Soldier

A/N: We are fudging a bit with Harry Potter and Bleach canons here so that it fits this chapter. The big question is: What is a Bleach story without Ichigo going Bankai?

We will warn everyone, right now, we suck at writing fight scenes which is why there is so few in our stories. So we asked for help.

Reminder: This is a pre-Fullbring Ichigo. So his bankai and shihakusho are his original ones. Sorry to the folks who were expecting the new and improved Ichigo from the manga.

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.

Special thanks to Staros Aniken Marcus and Jade Celandine for their advice. Also, I took a bit of the fight scene from Bleach: The Sealed Sword Frenzy.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Chapter 30: Judgment Day

Ichigo stood, on the rocky shore of the North Sea, staring out over the churning waters. He lifted his eyes to gaze toward the horizon where a great, dark aura radiated. He scowled. It was never simple. 'And this time I'm not alone.'

"Can you sense it, Tachio?" whined the buxom strawberry blonde, Rangiku Matsumoto, beside him, breaking into Ichigo's thoughts.

"Ah," came the short, white-haired captain of the tenth squad, Captain Hitsugaya's response.

"Che!" the tall, menacing captain of the eleventh snorted. "What're you waiting fer? An invitation? Let's go fight something!"

"We're waiting for the boats to take us over," came Madam Bones' voice as she stepped closer to Albus Dumbledore and the Unspeakable that decided to accompany them.

"Don't you think we need more aurors, Amelia?" Dumbledore prodded, stroking his beard. It was becoming clear to everyone that the old wizard was senile, and more of a menace to the mission than a help.

"As long as they stay out of our way," Ichigo smirked, crouching into a sprinting stance before vaulting high into the darkening sky and flash-stepping away.

Zaraki Kenpatchi rumbled, his insane laugh echoing while his pink haired lieutenant giggled from his shoulder. Then he followed after Ichigo, roaring, "Now ya're talkin'!"

"Let's go, Kenny!" giggled Yachiri, clutching the giant Captain's shoulder.

The other Soul Reapers exchanged a look and took off, disappearing before their eyes.

"Wait!" shouted a distressed Dumbledore.

"Don't bother, Albus," Madam Bones commanded. "The boats would've been crowded as it was. I'm sending for more boats, and aurors."

"But they are heading to their deaths!" Albus protested petulantly. He stared into the empty sky, unable to see the group of Soul Reapers heading towards Azkaban.

She smiled. "Didn't you hear, Albus? They're Soul Reapers, they're already dead."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Soul Reapers stopped in mid-air above an ominous stone fortress on a rock in the middle of the frigid North Sea. There was very little land around the fortress, only a small dock area to one side of the island near the gates.

The Soul Reapers could feel the heavy aura of death, hunger and madness permeating the air around them.

"Ohhh. What a gloomy place!" whined Matsumoto. "Taicho!? Do we have to go in there!?"

"What're ya waiting fer?" shouted Kenpachi, as he landed in the center courtyard. His two seated officers were right behind him.

"Let's go!" Captain Hitsugaya shouted.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Madam Bones, the Unspeakable and Albus Dumbledore stepped out off the first boat to the sounds of insane laughter and explosions. "Hmm, they seem to have things well in hand," she commented with a smirk as the guards and the Warden came running out of the prison gates toward her.

"Every prisoner has been moved to the courtyard under heavy wards as you ordered," The warden panted."Just who are they? Is it true? Can they kill Dementors?"

The prison guards' eyes bugged out when a very buxom strawberry blonde dropped to the ground in front of them, showing more cleavage than sense. "Well now, this all of you?"

"Madam, pull yourself together! This isn't a bar in Knockturn alley!" shouted the Warden, blushing at the amount of cleavage said woman was showing.

"Why, I know that big boy," Rangiku Matamoto said with a wink and a wiggle. "Captain thought I should stay and protect you civilians," she replied to the sputtering, blushing wizard. "They've cleared the top levels by now and are heading towards the lower areas. It's been pretty grueling, and cold," she shivered.

