The area was deathly silent. Any and all living things capable of moving quickly didn't go within twenty miles of the place. The further in one went, the more dead everything looked. Blacker and blacker things turned, sap dripping from trees like blood, the scent of death was present at the center. A red haze misted over the area.
At the very center of this madness stood two figures cloaked in blood red, hoods up to hide their faces.
"So that rotten woman said he'd be coming, right?" One of the girls whined, her voice recognizable as Firiat Tavain. As she laid back her hood fell to reveal her black-haired pigtails and bored blue eyes.
"How would I know?" The other woman sighed heavily, voice laced with a French accent. "He's probably still planning how to attack, I'm sure Theda gave him quite the scare."
"Ugh, she gives ME the creeps." Firiat sat back up with a grimace. "And that's hard to do, you know that."
"That I do. Even for us Demon Lords, the sheer amount of Fear she wields is enough to send us falling to our knees."
Firiat gave an impatient hum as she swung her legs back and forth from her perch on a bent over and blackened tree. Her partner stood just a foot or two away, watching Firiat's irritation in amusement.
"I hope he comes soon, I wanna play with him."
"He won't come alone, you know."
"I doubt he has time to get a big army ready. But maybe he'll bring our Fear Twin's sister?"
"She's always with him."
"Good!" A malicious grin came over the girl's face. "I never paid her back for that time two years ago. She totally interrupted my fun with his girlfriend. Ooh, speaking of, I wanna get her, too."
"In due time, Firiat. Save the king for our master, but everyone else is free game."
"Sweet!"
The air stirred around them and there seemed to be a low moan passing over them, a hiss following right after as a breeze swayed through the dead trees. The hooded woman chuckled.
"He showed up."
They stood atop the tall hill, willing to wait just a little longer for their target to come near. Firiat couldn't keep back her sadistic grin as a giggle escaped her.
"Finally I get to play." Fire laced up her arms with a harsh crimson glow.
Still a few miles away, A Soul Reaper came down from the tops of the trees and landed before the figure of the Soul King, a large group of people behind the white-haired figure.
"There are two Spiritual Pressure signals awaiting us by the gate. They don't seem all that strong, so they must be scouts and not prepared for us." The lookout reported.
"You can be sure they're prepared," Toshiro responded, eyes narrowing in the direction of their destination. "Did you see them?"
"Er, sort of. They were both wearing some kind of red coat."
"Demon Lords." Ruala tensed. "The cloaks hide them."
"Definitely ready for us." Ichigo scowled. "Well, it's now or never, Toshiro."
"It's just two of them, right?" Ikkaku leaned his sword over his shoulders. "Heh, I'll take one and you guys can have the other."
"Out of the question." Toshiro snapped. "If it's the same Demon Lords we met before, you know how easily they can overpower you. The other three we've never once seen, so we need to keep even more caution around them."
"Tch, no fun." Kenpachi grumbled. "I wanted at least one demon bitch to myself."
"They would only crush you." Senjumaru sighed, a little annoyed by the man's lack of wit. She focused back on her king and ignored the large man's glare at her. "I suppose with Kurosaki and Nakryin at you're side you'll be fine, my king, but I still feel the need to warn you to be careful."
Toshiro turned to look at her, gaze calm and calculating. He was already forming strategies based on the information he had, piecing together an escape as well as the best ways to take down the psychotic girls.
"I will."
"I'm coming, too." Running from amidst the bodies of the army, Karin joined their smaller faction of fighters going to fight the guards. "I've got a bone to pick with them as much as you do."
"Hold on, Karin, you can't-" Ichigo attempted to sway her mind.
"One of them confronted me, remember? She wanted a fight, well, I'm gonna give her one." The black-haired teen stood firm with her arms crossed, looking every bit like her brother from years ago. "This time I'm prepared. I won't let her get the upper hand this time around."
"Karin," she turned on Toshiro as the young king spoke. "They could kill you."
She held his gaze calmly, not oblivious to the concerned expression hidden there behind his cold mask, the worry and reluctance he had about letting her in the front lines.
