Chapter Forty-Nine: The Final Stand

"One of the things which danger does to you after a time is -, well, to kill emotion. I don't think I shall ever feel anything again except fear. None of us can hate anymore - or love."

-Graham Greene - The Confidential Agent (1939)

Kagome wavered a little as a second spiritual pressure arrived somewhere nearby, a boy about as young as Hitsugaya with blonde hair looked ready to drool when he arrived. Byakuya holding off a strike with more luck than his other captains had. Though it had been an attempt at a feint, Aizen had appeared behind him with the intent of having him join the other captains and Prince on the ground but his blade met another and sparked from the impact.

Sesshomaru had moved effortlessly into his path, pausing the attack without so much as a line of displeasure on his impassive face.

"I really know too many men that don't show their emotions." Kagome's off thought didn't quite fit the tense situation but she didn't even have a bow on her...there wasn't much she'd be able to add to the field of battle.

"Kagome, get down." Sesshomaru's deep voice drew her out of her thoughts and made her glance back to where he was trading parry's and strike's with the man she figured now was Aizen. It at least reminded her she could hide under the table until she figured out how she could be useful.

Byakuya was flickering about the field so quickly with the young crazy seeming boy that she couldn't follow their battle well at all...Sesshomaru and Aizen were at some form of stand still.

"This isn't your battle. Why do you interfere?" Aizen didn't show any irritation as he asked, instead he seemed ready to deal his way out of having to fight the demon lord.

Sesshomaru didn't pause like the captain, using the moments of his speaking to send his glowing electrical whip at the man a few times and push him further away from Kagome. "You simply chose a time I couldn't look away. Your mistake, you won't last long to lament it however."

They returned to trading blows and Kagome took the chance to run for the house, perhaps she'd be able to find a bow there. People that lived this far out of the city liked to hunt and there was a small chance she'd be able to find something she could use to aid the small war that seemed to be breaking out at her reception. At least Sesshomaru and Byakuya both seemed intent on driving the enemies away from the slumbering guests.

Byakuya meanwhile was keeping up with the seemingly random jumps and weaves of the mad boy among Aizen's remaining soldiers. He remembered that apparently during the final battle the boy had struck down Ukitake without apparent effort and knew it would be unwise to underestimate him.

It wasn't until he opened his mouth to shoot a cero at the mostly unaware tables of screaming (or luckier guests) slumbering people that he was forced to take his own style up a notch.

"Way of Binding Number 81: Severing Void!" He gestured across the field, the shield he erected just in time for it to block the cero and send it broken toward the forest where it cut into the trees and destroyed much of the foliage it touched.

Then he was vanishing again as the boy returned to pursuing him in such a random way it was indeed difficult to keep up with the various ways in which he approached. Though he was slowly drawing him further away from the people that had been attending the party.

He wanted to split Aizen in two but as he still seemed to be unable to see him or break the spell of his blade it seemed he was going to be stuck with the crazy opponent. Again, the demon lord from Kagome's past life had helped more than Byakuya would have liked.

"Uuuuaaahuuuagghhh." The crazy boy continued to make non-committal nutter sounds as they fought but Byakuya had to get him a bit further away before it would be safe to use Senbonzakura.

Sesshomaru was having less luck herding the former fifth squad captain anywhere, it was only a matter of time before he would be less kind toward the guests being there and would react aggressively regardless. It was on a harsh strike from the brunette man when he noted there was a shift in the energy of the air.

"Wonderweiss!" Aizen called it as he continued to hold the sword harshly. The boy's attack would have been a death strike against almost anyone else. As it was Sesshomaru managed to move just enough that the arrancar's arm took a piece of his chest from the back instead of coming through his chest right at the heart. The blow was a massive one but the demon lord barely flickered an eye. One of his hands leaving the sword without changing the pressure with which he was blocking Aizen and the other sending a yellow line of energy cutting through the arm that had dared to strike him.

It had been ages sense he'd felt such a blow but the scent of his own blood on the wind only seemed to infuriate the demon lord. Aizen backed away and pointed at him intoning his own spell. "Six Rods Prison of Light."

The multiple rays of light slammed into Sesshomaru holding him in place but it seemed that the trap would be temporary as the moment he ceased to move his eyes bled almost instantly crimson and black.

Byakuya took the moment of Wonderweiss and Aizen being busy to shatter his own blade, the now hundreds of miniature swords washing over the crazy boy that had been trying to lick his wounds.

He still couldn't see Aizen though and didn't notice the captain had shifted his attention to the nobleman. He was using Senbonzakura to continue to chase and cut the screaming boy without so much as a flinch in his features of mercy.