Overhead a sudden spike of ice shot through a wall, knocking stone masonry into the air even as a segmented sword pierced another. A quick protego and banishing spells kept the wizards from getting hurt by the falling rubble.

The prisoners cowered, shouting in fear as aurors moved them out of the way towards the docks.

Just then a dementor staggered out of a cell block. Its cold aura overcoming the wizards and the prisoners they were shepherding.

Before the guards could draw their wands and do a patronus spell, the blonde Soul Reaper whipped out her zanpakuto and snarled as she held it up over her head. "Growl Haineko!"

The Warden gasped in shock when her sword disintegrated into a fine dust, engulfing the Dementor. When the blade reformed the tattered, empty robe of a destroyed Dementor folded in on itself as it fluttered to the ground.

She smiled, and with a wink and a triumphant smirk, gave the shocked Warden a thumbs up, thrusting her ample chest out even further. "That was easy."

Behind her Albus Dumbledore gaped at the scene. This person didn't even seem effected by the foul creatures aura.

Madam Bones hid a smile. She knew what these Soul Reapers were capable of. She wasn't too surprised, not after witnessing Voldemort's demise.

"We're heading for the sub-levels," came a shout from the red-haired, heavily tattooed Soul Reaper as he stepped out of the shadows. "Ichigo and the eleventh are doing most of the work. Be careful. They're knocking out support walls as they go.

"We want to destroy the whole fortress. Get every thing you need and get everyone out of here! Captain Hitsugaya says the cold energy that these creatures radiate is very strong. He's afraid it'll attract hollows."

"Right Renji!" Matsumoto shouted back. She turned to Madam Bones. "If you have records or anything worth saving, you need to get them now!"

"Most of them are doubled, and copies are stored in the Hall of Records at the Ministry," Bones told the Soul Reaper.

There was a loud explosion and an insane cackle as portions of stone walls fell into the sea. Another tattered Dementor's cloak floated to the ground.

"Does that answer your question?" Bones turned to the Warden. "The extra boats and aurors should be here soon to take the prisoners to the holding cells at the Ministry. We'll decide what to do with them later."

"Yes Madam Bones." The prisoners and aurors were quickly loaded onto the arriving boats.

Suddenly, there was a chilling, inhuman roar from the very bowels of the fortress causing everyone to freeze.

"What in Merlin's name is that!?" shouted Bones.

"Oh Merlin! They've awakened the Beast!" cried the Warden.

At Madam Bones' confused query the Warden explained, "We who have seen it, call it 'The Beast.' There's a legend, that the Dark Wizard Ekrizdis, who created the Dementors, never really died. The wards that imprisoned him started to fade after the Ministry took over the island, but they never fully dropped." He was shaking in fear as another roar sounded.

"I found records when I took over that confirmed he'd never really left," he quavered. "They showed that many of the earlier Wardens tried to warn the Ministry, but they refused to listen, calling us frightened children.

"All we know's that we were never able to go into the heart of the fortress, powerful ancient wards stopped us. Many prisoners have tried to escape down there, thinking they could slip away later, but no one who has tried it was ever found alive. We thought that was the case with Black, when he first escaped, but Fudge still refused to listen to us."

Another roar could be heard as the courtyard shook violently. "YE DARE! INVADE MINE FORTRESS AT THY PERIL! BE GONE WEAKLINGS!"

The largest seeming Dementor anyone had ever seen erupted into the air from the remains of the central tower.

If one could even call that thing a Dementor. The reek of decay and bone-chilling cold filled the air, causing those alive to fall to the ground shivering in panic and gasping for breath.

The monstrosity easily towered ten feet above the ruined courtyard. It looked like a Dementor at first glance, but almost seemed more human in its skeletal appearance. Leathery, dried skin encased the fingers clutching a staff made of human bones in its gnarly hand.

