A Little Death (II)
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Their first mistake is thinking that fear is something meant to be tamed and curbed.
Experienced fighters think that fear is something meant to be overcome; that sweet victory lies just over the metaphorical hurdle. Äs Nödt revels in proving them wrong, in educating them on the true nature of fear as he strikes them down.
Fear is not a common beast meant to be tamed or broken. It cannot be curbed or subdued, nor is it meant to be controlled. Those who think or believe otherwise, have simply never been subjected to a fear crippling enough, an existence powerful enough to make them doubt the meaning behind their own in the universe.
True fear is instinctive. It is irrational. Fear is poison and once it gets a hold on you; once its tethering hooks have sunken into the very fibre of a being's soul— it is inescapable.
Äs Nödt revels in fear- the poison that he brings with his schrift. It is his gift to the world, his miracle made possible by The All Father's blood. Äs Nödt relishes the look of abject horror on his victims face right before he deals the killing blow. The dread they feel in their final moments is his ecstasy, his drug, and passion. There is no greater pleasure in this life than to see fear prevail; to instil fear and see his victims fall prey to the irrationality of fear, too weak to even attempt to fight back against it.
You see, no one knows fear like Äs Nödt does.
However, despite his understanding on the subject, even Äs Nödt cannot profess to claim ownership over it. Fear itself is masterless. Though rare, it is not impossible for the tables to be turned, for the feared to be put into a position to fear.
Every now and then, Äs Nödt is forcefully reminded of that. Even the hunter can become the prey and let it be known, the Sternritter F does not derive any pleasure from it at all.
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"Äs Nödt."
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Äs Nödt gulps. There is a shiver that runs down his spine at the mention of his name. But he does not turn to look at the man behind him. He does not need to turn to know that Ichigo- his leader for this mission is currently glaring daggers at him. The waves of killing intent rolling off him has been building up steadily since they left the throne room in Silbern.
If looks could kill, Äs Nödt has no doubt that he would have been pickled and stuffed, his head mounted on a wall. Ichigo wants him dead and makes no attempts to hide it, despite what he said in the presence of The All Father.
Äs Nödt has not forgotten the way Ichigo looked that day as he stared down at him with his bloodied knuckles and menacing glare. Despite the battering that he received at the hands of that Shinigami woman, it was Ichigo who broke his nose and left his left eye swollen shut for a full week. Äs Nödt knows that he would have done more if the rest of Wandenreich was not alerted by his roaring burst of reiatsu at the potential crime scene.
His face haunts Äs Nödt. It is the face of a man who has lost the only thing grounding him to reality, the look of a mad man ready to watch the world burn. His anger burns molten hot and it will consume all in its path. Äs Nödt is in the direct line of fire. He recalls the words Ichigo whispered to him, soft enough that Äs Nödt was the only one who heard it.
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"This isn't over."
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Äs Nödt keeps his head down, unsure of why the flame-haired man even asked for him or his help, nor is he sure why The All Father approved of the request, but as a Sternritter he knows better than to question His decisions. He consoles himself with the fact that as much Ichigo wants to, even with the murderous intent practically dripping from him, The Crown Prince of Wandenreich could not possibly dare; not if he still had a single shred of sanity left within him.
Ichigo will not kill him. Even if he is Crown Prince, bestowed with all the privilege and freedom fitting for his rank, he would not dare to risk the ire of The All Father. It is not Quincy camaraderie or something as formless as morality that he is counting on to stay Ichigo's hand from the killing blow, but rather the fear of The All Father. All Sternritters fear their living God for disobedience means a fate worse than death.
The cold-blooded murder of a fellow Sternritter is something that The All Father does not allow. In-fighting among the ranks of the Wandenreich is strictly forbidden and that is Law. Even if he were Crown Prince, The All Father will not hesitate to strike him down and make an example of him.
But the knowledge does not abate the gnawing feeling of dread. The way that Ichigo is glaring at him, the way he lets his menacing reiatsu flare about, the tension that is building up in the silence— it's getting to Äs Nödt. The terseness of his heartbeat does not lie. His palms are clammy as he clenches his fists tightly, determined not to let his emotions show.
He touches the side of his neck absentmindedly as he replies. "Y-Yes?"
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"Move."
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Äs Nödt culls his train of thought, focusing on the situation at hand and the predicament he finds himself in. He heaves a sigh and takes the plunge, stepping out into the darkness as he pushes the metal door in front of him open.
When his vision finally adjusts to the darkness of his surroundings, he realizes that the Gates of the Sun have opened at the very edges of Hueco Mundo, leaving him stranded with only Ichigo for company and no soul to be seen for miles on end. There is much distance to cover between here and the Quincy outpost in Las Noches.
Somewhere beneath it, lies the Menos Forest. It is where the insurgents are rumoured to have set up camp and naturally, it is where they are needed. By The All Father's decree, the rebels must be crushed. Ichigo and Äs Nödt have been ordained to carry out His will.
Despite the threat of death lingering, Äs Nödt knows he has no other choice. A monster's wrath may be scary, but it is nothing compared to the displeasure of a living God. Ichigo may very well be trying to kill him, but ultimately, his chances of survival and probability are 50/50. The All Father's displeasure, on the other hand, is a given thing if Äs Nödt were to turn his back on the mission. The All Father has no need for a subject who flees at the mere thought of death with his tail tucked between his legs.
The All Father does not suffer fools nor tolerate disappointments. Of that, both men know full well.
Failure is simply not an option.
Äs Nödt takes the first step and feels the imprint of his foot sink onto the soft sand. Reishi-rich air fills his lungs as he inhales deeply. The air here is warmer and drier, but desert nights are chilly and Äs Nödt feels a breeze tugging at the hem of his cloak.
