Rushing through the garganta, Ichigo Kurosaki didn't even bother to stop for breath as he darted through the darkness of what seemed to be a never-ending portal. How did Urahara even manage to open these, let alone know exactly where they would let out?! It felt like he had been running forever through the endless shadows even though Urahara had assured him it would open up and lead him right where he needed to be. Serves him right for trusting that buffoon with the goofy hat…Urahara probably had no idea where this thing would take him. He could be trapped in this stupid portal for all eternity, for all he knew…
That is, until, a giant opening appeared out of nowhere in front of him. Ichigo didn't even have time to bring himself to a halt as the garganta ripped a hole in itself, creating an exit. The shinigami substitute found himself slipping out of it in a comical way, only to come crashing down onto soft, white sand beneath him. He had only dropped a few feet but it was enough to cause him to lose footing and stagger a bit.
"Damn these things! They're so unpredictable!" Ichigo shouted in annoyance as he saw the garganta close back up from where it had spat him out of. It disappeared into thin air just as Ichigo had enough time to straighten himself out. "I hope Kisuke can open another one and get me home after I kick Aizen's ass…" Ichigo grumbled as he scratched the back of his head uncertainly.
Glancing around in every direction, Ichigo wasn't quite sure of his location. He couldn't see the architecture of Las Noches anywhere. Was Kisuke wrong about where the garganta would lead? He needed to be at Las Noches, not trapped in the middle of the dessert! He inwardly wished for the young Nel to be by his side to help pinpoint the location of Las Noches but he couldn't pick up on her spiritual pressure anywhere. He must have been pretty far away from Las Noches. Either that or the sand that was being picked up by the wind was obscuring his long-distance vision.
The boy stood there for a moment with his eyes closed, focusing on the spiritual atmosphere to see if he could detect any signs of reiatsu. "Come on, come on….Where are you?" he grunted under his breath, arms folded over his chest as he continued to focus.
Without warning, a sudden wave of reiatsu floated through his body. It was a familiar presence—an incredibly powerful one. He would know it from anywhere—Ulquiorra Schiffer. The spiritual pressure was faint, as if it was coming from very far away but it was still quite adamant.
"I don't have any time to lose. I have to go help Ulquiorra," the vizard stated to no one in particular as he began to dash towards the location of the Espada's reiatsu.
He had only hoped that he wasn't too late…
"This could have been avoided, Ulquiorra. I didn't want to have to do this," a very haughty Aizen said to his former minion, eyes cast downward at the Espada's piteous form. Ulquiorra's body was a revolting sight with his crumpled wings and missing limbs and yet Aizen was rather impressed he had made it this far.
This fight was the first time Aizen had met with the steely, yellow hues of Ulquiorra's released form. His beastly appearance was dark and monstrous yet it withheld a particular sense of beauty and elegance. He expected nothing less of the Fourth Espada and believed his exterior truly suited him. It was such a shame that the battle was reaching its climax so soon after just starting. Aizen wiped away a dribble of blood that formed on the corners of his own mouth, heaving heavy breaths as he watched the winged Espada struggle to stand but to no avail.
The man had grown tired of games and decided to finally retaliate attacks on Ulquiorra as well only moments ago. It didn't take long for the Espada to morph into his second form but Aizen was thoroughly surprised at just how strong the boy was without having his memories set free. He had nearly blasted a hole in Aizen's stomach as blood oozed out of a wound on his abdomen. It wasn't anything he couldn't regenerate and heal, per se, but it was still a blow to Aizen's pride that his pathetic underling had managed to land a few blows on him.
Ulquiorra laid in a crumpled mess on the sandy abyss of Hueco Mundo, his breath quickening as he had suffered far greater damage from the battle than his opponent. One of his arms had been completely blasted off as well as a wing. One of his legs had been disintegrating from below the knee as another horn was barely hanging on by ligaments. These were only flesh wounds; however, and regeneration was also possible on his side. Even so, it could take some time to fully restore his severed limbs and time wasn't exactly plentiful at that moment.
