And its good to hear your out of the hospital Link. Glad to see your alright.

[The Lone Shadow: Out of the darkness]

Azriel: (His eyes shutter as stares at Kakura, enveloped by his shadows. He cannot fathom this level of abandon, even by an opponent such as Kakura. The consternation washes over his body, drenching every fiber of his being. The sheer magnitude of Kakura’s actions have silenced and calmed the wild shadow. He completely dismisses his wounds, focusing closely on his opponent.) Why do you struggle, Captain? Why…do (he pauses for a brief moment)…do you throw caution to the wind and embrace such abandon?

Captain Kurotsuki: I have forsaken my desire to live and relinquished my fear of dying. I forgot my purpose, and while you drove me to the point of absolute destruction, you also helped me achieve enlightenment. I realized my true goal is sacrifice.

Azriel: Sacrifice…? (He ponders Kakura’s words, their bodies in close proximity, maintaining eye-contact)

Captain Kurotsuki: You understand that same sacrifice, Azriel. Isn’t that what you’re doing, even now? You envisioned yourself as beyond sacrifice, but all your actions are nothing but. (He stares into Azriel’s eyes, and for the first time, his eyes betrayed his stoic nature. He watches as the apathetic, aloof villain expresses genuine emotion. The cluster of emotions swell in his eyes, as he contemplates Kakura’s words).

Azriel: Sacrifice is noble, whereas my actions were all but selfish.

Captain Kurotsuki: (His eyes widen, completely flabbergasted by Azriel’s choice of words) …you recognize your own mistakes? …Wow, I never thought I’d hear that from a guy like you.

[BEGIN PLAYING MUSIC]

Azriel: I became corrupted by the very ignorance and dogma the Shinigami displayed the day of my people’s genocide. Many believe that sadness is accompanied by loss, but they are mistaken. Sorrow is what we felt. An everlasting lament. A longing for the past to materialize in the present. Those who experience absolute sorrow are often crippled by the yearnings for their memories. When we dream, we feel the pain, we see the suffering. In our dreams, the past is tainted with blood, and yet, we continue to strive for it. It is all one has left. It becomes lonely and isolating, driving the individual further into the void.

Captain Kurotsuki: (He stares at Azriel, watching as emotion rains over him. Kakura remains silent as Azriel speaks, looking down at his body, slowly dissipating as a result of his actions).

Azriel: I lost myself that day, Kakura. My anguish drove my body into emotional dormancy. From there, I became colder, fending off anything but my rage. And soon, even my rage was nothing more than a glimmer in my subconscious. The man you see before you is a distortion, a perversion of what I once was. But it is all I know, and all I have known for a millennia.

Captain Kurotsuki: I don’t believe I ever understood your sorrow, Azriel. I actually feel sadness for you…

Azriel: (He looks at Kakura, as he backs away, his body beginning to dissipate) …it appears we’ve both reached our threshold. Jiishi Taiyo was never intended to be used as a weapon. In fact, it was used to achieve spiritual enlightenment. It was only after we acknowledged its ability to transcend the boundaries of Zanpakuto-Soul Reaper synergy. It creates a harmonious state, where a soul reaper can tap into the greatest potential of their Zanpakuto and the Zanpakuto their Soul Reaper. The level of control required is extraordinary, so it is advised one use it sparingly. As it were, they were not intended for the purpose of annihilating an entire nation, though the combined might of many could certainly realize such ambitions. You should feel fortunate, Kakura. If it were not for the bravery of the lieutenants, I would not have expended so much energy and may have never realized the error of my ways. Their sacrifice, like yours, enabled true change. That is a beautiful gift that both you and your sister possessed.

Captain Kurotsuki: (His eyes tear up as he looks into Azriel’s eyes)…Mikazuki…she was the best.

Azriel: A part of me, in the recesses of my mind, cared for her, which is how I was able to easily deceive her. I understood her drives. Despite her departure, she lived on through you. I can see her softness in all that she touched. She gifted you the ability to enact true change, but at a heavy price. That is, of course, how all change is achieved. Great change requires tremendous sacrifice.

Captain Kurotsuki: …

Azriel: When we are at our lowest point, we experience the greatest change.

Captain Kurotsuki: The others, though…they aren’t so fortunate.

Azriel: I sense others, Kakura. I surmise you are unaware of this. Look closely. You have allies in the Soul Society and they are here to assist you.

Captain Kurotsuki: …I can sense them, but who are they?

