Life and Death III

The pistol dropped from her hands, the muzzle flash blinding her. A heavenly white brightness covered all while the sensation of hot wet Hell spilled down her chest. It soaked through her hands and made it difficult to grip the weapon and so it slipped out and hit the ground with a metallic clank.

The scent of smoke and gunpowder assailed her nose causing her to wince. Rippling waves of nausea crashed against her consciousness like waves against a dam.

In darkness she waited for a sign...

For anything...

She wasn't sure what she was looking for, only certain that she needed to search. Fumbling through the blast-blind haze her blood-slick hands snaked out into the open air in search of purchase. When at last they made contact, they absorbed a warmth she had known all too well.

A silhouette in the brightness.

She ran her hands across his chest, inevitably probing the deep gouged tunnel in his flesh. She instantly flinched, shying away, however in that instant of release he fell upon her, his entire weight crashing down upon her smaller frame.

His arms draped over her shoulders, head balanced on the crook of her neck. She could feel his legs give, his body flopping uselessly into her arms.

"Ichi-ni..." she whispered ever so softly, bringing forth tears to wash away the haze.

As her vision returned she finally saw him, the brother she had looked up to. The brother who had always protected her. And yet this time it had been her turn to protect him...

"Karin..." The voice stunned her. It was so very frail, his tone, as if afraid to voice his thoughts.

Nestling her head against his, she let out a sigh and hummed in reply.

He hesitated, the words lingering on the tip of his tongue. After some pause, he asked, "What have I done?"

Karin glanced around at her two fallen friends, both just barely hanging on. She closed her eyes and choked back the tears, "You did something terrible...But you were only doing what you thought was right..."

An image of Yuzu and her father appeared in her head, their smiling faces bearing down upon her. Slowly, Karin ran her hand through her brother's spiked hair, gently stroking it as she sighed, "I forgive you..."

Together, the siblings wept.

Ukitake and Mayuri stood perfectly still in the secluded secrecy of the laboratory. Both exchanged furious looks, both feeling resentment and hatred unlike anything they had felt before.

"I'm surprised you let Ichigo go to fight the others. I would have thought you'd have an easier time picking apart the weaklings rather than face me."

"I can't help but shake the feeling you are insulting me, Ukitake. But you are correct. As satisfying as it would be to tear those pathetic mortals apart I simply cannot abandon the greatest foe I have ever encountered. A God must lead by example, how else are his followers to trust him and obey? I shall prove to everyone my strength and gain absolute dominion over all the living and the dead! You are the final stepping stone towards a higher plane Ukitake and so I must face you."

The captain commander frowned, "Why are you so concerned with becoming a God? Were you not content living under another's shadow?"

"Hmm, I doubt you could comprehend. You've long been nothing more than a figure-head for the Gotei 13. Without even trying you became a pillar for everyone else, so much so that you succeeded the former Captain Commander without even lifting a finger."

"Is this all a matter of jealousy?" Ukitake gasped incredulously.

Mayuri shook his head, "No, nothing so trivial. I am merely doing what I have always done, crawling up from the depths to a place more deserving of my presence. I was imprisoned for so many years until that foolish Urahara set me free. He had potential, but he did not deserve his place and so I worked my way to becoming his replacement and assuming command of the Research and Development department. Then I noticed the cracks amongst the other captains and our own leader. In truth I never thought I could bring down the Captain Commander, but the outbreak of the virus came as an unexpected blessing. Purely by accident I had carved a path to my destiny as commander of the Gotei 13."

"You call all of this a blessing?! So many innocent people have died all to place yourself on a pedestal! You're an abomination!"

"Harsh words, but I care not for your loathing. You see you managed to usurp the position I had sought through finally applying yourself in the battle against the undead. I was impressed by your efforts, but even so you could never live up to the previous Captain Commander, and even he was flawed...That's when I realised, the only way to reach the heights I desired would be to become a God, a being of such supreme power and authority, beyond realms of right and wrong. Thus my flaws would matter not in the eyes of my followers. Why try and climb beside you when I can simply pass you by and reach a higher plane of existence!"

Ukitake scowled, "And you think having a legion of ghouls as your pets will make you a god? You're a fool Mayuri! You've caused so much pain and sadness all for nothing! Your empty ambitions and lofty ideals mean nothing! All this time you've simply been crushing the world underfoot to boost your own image!"

A fiendish grin crossed the madman's features, a malicious smile dripping with venom.

"Perhaps. To survive the apocalypse is a miracle only a God could manage."

Ukitake charged. Swords clashed. Sparks rained down.

A shockwave billowed outwards, shattering the cages and causing the equipment to scatter and break, destroying every trace of Mayuri's secret research. With a sad frown he studied the wreckage and with renewed vigour lunged at his foe, hacking away at his careful defences. Ukitake blocked each strike with relative ease, confident in his abilities against the notoriously weaker captain.

When it seemed Mayuri's onslaught had slowed, Ukitake whirled around and slammed his blade against that of his foe, the momentum and force throwing his opponent backwards and leaving him open to attack.

As Mayuri stumbled Ukitake rushed forward, sword thrust forwards seeking death.

Just barely in time Mayuri flash stepped out of the way and wheeled to the side, firing off several kido blasts. Ukitake deflected the first two and dived around the third before firing off several of his own.

As smoke and dust choked the tiny room, the captain commander utilised the smoke screen to duck in close and slice up through Mayuri's midsection, the blade coming to a stop beneath his arm. Blood exploded out from between his lipless grin, splattering against his haori. Cursing, Mayuri wrenched his own body free, severing his arm in the process.

In shock, Ukitake watched on as Mayuri injected himself with some kind of serum. In the blink of an eye the lost limb had grown back, perfectly unscathed.