"Stop struggling, Ulquiorra. Don't make me kill you before the fun even starts," Aizen teased in a soft manner as his hand lightly brushed against his bleeding stomach. His coat was now tattered and frayed from the effects of the battle as his hair was no longer slicked back in a neat manner but was now tangled and messy. His appearance didn't seem to bother him that much, though. He would just have to make sure he cleaned himself up before storming the gates of Soul Society. A king had to make a grand entrance, after all. A sluggish appearance just simply wouldn't do.
"Go ahead—kill me," Ulquiorra stated briefly, his lips pressed together to form a neutral line as he refused to allow the conflicting pain in his body to display upon his face. There was no denying that he was exhausted and clearly losing the battle and yet he refused to let it end here. With both hands planted on the ground beneath him, he pushed himself up, managing to stand up straight as he balanced on his good leg. His other leg, still regenerating, was almost fully healed down to his ankle.
A grin tugged at Aizen's lips, amazed his subordinate could even stand let alone fight. It was a commendable effort but it would all prove futile in the end. "I'm surprised you're so quick to embrace death. Isn't that woman of yours worth living for?" His voice was clearly mocking as a deep chuckle emanated from the back of his throat.
With golden eyes narrowed, Ulquiorra lunged at Aizen, claws outstretched and ready to slice through Aizen's exposed neck. Aizen threw up his right arm to block the attack, smirking at just how desperate the opposing male was to resort to such flimsy attacks.
With a swift movement, Aizen unsheathed his Zanpakuto before Ulquiorra could fire another blast of Cero in his direction. He darted towards Ulquiorra using his immense agility, the blade of his sword outstretched and eager to taste the Espada's blood once again. Aizen slashed his sword at the Espada, severing yet another limb as Ulquiorra's remaining arm went flying through the air, landing carelessly on the ground several feet away.
"You're weak, Ulquiorra," Aizen scolded through gritted teeth, all form of amusement escaping his face as he glared down at him with condescending eyes. "I expected more from you in this form. You are the only Espada capable of a Segunda Etapa."
Not a flicker of emotion manifested on the Espada's face as he once again fell to his knees. Both arms were slowly rejuvenating but his stamina to heal himself was diminishing in the process. Aizen was just too strong…Rushing into battle with the likes of him would have been instant suicide. There wasn't a man alive who could take on Aizen all alone and actually defeat him.
Good thing Ulquiorra didn't truly believe he could win.
Aizen, as pompous and arrogant as he was, was also losing stamina. He could deny it all he wanted, he could mock Ulquiorra all day long for being weak but the truth was he was still getting injured. The blood from his stomach was proof that Ulquiorra was serving his purpose: to slow Aizen down and make it easier for that Ichigo Kurosaki boy to defeat him.
Just a little more… I need to hold on a little longer.
"How pathetic," Aizen grumbled, spitting out a sputter of blood from his mouth as he reared up his leg to land a powerful kick to Ulquiorra's face.
All I need to do is make him waste a lot of his strength on me. Then maybe that Kurosaki fool can handle the rest, alongside Soul Society's warriors.
Another kick landed roughly against Ulquiorra's cheek, forcing him to collapse onto his stomach as his face fell into the hard sand of the ground. Both of his arms had managed to regenerate once again as Ulquiorra twitched his fingers to test this notion. If Aizen attempted to slice off his arm again, it was doubtful that Ulquiorra would have the strength to heal them once again.
"I only wish I could kill you right now," said a callous Aizen as his foot trampled down on the back of Ulquiorra's head, pushing his face deeper and deeper into the sand. "But I still need to unlock your memories. It's a shame I need you at all but you're a lot stronger than you let on. Just look at how you've managed to regenerate every appendage I've detached. You're truly a remarkable specimen."
Ulquiorra choked lightly, partially from his own blood and partially from the sand that leaked into his mouth. Desperate to get Aizen's foot off of him, he shot up his long, slender tail to wrap around Aizen's waist. Such a feat caught the man off guard as Ulquiorra successfully flung Aizen off of him, using the strength of his tail to pummel Aizen into the ground a few feet away.