Tattered fifteenth century robes clung to the remains of the Dementor-wizard Ekrizdis as he roared out a furious challenge. "DIE!" It fired off a powerful killing curse at a black figure.

Ichigo surged up, up into the air to meet the being head on. "BRING IT ON! YOU PILE OF CRAP! YOU'RE HISTORY!"

The teen swung his massive blade, blocking the spell that the monster threw at him with its bone staff. Ichigo was thrown back into the dreary afternoon sky, only to do a hand flip to right himself.

"He'll be killed!"

"What is he doing!?"

"Way to go! Looks like fun!"

"Fight him Kurosaki!"

Ekrizdis roared again and waved his skeletal staff as another flash of green light burst forth. The wizards gasped as the sickly green of a killing curse sped at the defiant teen.

Ichigo easily dodged it by leaping up and over, swinging his zanpakuto down only to have it blocked by the skeletal wizard's staff.

Several more rapid fire spells came hurtling towards a grinning Ichigo, causing him to duck and spin around them. Waves of spirit energy clashed with the myriad spells lighting the darkened afternoon sky.

"You are going down!" Ichigo snarled, pointing the tip of his zanpakuto at the large creature.

Ekrizdis roared and charged, spewing more spells, causing Ichigo to dodge or deflect. Finally, an orange spell connected, sending Ichigo into a tower wall. As he laid sprawled in the crater Ichigo spit out a bit of blood. "Is that all you got?" he mocked.

"Quit foolin' around, Ichigo!" shouted Renji, coming to stand beside him in the air, ducking casually from one of the stray spells.

"Right! Get everyone out of here!" the teen shouted back, as he powered up once more.

"Right!" Renji agreed as he headed back to the boats.

Ichigo swung his over-sized zanpakuto as he shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!"

The arc of energy clipped the Beast, flinging it backwards roaring in pain as black ichor erupted from its chest.

Righting himself, the desiccated figure shot spells at an inhumanly possible speed at Ichigo.

The bloodied Substitute Soul Reaper raised his over-sized sword to chest level, placing his free hand on his raised arm. A bright white light radiated out from him as he shouted a single word: "Ban-kai."

A flare of light and smoke blinded everyone and as it faded, it left a much different Ichigo standing in the middle of the early evening sky. The cleaver-like sword was now a narrow black daito.* At the end of the hilt was a short length of chain. He was now wearing a long sleeved, tightly fitting coat with a tattered hem over his black hakama.

"Tensa Zangetsu.*" Ichigo didn't waste a second as he soared straight at the Beast with his zanpakuto raised for a killing strike, but the beast was already shouting out a barrage of spells.

The wizards below had a hard time keeping up with the speed at which Ichigo was moving. His arms were a blur as he batted away the different colored spells. To those who were unfamiliar with the teen's style of fighting, it looked as if he was conducting an orchestra – with a very lethal baton.

Flash stepping, he started to circle the over-sized Dementor. To those observing the battle it sometimes seemed there was more than one Ichigo, as he circled the large figure firing killing curse after killing curse at the after-images of the teen.

Suddenly, overhead, they heard Ichigo shout as he sped towards the wounded, but dizzy monster. He was suddenly above the beast, and with a shout of primal rage, bisected it, causing the last Killing Curse to explode back in Ekrizdis' face. Ichigo was unaffected as he was already past the body with his back turned away.

"We found that thing in a lair with many human and sea creature bones," said Captain Hitsugaya as he came to stand by the wizards while they watched the fight overhead. "Ichigo was the one that flushed him out. Zaraki wanted to fight it, but Ichigo claimed first dibs."

"From the looks of things," said the bald Soul Reaper as he landed beside the petite captain, his arms draped over a long, bladed staff resting on his shoulders. "It's the one that made all of those things."

