Countdown till final: 4

After the short information gathering, from Rukias head, Shiro put her through the mill for three days.
Crash courses of close combat, sword combat and shooting with a gun, using the standard weapon of the company, a Smith & Wesson SW1911 pro Series.
For the last mentioned, Rukia showed a great talent.

So while the two had their fun at the shooting stand, Ichigo tired to find the mysterious mans whereabouts.
Unfortunately it was as if a hole opened up somewhere and just swallowed him without a trace.
Once his secretary interrupted his musing with a mail delivery.
After that he sat at his desk for another two hours, before he opened the large envelope that had been delivered.
A big stack of papers was inside, of which only the one on the top, really interested Ichigo.
He read the letter.

Dear Mr. Kurosaki,
After several tests, our laboratories came to the following result:
The test person, Kuchiki Rukia, is with a probability of 99,96% the child of the test person...

Just as his eye fell upon the name, the phone on his desk rang.
Confused, the orangette stared at it for several seconds, before taking the call.
"Hello?"
No one on the other line answered, but he could hear someone breathing.
"How did you get this number?"
Eventually the caller spoke, and Ichigo identified it as the mysterious man.
"We can continue things in two styles. Either you follow my command, or I'll have the little girl involved in it again."
Ichigo grit his teeth, trying not to bark into the receiver.
"What do you want from me?"
"Hm. I see, you're reasonable. Come to the park within the hour, or your girl won't be as lucky this time."
The call ended and Ichigo stared at the device in his hand, then his gaze fell upon the document on his desk again.
He made up his mind as soon as the man had spoken his threat.
It was a trap, but he'd rather step into the lions den alone, then let her get hurt more than she already was.

Ichigo got his things and headed off immediately, not leaving a notice or the likes of it for the ones left behind.
At the park, he was as cautious as he could be, expecting the man to come forth from any place, any moment.
The orangette walked until he reached the same clearing from before, but still no one was in sight.
"I'm glad you followed the invitation."
A high voice spoke.
As Ichigo spun around, he already received a hit to the back of his head and blacked out.

When he came to again, he was in some barely lit room, that smelled like rusty iron and stale water.
He was tied to a stool and gagged.
"Welcome back. Had a nice nap?"
The high voice asked, as the owner of it stepped out from the shadows and the second person stayed hid in them, leaning against the closest wall.
Ichigo guessed, judging after the build that it was the man from before and this one his female companion.
"I bet you want to know why you are here."
It was a woman indeed and she took another stool to sit down in front of Ichigo.
"Let me tell you a little tale."
Ichigo glared at her and she returned it with a wide grin.

"Long, long ago in the early Egyptian empire, there was a slave boy, who worked on building a statue of the current pharaoh, with his fellows. He was stronger and faster then others his age. One day the pharaoh came to inspect the works and took notice of the boy. He ordered his servants to take him to the palace. There the boy was locked into a dark pit until the next full moon. They took him to a room then, and bound his to a stone cubic. A priest cut open his belly and gathered the blood that left the boy, for the pharaoh to drink. The boy was sacrificed, to grant the emperor eternal life and youth."

Ichigo huffed under the gag and glared at the woman some more.
"It's getting interesting now. Don't worry."
The female leaned back and continued.

"The boys body was thrown into the desert. There on the verge of death it was him, who was granted that, which he had been sacrificed for. With new strength he searched his way back to the palace and annihilated every living soul in it."

She patted Ichigo on the cheek, when she saw his gaze getting blurry.
"Are you still listening?"
When his look was clear again, she continued.

"Two millenniums later, the boy finally matured and took a wife. He had a daughter with her, who got the same powers as him. That daughter became a beauty among beauties and he started to desire her. One fateful day, he couldn't bear it anymore and raped his daughter. She got pregnant and beard two healthy boys. The first born inherited most of his parents treats, while the second only got the small part that was left. As the two grew up, the father favored the elder son and the younger envied his brother for it. The elder, because of his great similarity to his father, also had this special urge. He made children with his mother, daughters and grandchildren. Does this ring a bell somehow?"

The woman removed the gag and Ichigo spat out once, before answering.
"It sounds like the linage of the Vampires. What does it have to do with this?"
She sighed and clapped her hands once.

"Fine, that saves me some breath. Now, the younger upon watching his brother take their mother by force and have offspring from this, he began to hate him. Also while he got older, his brother kept his youth and strength. The younger created his own family and taught his children the hate to the ones who were different from themselves. He used the one ability he had to grow a clan of his own over generations that hated their relatives like no other. The father of the two brothers was long gone. He searched himself a peaceful life among his children's children. Until the day the unloved sons breed came to his place and destroyed everything. They killed his current wife and comrades and forced the young ones to flee. Sounds terrible right? But that wasn't enough. The father was sealed away in a far away cave and slept there for two thousand years, until some mongrel found him and woke him, to tell him of the new perversion that just recently had been created."

Ichigo frowned at the last words and the woman leaned close to his face.
"Ne, boy. How does it feel to finally be equal to your brother? Good? It ain't, right? Because you can't control that much power, you wimp!"
The woman hit Ichigo hard, so that his head snapped aside.
After a moment he spat out a mixture of spit and blood.
A short laughter filled the room.

"You found yourself a more competent pawn, rather quick. So, what is she going on about?"
The man emerged from the shadows, showing his face to Ichigo for the first time and said.

"I already told you haven't I? Before me nothing was created, but eternal things and I remain eternal *. I am God and I am Lucifer, for both Vampire and Slayer came from my flesh and blood. You useless shit always wanted to be like me and now found a way. But you degraded yourself to a senseless beast, like the many that crawl around out there and which I erased. I won't let you and your kind fool around any longer. Within the next days, I'll erase the old creation and from their ashes bring forth a new race."

Ichigo struggled on the seat and snarled at his captor.
"What do you want me for?"
"You'll be the tool to get your little soldiers to destroy every single of your damned breed and then, when only you will be left. I return your existence back into me."
The man grabbed Ichigo by the hair and pulled his head back.
"I'm looking forward to your cooperation, Asim."

...

Far from the place Ichigo was held in, at the V.A.S.T. tower, the tall, dark haired man entered it without being noticed and proceeded to the place Shiro and Rukia just returned to.
The two found Ichigos office unoccupied and after calling home, found out that he wasn't to be found there either.
The sound of the large doors opening made Shiro spin around, already barking, before his eyes met the one entering.
"Where have you gone...to?"

"Kizuki Shiro."
Shiro saw that man stand in front of him, who certainly wasn't Ichigo.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
"That doesn't matter at the moment. The person you addressed with your outburst is in great danger. You'll need my help, to find your mate and save him."
The pale knit his brows together, uncertain if he should believe the words of this stranger.
"Save him from what?"
"Our Father. Little Brother."

Chapter 24
End

* Before me nothing was created, but eternal things and I remain eternal → Nakhk'an indz voch'inch' steghtsvel e, bayts' haverzh baner yev haverzhakan yes mnum. (chapter 21)

Names:
(translated after the meaning of the original name)

Asim → protector (Egypt)