Hueco Mundo is a land of eternal night and a barren desert with rocks for trees. The blend of his white boots and the white sand that he stands on is nearly seamless. The field of white sand that stretches before his eyes is boundless and the only source of light for them comes from the full moon that hangs in the pitch-black night sky. He stands by the side of the open door, making way for Ichigo to pass.
Once they are both out, the silver door behind them shuts with a soft click, the motion being propelled by an invisible force. It fades away into nothingness, leaving the two men with only each other for company in the middle of the harsh and unforgiving desert of Hueco Mundo.
Äs Nödt gulps. There is only the two of them now. Trust does not come easy among Sternritters, especially where Ichigo, their Crown Prince is involved. Äs Nödt would rather not leave his back exposed. He keeps quiet in hopes that Ichigo will take the hint and take the lead.
Yet, Ichigo takes no notice of the unspoken request. He arches an eyebrow at Äs Nödt instead, seemingly content to let the silence drag on unless the other man breaks it first.
Äs Nödt tsks, biting at the tip of his tongue. He has no choice. His head drops even lower, his tone oddly deferential. "You're the leader. A leader should lead the way."
Ichigo stares back unblinkingly. "As leader, I'm ordering you to move. So, move!"
Reluctantly, Äs Nödt nods, doing as he is told. As he takes the next step forward, he eyes the dome-shaped structure in the distance, bright shafts of moonlight reflected off its gleaming surface. The sprawling structure of Las Noches rivals the size of Seireitei in its entirety, but unlike the Shinigami capital, there is limited signs of civilization or life seen within its vicinity.
Structures of spiralling towers are sparse and littered in a haphazard manner, widely spread apart. Some of the towers are already broken and splintering, some looking as though they might topple at any given minute. Like the rest of Hueco Mundo, it reeks of desolation, of emptiness and void. The void only takes and everything that it touches, it corrodes until it too is left barren and bare.
Only the strongest survive in this dog-eat-dog world and the evolution from Menos into Arrancar is an all-consuming task, in every sense of the word. The ability to make it from the forgotten dredges of Hueco Mundo to Las Noches is meant to be a testament of a Hollow's strength for it was once the home of the King of Hueco Mundo, the seat of power for the strongest being of the realm.
It is now a Quincy outpost and the base of their operation in Hueco Mundo after the Wandenreich launched their attack on Hueco Mundo. Äs Nödt think it is only fitting. The original occupants of Las Noches- the Arrancars who are stubborn and stupid enough to put up any form of resistance have been captured and are now being held captive in the dungeons below Silbern.
"So, what do we do now?"
Their destination- the Menos Forest is underneath Las Noches. The underground maze is crawling with Menos and Arrancars naturally hold sway over them. The few Arrancars who have been lucky enough to evade capture during the attack are rumoured to be hiding within the Forest, launching guerrilla warfare with their mindless minions who can manipulate the geological features of the desert. Sinkholes open unexpectedly and at random, swallowing unsuspecting Sternritters feet-first into the porous ground beneath them.
The casualties sustained by the Wandenreich has not been heavy. Sternritters are not so easily defeated, least of all by primitive Hollows, but the annoyance of those attacks sits like thorn in the side, especially for the Sternritters stationed. Even if one emerges uninjured from the ordeal, it is not a particularly flattering look to emerge from a sand dune, eyes red and watery, doused from head to toe in sand and hacking up a lung. The fine sand that seeps through the crevices lingers for days on end, hiding in seams of coats and boots, reminding the sinkhole victims of the unpleasant experience of choking on sand at every point of inconvenience.
The Arrancars leading the rebellion need to be put down like the mongrels that they are and the Menos Forest burnt to a crisp.
But to do that, they must first enter the Menos Forest. The only viable point of entry is through a sinkhole created by the Hollow Runuganga. Try as they may, the Wandenreich has not fully developed the technique needed to replicate the powers of the Hollow.
Ichigo's reply to his question is a sudden uninhibited burst of reiatsu.
Äs Nödt's gasps, knees buckling as he doubles over, struggling to breathe. The desert winds howl loud in response and the aftereffects of it ripples across the air. The ground beneath them begins to tremble and it takes all of Äs Nödt's will to not scream from the pain. The build-up of pressure convenes like a giant invisible hand slowly pressing down on his body, keeping him flattened, his body supine and planting his face into the sand. He can barely speak and even lifting his head up is taxing.
It is a call to challenge and no Arrancar would let this call go unheeded. Ichigo's arrogance is not baseless, and his plan is simple.
Power calls to power. A challenge issued so flagrantly, will always be met.
Almost immediately, Äs Nödt feels the presence of Hollows, their roars animalistic and primitive in the distance. He feels several reiatsu flickering in the distance, some purposely being stifled; others growing stronger, stirring in response to the arrival of a foreign party but that is not the reason for the beads of cold sweat gather at the back of Äs Nödt's neck.
Äs Nödt seethes. The fool has a death wish!
Now, all of Hueco Mundo will know that they are here.
In the dark, Ichigo's eyes gleam, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he keeps his eyes on Äs Nödt sprawled on the sand, fists clenched tightly. Their eyes meet but Ichigo is unperturbed at seeing the other man struggle. He keeps him there longer than he should, leashing his reiatsu in only when Äs Nödt's eyes rolled to the back of his skull, and he seems ready to pass out.
He waits, watching Äs Nödt pick himself up. His chest is heaving from the effort, and he is noticeably shaking. Cold sweat plasters his hair limply to his face. He presses his hand against his chest, feeling the accelerated thumping of his heart beating against his rib cage.
"Problem solved," Ichigo says, his voice cold. "We go to Las Noches. It will take us to where we need to be."