Azriel: That is something neither of us will ever know. I fear I cannot sustain my power any longer and I have surpassed my threshold.

Captain Kurotusuki: You’re succumbing to your own power…

Azriel: Indeed, I am. We will pass-on together, in a twist of irony. I apologize to you, Kakura Kurotsuki.

[REPLAY MUSIC]

Captain Kurotsuki: (He smiles for a moment, realizing he had enacted change, a sentiment strongly embodied by his sister)

Azriel: I allowed my lament and feelings of anguish cloud my judgment and corrupt my mind. I killed your sister and for that, I am truly sorry.

Captain Kurotsuki: Oddly enough…I forgive you and I know she would, too.

Azriel: Forgiveness…It has been centuries since I last considered that concept. It feels good to forgive and relinquish this heavy burden. When you use anger and revenge as your armor, it leaves your body and soul weak and hungry. It’s a terrible sensation. Fortunately, I am freed. (He watches as their bodies slowly begin to dissipate, his hands, portions of his should, feet, and torso). I fear this is not over, Kakura.

Captain Kurotsuki: …Sekhmet!

Azriel: She has been irreversibly corrupted by the notion of absolute retribution. She will stop at nothing to annihilate the Soul Society, but her mind is on the brink of calamity. We have watched as her grip on reality and her ability to reason and judge have slowly dissipated, leaving her more ruthless and desperate.

Captain Kurotsuki: Does she possess Jiishi Taiyo?

Azriel: …(He eyes fall to the ground, sadness building)

Captain Kurotsuki: Azriel! Please! Does she?

Azriel: Yes…she certainly does (He looks up intently into Kakura’s eyes). Her Jiishi Taiyo is not like ours.

Captain Kurotsuki: What do you mean? Yours was immense…

Azriel: It’s true, I have the second most powerful Jiishi Taiyo release following Sekhmet, but hers is monstrous. If she releases, especially in her frame of mind, she could completely annihilate the entire Soul Society on her own.

Captain Kurotsuki: …WHAT?!

Azriel: We are like children playing with toys compared to the prowess of Sekhmet. Her release will and can consume everything and anything. I fear that she will be driven to that point once she realizes the others have been defeated. When I pass-on, it will be a driving point for her. We were like siblings…

Captain Kurotsuki: Are you saying there is no hope?

Azriel: …I am saying that if she releases, I fear it will be the end of the Soul Society. And with it…Shirubaraito…again (He tear rolls down his cheek as his body begins to fade).

Captain Kurotsuki: (He can barely speak)…we need to maintain hope. (Speaking to everyone) …I am so sorry I can no longer help you. Be safe…

Azriel: I am thankful I will not be around to experience anymore tragedy. I can finally be at pea...(his body fades away, causing an eruption of energy as his Zanpakuto dies alongside him).

An interesting post, but fantastically written nonetheless. Regarding your message to me, Crazie, I will re-edit my post in the ways that you suggested. My apologies for the misunderstanding on my part. I'm not sure when I will do the re-editing, but it should be over the next couple of days.

@Link. Nice to hear that you're doing good. Safe recoveries!

So, in other words, you didn't really like it? Haha.

BP, your post was great, though, so it's not a big deal. I just want to be sure there is continuity, that's all. :)

Oh, and link, I'm glad you're doing well! :) I can't wait for you to jump back into action. I'll send you a message regarding our battle. It will come to an end, this week, with the help of K0V. :)

I said 'interesting', not 'I didn't like it'... It was fine - I was just surprised to see things occur the way they did. XD. And, yes, I will edit the post tonight for those details - shouldn't take too long.

No, I believe you. I was simply joking. Granted, the way it was written, the latter portion of the sentence, in particular, trumps the aforementioned "interesting." It reads strangely, that's all. And that's the beauty about creative writing, it can travel in directions unforeseen by readers. But, in many ways, it's not very surprising. In several posts, throughout the arc, I eluded to my characters being "different" prior to the genocide. It affected them, as it should.

[Kakura's Last Words]

[Play Music]

Kakura looked up at the clear night sky as his body slowly started fading from existence. He was always fascinated by the sky since he was a small boy in the Rukon District. He would always sit at his spot; on the cliff, under the tree surrounded by the vivid and varying colours of the many flourishing flowers and plant life that always surrounded him. He watched he clouds roll past, trying to pick out the varying shapes of the cotton-wool like masses floating softly through the air. In the evenings he would watch the clouds and the sky change colours. From the reds an oranges to the tinges of purple and dark blue and the night sky took over. It was the feeling of peace and serenity that had often flowed through his being when he watched the sky, even as a member of the Gotei 13; even when he was a captain, he would always come back to that same spot, just to feel that same peace he had felt as a child.

