed, for I have had a much more…...important role as a clan head, like dearest Kuchiki here" Tokinada pointed out smugly.

The elderly man beside him looked at him dispassionately. "Careful, Tsunayashiro. I have little patience for youngsters who do not know their place" Ginrei calmly, yet rudely warned him.

Tokinada was not intimidated by this. "Oh? Is that a threat" he asked his fellow Erzengel.

"Quit messing around" Kensei's voice interrupted everyone, the tall man crossing his arms while being annoyed at Tokinada's antics. "Unless you forgot, we have two people who needs to be rained judgement upon" he pointed out.

"Mugurama speaks the truth. We can't forget our duties to uphold order in the Soul Society" Toshiro spoke up in agreement of the Vizard's suggestion.

It was at that moment Genji caught glimpse of the young ex-captain. The very sight of Toshiro staring at him with such cold eyes shocked him.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya…..you're one of the Erzengels!?" the former headmaster was in disbelief. "I remember watching your progress at the Shin'o Academy. You were a gifted student, an inspiration to all young Souls following the path of the Shinigami. How….how could you have forsaken it so…" Genji didn't get to finish asking him.

"Don't play sentimental with me, Genji Isawa. I have not strayed away from my role as a Shinigami. Rather, I now know what it truly means to be one. Everything that the Shin'o Academy has taught you…...about defending powerless Humans and purifying primitive Hollows…are all falsehoods about what the true Soul Society stands for!" Toshiro explained, having no regrets in his voice saying that.

Genji was taken aback by how different this boy sounded. "The true…Soul Society?" he stammered.

"Indeed" Ukitake spoke up, facing him and Nayura. "The true Soul Society, where no one has to live in fear of death. Where mercy is not wasted upon the likes of wild beasts. And where only one true messiah sits on the empty throne" he went on speaking so highly of the "changes" the Soul Society had gone through.

All of a sudden, a giggle could be heard from Nayura. Clearly, she did so out of ridicule towards her peers. The young girl smirked at them.

"Empty throne, you say. Do any of you idiots know who you're sounding like just now?" the librarian asked them, her smirk never vanishing. "That's right. The way you speak of the Soul Society being obsolete and demanding change…that's awfully similar to what Aizen desired" Nayura told them.

The moment she said that name, Nayura had a Zanpakutou pointed straight at her forehead. It was Ginrei, the elderly man making sure the tip of his blade touched it. She glared back at him, despite feeling a little pain from the Zanpakutou itself.

"Hold your tongue, Nayura Amakado. You will not mention that heretic's name before your peers" the elderly man informed her, still not letting of his weapon.

Rose chuckled. "Honestly. I find your comparison between us and him very flawed, not to mention offensive. You see, we do not desire the destruction of the Soul Society and its king. Instead, we seek to guarantee their existence" the Vizard informed the young girl.

"But the 13 Court Guard Squads failed to grasp the benefits of having Lord Yhwach take his rightful place. Instead, they would continue to perpetuate false lies alongside the Royal Guard about his father willfully becoming a prisoner in order to bring balance to the worlds" Soya chimed in. "Such foolishness. Why should we concern ourselves with the realms of Hollows and Humans? Their existence doesn't matter a thing to us" the former Captain of Squad 11 expressed his distaste of the old system.

Nayura, still feeling Ginrei's blade at her forehead, possessed enough strength to speak. "So that's why you captured me and Isawa? You seek to rewrite the Soul Society's history…..as Yhwach sees fit!" she spat, only to fil the tip of the blade being pushed further.

"It is not a rewriting of history we seek, ignorant girl. Rather, it is writing down the true history that fools like Ichibe Hyosube and Shigekuni Yamamoto neglected to tell us all. The true reason why the Soul King was overthrown by the usurpers of Central 46. The Original Sin" Ginrei sternly corrected her.

"Usurpers? Us?" Nayura asked, gritting her teeth in frustration. "And I don't even know what this "Original Sin" even is!" she spat it out.

Genji was gobsmacked by what Ginrei had heard. "That is very hypocritical of you to say, Ginrei Kuchiki! Not only have you committed a sin by assisting the Wandenreich in usurping the Soul Society. You obeyed every law and command given to you by your superiors! So what gives you the right to….." he didn't get to finish his statement as Toshiro put his Zanpakutou, Hyorinmaru, near his neck.