Kagome returned with a bow and some arrows just in time to see Aizen heading toward Byakuya. She immediately drew an arrow and followed the quickly moving soul reaper as best she could, holy energy coursing into the arrow without her even realizing it. "Please hit..."

A streak of blue cut across the field and Aizen had barely slipped out of the way of the projectile, his focus switched to the girl instead of Byakuya and he flash stepped back over to her to eye her in irritation. This mortal had been the cause of many a wrench in his well laid plans.

Kagome dug into the quiver for another arrow but realized she wasn't fast enough to avoid the sword coming her way.

"Shatter Kyōka Suigetsu." The words not coming from his own mouth made Aizen pause for a moment, glancing curiously at the fact that everyone he'd thought he'd killed was standing nearby holding blades at him. He was adding together the odds even as he blinked at the Prince patting Kagome's hand and helping her away from him before turning to speak.

"Oh Aizen...what to do with you." The Prince commented in the way you might expect a father to speak about a child that misbehaves. "I suppose you'll continue to be troublesome if we don't finish you off mmm?"

It was then he realized his own sword had been turned against him. He'd never struck down anyone, though Wonderweiss was still screaming off in the woods where he was being bathed in small razor blades. Sesshomaru's eyes were dangerously red and he didn't seem to know what was happening as he broke the binding spell holding him. Sesshomaru's chest on the left side still had a deep wound so it was hard to put exactly what Aizen had seen was both real and wasn't real.

Kagome was blinking in shock and just starting to realize that something that she'd seen was just an illusion. More people she didn't know were settled about the field where all of the mortals were passed out on the ground. It was difficult to stand. The amount of spiritual auras and various fighting pressures were making her dizzy but she was fighting through it so far.

"You have control over Kyōka Suigetsu." Aizen commented as he realized it. He'd had just a image of his sword kiss the prince, but it was still in essence his sword making the submissive gesture.

"You were always a bright one." The prince commented still watching the former captain with consideration. Both Yourichi and Soi Fon were holding blades to him as well as Ukitake and Histugaya. Many others stood nearby as the Prince seemed to be considering the man's fate. "You realize without your blade you cannot hide any longer. We've grown tired of your petty games and want for power."

Pink petals began to slowly circle the group and the Prince smiled lightly, it was a dark and evil sort of smile. Not at all like the kinder gentler moments Kagome had witnessed until then. It made her skin crawl and she backed away a little along one of the tables.

"You do not have the station to give a kill order on a former captain." Aizen pointed out, he looked bored, unconcerned. "Do you think prison will hold me for long?"

"As usual, you are correct child. Please let Aizen stand, he won't escape us here." The prince was still smiling and the dark glint to his demeanor was starting to wear even on the powerful Aizen as the captains hesitantly released him. The moment was tense as the Prince leaned forward to whisper to the former captain. "However, the demon lord Sesshomaru is not at all held by our laws. Kyōka Suigetsu if you would be so kind."

It was almost instant after the Prince dropped the illusions he was holding in front of the demon lord's eyes. Sesshomaru didn't hesitate once he was able to see the enemy again and his blade completely cut through Aizen's Zanpaktou landing squarely in the former captains throat. There was a moment where he gave a slightly confused expression, never screaming or losing his own cool demeanor before his head hit the ground a short moment before his body.

Kagome nearly fell to her knees at Sesshomaru's uncontrolled energy entering the already thick field of it but Byakuya caught her and she managed to offer him a weak smile at the gesture. It seemed the final battle wasn't quite as bad as she had imagined it. She felt safer now that Byakuya was there to hold her up. Though it wasn't another moment before she couldn't continue to fight off the effects of the pressure on her mortal body and closed her eyes, passing out against him.

End Chapter

Whew, so yeah, I guess folks will complain that Aizen lost too easily but I loved my idea with the Prince and Aizen's sword way too much not to use it. The story is nearly at it's end for now. Likely all that remains is a prologue. Don't skin me though, I plan to write a continuation story sometime.

-Aura

P.S. Omg I have over 400 reviews...that is too awesome...

To my reviewers:

Sugar0o - You review so awesome! I hope you didn't see the plot thing with Aizen's sword and the Prince's power coming. I dun want to be predicatable.

snowecat - I appreciate the apology. I don't mind creative feedback when it doesn't include insults. At the beginning she closed off the well to keep their worlds safe basically. Yes, it would be nice if fan fiction was a job. I'd definitely have better grammar then!

Ayjah - I thought the tacos were cute.

Nasuki - you didn't have to really wait long. I've been plotting for a while and hope this chapter reads well for you.

Traitor-Hero - Well, I guess it was sorta like that...the Prince faked his death, albeit very temporarily. He's a clever guy.