"Let them try," She replied just as calmly, the fire in her gaze serving as further proof that she would not be left behind with her family and dearest friends fighting up front.
A small smirk graced his lips at her answer. He should have known.
"Very well then." Teal eyes snapped over to Ruala. "Once we arrive, put the area in a spatial freeze."
The petite guardian nodded, pulling her hood further over her as they began making their way to the center where the girls waited. Behind them followed many others, seated officers from multiple squads of all the different branches, weapons in hand and ready to release. One of the Immortals was with them as well, the one called Aries or the God of War. He was walking with Kenpachi, both of the fight-crazed men eager to shed some blood. Ikkaku and Yumichika walked among them, as did Sasakibe, Byakuya, Komamura, Iba, Shinji, Rangiku, Shuhei, Rukia and Renji. Most of the higher ups had trained in the Soul King's Realm, giving them an edge to the fight that others didn't have that Toshiro hoped would allow them to win.
'Be ready, Myndræl.' He mentally whispered to his dragon partner. He had the dragons stay back for now, though Kamai knew they would be fighting with them. Perhaps it would give them an edge since he knew the Soul King could only break the seal if he had both dragons. If the other wasn't present, what would they do? He'd been paranoid that the guards would try to kill Myndræl to prevent him from breaking the seal and not only would that then make the war impossible to stop, but he couldn't bear to lose his partner.
'Once the demon girls are dead I will join you and we will crush the demon army together.' Myndræl replied. He and Dyrilæn waited eagerly to be called to the fight, several of the other dragons with them among the giant force waiting behind for word to storm the hidden realm.
'I will make sure to bite harder for you.' Hyorinmaru said to his fellow Ice dragon. He knew Myndræl was upset with not being allowed to fight alongside his partner.
'Please do.'
The haze snaked around them, thickening at points before thinning back out, never getting too heavy to make them lose their sense of direction. The deadened landscape made Ruala nervous, as she lived in a kingdom full of growing flora and lively fauna, but she did not let it show. The two Kurosakis had their guards up as they walked, the other soldiers twitching their weapon hands at the slightest movement they didn't recognize. The suspense was driving them crazy.
Soon, the mist backed off, clearing their view and giving them pause as they realized they were a lot closer to the hill than they'd first thought. Perhaps their sense of distance had been messed with by the fog's ever changing density. That would cause trouble when trying to return to the main force.
"Look who came to play!"
The high-pitched, giggling voice had them look up for the owner, spotting the pig-tailed Demon Lord sitting at the edge of the hill's steepest side where the door was hidden in the rocks.
"Wow! You brought quite a few people!" Firiat looked over the assembled group with interest.
"I expected more." The woman standing beside her said, pulling back her hood to reveal her sea green hair in a bun, bangs framing her face. Luetha Kornes, the songstress who'd once gone with Firiat to the World of the Living to find the Soul King, who at the time had only been prince. "But I suppose you brought your best, and a good number from other countries. I didn't expect for them to arrive so quickly."
"Guess they didn't like you much if that's all they sent." Firiat snickered and Toshiro narrowed his eyes at her. Though human once, these girls were deadly and seemed to find amusement in playing with them.
"It's enough to kick your ass." Karin snapped at the raven haired witch, remembering back to when the girl had so easily disarmed her before.
"Aw, how cute, she thinks she can win." This sent Firiat into a fit of giggles as she finished speaking in a mocking tone. The fiery Kurosaki scowled fiercely at her, stopped from charging head on only by Ruala's hand on her shoulder.
"You know we can't let you in, Soul King." Luetha left her partner to roll around in the black grass and focused on the leader of this assault party.
"I don't care whether you can or not, I'm going in," Hitsugaya replied evenly.
"How unmannerly of you."
"Says the demon."
That got the green-haired woman to laugh but he had spotted a dangerous flash in the woman's lilac eyes. What kind of dangerous he couldn't be sure but he prepared himself for anything.
