Hell on Earth: Extended edition. Enjoy and please review!
12: Lucifer
Zaraki's threats were cut short by the towering figure that was coming out of the gate. The Ruler of Hell was as monstrous as they expected, but seeing him for real was a sight to behold.
"Oh...Shit!" Kenpachi stammered, craning his neck to stare into the face of the great warrior.
His face was veiled in shadow but gleaming red eyes scanned the battlefield. Heavy armour covered much of his body, but the bare patches of flesh were heavily tattooed. The sword held in a massive gauntlet was a truly incredible weapon. The sword stood three stories high, large enough to decimate all of the captains in one fell swoop.
Such an opponent was a godsend to Zaraki who burst out with hysterical laughter. While others cowered at the imposing foe, Zaraki laughed in its face. To fight against an enemy so much stronger was thrilling. His erratic heartbeat made him laugh.
"This is excellent! My heart is pounding! He's mine!" Before his comrades could argue, the wild warrior charged. He only made it a few metres before the massive blade crashed down upon him. While all the others fled Zaraki stood his ground and raised his sword, preparing to block the impossibly huge weapon.
The two swords clashed. As expected, Kenpachi's might crumbled beneath the effortless attack. When the great sword dug itself out of the ground and was lifted back up everyone noticed the thick red puddle and Zaraki Kenpachi. On closer inspection they realised that the psychotic captain was in two halves, cleaved in two from the waist.
The tiny pink haired girl, Yachiru Kusajishi almost collapsed. She fell on all fours and reached out towards the man she adored. "Kenny!"
Her shrill scream seemed to bring the bisected warrior back from the brink of death, reviving his bloodlust. Zaraki's eyes burst open and he howled manically.
"My god...What on earth is he?" The captains all watched on, astounded by their fellow captains unmatchable resilience and strength.
"To survive such a hit...Kenpachi is definitely the real monster here!"
Zaraki raised his single functioning arm and pointed his sword at his foe, declaring another strike. His other arm hung uselessly by his side, the bones shattered and his hand twisted around the wrong way. Regardless of the sickening injuries, he showed no signs of pain.
"Come on! I can still fight! It's not over until I'm DEAD!" His reiatsu increased until it far exceeded the limitations for one so wounded. The mutilated mess was surrounded by a blazing yellow aura that stretched up to the sky.
Lucifer decided to end the warrior's life as he so desired. He brought the massive sword down again but an equally huge blade intercepted it.
Sajin Kommamura had released his Bankai, allowing him to freely control a giant warrior. Usually it towered over all opponents but in this fight it was the size of a child next to the Ruler of Hell. Standing about four times higher than the golem, Lucifer still appeared to have the upper hand. Despite the size difference, the golem was the best chance the shinigami had of beating down the great monster. The two giants began to exchange blows while the others tried to think of a way to support the golem.
Several ideas were pitched but faults were found and they were quickly discarded. Everyone concentrated on the problem but it was some time until someone spoke up.
Renji glanced around at the assembled warriors and proposed his strategy. "I could use my Bankai to get someone close enough for a good shot?"
"Good idea...If we can strike him in his weak spot with all we've got we may just be able to defeat him without a prolonged battle. But we can't just climb the ladder. We need to distract him."
Everyone conversed quietly, except for Kommamura who thrashed about vigorously, controlling the golem that stood against the king of evil.
The shinigami strategy meeting came to an end and everyone nodded in agreement on their plan. They turned to face their foe and instantly the plan went into effect.
Renji thrust his sword forward and roared, "Bankai!" His sword glowed red and soon grew into an immense coiled serpent. The unwieldy skeleton towered over its master. Sharp spines ran along its back leading to a bright red mane around the base of its bleached white skull.
The great beast lowered its head and several shinigami hopped onto its back. The serpent rose into the sky, towards Lucifer's head.
As the king of Hell reached out to destroy the attackers, a tiny captain flew past his field of vision. Toshiro Hitsugaya released his Bankai. Icy wings burst out of his back and his feet became enveloped in ice, ending in frosted talons. His sword arm was hidden within an icy guard shaped like a dragon's head. A long tail whipped about behind him as he soared about, gaining the attention of the huge beast. With one swing of his sword a huge blast of ice entwined Lucifer's legs, rooting him to the spot.