Now on the verge of his death he finally felt that peace again. For the first time since his childhood he felt that peace, under the same night sky he had always laid under. His work was done. He'd found the person who'd killed his sister and even managed to open his eyes to a part of himself he'd thought he'd lost. He was prepared to die.

Kakura: (His voice is aimed at his sister, though its barely above a mutter and there is no one around to hear it) Well sis, looks like I'll be seeing you soon as well as mum and dad. I managed to complete your task sis. I've done the one thing you've always hoped to do. Open Azriel's heart. It's too bad we didn't get to do it sooner. Underneath all that cold, unfeeling exterior was a guy that I could honestly say I would have wanted to have met under different circumstances. But this fight with him also opened my eyes. I acted like a complete bastard to my friends...to Yua....its one of those things I wish I could make amends for. (He looked down noticing the fading was just below his chin) Well my times nearly up, I hope the others make it through this. Ha, I didn't really expect to die here, but then again its a fitting place for a Shirub to die, don't you agree? I hope Sekhmet doesn't do anything she would regret. After all, what's point in trying to avenge and renew your nation (His eyes wandered around the barren landscape surrounding him, those being the only part of his body remaining) [Inner Monologue} When there is no one else to share it with...

Kakura's body finally faded from existence. Becoming a part of the very landscape Sekhmet nd his mother, had once called home.

[Raining Retribution]

[East Seireitei]

Traea: (She casually walks across the Seireitei, a mile of ruin and rubble behind her. She releases a repulsive blast, leveling squad six and seven’s barracks, slaughtering over a 100 shinigami. Two officers appear before here, firing Kido into her body. She effortlessly appears before then, slamming her hand through their chests and pulling them upward, slicing them in half. She slowly looks over her shoulder, glaring behind her at lieutenant Locksley) …evidently there has been miscalculations above (she shifts her attention to Shirubaraito before turning to face the lieutenant)


Lieutenant Locksley: Where is my captain?


Traea: Don’t ask questions you already know the answers to.


Lieutenant Locksley: (He suddenly spots Captain Wong-Ling’s body behind Traea, lying amongst the rubble. He flash-steps past her, kneeling over his captain, mourning the loss. He closes his eyes and holds his breath in an effort to fend off the sweltering emotions) …you are monster. I’m not certain how you achieved victory, but…

Traea: You need not finish your sentence, Lieutenant. Neither your words nor actions will affect the past or future.


Lieutenant Locksley: (He swiftly whips his head around, fury fueling his expression) Don’t continue to patronize me with your mockery! In the face of adversity, we are at our strongest! (She abruptly appears beside him, laying her hand gently on his shoulder, her body facing Captain Wong-Ling’s corpse).


Traea: Sometimes strength just isn’t enough, I’m afraid…


Lieutenant Locksley: (He immediately flash-steps, landing on his knees, gripping his left arm, as a large portion of his shoulder has been carved out simply by her touch). …what power is this?


Traea: Jiishi Taiyo. You’re well-aware, though I’m surprised you escaped lord Azriel’s…(her voice becomes still as energy erupts from atop Shirubaraito. Due to her bodily composition, she possesses no discernible features, but her expression is felt despite such absence. She looks down at Lieutenant Locksley, appearing before him with tremendous speed and clutching his blade, severing it with a single grip). …for his death, I will inflict limitless agony upon your body and mind….(her cold, ominous tone radiates a sadness, for the loss of Azriel. She places her hand on his chest) Oikaeshi…


Lieutenant Locksley: (The blast reverberated from her hand into his body, impacting his entirety. He feels the power coursing through his veins. He falls to the ground as blood pools in his mouth, and begins oozing from his ears. His eyes are washed over with crimson, as blood drips from his lashes. As he leans over, blooding spotting the ground, the hemorrhaging worsens and a red-hue begins pooling beneath his flesh. Regions of his body are flooded with blood, creating pools beneath his skin. He begins emitting a gurgling sound, as blood continues to build in his throat. He coughs up puddles of bloods, falling face-first into the soil. His eyes stares across the ground, focusing on Traea’s feet. He shifts his eyes upward, as she looks down upon his body) …happy?