"Well, dear, I suppose the grunts are a bit lacking in their etiquette." She purred. "But you'll find my sisters and I are more accommodating. For example, we'll give our names first so those who don't know us have a name to call us by."
"We already have names for you." One of the American Grim Reapers snapped.
"How uncouth." Luetha growled at the one who interrupted her, Firiat getting a bit tense. Few things upset the songstress but someone interrupting her while she was speaking definitely was a big pet peeve of hers. "As I was saying, I am Luetha Kornes, Demon Lord of Song."
"Firiat Tavain, Demon Lord of Magiks!" Firiat waved at them all happily, far too childish for their liking. Toshiro recalled her being more sadistic and less childish. Perhaps she just wasn't in her fighting mood yet.
"You don't expect us all to introduce ourselves, do you?" Shuhei scoffed, holding his zanpaktou up before him.
"Of course not, you silly boy." Luetha chuckled. "I care not for the names of toys, and I know the names of the more important ones already."
"Toys!?" A seated officer shouted. "Why you…"
Firiat suddenly jumped to her feet, the sadistic grin Toshiro remembered on her face once more and crimson fire curling up her arms.
"We're allowed to go full out now, ya know," She hissed. "I'm gonna have so much fun! But…" She giggled, "It's even better when there's a prize in it. So, how about this? Whoever my opponent is…we play for lives!"
"Lives?" Rangiku grimaced.
"Yeah!" The pyro laughed. "If I win, your life is mine!"
"And if your opponent wins?" Luetha questioned, genuinely curious about this new game of her sister's.
"Um…" Firiat frowned in thought, before brightening up again. "Guess they get mine then!"
"How about we just keep it a nice and simple fight to the death?" Kenpachi grinned, putting his sword on his shoulder as he started to grow impatient of the girls' chatter.
The two of them looked towards the tall Reaper, one grinning sadistically and hopping back and forth in anticipation and the other raising a brow at the speaker in interest.
"If that's what you wish of your prize then very well." Luetha winked. "I shall play the same stakes."
"Now that lives are on the line," Firiat suddenly leaped down, many unsheathing their blades if they hadn't already and tensing up, "let's have a good time!"
Her clawed hands ended up clashing against Ruala's blades as the powerful weapons sprouted from her sleeves, a grimace crossing the guardian's face at the suddenness of the attack.
"Time for our rematch, kitty." The hiss that came from the Demon Lord this time had a far deadlier tone to it than her earlier laughter, making several back away in fright.
Ruala did not reply and instead kicked the girl away. A grunt escaped her before her hand lifted in a twirl and fire exploded forwards, bringing with it several fiery creatures. Demons.
"No time to stand around!" Ichigo shouted at the seated officers staring wide-eyed at the petite looking girl who had begun this fight. "Move forward and fight!"
Brushing past the young man, Ikkaku and Yumichika darted right into the fight, clashing blades with the enflamed demons that Firiat had summoned, malformed humanoids with blades for arms and multiple spikes over their body, a hiss coming from their throats as they opened their fanged mouths. Following the lead of the two Squad Eleven members, the others rushed forward to fight. Zanpaktous were released and the air grew thick with the multiple Spiritual Pressures flowing through it.
Still up on the hill, Luetha pulled out her violet flute and began to play. The blackened landscape started to shift to her song, trees moving after years of being dead and losing their ashen color. This explained the difference in the vision Ruala had seen of this place and now. The aura of the demons destroyed the green, but Luetha's music could bring it back.
Unfortunately for them, it came back evil, roots lifting to trap their legs and irritating weeds scratching at any exposed skin. People moved to platforms of Spirit Energy to avoid the clinging flora.
Ruala moved around Firiat's attack and let out a whistle. In a flash, Sofia was by her side, hissing at the Demon Lord in her large panther form.
"Elemental shift." The guardian ordered her pet.
Sofia took on a pinkish glow before morphing into the large plant creature Toshiro remembered fighting in his last of the Five Trials. She was going to wrench away Luetha's control of the plant life using Sofia's elemental form.