"Be silent, Genji Isawa. Your judgement is yet to be bestowed upon you. Until then, let your compatriot receive it first" the white-haired boy warned him.

All powerless to do anything, Genji kept his mouth shut, his entire body sweating at being held like this.

"We must proceed with the trial" Ukitake spoke up, facing the young girl. "Nayura Amakado. If you wish to avoid eternal damnation, submit and give us the key to the Great Archive" he came up with the demand.

"Give you the key….to the untold knowledge from the Soul Society…" Nayura said that through rage.

Ukitake nodded. "Yes. The many chambers underneath Urteil remains the same. That is why we are willing to let you walk free and have a seat in the Wandenreich" he went on explaining the details.

"So what do you say, Amakado? Are you with us?" Tokinada asked in a quit laidback manner.

The young librarian had her eyes fixated upon the marble floor beneath her. She didn't loke afraid, only agitated.

"If this is what it has come to….then I have only two words left to say…." Nayura uttered out, making sure she looked up and eyed every Erzengel from left to right. "FUCK YOU!" she spat out, such vulgarity awfully uncommon for a girl of nobility like her.

There was nothing but gasps among those in the attendance and it could be heard in the entire hall. Gossips was already taking place between the monks and nuns.

Yet the Erzengels were completely unfazed, even though Rose and Tokinada found themselves chuckling a little at seeing how gutsy Nayura was. The same couldn't be said for Soya, Ginrei, Ukitake, Toshiro and Kensei.

Even the priest was overacting to this young girl's insolence. "I am aghast! Such heresy! Madness! Thou shalt die for thy sineth!" he angrily exclaimed, motioning for several guards to come over at his location. "Guards! Kill this sinner!" the priest tried getting their attention.

Those guards were about to get over there, yet something happened with Ginrei. He held up his Zanpakutou, in a similar way as his grandson often did and was ready to release it.

"Gaze….Kazeshiragiku" he uttered out the release command of his Zanpakutou.

With it, the entire atmosphere in the hall changed and it became both white and black. The blades of his weapon had helped create this mysterious and suspicious mist.

All the monks and nuns sat down while lowering their head, as if they were praying not to be affected by this powerful weapon. Even the priest had thrown himself at the marble floor. The only people still standing fine were Ginrei's fellow Erzengels.

The same thing couldn't be said for Genji and Nayura. The more they were exposed to this atmosphere Kazeshiragiku had created, the weaker they began to feel. Needless to say, it felt as if they were dying. Quickly, their started to lose their consciousness. It wasn't long before both prisoners were out cold.

Ginrei collected all this atmosphere back into his blade, thus deactivating his Zanpakutou. Once it was over, everything returned to normal.

"That was quite a spectacular demonstration you showed just now, Kuchiki" Soya commended him. "I will say, I was this close to actually flinch by being near Kazeshiragiku" he went on leaping praises.

"Spare me your compliments, Azashiro. There are better ways to flatter me than to insult Kazeshiragiku" the elderly man responded.

"Come now, you know that Azashiro wasn't doing that" Tokinada tried his best to ease him, but it was no use.

All the Erzengels walked over to the two unconscious captives, forming a circle around them. Neither Genji nor Nayura seemed to be dead, yet they were unconscious.

"I assume we all have come to the same conclusion" Rose spoke up.

Kensei acknowledged him with a nod. "We have. Those two are to be locked in chains, especially Amakado" he said while narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "I have this feeling telling me that the key to the archive must be sealed within her or something" the Vizard then remarked.

"An admirable yet flawed strategy" Ukitake spoke up as he knelt down on one knee to survey them. "She most likely assumed that we would not kill her due to us fearing the Great Archive closing if we unintentionally destroyed the key. But that will never happen" he concluded.

"Then we best get rid of them from this hall. Its wonder is not to be soiled by their presence" Toshiro spoke up, looking over at the priest, who had just gotten up to his knees. "You there! Bring these captives to the dungeons! When they wake up, begin the torturing session" he commanded him.

The priest quickly stood up and bowed his head formally in return. "Yes, milord!" he said, motioning for some guards to come and pick up Genji and Nayura.