Traea: No.


Lieutenant Locksley: I…I…I’m surpr…ised.


Traea: Don’t waste your energy. You need to remain alive long enough to watch the rest of the Seireitei crumble (she waves her hand, releasing a repulsive wave that shatters blocks upon blocks of buildings, striking the evacuated squad four barracks).


???: The exterior is certainly appropriate.


Traea: (She looks back at the mysterious woman, cloaking in captain attire, but wearing a peculiar mask. She does not hesitate, extending her hand) Oikaeshi…


???: (The energy approaches her, but doesn’t seem to affect her, dissipating before reaching her body) Ah, ah. We can’t have that, now can we?


Traea: (She immediately repeats) Oikaeshi.


???: If it didn’t work the first time, it certainly won’t a second. Let’s be smart about this, I certainly was.


Traea: How are you managing to avoid my technique so bluntly?


???: If I revealed that, you could potentially thwart my efforts. (She hesitates for a moment, adopting a tinge of humor in her voice) Oh, who am I kidding, you wouldn’t figure it out. It is much too advanced for even someone as perceptive as you. To put it simply, I created an anticipatory rejecter, capable of analyzing the output of your technique and redistributing it among multiple dimensions, thereby neutralizing its potency. It is no more than a breeze, from over here. Wait a moment…that wasn’t very simple, now was it? Ha. Sorry! To put it even more simply, I displaced it among multiple dimensions to eliminate the threat. Nifty, huh?

Traea: I thought the technical prowess belonged to Captain Kurohyou, whom is currently battling atop Shirubaraito?


???: Oh, sorry, I forgot to properly introduce myself. I’m Sumiko Anenokoji.


Traea: …


Captain Anenokoji: That name means nothing to you, does it? Again, I apologize. I’m the captain of squad 6 of the Juzo Hosho.


Traea: …another nation has been involved? The shinigami were that desperate…how pathetic.


Captain Anenokoji: Pathetic, no; Innovative, yes. Though nations don’t typically interact, we couldn’t allow them to be annihilated for their sheer stupidity. It wouldn’t have been noble of us to allow such tragedy.


Traea: Despite your oath and technology, you have entered a battle you’re incapable of winning.


Captain Anenokoji: If you hadn’t already noticed, I am at an advantage and it has only been two minutes. So, based on my assessment, my odds of victory are quite hopeful.


Traea: Hope. What a foolish concept.


Captain Anenokoji: There is another element you’re unaware of, however.


Traea: Is that so? (She begins approaching the mysterious captain)


Captain Anenokoji: I see your going to rely on your limitless absorption capabilities. Well, technically, that whole notion is nothing but fallacy. You’re abilities are not limitless, which is something I surmised from the very beginning. Oh, yeah, that was my original point. I’ve been observing you closely this entire time, so I’m pretty certain I’ve pinpointed your weakness. It’s pretty ironic, actually. Your strength is also your weakness. How paradoxically amusing.


Traea: (She halts, staring at the mysterious figure)


Captain Anenokoji: Nothing? Well, that’s fine. It’s better to go quietly, rather than drag this out any longer. (She taps the air, summoning five identical doorways, which surrounding Traea. They abruptly begin releasing energy, which strikes Traea’s body and is readily absorbed). Instead risking myself summoning individual hado, I sealed dozens of hado techniques within an alternate dimension and am just now releasing it. The combined might is something along the lines of 20 hado techniques, each of a unique caliber. Fortunately, I collected them from numerous individuals, so I didn’t need to waste much of my own energy. This combined might and degree of energy should be fairly difficult, if not impossible, for you to completely absorb. The results should be catastrophic on your already delicate equilibrium, as that technique takes a relatively significant toll on your spiritual reserves.


Traea: (She collapses into the ground, her body stiff and losing its appearance)



Captain Anenokoji: See! It worked after all. And you had a lack of faith!


Traea: (She stands, attempting to regain composure)


Captain Anenokoji: Gentlemen…(A dozen Juzo Hosho members appear, releasing 12 identical hado. Their power roars into Traea’s body, but despite her disapproval, she cannot deny the absorption of their techniques). I noticed that if you body is forced to continuously absorb, especially on a grander scale, it increases the level of strain tenfold, disrupting your ability to adequately maintain your…Jiishi Taiyo, was it? It appears to be working as your are exhibiting the same symptoms experience when you were struck by that deceased captain’s hado.