Above them, Luetha scowled and played a different tune, abandoning the plants to instead summon more demons. That was something Nakryin couldn't take away from her. Her leafy summons mixed in with Firiat's fiery grunts and launched themselves at the soldiers. Kenpachi let out a laugh as he easily cut down several of them with one swipe before he leaped up towards Luetha along with Shuhei and Ikkaku.
A sharp note emitted from her flute similar to a high-pitched whistle and something popped out of a nearby tree and towards the approaching trio. The violet blur slammed into Shuhei, who was closest, and he hit Ikkaku as they both went tumbling back down with minimal injuries and fierce scowls. Now that it wasn't moving so fast, they realized it was a phoenix with violet feathers edged in silver, blood red eyes signature of demon looking at them as if they were dirt before turning to Kenpachi, who was now approaching its master.
Seeing this as well, Luetha put aside her flute for a moment and went for controlling the flora with her hands, raising a barrier against the vicious man's blade. He cut right through, as expected, but it gave her time to prepare a counter. Vines rose from the ground. Expecting another barrier, Kenpachi held his blade up to cut them down.
They shot forward instead and pierced through his torso.
"Heh…" Kenpachi smirked, blood staining his clothes and beginning to pile in his lungs until he coughed it out. "Didn't expect that one."
He cut away the vines and continued to advance. Surprised, Luetha took a few steps away from him and tried again. But he was ready this time and avoided the attack, coming right for her.
The phoenix shot forward and snagged its claws in his shoulders, stopping his approach and letting its master gain some distance to cast more spell work with her music.
Fire and ice shot forward down below, engulfing many of the demons coming for them. The ones to cast the attacks stood side by side, both in Shikai with matching expressions of 'come get me if you dare'. Karin sent out one of her fire tornadoes to lessen up some of the demons swarming the American Arrancar Sestiva, the woman using some kind of sand ability similar to Rangiku's that shaped itself into a hawk when thrust out. She sent a thankful grin Karin's way and then continued her assault. At her side, Toshiro snagged a demon with the chain-blade of his zanpaktou and slammed the frozen creature into several others.
But as long as the girls were still there, they knew the demons would keep coming. Several seated officers lay dead, but no one had time to grieve for them. An enormous sword fell from the sky as Komamura released his Shikai and crushed multiple demons. Renji's Zabimaru snaked its way around, destroying a few more. Rukia's ice power added to Toshiro's to snuff out the fire demons and wilt the flora ones.
Pink flashed in the sky as Byakuya sent his Shikai towards Firiat, the fire girl still trying to rake her clawed hands across Ruala. Her sapphire eyes flashed at the sight of the approaching attack, knowing full well these weren't the innocent looking petals they seemed to be. She twisted away, her body nimble as she easily avoided the hundreds of blades coming at her. But while they didn't land a hit on her body, they shredded her coat, and as the petals cleared away she looked down at it and frowned.
"Aw, and I liked the color." She pouted. "Oh well, don't need it anymore anyway."
With a flourish of her hand she removed the cloak. For a moment they thought she wasn't wearing anything, before realizing she just had on very little, a short crimson skirt and a thin top that stopped just under her chest and hung loose over her shoulders with long sleeves that flowed, golden cloth wrapped around her hands similar to her 'shoes'. With the shirt being rather opaque, they could see the pink strip of cloth wrapped over her chest to hide her womanhood. A tattoo of swirling pink circled at her waist, left upper arm, and her right leg.
"She's got no armor to speak of." One of the Soul Reapers muttered.
"Like I need armor!" Firiat laughed. "This lets me move easier!" She struck a daring pose, finger on her lips and giving them a wink. "No need for protection if you can't hit me!"
Ruala simply charged forward, ignoring the girl's strange attire and simply going for the kill. Firiat quickly returned the attack with fierce attacks of fire and lightning, her favorite weapons. The guardian was trying to get around her opponent's magic with just physical abilities, but it wasn't working. Ichigo came over to help and noticed something odd: Ruala wasn't aiming for a kill.