Äs Nödt does not hesitate. He eagerly activates Hirenkyaku, speeding ahead. Ichigo smirks, giving Äs Nödt a head start before he follows suit, kicking up sand before blurring into a flurry of movement, becoming one with the desert wind.
The desert wind howls and roars in Äs Nödt's ears, but it is nothing compared to his racing heartbeat, the adrenaline pumping through his veins when he eyes the flame-haired man behind him. Ichigo is unrelenting. No matter how quickly he hastens his pace, Ichigo is always one step behind him, trailing behind him faithfully like a shadow, his gaze boring deep into the back of his skull. Ichigo does not utter a single word but the weight of his stare sinks into the back of Äs Nödt like a blade. The tension between them builds in this eerie silence, rising to a peak as Las Noches looms ever closer.
Äs Nödt comes to a sudden stop, his head tilted at Ichigo, who has likewise stopped just behind him. He does not like this. He has had enough. He is not stupid. He knows he is being toyed with. In this game of cat and mouse, he is undoubtedly the scurrying vermin.
It is not a role that he enjoys playing.
Ichigo quirks an eyebrow, unimpressed as he asks Äs Nödt. "Why did you stop? We're not at Las Noches yet. You heard what The All Father said—"
"Enough!" Äs Nödt cuts him off sharply. "I'm not blind, Kurosaki! You're toying with me. You should stop if you're doing this out of some misplaced need for revenge over what happened to your pet! We both know that you won't kill me but—"
Ichigo's glare is sharp enough to interrupt him mid-tirade.
"T-The All Father said to put this business with your Shinigami pet behind us. You wouldn't possibly dare—"
"Yhwach's exact words were 'we shall speak of it no more'."
Äs Nödt hisses as his eyes narrow. "You daresay his name? You dare address The All Father so disrespectfully?!"
"Oh, I dare."
Ichigo's voice betrays none of his anguish. When he takes a step towards Äs Nödt, his brown eyes are calm, and his face is a mask of tranquillity, expressionless and unreadable. He gives Äs Nödt an empty stare, unbothered by the slightest when Äs Nödt touches the corner of his left eye- a sure sign that he is trying to activate Vollständig.
"For I have honoured the vow. I have not spoken of it again despite the many sleepless nights I suffered. Despite my rage, despite my burning desire to have you ripped apart, limb from limb, for what you did to her. I held my tongue.
"Until now."
Äs Nödt gulps, inadvertently taking a step back. He forces himself to remain calm, to show no fear. "Y-You won't get away with this! The All Father won't let you live even if you are the Crown Prince! You kill me and you'll be dead before you even set foot on Silbern!"
"You're right, Äs Nödt. Your All Father is fair and just. No one should be allowed to get away with the murder of a fellow comrade in cold blood," Ichigo says, "But that's not what happened here today."
Äs Nödt frowns. "What do you mean?"
"The truth is we walked into an ambush set up by the enemies. They planned to assassinate the Crown Prince of Wandenreich. They were able to sneak up on us and while trying to protect the Prince, the Sternritter F was mortally wounded in battle. That's how Äs Nödt met his end- perishing in the line of duty, giving up his life for a good cause. A good and noble soldier of the Wandenreich until the very end."
Ichigo chuckles, sending chills down Äs Nödt's spine. "What do you think about that?"
"The All Father is not blind or-or stupid! He will find out about this!"
Ichigo's chuckles grow louder as he grins. "Then I better make sure you stay dead. After all, a dead man tells no tales. And if you don't have a body, no one can properly establish the cause of death. They will just have to take my word for it, won't they?"
Ichigo has already made his decision and he is committed to it. Äs Nödt sees the writing on the wall and Ichigo makes no attempts to disguise it any further as he grips his blade by his side, the black katana materializing just as quickly as the chains of blue slinking up the length of his sword arm.
Äs Nödt clenches his fists. Ichigo is beyond reasoning at this point. The Crown Prince of Wandenreich wants him dead, consequences be damned. The Shinigami that he keeps as a bed-warmer and pet has got a much stronger hold on him than anyone could ever envision. Äs Nödt and even The All Father, have underestimated the lengths that Ichigo is willing to go to in pursuit of vengeance for her.
Äs Nödt turns to face him fully, looking into Ichigo's eyes- the eyes of a mad man, the eyes of his would-be killer. The son of a bitch, he thinks; desperate to keep the tremor off his voice as he unwittingly takes yet another step back.
"Y-You're crazy!"
Ichigo unsheathes the katana. "And you're already dead."
The ground beneath them collapses before either of them could react.
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Äs Nödt coughs loudly, coming back to life with a sharp gasp as his eyes open to the sea of darkness. The air underground is musty, but he inhales it greedily, grateful to still be alive. He checks himself for injuries, picking himself up gingerly before dusting off the fine layer of sand on his clothes.
He squints at his surroundings. The light underground is weak, sifting through the random little holes on the ceiling of the underground cavern and reflected off the tall silvery 'trees' with their metallic silvery sheen. He reaches out to touch the tree in front of him, surprised when he realizes that the material is hard and quartz-like. Stalagmites shaped like trees, he muses; shooting upwards and breaking through the sandy ceiling to stand tall above ground.
He is in the Menos Forest, or part of it anyway. And so is Ichigo. The two of them must have fallen through a sinkhole that opened just below them.
He glares at the hole in the ceiling of the underground cavern that he must have fell through. He needs to go back to the surface, to the world above. He must warn the other Sternritters in Las Noches of Ichigo's treacherous intentions. More importantly, he needs to stay alive and make it back to Silbern in one piece so he can unmask Ichigo for what he truly is in front of The All Father.