Aizen coughed a bit as Ulquiorra untangled his tail around his enemy, retreating it back to his side as he staggered to his feet once again. "I will never help you, Aizen," Ulquiorra coldly replied as he held out one of his hands, a green, glowing spear forming in his palm. His Lanza del Rampalago burned brightly in his hand as his long, dark hair whipped frantically in the wind. His gaze was locked directly on Aizen, who stared back at him with brown eyes full of determination.
"You already have, Ulquiorra. You and Orihime fell right into my hands. I will unlock your memories," the sovereign stated coldly, the ever malicious smirk appearing on his handsome features once again.
"Let's end this, Aizen," Ulquiorra simply replied as he thrust his neon lance directly towards Aizen.
He could feel it. He was almost there!
Two powerful reaitsu's swarmed all of Las Noches, their overbearing presence weighing heavily on Ichigo Kurosaki as he made his way through the never-ending sea of sand of Hueco Mundo. His heart was beating wildly out of his chest as he pressed onward as fast as his feet could carry him, beads of sweat cascading down his forehead as he refused to stop to catch his breath.
There was something odd about the sky nearby; almost as if there were dark green clouds above and sparks of lightning that only seemed to clash down from the midnight sky in that one small area.
"That has to be them!" He grunted under his breath, picking up his pace. He wasn't too late—there were still two reaitsu's bursting through the atmosphere, nearly choking him as he approached even closer. Ulquiorra was still alive and as long as he was alive, he could bring him back to Orihime. The way she looked at him with those teary eyes, desperate to help the man she loved…Ichigo would never be able to forget that. As long as she never looked at him again with that deep expression of helplessness, Ichigo could live the rest of his days in peace.
The atmosphere around him became sickeningly tight as he held his breath, pushing through the powerful pressure that tried to barricade his path. He could see the two figures nearby, one standing above the other as the other lay extremely still on the ground.
The vizard sucked in a breath of air before reaching for his sword attached to his back, fearing for the worst as he continued onwards.
The newcomer did not go unnoticed by Aizen as he stood triumphantly over Ulquiorra who laid unconsciousness on the ground, his body practically torn to pieces. Aizen's eyes shifted from the Espada's defeated form towards the redheaded intruder, a smirk upon his face.
Ulquiorra wasn't the only one who suffered traumatic wounds. Right before he had collpased, the Cuatro Espada managed to land a few powerful blows upon his master's body, leaving a few gaping wounds. The previous injury in his abdomen had only worsened from the impacts of Ulquiorra's powerful Cero's, making it hard for him to stand upright.
And yet his smirk lingered, leaking out all of the cruelty and malice that composed of Aizen's smirk. He let out a deep chuckle as he regarded Ichigo's presence, turning to face him. "I'm afraid you're too late. I'm going to unseal Ulquiorra's memories and once I do, he's going to destroy everything in his path. Heed my warning and run while you still can, boy."
Aizen brought up a hand to his stomach as he staggered lightly, cursing the damned Espada for being capable of injuring him. How was he supposed to rampage Soul Society which such perturbing injuries? His uniform was tattered at the edges and splashed with his blood, his face even battered and bruised. Of course none of these injuries were life-threatening but just a simple nuisance; dampening his typical, mighty demeanor. He might even have a hard time facing the likes of that Kurosaki boy should he attack and try to defend the Espada…
The time to act was now. He had underestimated him but now Ulquiorra's strength was his for the taking. Once he released his lock upon Ulquiorra's memories, the Espada would be nothing more than a ruthless monster trampling everything in his path. Soul Society wouldn't stand a chance! And frankly, if Aizen didn't play his cards right, he might get whisked away in the catastrophe the Espada was sure to unleash.
The vizard had already unsheathed his mighty sword and was dashing towards Aizen, sword outstretched and ready for the strike. Aizen blocked the attack with his own sword, glaring at the boy for daring to step in.