Tokinada scratched the back of his neck as he watched those two prisoners disappear from the hall. "Well, I guess this concludes the trial. They will be brought to submission. Perhaps we can continue with the patrols and…" he was interrupted by Ginrei's stern voice.

"No. We are not finished here in Urteil just yet" the elderly man shut him down. "We completed the trial. Now, we must finish the Erzengel Council Meeting" Ginrei pointed out.

"Oh yes….that….." Tokinada spoke with little enthusiasm.

"If we have nothing to say, then let us get start moving to our meeting chamber. Lord Yhwach has commanded that we have one, so we best not keep waiting" Ukitake made sure everyone followed him.

And so, the seven Erzengels disappeared from the hall and went behind the altar. They entered what appeared to be a chamber that took them to a spiraling stairway. The deeper they got, the darker it became. But at the very least there was enough light to help them see where they were going.

"If I may interject you for a minute, brothers. What topics will be discussed at this council meeting?" Soya asked his compatriots.

Kensei didn't so much as look at him when he responded. "Very important ones….." was the words he could come up with.

Toshiro was confused by hearing this. "That still does not answer his question, Mugurama" the young boy told him.

"If you must know, the topics for the council meeting will be…." Rose was about to inform them, only for something to prevent him and the rest of the Erzengels to keep moving.

Believe it or not, someone was standing in the middle of the corridor. While she had changed her attire to that of a Sonneritter, this was none other than Sui-Feng, former Captain of Squad 2, as well as the Commander of the Stealth Force. She had also been one of the Shinigami captains to defect to the Wandenreich's side. But for what reason, over than being captured by the Sonneritters themselves, nobody could ever know.

But she was not alone. On each wall, Izuru and Shuhei were leaning back as if they were relaxing or something. From the looks of it, they didn't want anything to do with Sui-Feng.

None of the Erzengels had any particular reaction to this, save for Rose, Soya and Tokinada smiling weakly. The rest were just frowning deeply at her presence.

"What is the meaning of this, Shaoling Feng?" Ginrei asked her, addressing the woman by her birthname.

Sui-Feng narrowed her eyes in response. "Don't call me by that name, Kuchiki! You know very damn well that I no longer associate myself with it" she berated him, yet the elderly man remained stonefaced.

"Then tell us why you're blocking our path?" Kensei demanded, his fists clenching.

The young woman stood there with her arms crossed, completely nonchalant to these men. "I observed your trial from one of the balconies. Can't say I was impressed. Letting those criminals stay alive when it's clearly obvious that they deserve death" Sui-Feng expressed her disappointment.

"How we bestow judgement upon is not for the likes of you to decide" Toshiro rebuked her. "The one true Soul King commanded us to simply bring them to Urteil alive and be under our mercy" the young boy continued on.

"Hitsugaya is right. After all, we Erzengels are the highest among us Sonneritters. You on the other hand are merely a lieutenant" Tokinada explained with in a laidback manner.

Despite hearing this, Sui-Feng was far from convinced. "Tch, lieutenant my ass! I've got centuries of experience as a captain, unlike you, a spoiled noble!" she shot back while pointing her finger at him.

The moment Tokinada heard that, his face drastically changed into that of anger. He even moved his hand over to the hold of his Zanpakutou. This was different from his usual charismatic self.

"Tell me something…second rate Yoruichi Shihoin. Are you implying that you are stronger than me?" the Erzengel questioned her sternly.

Sui-Feng smirked in response, despite Tokinada's insult. "Of course, I do. I've been trainng since I was a child, so I sure as hell am better than you. Not to mention my incredible speed" she responded, still feeling so confident in herself. "That being said, Lord Yhwach made a serious error in judgement by selecting you for the role of Sonneritter. But who knows, he probably did that out of pity towards your sad role as clan head" Sui-Feng didn't so much as hold back with the roasting.

But her words had stirred something within Tokinada. It was that of a man who bore nothing but disgust towards women. But despite this, he chuckled, as if he was amused at Sui-Feng's words.

"Clever mouth you've got there, bitch" he dark green-haired man swore at her without any remorse. "A shame that you will not have one after I slice it off your…." Tokinada's right hand suddenly had another hand put on it.