Traea: (She stumbles across the ground, her body becoming more rigid and stiff. She looks at her hands as they begin to solidify, no longer emulating the endless abyss capable of absorbing all matter and energy. Her body blackens, becoming a solid-black mass, losing its former appearance altogether. Her shell begins to crack as she continues to approach Sumiko. A hado blast strikes her chest, driving her into the rubble. She unearths herself, inspecting the massive fracture on her chest. She looks up before falling back into a single-standing structure, using the wall as support)


Captain Anenokoji: I didn’t realize your body would harden and resemble that of a shell. It’s fascinating. I do apologize, however. I understand your grief, but your actions are not justified, I am afraid.


Traea: My victories, like my defeat, was easily obtained, so it seems. (Her body begins to crack and shatter, falling off like pieces of glass) My defeat does not herald an end to the massacre. It will only further the suffering.


Lieutenant Locksley: (As he takes his last breath, his vision blurring and consciousness fading, he watches as Traea is defeated).


Traea: (Her body incurs a massive pattern of factures. She falls further into the walls, her eyes focusing on Sumiko. Her body shatters and crumbles like glass, signaling an end to her reign of terror).


[North Seireitei]

Poeira: (She watches as her powers bathes over the hundreds of officers, struggling to distance themselves. Their fire-maimed bodies light up the darkened Seireitei)


Lieutenant Kostetsui: I saw what you did to my captain.


Poeira: (She remains with her back to him, ignoring his existence)


Lieutenant Kostetsui: I AM TALKING TO YOU, BITCH!


Poeira: Turn to dust…(the black orb in her chest centers itself and glows, releasing an energy into her hand which she filters into the air)



Lieutenant Kostetsui: (A pulverizing gravitational field collides with his body, grinding his body into the soil. His body continues to be smashed by the dark, milky energy, blood splattering into the air as his flesh is torn from his body and his bones and crushed, leaving nothing but soaked soil).


Poeira: And you, stranger? Come to die as well (she turns to look at a masked figure in the distance)?

[Internal Madness: The final grin]

Zalbeseal: (Blood soaks his cold, austere armor as he extracts his hand from Zurui’s chest. He slowly retracts his hand, allowing the blood to drain. With an intense, sinister glare, Zalbeseal watches as the slick surface rejects Zurui’s crimson vitality. He inspects it closely, adopting a wide, monstrous grin. His eyes shift, focusing on Zurui’s increasingly pale complexion.) You look awfully sickly, Zurui. It may be due to all this blood loss…(he delivers a brief hoarse chuckle, as he carefully inspects his hand). What a beautiful sight, your agony, I mean. Ha…ha….ha…(He continues to take joy in Zurui’s fatal wound, completely unaware of his surroundings).

Captain Kurohyou: (He scoffs, meanwhile fending off tremendous pain and struggling to remain conscious)…you’re truly enjoying this…you sick bastard.

Zalbeseal: (He clutches Zurui by the throat, slicing into his flesh with his fingers) It’d be wise to remain cognizant of how you address me, Zurui. At this time, I hold your very existence in the palm of my hand (He throws him forward, watching him collapse onto the ground). You’re pathetic (His expression oscillates between joy and irritation, as he addresses Zurui). You’re not only impractical, but you’re illogical. If that weren’t the case, you would have never attempted to confront me. You petulant child…

Captain Kurohyou: (He carefully watches Zalbeseal, clutching his throat, applying pressure to the small incisions made by his grip. His eyes project tremendous contempt and regret, as his opponent mocks him).

Zalbeseal: You were never capable of defeating me, even after you invented that wretched contraption (His words scold Zurui for his ignorance, as his frustration builds). You insolent shinigami, trying to represent science through such perversion and filth. It’s an embarrassment, especially considering your audacious self-appraisal. You had yourself convinced that by applying this technology to our battle it would somehow shift your odds. It appears, despite your efforts, I’m still having the last laugh. You are, and always will be, inferior to me. In all measures, you fail to rank on a level even close to my own.

Captain Kurohyou: …you narcissistic asshole…I don’t want to be like you.

Zalbeseal: (He grins for a moment, approaching Zurui) Oh? Is that so? Everything you did thus far was rooted in your obsession to surpass me, both intellectually and physically. Your denial only solidifies your brazen ignorance.

Captain Kurohyou: …it’s not over, Zalbeseal.