It didn't take long for Aizen to knock Ichigo back and out of the picture, using his sword to counter all of Ichigo's attacks. Soon after, Ichigo had fallen to his knees in the same way Ulquiorra had. The two of them were one in the same—both the Espada and the shinigami substitute were weak and pathetic.
"You bastard!" Ichigo shouted, as he braced himself against his own sword that was stabbed into the ground. He gasped for breath underneath Aizen's powerful reiatsu, its immense pressure nearly knocking the wind out of him. His body ached with pain from the punches and kicks Aizen had dealt him while his flesh was decorated with various slash wounds from Aizen's zanpakutou.
How impudent of him. He should be grateful I haven't severed his head yet. Aizen grimaced at the boy before turning his back to him, sauntering back over to Ulquiorra's limp form. "Now, where were we? Oh, right." The man reached into his hakama to withdraw a tiny box the size of his palm that nestled within his pockets, eyeing with great interest as he removed the lid.
Inside was a perfectly intact eyeball, its iris the color of a deep emerald. The brunette withdrew the eyeball from the box before tossing the empty case to the side, his grin widening with every passing second. He bent down and yanked Ulquiorra up by his ebony locks, the pitiful sight of his former lackey causing him to shake his head in disgrace. "I wonder how sad our little princess would be if she saw her knight in shining armor like this? Or, knights, for better word," he cooed out softly before glancing back to where Ichigo lied, desperately trying to regain his balance as he fought to stand on both feet securely.
In a flash Aizen used his free hand to jab Ulquiorra's eye, fingers gripping around his eyeball tightly before yanking it out of the socket. Ulquiorra didn't even flinch in his unconscious state, completely used to the sudden removal of his eye due to his unique ability to show Aizen and the other Espada whatever his vision came into contact with.
"It's time," Aizen whispered softly as he tucked the eyeball that had been hidden away in a box into the Espada's socket. "This eye was the one you singlehandedly removed on your own when you were just a fleeting spirit. Once it is securely in place, you memories will be unlocked and you will remember your life as a human." He murmured before releasing his grip on the Espada's hair, allowing him to drop to the floor with a thud. Watching closely, Aizen took a few steps back, waiting for the eye to adjust itself to its former owner.
A sharp pain awoke Ulquiorra, shaking his entire body to the core as a sensation as sharp as needles pierced through his veins. He winced greatly while letting out a short grunt as the overbearing pain began to consume him. His hands reached out to grab a fistful of sand, nails digging through the soft ground as his tail thrashed violently behind him.
N-No! Stop!
A deep roar escaped the back of his throat when the pain showed no signs of subsiding. His head began to grow fuzzy as his vision began to blur, clouding his view of his surroundings. "What's happening to me?!" He shouted in anger, claws reaching up to peck the eye from his socket but to no avail. His body began to quiver and shake as more screams of anguish were unable to be stifled.
And then he saw it. Like a bright burst of lightning snapping against his repressed memories, he saw an image of a young, beautiful maiden. A face that had been long forgotten; a face he had sworn to never allow himself to think about again.
Suddenly, he saw her.
Author's Note: So I know I said I'd try to end this fic as soon as possible in like, one or two chapters. But it was just SO LONG. I'd rather not have a 20,000 word chapter to complete this fic. I wasn't anticipating on it being so long so I deeply apologize. On the bright side, quicker updates!
Well, I keep saying that….I'm so sorry that it's taken me this long to update. I'm surprised you're even reading this after my super long update delay. But to those of you who actually keep waiting for chapters to come out, you guys mean the world to me. I went back and read all my reviews you all left me and it almost brought me to tears! I'm such a bad person for leaving you guys high and dry for so long. So thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this; to stick with me even though I'm a failure at fanfic updates.
As always, your thoughts are always appreciated. I tend to make a lot of grammar/spelling mistakes so I apologize for any careless mistakes! Thank you again for reading!
Oh, and I love you guys. SO MUCH.