Kira Izuru, the 3rd seat assistant captain released his Shikai. Wabisuke was a straight edged hook with the power to double the weight of an opponent's weapon with each successive hit until they can no longer hold their weapon and kneel before the victor. It was uncertain whether the effect would even be noticeable against such a foe but it was worth a try.
Kira hacked madly at Lucifer's sword He managed thirty strikes before he was swatted away by a colossal hand. The power of the attack smashed him into the ground with such force that he was killed on impact.
"Kira!" Renji almost lost sight of his goal and rushed to his friend's aid, but the task at hand required his full concentration. He reluctantly turned his back on his fallen friend and faced the enemy. He cracked the snake's tail like whip to spur it on.
The skeletal snake soon reached the massive head of Lucifer. His merciless glare was daunting but the team of lieutenants all jumped off. The assistant captain from each squad, bar eleventh, second and third all spread out, releasing their Shikai. Each warrior then dashed for the beast's unguarded throat. No matter what size an opponent is, the throat is always a weak spot.
Meanwhile, the captains worked on the distraction. Soi Fon, the thin little woman who led the second squad prepared for battle. She was unbeatable in hand to hand combat, but this called for desperate measures. She released her zanpakuto, Suzemabachi. Though it only became a claw and gauntlet it was far more useful than to deal a nasty scratch. Within the blade, a lethal poison lurks. Once someone is stung by Suzemabachi a dose of poison is injected into the wound. As it only releases half the dosage, two hits to the same spot is usually followed by a painful death.
Soi Fon unleashed a furious barrage of stabs and thrusts, needing an exceedingly large dosage to kill a monster of such size. The giant seemed unaffected by it and so the next captain took to the field.
Byakuya Kuchiki, the 6th squad captain, head of the noble Kuchiki family and brother in law to Rukia. Much like his younger sister and his late wife Hisana, a fringe of pointed black bangs divided his face. He wore kenseikan, white hair clips worn by nobles. It was a symbol of his high position. A long white scarf fluttered about in the breeze, blowing into his face. It was a special cloth, handed down from generations in the Kuchiki family.
Byakuya was a stoic warrior. Always with a stern look on his face, he rarely showed any other emotion, a distraction he was able to live without.
He glared into the huge eyes of his foe, bloodlust brimming within him.
"You. You sent that lowly hollow back from death to try and kill my family. Such an unforgivable act. You shall atone with your life." Byakuya held his sword out and then dropped it. His cold stare remained on Lucifer as he softly recited the word, "Bankai."
The world became enveloped in a suffocating darkness. The sky disappeared under an abyssal sheet. Suddenly, columns of swords appeared from thin air, encircling the giant's head.
Byakuya closed his eyes. "Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Prepare yourself." Byakuya's rage subsided when insane laughter assaulted his hearing. He spun on his heels and his eyes narrowed.
The intruder was Shrieker, or at least what remained of him. One arm was missing, a putrid bleeding stump in its place. Both wings were utterly destroyed. Only one leg remained intact, the other twisted horrible with his foot facing out to one side. Thick, reddish-brown blood gushed from a horrific wound in his side. A large chunk was missing, fragments of ribs protruding from the vacant hole.
"You accursed creature. I have no words to spare on such a pitiful beast."
Shrieker chuckled. "I'm sorry..." He dragged something alongside of him.
Byakuya had only noticed it then. The darkness surrounding them obscured his vision and whatever it was, it was soaked in blood. Byakuya squinted at the mess and noticed one shocking detail...A stray bang of black hair in the middle of someone's face.
Outside of Byakuya's secluded world, the hollows launched a counter-attack, led by the mighty hell-hound Cerberus.
Renji's Bankai had crumbled, its master with a sword in his chest. He struggled on, fighting off the oncoming hordes of masked demons.
As Wabisuke's affect wore off, Lucifer was able to attack, albeit very slowly.
The tide of battle had turned but the brave shinigami fought on, desperately trying to protect the world from imminent destruction.
One such shinigami was a peculiar captain whose face was coated in thick slabs of white and black paint. He unleashed his Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo. The oddly shaped sword in his hands glowed red and soon began to spurt reishi out in all directions, creating a massive red blood which soon formed into the shape of a baby-faced caterpillar.
The hollows stared at it with wonder and awe, unaware of the deadly capabilities of such a strange weapon.