Äs Nödt grips hard at the material, feeling a satisfying crunch as the crystal cracks under pressure. He must—
There is a bright glimmer of something slicing through the air, heading towards his direction. Äs Nödt barely has time to blink, let alone think. He hears the attack before he sees it coming and he instinctively dips, leaning backwards with the ends of his long hair brushing just over the ground he stands.
His eyes follow the light in time to see the pure blue reishi-formed arrow lodged between the grains of sands directly behind him. He only barely dodged the arrow. A second later and it would have lodged itself through his throat.
Unlike most attacks, Äs Nödt has no doubt that an attack by Ichigo would pierce through his Blut Vene. It has nothing to do with the reishi in the air. Ichigo is simply that powerful. Every Quincy undergoes Seiren- training to better serve The All Father and the Wandenreich Empire, but not everyone goes through training unscathed.
Äs Nödt reacts by jumping back to put more distance between them. His beady eyes frantically scan at his surroundings. This won't do at all. He is a sitting duck like this while Ichigo's voice echoes hauntingly in the darkness, taunting him.
"You got lucky, but I won't miss the second time."
Äs Nödt growls, manifesting a handful of sharp reishi thorns and sends them hurtling through the air as retaliation. Like Ichigo's arrows, the thorns gleam bright blue, shedding light as they whizz through the air. It was ultimately useless as he realizes that the attack did not hit any target and instead sank harmlessly into the background stalagmites and boulders.
The next volley of arrows from Ichigo comes unexpectedly and Äs Nödt barely has time to recover. He somersaults, dodging Ichigo's attack to the best of his abilities. A stray arrow catches him off guard and as he has predicted, it pierces through his Blut Vene, lodging deep into his right shoulder blade. In his moment of weakness, the next arrow follows in quick succession- one shot clean through his left knee and another, grazing his side. He could not hold back the grunt of pain but rationality rules his head. He cannot allow himself to be tagged by something so obvious in the dark.
His chest heaves. The coppery taste of blood fills his mouth from where he bit his bottom lip raw as he grips the arrow, ignoring the burn as his gloved hands comes into contact with the reishi. With a snarl, he pulls the arrows out, throwing them to the ground.
Blood drips from his wounds, quickly staining his uniform and forming a puddle on the sandy floor.
Through the haze of pain, there is a split moment of sudden clarity. Äs Nödt blinks as his vision sharpens to a specific point on a nearby tree-miming stalagmite. Nestled on one of the branches- high enough that Äs Nödt thinks that he can just about touch the ceiling of the cavern, he sees the smirking face of Ichigo, light reflecting off the blue glow of his Leiden Hant.
Äs Nödt tenses. He can tell by the reishi gathering in the air, just above Ichigo's left shoulder.
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That son of a bitch!
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Rage floods him. Pain may have dulled his senses, but instincts tell him that if he does not do something drastic soon, Ichigo's Licht Regen will be the last thing he sees.
Äs Nödt forces himself to swallow the mouthful of blood. Ichigo truly forced his hand. He made him do it. This is on him.
"Vollständig: Tatarforas!"
Äs Nödt's left eye rolls to the back of his skull and the Wandenreich emblem appears in searing scarlet. His figure grows and elongates, growing gaunter until his ribs show and there is a jagged line of criss-cross stitches running down the middle of his torso. His black hair grows out and gleams from the blue of his barbed and wired star-shaped halo shining just behind him. The black mask that covered the bottom of his face melts away to show a gaping mouth with sharp filed teeth and blood streams from his eyes like tracks of tears, rolling down his cheeks. Inky black tar stains his gloved hands, climbing past his wrist to sit just past his elbow.
He howls as the transformation is completed, leaving him nearly as tall as the surrounding stalagmites. He straightens to his full height. In this form, he towers over Ichigo. There is a predatory smile that curls as he sizes up Ichigo with his milky white eyes.
"Would you look at me now, Kurosaki?"
His giant hand sweeps across the stalagmites, tearing them down. Ichigo leaps down nimbly, frowning when he realizes he is now enclosed in a dome with Äs Nödt. Eyes- wide and blinking, are staring down at him.
Äs Nödt grins. One glance is enough to paralyze his prey with fear and it is only a matter of time before Ichigo succumbs to it.
"See those eyes? No matter where you look, you're surrounded!" Äs Nödt guffaws. "Even closing your eyes is useless! You cannot escape from me! You cannot escape from FEAR!"
Bad memories will always outlast the good ones- in your heart, in your mind. The fear that you once felt is here to stay, ready to strike at the slightest provocation, playing like a reel- over and over again in your head until you're sick of it, until you are ready to die from it.
Fear will always prevail.
He watches with glee as Ichigo's fist clenches, his head lowered. The tip of the bow splinters with a loud 'crack!'. The blue bow dissipates, chipping away into a powdery mist. Soon, Äs Nödt thinks; fear will course through his veins, leaving him as helpless as a baby.
Even The Crown Prince of Wandenreich cannot claim immunity.
Ichigo heaves a sigh, murmuring something under his breath that Äs Nödt cannot make out.
"What's the matter?" Äs Nödt sneers, "Cat got your tongue?"
"I said, 'is that all you've got?'"
Äs Nödt's eyes widen as a pure black katana materializes in the place of Ichigo's Heilig Bogen. Chains of blue snake along his veins and before he can even blink, he is staring into Ichigo's eyes- emotionless and home to a vacant stare, his pupils pinpoint and surrounded by a ring of burning ember.
The blade is only a hairsbreadth away from his face. The build-up of reiatsu behind the wave of attack is thick and palpable.
There is no escape.
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"Getsuga Tensho!"
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The wave of energy arcs through the air and Äs Nödt gets the full brunt of it. Pain- the tear of flesh, severed muscles and tendons is the least of his worries. The attack caves the front of his torso, cracking his ribcage open in the process. The force pushes him back, sending him flying through stalagmites and sand dunes.