Damn, I forgot about his little bag of tricks! I can't let him escape! If I can destroy him before he gets a chance to heal himself it will all be over!

Unfortunately before he could make his move, Mayuri had flash stepped beside him, swinging his sword in a wide arc just narrowly missing his head. As Ukitake ducked he spun on his heels, mid-crouch, and carved through the back of his opponent's knees, downing the enemy captain and trapping him on the ground amid the sea of debris.

Mayuri rolled onto his side and thrust upwards, tearing through the captain commander's haori but missing his flesh. Nonetheless the battle-hardened warrior leapt back to a safe distance afterward, giving him a window to heal his decimated legs.

Once again rising from the brink of death Mayuri grinned through blood-flecked teeth at his opponent.

"Your skills are certainly impressive, but I know you Ukitake. You aren't known for your endurance! I just have to wear you down and then you're finished!"

"I won't let that happen!" Ukitake snarled, throwing himself into the fray with a furious string of slashes, sword moving so fast it became a blur of silver-glinted light. Mayuri managed to evade the strikes using his impressive speed and reflexes. As the commander began to slow Mayuri leapt high above him and unleashed a shot of blue fire, obscuring the view of the area below. The nefarious doctor brought his sword down on the silhouette of his foe, feeling the delectable sensation of steel through flesh and bone.

A sadistically gratifying scream echoed out from the captain commander as he dropped down on one knee. Bringing his free hand to the wound he glanced up, defeated, at his rival.

"Damn! I can't accept this! I won't fall here! Not until you are dead!"

Ukitake threw a devastating punch to the doctor's midsection sending him doubling over in pain. Quickly snatching up his sword Ukitake thrust the blade up through Mayuri's heart, erupting in a scarlet fountain out through his back. Using the weight of his entire body Ukitake shoulder charged the wounded captain and sent him staggering into the wall where he collapsed in a heap.

Now was his chance to finally slay him and end the battle once and for all!

All he had to do was walk over and cut off his head.

With a groan the captain commander dropped down on all fours, coughing and wheezing. Of all times his age and sickness had caught up, overlapping the surge of adrenaline and seizing the fore in his centuries old body.

Crippled by the searing nausea churning inside him, Ukitake leant forward and threw up an unholy black soup of poisoned blood and bile. Pus dripped down from the corner of his mouth, lips now colourless. With blank eyes he fell back against the remains of one of the cages, hands grasping his aching stomach, a sensation of burrowing drills piercing his innards.

No! Not now! I can't lose! It isn't my time just yet! For all of those who have been lost...For all who I have forsaken...I will avenge you all! This is a battle of honour...Of life and death!

Once again, Mayuri returned to his feet, his wounds healed with unnatural ease. Nonetheless the remnants of his injuries remained painted across his pallid white flesh. A look of unnerving calm assailed him, but a hint of anxiety in the vile captain's eyes betrayed him.

Ukitake smiled thinly before wincing at the pain throbbing in his temples.

That look in his eyes...He's running out of those needles! I just have to fight on for a little longer! I must hold out!

On shaking legs Ukitake crawled to his feet, using the decimated cage as a support, leaning on its warped and shattered frame to steady himself before balancing precariously on his own ground. He needed a moment to gather himself. He needed to stall his opponent for a while, just long enough for the dizzying wave of sickness to pass and clear his head.

He forced a laugh, but it sounded broken and weak rattling out of his throat.

"You're finished Mayuri! There's a limit to how many times the dead can rise again. Even with your medicine you cannot endure forever. All I have to do is cut you down until you use up your supply. Or maybe I could just cut off your arms so you can't fetch your little toys?"

Visibly rattled, a murderous glare flashed through Mayuri's expression.

"Your boasting only delays your own demise. Though you may fight me, you have no defence against your internal failings. As your organs begin to shut down, aggravated by the stress of battle, soon you will lose the ability to stand against me. As your motor functions are impaired you will lose focus as your bodily systems close one by one. It will be just like falling asleep, in agony! And as you crumbled and fall, finally your lungs will close off and cut off your supply of oxygen. Like a fish on land you will suffocate on the very air you breathe! However I may be merciful and take your head before that happens; pray I don't change my mind!"

Ukitake smirked. Mayuri was known for his long winded speeches. It was a welcome break, a chance to clear his head and concentrate on the final battle. Now focused solely on the call of battle, Ukitake charged, a great cry erupting from his struggling lungs.

Kommamura swung his great sword in a wide arc, cutting down a dozen of the dead, sending a rain of offal confetti to shower those who took their place. The giant of a captain used his bare hand to crush the skull of another who crept up from behind while waving his sword to stave off those who advanced from the front.

On all sides his men had disappeared, some returning to the curse of living death to face their former captain.

With a frown he cut down his own men without mercy, decimating their ranks alone.

Iba fought nearby, his own troops leading a valiant fight to reclaim the ground that was lost, but the scores of the dead still flooding through the gate prevented such a victory for their forces. It seemed that even with reinforcements from all directions they stood at a severe numerical disadvantage. Even with their superior fighting strength, the greatest warriors fell under the weight of a wall of decaying flesh and gnashing teeth.

"Soi Fon! We cannot hold out much longer! Are you ready?"

From afar, Soi Fon's reply echoed throughout the mass grave of the battlefield, "Just a few more minutes!"

With a rumbling curse the lupine soldier fought on with greater determination, fiercely hacking away at the incoming horde, a battle cry which shook the earth bellowed from his fanged maw. The other troops lent their voices to the fray, a chorus of war to serenade the decisive battle against the dead.

The battle for humanity's future raged on in a maelstrom of unimaginable carnage.

The fate of all living things hanging in the balance...

Life?

Or Death?