The beast let loose a disturbing, child-like scream as an array of blades erupted violently from the beast's stomach as if they were trying to escape. With another great cry the beast rolled forward, heading towards the dumb-struck hollows. They were sliced apart with ease, none of them able to stop the behemoth...
Until the monster came face to face with a three headed hollow. Cerberus rushed forth and met the monster's charge, stopping Ashisogi Jizo with brute strength.
Rather than panic, the captain gave a beaming smile and clapped.
"Amazing! It actually stopped him. A shame it will die from the poison my pet breathes out."
The caterpillar monstrosity spewed a noxious purple vapour from its hideous maw, but a similar toxic gas rose form the nostrils of one of Cerberus's heads. The poison was negated and now Cerberus was free to attack. The brutish beast latched its jaws into the flabby yellow flesh of its opponent but before the meal could be enjoyed the strange caterpillar exploded and reformed into a golden, three-pronged sword which rested in the hands of its master.
"Well, it seems I've met an adversary I cannot eat...But I won't allow myself to fall in this ugly little town!" Mayuri Kurotsuchi rushed to meet the mindless animal. He swung his sword down but the beast swatted him away with a massive paw. Mayuri lunged again only to be barged aside.
He fell on his back and quickly got back up before he was devoured. He flash-stepped away from a set of gnashing jaws and drove his sword into the thick flesh of Cerberus's side. The great beast roared and thrashed about violently, knocking the opponent to the ground once more.
The two fought on vigorously, ignoring all outside distractions and only focusing on the battle at hand.
Byakuya found himself unable to take his eyes from the small body that lay slumped before him. The figure was painted head to toe in ominous red liquid in coatings so thick that no discernible features could be found.
Despite this, Byakuya knew in his heart the identity of the person and he stared at the face of his little sister.
"Ru...ki...a?" He stumbled and fell to his knees, succumbing to his emotions for the first time since his long distant childhood.
Shrieker laughed manically at the grieving captain. "I'm sorry..." The words took Byakuya by surprise and he glanced up into the glowing red eyes of his foe. Shrieker's malicious grin spread wider. "I'm sorry I didn't kill her in front of you! Mwahahahahaha!"
Byakuya shot a hand towards Lucifer and several columns of swords detached and penetrated the giant head, burying themselves down o the guards. The rest disintegrated and reformed into a magnificent white blade.
Byakuya stood up and clasped both hands around the handle of the sword. White wings spread out behind him.
"Shukei Hakuteiken. You will pay for your insolence with your insignificant life!"
Shrieker was about to make a snappy remark but he was cut off when Byakuya materialized beside him. Completely off guard and weak from exhaustion, Shrieker couldn't manage to dodge in time and his broken leg was sliced clean off.
He cried out in agony and hastily drew his sword, reaching down his gullet like a sword-swallower and bringing up the long, blood red blade. When the display was over he fought back, retaliating viciously.
The two crossed sword and exchanged blows briefly, but Byakuya quickly overpowered his injured opponent and drove his sword deep into Shrieker's spine. He then wrenched the blade to one side, amounting in a chilling scream out of Shrieker. Blood spat out of the wound and drenched Byakuya's uniform. He cursed at the mess and yanked the blade across what remained of his foe's mid-section, cleaving him in half.
"It's over!" Byakuya roared, lifting his weapon high, eager to carve through his enemy's skull and put his vendetta to rest. The sweet call of vengeance was strong, so strong that he was blinded to the rest of the world. Nothing would stop him from getting even with the enemy, not even the ear-splitting roar that shook the earth and made everything in sight tremble.
Byakuya ignored the sound, his glare burning deep into Shrieker's eyes.
Kommamura's golem fell, knocked over by Lucifer. With him out of the way, the King of Hell was free to use his sword against whomever he wished...And he chose Byakuya!
Byakuya broke his trance and turned just in time to bring up his sword in a meagre defence against the towering weapon. He tried to block but his sword could only protect against so much force. The gleaming white sword shattered and the huge katana cut into him. Fortunately the brunt of the attack was taken by the sword so the hit was not fatal, but nevertheless Byakuya knew his fight was over for now.
He fell from the sky, plummeting far below. His eyelids were getting heavy so they closed slowly of their own accord. Just before they were shut fully, he thought he saw a shinigami heading towards Lucifer's head...A shinigami with orange hair...
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