There is a blood-curdling scream echoing through the air that he only belatedly realizes is his own when he finally comes to a stop. Blood is all he tastes and his body feels like it is on fire. Everything hurts and his limbs feel like lead, weighing him down like an anchor to the sea. His eye roll and rove within his eye socket, desperate to make sense of his surroundings.
When the dust settles, he sees Ichigo walking towards him.
He shrieks, swearing vengeance as blood gurgles from his mouth. He will not die here. He cannot die here.
Äs Nödt reaches out, hissing when he touches the gaping wound at the center of his chest. He claws at the stitches, ripping them apart and wills the numerous eyes on the wall to return to him, to make him whole again as he assumes his true form. His maniacal grin turns into a painful grimace as the transformation begins.
It is only fair. Like Ichigo, there is a monster within him. Fear lives within him and he is one with fear.
He howls as his chest is ripped open into halves and from the pitch-black void, tentacles eagerly push their way out, growing into a hulking mass of muscle, wriggling, and coiling until his own likeness can be formed again as a living nightmare of epic proportions. His own broken body dangles upside-down from the end of the monster's pointy chin.
"You're even uglier than I realized."
Ichigo tilts his head up, grimacing when he sees the colossal form of Äs Nödt up close. He has tentacles for legs and the hulking muscles on his arms bulge as the grotesque clenches his fists. Jet-black hair falls like heavy drapery on both sides of the deformed skull as Äs Nödt leers down at him. There is a sticky goo- viscous and thick, clinging to parts of his face. His eyes are unfocussed and Ichigo thinks that the massive eyeballs might drop off from the eye sockets at any second.
Ichigo smirks. It is time to put the thing out of its misery.
He grips at the blue chains snaking up his arm, his other arm holding onto his katana as he readies himself for the final blow. But before he can take another step, a wall of shimmering pink emerges, blocking his path. The pale pink flurry quickly swarms towards Äs Nödt, surrounding him from every direction possible.
Äs Nödt's good eye sharpens as he feels a familiar reiatsu nearby. There is a lingering scent of cherry blossom in the air and there is a forlorn ache within him as he howls. It is an itch that he cannot scratch, his hands reaching out for a blade that he can no longer call his.
"Y-You."
He knows who that reiatsu belongs to. The Shinigami that he eviscerated; the one who should have died. How is he still alive?
Amused, Ichigo lifts his head up lazily at the newcomer, greeting him with a shark-toothed grin. "Yo, Byakuya! What took you so long? I was beginning to think that you got scared."
Ichigo gestures at Äs Nödt. "Did you like my present?"
Byakuya does not reply. The ends of his Captain's haori flutter in the desert wind as he emerges from the shadow with his head held high- stoic and regal, his kenseikan polished to a fine gleam. His slate grey eyes are flinty as he stares down at Äs Nödt, his grip on the sword tightening as he points the blade downwards.
"Consider yourself lucky that this will be the last thing you see before you enter Hell." He releases his grip on the sword and the blade drops, sinking into the sand below. "I will enjoy seeing you suffer."
"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
The two rows of giant blades are incandescent as they rise from the ground, tall with their blades pointing upwards. Äs Nödt is bewitched by the tranquillity, drawn towards the serenity of the moment as the concept of time becomes inconsequential.
The blades scatter, erupting into an endless barrage of flying petals, sweeping over him like a tidal wave and overwhelming him. He stares vacantly at the pale pink flurry swarming towards him, unable to move, too paralysed to even bring up his arms to shield his face.
The first cut lands just on the side of his neck and Äs Nödt's resolve to die on his feet, to die as a martyr for The All Father's cause begins to waver. A bigger body means that there is more surface area to cut, more pain to be dealt; and the Shinigami's attacks- those blades don't stop coming just because the earlier attacks landed.
They don't stop coming even as Äs Nödt writhes and bats them away with his massive tentacles. Tiny as they are, each of the glowing petal is a blade on its own, carrying with it their master's intent and Byakuya's intent to cut and wound has never burned stronger.
It is enough to cut through Äs Nödt's heavy armour, piercing through the Blut Vene that Äs Nödt once thought impervious to the Shinigami's attack. Already weakened by Ichigo's barrage of attack from earlier, the cracks in Äs Nödt's armour easily show, cracking and finally, yielding blood as the flying blades sink into flesh.
Äs Nödt howls. One of them is destined to die here today. The attack will not stop until he kills the Shinigami. He likes his odds just fine. He defeated this Shinigami once. There is no reason why he cannot do it for a second time.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, Äs Nödt clenches his fists, bringing them down on the ground forcefully.
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"Boom!"
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The force of the impact sets off a powerful tremor that can be felt even above ground. A heavy dust cloud rises, sweeping up sand and debris into the air. The reiryoku expended by Äs Nödt counteracts the crushing force of the petal-formed prison that Byakuya has trapped him in, negating the effects of Gokei caving in on its target and forcing it to splinter into nothing more than scattered flower petals on the sand.
Byakuya purses his lips, retreating some distance away as he waits for the dust to clear. His first attack only succeeded in wounding Äs Nödt. The maw of Gokei failed to contain the monster and Senbonzakura returns as a sealed sword in his hands, quietly seething and thrumming in vengeance.
Senbonzakura does not take well to being in the possession of a usurper and his righteous fury can be felt even now as the blade hums in Byakuya's grip, griping about the injustice he suffered at the hands of the Sternritter.