This was Ukitake's doing. The black-haired man shook his head at him. "You know the roles, Tsunayashiro. No fighting inside Urteil. It is the place where we Sonneritters are to act with dignity, not as mindless fighters" he reminded his colleague.

Growling, Tokinada begrudgingly calmed himself, resulting in Ukitake in removing his hand from him.

Sui-Feng smirked, feeling proud to have accomplished something like ticking Tokinada Tsunayashiro off.

"We have no time for this" Ginrei asked as he approached Sui-Feng. But instead of walking straight into her, the elderly man forcefully bumped into her with his right left shoulder. "This is no place for ungrateful novices like you. So learn your place and wait outside for further orders" he berated the young woman before proceeding.

She did not appreciate the tone, let alone Ginrei's bumping. "Why don't you come back and say that to my face, you old son of a…." Sui-Feng didn't get to finish her threats.

"Language, Sui-Feng. You are inside a Urteil, remember?" Rose chastised her before looking over at Izuru. "I commend you for being so calm in face of this, Izuru. I take it you also observed the trial from the balcony" the mild-mannered man spoke to him.

Izuru nodded his head weakly. "I did, sir" he responded.

"Shuhei" Kensei called out to him while he was leaning against the wall as if he was relaxing.

"What?" Shuhei asked, wondering whether he was getting scolded once again.

Rather than scolding his former subordinate, however, Kensei put his thumb up while smiling a little. This was surprising, seeing as how he always struggled to look happy. But this time, Kensei was literally smiling at Shuhei.

"Good work out there" Kensei responded and proceeded to join Rose and Ginrei.

Shuhei didn't know how to respond, yet he found himself bowing his head. "You're w-welcome, sir" he fumbled with his words, even though Kensei was long since gone.

"Tch, can't believe that I'm stuck at the same level as the two of you!" Sui-Feng lamented, speaking to both Izuru and Shuhei.

Shuhei looked back at her with narrowed eyes, crossing his arms out of dispassion. "So what? It's not our problem that you are so terribly weak" he responded.

"Speak for yourself!" the former Captain of Squad 2 snapped back at him.

"There is no reason to lament your current position, Sui-Feng" Soya spoke up, addressing the woman by her preferred name. "After all, this upcoming council meeting may change everything" he told her, although Shuhei and Izuru were listening as well.

"In what way" Izuru asked him.

"It's quite simple, Kira" Toshiro chimed in. "As of now, there is danger lurking everywhere, from inside and outside the Soul Society. But inside threats like Aizen or these pestering rebels are minor when compared to the outside ones. After all, the empires of Arrancars and Togabitos are gathering at our borders" he revealed.

"Just get on with it, already! What does that have to do with me!?" Sui-Feng demanded a more concrete answer.

"What we are seeking now…..is to expand the Sonneritter's ranks" Ukitake explained, closing his eyes as he started thinking of the subject. "But first, we will need to restructure the organization first. Lord Yhwach has therefore called for the creation of a new elite branch of the Sonneritters. One that shall serve the Erzengels as their lieutenants" he finally spilled out the important topic.

To be continued…


Author's note: There it is. Yes, we didn't get to see any Quincies. Well, they are mostly holed up in the Royal Realm. The Soul Society and its surroundings is where the Wandenreich's Shinigami-followers dwell. But then again, some Quincies do travel down there occasionally to assist their allies.

Now this chapter told us more about the changes happening in the Soul Society. I know that church scene probably sounded awfully religious, but that's how I picture the culture of the Quincies. It's about worshipping Yhwach as a God or whatever. We didn't get to see all the Sonneritters, but we will do sometime later. Next chapter (whenever that comes out) will most likely be about the current whereabouts of the 13 Court Guard Squads, seeing as they are in exile. On the other hand, I would really like to go back to Ichigo in Hell.

Eisenauge – German for "Iron Eye": This quarry is a place where a large wall is currently being built. The Wandenreich are using prisoners, from Shinigamis to protesting denizens to do forced labor, including building a wall. For what reason, nobody knows. NOTE: Eisenauge was inspired by Isengard from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings-trilogy.

Urteil – German for "Verdict": To replace the Central 46 Compound with something much more awestruck, the Wandenreich created this cathedral to symbolize their rule of the Soul Society itself. It is currently the headquarters of the Sonneritters, including the 7 Erzengels.