He spat on the ground in disgust. "They haven't been much of a fight. They do remind us of the Bounts, though. Nasty pieces of . . ."

"Now, now. Don't be so down Ikkaku," came another Soul Reaper, coming to land beside them. "Ichigo said, there were too many for him to handle alone, and he was right. The captain is still finding stragglers. We should get back to work. Such ugly creatures."

"Che," spat Ikkaku. "They offer no fun." The pair took off, ignoring the fight above them.

The white-haired captain turned to the awed wizards. "I suggest that you finish getting every living thing off this island.

"Ichigo has done the main job by destroying the Arrancar. Now Kenpatchi will want to fight Ichigo.

Between them and the other two from the Eleventh, they are planning on razing this island to the sea bed."

"But. . ." Dumbledore tried once more to interrupt.

"You have been warned." The captain disappeared as if he'd apparated.

0o0oo0o0

Albus Dumbledore stood, frozen in horror as the two halves of the Beast started to fall backwards. This Dementor was different from those that guarded the ancient fortress. Such coldness, such power, to be laid low by someone so young. How much ancient magic was lost?

The aged wizard stared up at Ichigo. Such dark beings! He had to do something to stop these Soul Reapers. They couldn't continue to disrupt the Wizarding World. But how?

o0o0o0o

Madam Bones was thankful that there had been no deaths as the last of the prisoners and aurors entered the boats. She and the others waited for instructions.

Suddenly the Gates of Hell appeared over the prison fortress. The remaining prisoners and aurors screamed in horror as chains shot out of its open doors as a huge arm holding a sword came forth. The chains wrapped around the remains of Ekrizdis as the sword pierced them.

Ichigo spat some more blood as he wiped his mouth and chin with a black sleeve, and turned his back on the Gate, as he slowly drifted down from the sky.

Dumbledore fell to his knees in despair. This wasn't the first time he had seen those Gates, and he feared it wouldn't be the last, but still.. . "Was that really necessary?" he mourned.

Ichigo, still in his Bankai form, walked up to him and grabbed him by his robes, "I've killed worse. According to Harry you're so free to give every one a second chance, no matter how much evil they've done. But what about those who are innocent and in need of your protection? Must they pay for you giving those that don't deserve it that chance? Where is their second chance? You leave them open to attack and death." He pushed the aged wizard away. "Che! You disgust me!"

"Ichigo!"

"Kurosaki!"

"I say!"

"Oi! Kurosaki!" came Kenpatchi's voice from somewhere behind the group. "Quit preachin'! Fight me! I'm all warmed up!"

Ichigo stepped away from the old wizard and turned to parry a blow that the tall captain threw at him. The young pink-haired girl on Kenpatchi's shoulder laughed loudly. "Yea! Kenny's going to fight Ichi-chan!"

"Baka! Couldn't you wait until I at least catch my breath?" the teen groused. He blocked the incoming blow as the tall captain swung his battered katana.

The laughing, pink-haired girl hopped off of the captain's shoulder to find a good spot to watch. "Have a good fight with Ichi-chan, Kenny!"

"By morning there won't be a stone of this place standing," Ikkaku promised with an evil grin, jerking a thumb to the fighting pair. "Those two will see to that!"

The last the wizards saw of the island as they loaded the last of the prisoners onto boats was the terrible fortress of Azkaban being razed to sea level by the dueling Soul Reapers.

Those on the English shore were treated to a light show, and the distant echo of insane cackling that lasted well into the next morning.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A/N: We know according to canon Ichigo refuses to fight Kenpatchi a second time but we just thought it was appropriate.

Getsuga Tensho – Ichigo's special attack

Tensa Zangetsu – Heavenly Chain Cutting Moon. Ichigo Bankai form

daito – a type of Japanese long sword

hakama – traditional Japanese pants

Baka – Idiot, moron, fool

In Memory of Genkaifan's brother – Bill – who died this February of a heart attack.