Byakuya narrows his eyes as Äs Nödt emerges from the attack looking the worse for wear. A heavy dribble of blood drips carelessly from the corner of his mouth onto the sands beneath him. The cuts left on his body are numerous and deep. He hisses in pain, body swaying somewhat unsteadily and Byakuya allows a ghost of a smile to creep onto his lips, knowing that the bleeding will not stem any time soon.
Äs Nödt fixes his dead fish eye on Byakuya menacingly, snarling as he rises to his full height.
"Is this the strength of your resolve? Your prison is too weak to hold me, Shinigami!"
Äs Nödt lumbers towards Byakuya, giant hands outstretched and palms splayed wide open. With a face-splitting grin and manic eyes, he materializes a row of jagged reishi-infused thorns and sends them flying towards the Shinigami as his monstrous body slinks ever closer.
Byakuya barely even blinks at their approach as he readies his blade. His gaze burns with conviction and he levels it on Äs Nödt. A sense of calm washes over him and his grip on Senbonzakura loosens. He has waited for this day long enough- the day when he confronts the thief who stole his bankai, the day he redeems himself and his injured pride.
He owes it to Senbonzakura. He will not falter. He sighs, releasing his grip on the hilt of his katana, shattering the hold of fear over him.
This all ends now.
.
Äs Nödt raises his head upwards. The sudden spike in reiatsu is too telling. His surroundings turn pitch black, transporting him to another dimension altogether. Desert sand and crystal stalagmites are in danger of fading into a distant memory but the crippling sense of fear- the staccato beat of his racing heart and clammy palms, remain.
In the dark, pink petals, glowing in iridescence, have never stood out more as they swirl and grow before his eyes, materializing as swords, floating in the air. Äs Nödt holds his breath, unable to look away. Fear erodes the strength of his faith in The All Father. His will to live lights a fire, burning through the vision that he once had of life and death, the glory of dying for the cause. He wants to run away but he is being surrounded. He is so scared.
Thousands upon thousands of swords emerge, neatly set, and spaced from each other in a ring. When the first circle closes, another ring forms above it. Each one of the floating swords is Senbonzakura, eagerly waiting for the signal to strike and pounce. Each one of them is seemingly sentient as they hum, casting silent judgment as the rings orbit him and Byakuya from above, caging them inside a dome.
Senkei is a prison without exit and a direct reflection of Senbonzakura's ruthlessness. A sword should not be drawn unless one desires to cut and now that blood has been spilt; nothing less than total annihilation of the opponent would be deemed acceptable.
Äs Nödt once wielded Senbonzakura. He knows the Shinigmai's attacks. There are six rows of swords floating above them right now, two more rows from the Senkei that he knows. His opponent has grown stronger.
At a flick of Byakuya's wrist, the blades suddenly still and then hurl themselves towards Äs Nödt. Äs Nödt fends off the attack to the best of his abilities, meeting it with parries of his own. Reishi thorns glow blue and explode upon collision with Senbonzakura's attack.
Before the smoke even clears from the explosion, Byakuya is already in front of Äs Nödt, Senbonzakura at hand. Äs Nödt instinctively brings up his arm to shield but the sword cuts through his armour, nearly slicing the arm off.
Äs Nödt retreats some distance away, clutching his still bleeding arm. The blade is wedged deep in his arm, stopping just short of cutting completely through the bone. Äs Nödt grimaces, knowing that blood loss will kill him if he forcefully wrenches the weapon out.
He scowls at Byakuya. The scowl deepens when he notices a new sword that Byakuya already has in his grip. With no other way but to face him head on, Äs Nödt throws himself at the Shinigami, teeth bared. He is but a hairsbreadth away from the noble when he feels a strong burst of pain erupting at the center of his chest.
His gaze drops to his chest. The pain takes him by surprise. He hadn't even seen the swords flying towards him, but the sight of the swords sticking out from his body right now is unmistakeable. His hand falls to the site of his impalement, pressing down instinctively to stem the bleeding to no avail. He can feel the blood leaving his body, his body growing heavier and colder.
"You!"
He points a finger accusingly at Byakuya, who merely stares. His vision begins to blur, blacking out on the edges while his body sways. He falls, belatedly realizing that this is how he will meet his end.
Death is pain.
Death is the void.
Death is the end- the end of all things that once gave him joy. It is Hell and Äs Nödt—
Äs Nödt is afraid. He doesn't understand how this happened. He is not ready for this. He cannot die. He does not want to die. The All Father will want to keep him. He is useful.
He serves the Wandenreich.
He serves his God.
He served—
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Ichigo stares down at the gigantic eyeball as it rolls to a stop in front of him. Not too far away, the rest of Äs Nödt's grotesque body lies, severed in the middle into two distinct halves, in a puddle of oozing black. Death by a thousand cuts is a painful way to die and Ichigo fervently wishes that the bastard suffered through every second of it right until the minute he breathed his last.
He crushes the eyeball under his heel, smirking when he hears the satisfying splat.
Byakuya stands beside the mutilated corpse, his expression unreadable as he sheathes his blade. Ichigo does not hesitate to approach him, taking no offence even when the older man eyes his presence with a distinct glare. Ichigo expected as much. His gaze falls to the sheathed sword.
"I see you have your bankai back. You have Rukia to thank for that."
Sharp eyes do not miss the sudden stiffening from Byakuya, even when the noble tries hard to cover up his sudden moment of weakness. Ichigo is a shark, chasing after the scent of blood and in that exact moment, he has sensed Byakuya's.
Rukia's adopted brother is not as heartless as people think he is.
But Ichigo is.
"She is your sister after all, isn't she? Did you miss her? She never mentioned you though. I guess you two aren't that close."
Byakuya quirks an eyebrow. "I fail to see how the relationship between my sister and I concerns you, Sternritter."
"Oh, but it does," Ichigo says, "I saved her. She's still alive, you know?"