"Just finish it already!" Ichigo scowled at his fellow guardian as he swung his blade down on Firiat. The girl dodged nimbly aside with a laugh, launching a fireball at him that he batted away.
"You can't just kill them." Ruala argued. "There's only one way to keep them dead."
"Keep them dead?"
"That's right!" Firiat laughed, pausing in her assault for a moment, lightning sparking across her skin. "Her sister gave us a very special ability. We're Demon Lords for a reason, kiddie, and it's not our charms."
"What are you-?" Ichigo was cut off.
A scream resounded above them and made everyone pause for a moment, the demons cowering down at the sound. For while it was a scream of pain, it was also one of rage that faded into maniacal laughter. Attention turned to the hilltop.
Kenpachi frowned as he looked down at the demon leader impaled on his blade. Didn't people die when he stabbed them in the heart? Why was she laughing? Luetha hardly seemed to notice the blade in her chest, her cloak cast to the side to reveal her maroon colored shirt with ruffled edges, sleeves to the elbow and pads on her shoulder, scarlet bra visible as it was open, and maroon skirt with a large slit on the side. A teal gloved hand grabbed onto the jagged edged sword as she grinned at Kenpachi.
"You'll regret this." She hissed, removing the blade from her chest and pushing back the enormous man with surprising strength. He fell off the hill but was back on his feet quickly.
The blood from her wound was flowing out at an unstoppable rate, staining even her light purple boots as she staggered over to the edge, a black aura lifting off her skin. Ichigo glanced at Firiat and saw the petite girl backing away, no longer sparking or burning. If anything she looked a little cautious. Spotting him looking, the black-haired girl flashed him a grin.
"This is the power of a Demon Lord." She giggled, still backing away from them. Once far enough, she vanished into fire and smoke, leaving them with whatever Luetha was about to become as the black aura enveloped her.
"Not good." Karin scowled.
Toshiro stepped a little ways in front of her, watching as the demons summoned by Firiat vanished and the ones summoned by Luetha were turned into energy and siphoned into the growing mass that was Luetha. What manner of beast was this Demon Lord becoming?
Once about the size of a small house, the growing stopped and the black aura turned violet edged in silver. A musical cry was beginning to emit from the being.
"Shut out the sound!" Toshiro ordered. "If you listen to the music she'll have you trapped!"
One of the African warriors with them had a spell that shut off the sense of hearing on a certain frequency. They could still hear each other, but the music became muted. Several turned to the dark-skinned man and thanked him for his help before turning back as the aura dimmed down and allowed them to see their opponent.
Her figure was still fairly humanoid, but her skin had a pale aqua pallor to it that shimmered like scales, her right hand lengthened by claws with a venomous green color on the ends, her left gone and replaced by what they assumed was her pet phoenix from earlier, the violet and silver bird fused onto the left side of her master. A skirt of twisting vines covered the beast's lower half, though bird-like feet could be seen underneath. Her face no longer had a mouth, her eyes thin and shining a brilliant violet, a sea-green feathered crest edged in violet growing off her head instead of hair, a silver gem dangling between her eyes. Leafy ears of a teal color extended from head and matched the teal wings coming off her back, too small to fly but adding to the strange beauty this demon form held.
"You can cut out one frequency," Luetha hissed, her tone higher and more musical, as well as echoing since she spoke aloud through telepathy due to her mouth being gone, "But music can transverse among the thousands known to the human ears, and even above or below it. Your only hope to escape my song is to go deaf."
"Deaf, huh?" Shuhei narrowed his eyes angrily.
This fight was only getting worse every second.
Apologies for taking so long. Still trying to catch up with Beta'd chapters, but my Beta is busy. Not to mention AP tests are coming up, so i'll be gone for a while. I hope to take this back up come summer, depending on if I get a job and what kind, all that stuff. Anyway, time to start all the action stuff for Soul King ^^ Enjoy!
Beta'd by Writer of Craziness