Byakuya's eyes widen. "You lie!"
He has lost all hopes of ever hearing news about his sister, fearing the worst for her since her subordinates made their way to the Living World, haggard and battle worn. They brought with them the news of her facing-off against a Sternritter, sacrificing herself to give them a fighting chance of getting away. That was the last they ever saw of her.
Byakuya was not even allowed time to mourn. This war has caused the loss of so many bright and proud Shinigami warriors. He thought the same fate had befallen Rukia. It comes as too much of a shock now to hear that Hisana's blood sister might still be alive despite the odds. It would be too cruel for him to have his hopes raised, only to have them crushed shortly after.
He reminds himself to be calm. How can he be certain that the Sternritter is not lying to him?
"If what you say is true, show me your proof. Where is she right now? I want evidence that Rukia is still alive and well."
Ichigo gives an exaggerated sigh. "Her clothes were too ripped and torn to be saved. This is all that I managed to save after she arrived in Silbern."
He reaches into the depth of his pocket before throwing the item at Byakuya. The black-haired noble easily catches it, bringing to the light. The badge is still warm, retaining the last vestiges of Ichigo's body heat. Its wooden surface is smooth and worn with use, showing its age as Byakuya thumbs its edges. The insignia and kanji characters of the Thirteenth Division stare back at him.
Byakuya turns to look at Ichigo, his eyebrows furrowing. He clenches his fist over the badge, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
Much to his displeasure, Ukitake has admitted to promoting Rukia as his vice-captain before they could make it out of Seireitei. He still hasn't forgiven the man for knowingly endangering his sister when the Wandenreich is actively hunting high-ranking captains and lieutenants within the Gotei 13.
His instincts have never failed him before. Ichigo is telling the truth. Rukia is still alive.
Byakuya feigns disbelief. "This doesn't prove anything. You could have taken it off the battle ground somewhere. Why should I believe you?"
"Perhaps," Ichigo smirks, seeing right through him, "but then why are you still holding on to the badge? You could just hand it back to me. You don't have to do anything at all. You can just walk away. I wouldn't think any less of you. You're not in any position to make decisions on behalf the Gotei. You're just a representative, I understand. I was quite surprised you decided to come anyways. Shinigamis aren't exactly known for being risk-takers."
Byakuya's eye twitches, pursing his lips as he glares at Ichigo's outstretched palm. The Sternritter must think him stupid to not see through such blatant goading.
"Walk away, Bya-ku-ya. Come back when your Soutaichou or the Council behind him comes to a decision. I can wait."
Byakuya grits his teeth at the insolence. But what irks him more is knowing that the Sternritter is right. The Sternritter called Ichigo is in no hurry. He can wait but the Gotei cannot.
Their forces are already decimated as it is. Desperation is thick in the air and Byakuya knew when Kyoraku Soutaichou agreed to the alliance with the Vizards being led by the ex-Shinigami Shiba Isshin, an alliance with the Hollows would be inevitable. However, even with the alliance formed, they are still too weak. They have not managed to regain much ground and Seireitei remains completely out of reach.
Something needs to happen. They need to change their ways before it all becomes too late.
Despite the threat of a potential ambush, the Soutaichou agreed to the meeting as soon as the message was received, acquiescing to the request of sending Byakuya as a representative and envoy. It is a gamble. Byakuya is one of the few Captains left within the ranks and losing him in an ambush would incur an unimaginable loss to the already-weakened fighting forces of the Shinigamis. But Kyoraku knows what's at stake and Byakuya knows what is required of him, knows the precarious position of Gotei is in right now. There is no other way.
What other choice do they have?
He doesn't understand what could possibly drive The Crown Prince of the Wandenreich to betray Yhwach, not when he is only one step away from becoming the most powerful figure in the Wandenreich hierarchy, but then again Byakuya is not in a particular mood to care about power hungry brats or their twisted plans of coup d'état. It is enough for him that the Sternritter is after the same goals as they are: to see Yhwach removed from the plane of existence and the natural order of life and death restored.
And if what he says about Rukia is true, Byakuya steels himself, swallowing his pride as he murmurs his apologies. He is in no position to make demands or let this opportunity slip through his hands. He is a man of his word. He will not break the vow he made to his wife on her deathbed.
Byakuya grips Ichigo's hand instead, shaking it firmly while tucking the wooden badge away. "Your terms and conditions are acceptable. So long as after your ascension to the throne, you honour the non-aggression pact between us, Kyoraku Soutaichou agrees to recognize the sovereignty of the Wandenreich and Silbern, with you as the Emperor and head of state. He sends his regards."
He dips his head, letting go off his hand and breaking eye contact. "We agree to the alliance proposed."
The Sternritter wears the face of the devil and Byakuya has just signed away his life, his sister's, and that of the Shinigamis for better or worse. He can only pray that this all works out in their favour.
If Ichigo was bothered by the force of Byakuya's grip, he didn't show it. Seeing the look of resignation on Byakuya's face, Ichigo gives a shark-toothed grin, folding his arms.
"Cheer up, Byakuya. Your Soutaichou made the right call. You'll see. You know as well as I do. The Shinigamis need me on their side. Without me, you wouldn't last a minute against Yhwach."
Byakuya bristles, gripping the hilt of his sword, barely containing his anger. Such arrogance! Facts, as unsavoury as they are, should still be delivered with tact. The Sternritter clearly has none. He wisely bites his tongue, choosing not to engage and instead, changes the conversation.
"I am in your debt for what you have done for Rukia. She is my beloved sister. I would like to see her returned to me."
Ichigo stills, his eyes hardening as his voice grows cold. "That's not what we agreed to. There's no mention of this in the contract."
Byakuya is undeterred. "I had not known that she is still alive prior to the meeting. Rest assured that if I had, I would have seen to it that the terms of the contract are revised. Rukia is my kin and the only family I have left. She is a nobody to the Gotei. If you need a hostage, I am sure a more suitable candidate can be arranged."
Byakuya has been keeping Rukia out of harm's way as soon as she graduated from the Shinigami Academy. He made sure that she kept a low profile and her name removed from the list of any potentially dangerous Hollow exterminating missions. She is of no importance, not particularly skilled in any of the fighting forms and her reiatsu is hardly powerful enough to warrant a second glance.
She does not make a particularly useful hostage at all and certainly not someone that The Crown Prince of the Wandenreich would pay attention to.
"Rukia belongs with us, with her own kind. I will see to it that she is safe—"
Ichigo guffaws, shaking his head. "'Keep her safe'? What a joke! You can barely keep yourself alive! Äs Nödt stole your bankai and left you for dead. He would have kept your blade for himself if Rukia hadn't intervened! You owe her your life!"
His Rukia is not a nobody. Ichigo is angry. He seethes at the sight of her own brother expounding her worthlessness in front of him. How dare he!
Ichigo's fists clenches, his mind flitting to the images of her broken body cradled in his arms, the rush of panic he felt as she laid unconscious in a hospital cot and her reiryouku-depleted state even after she woke up. She has suffered so much, bled too much for these ungrateful Shinigamis who call her kin. They do not deserve her!
A cruel gleam flickers in his eyes as he sizes up the Shinigami in front of him. Take Rukia away from him? Over his cold dead body!
"You should have done more. You should have protected her instead of letting her loose on the battlefield."
Byakuya is weak. He should have never let her out of his sight if he truly wanted to protect her. Ichigo found her. He keeps what he finds. Rukia is his and she is much safer with him in Silbern than whatever derelict makeshift headquarters they have set up in the Human World.
"After what I have gone through to save her, why should I let her go? Rukia stays!"
Byakuya nearly flinches at the outburst, almost unsheathing his blade in retaliation in the heat of the moment. Byakuya does not think of himself as a particularly shrewd politician, but he does realize that he is in no position to make any demands right now. A Kuchiki knows when to pick his battles. He cannot risk upsetting the fragile alliance he just brokered. Rukia does not seem to be in immediate danger even if she is behind enemy lines and he has to be content with that for now.
Rationally, he knows what is needed of him, for peace to be brokered; but instead he burns with indignation. Senbonzakura whispers in his mind, poisoning it with cries of war and calls to arms. He doesn't like what Ichigo is insinuating- how he owes the return of his bankai to Rukia's intervention. He barely survived his first fight with Äs Nödt. Never in a million years could he ever imagine his quiet, demure adopted sister having the courage to pick up a sword and face off against a monster like Äs Nödt. Byakuya dreads to think of the carnage involved, the injuries that Rukia suffered.
He keeps her at an arm's length- the girl who looks so eerily like his beloved that she could have passed as her ghost. The memories associated are too raw and painful that even a look sometimes proves to be too much, bringing back the hurt that still burns and aches like a fresh wound despite the years that have passed. Byakuya thought that he had long since buried any shred of humanity- the emotional capability to form a bond with another being, to love as a person. He thought he lost all of it when Hisana passed but he should have known, when it came to Hisana and her blood sister, he is always in for a surprise.
Rukia dislikes calling attention to herself. She is quiet, so quiet sometimes Byakuya thinks that she is in danger of fading into the background. She is small enough that he worries that a strong gust of wind will send her flying; that the sword in her hand will hurt her more than it would, her enemies. Byakuya takes one look at her and assumes that he knows all there is to be known and what that will ever be; that she is Hisana's dying wish redeemed and that he can protect her.
He has been so blind and foolish.
To think that tiny little girl- Hisana's sister by blood, his sister in name fought against a monster for his sake, the solemness of the thought causes a lump to lodge itself at his throat. He can barely speak. He will never forgive himself if anything happened to Rukia because of him.
"You said that I owe the return of my bankai to my sister and it is an effort that came at a great personal cost to her. If that is true then I owe Rukia my life. She is my pride, and while I am grateful to you for saving her life, I cannot abide by any mistreatment of her."
The many bolts and chains that hold him down- his responsibility to his clan as their leader, his oath to uphold the clan's honour on his parents' graves; Byakuya strains against them, feeling the links to the chains give way and finally, snap.
Byakuya unsheathes Senbonzakura, readying himself into a fighting stance as Senbonzakura's war cries ring in his ears. "Will you let her go if I defeated you in battle?"
Ichigo chuckles throatily but there is nothing even remotely warm in his gaze as they lock gaze. Byakuya knows that the Sternritter is out for blood when the man summons his blade- a sleek black katana and bright blue chains glow as they snake up his arm.
"You can try. I won't hold back just because you're Rukia's brother though."
That boy is arrogant and insufferable. His tone does not sit well with Byakuya. Brothers are meant to have a sixth sense about certain things. The Sternritter's behaviour borders on possessive when he spoke about Rukia. It is not an attitude one would take with a hostage but Byakuya shudders at the thought of delving deeper into the matter.
The Sternritter said he saved her. Surely, he would not then stoop so low as to direct the brunt of his hate for the Shinigamis at Rukia? To use her or her body dishonourably as a means of getting back at him?
Byakuya shakes the uneasy thoughts away, resolving instead to give it his all. For Rukia's sake he will die trying.
Ichigo grins, cracking his knuckles loudly as he crows. "Don't hold back on me, Byakuya. I did walk into an ambush after all. Make this believable. Yhwach will not be easy to convince otherwise."
Byakuya's eyes darken. "As you wish, Kurosaki."
.
.
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Author's note:
I told you!