Zalbeseal: Ha! Oh, but I’m afraid it is, Zurui. Eakon hōwa…(his words command the ocean of particles to approach Zurui’s body). I am going to thoroughly enjoy watching you suffer as my legion, comprised of your own seated officers, desecrate your body. They will slowly seep beneath your skin and burrow into each and every cell in your body. They will quickly convert your cells, thereby enabling those cells to further infiltrate your body. In mere moments, your body will become a unified mass of legion. And while they permit you to continue perceiving reality and external stimuli, ownership will belong to me. And in the last seconds of your existence, I will slowly allow them to dissipate, joining the collective. You will be able to experience as your own body betrays you, until you are nothing more than a memory. And you need not worry. Your consciousness will not reside in the collective. Unfortunately, even I can’t torture you on such a level.

Captain Kurohyou: (He watches as the strange, metallic organism burrow into his flesh. They crawl beneath his skin like parasites, marching throughout his body and converting his cells. He cringes and writhes as they slithering beneath his skin, each visible as they enter his body. A numbing sensation overwhelms his extremities, sensing the internal shift). Get the hell out of my body you bastard…(He glares at him from the ground)…you think…(his voice becomes weaker)…that you’re a god because you possess strength and intelligence? That’s not what makes a man great…purpose does. I fulfilled my purpose…I challenged you and reached a level I never dreamt of reaching. Even if I die, I know you’ll be destroyed shortly after. You’re mad and should be annihilated…

Zalbeseal: (He inhales, adopting a healthy grin as Zurui speaks)…yes, yes. We’ve all heard this before, Zurui. You’re noble and no matter what happens, somehow destiny will be on your side for the energy that is destiny is innately benevolent.

Captain Kurohyou: Fate…no. If anything, it is an unrelenting striving, yearning for the virtuous to conquer the wicked.

Zalbeseal: (He laughs off Zurui’s words) your words fall on deaf ears, Zurui. Oh, I’m sorry, Captain Kurohyou, of the 12th division. (He releases a series of breathy laughs as Zurui’s body is slowly dominated by his legion) So much for the highly regarded Gotei 13. You fell to a couple of rebels, rather traitors, as you quaintly stated following my departure. With every passing second, another officer is stripped of his life, a lieutenant is banished from existence, and a captain is left mangled and disgraced. There aren’t many of you left.

Captain Kurohyou: (He reflects on Zalbeseal’s words, sending his consciousness into the air and seeking out his comrades. His mind travels across the Soul Society, building mental images of those he cannot see spiritually) …Captain Wong-Ling…Captain Elrantz…Captain Tochigo…

Zalbeseal: All dead (He smiles as Zurui scowls at him).

Captain Kurohyou: …Ughhh…(His eyes widen in complete shock as he senses a shift, taking notice to a burst in spiritual power in the distance).

Zalbeseal: (Wide-eyed, he abruptly shifts his attention to his left, watching as a pillar of energy dissipates into the sky. His eyes display tremendous shock and bewilderment. His eyes shuffle around his environment as he tries to perceive what has transpired) ….that is impossible. It’s unfathomable. AZRIEL!!!! (He screams loudly into the atmosphere, hoping to be wrong, as his allies spiritual pressure has just vanished alongside Captain Kurotsuki’s).

Captain Kurohyou: …It appears you endured some loss, too. A rather massive one, considering your reaction.

Zalbeseal: (He grinds his teeth, growls, and delivers a menacing gaze) shut…your…filthy fucking mouth…before I rip out your throat! (He looks into the distance, anger fueling his expression) Inner-monologue: this defies all logic. Why did you allow yourself to be defeated by your own power, Azriel?! Sekhmet-dono has likely already sensed your absence and her soul weeps for another. Her lament has now increased three-fold due to your death. Your absence will most likely shatter what little control she maintains…Goodbye, old friend.

Captain Kurohyou: (He watches Azriel’s contemplative state. He is astonished when he closes his eyes in a moment of apparent sorrow.) Inner-monologue: I didn’t think it possible, but above all their hatred and fowl behavior, they cared for one another, at the very least. To witness Zalbeseal demonstrate a modicum of sincere emotion is inspiring.

Zalbeseal: …you shouldn’t have ventured in this direction

Captain Kurohyou: (He listens to Zalbeseal, perplexed by his random thought) Wha…

Zalbeseal: (He opens his eyes and tilts his head to the side, delivering a malevolent glare to Lieutenant Sutōmu and Lieutenant Kaganehisho)

Captain Kurohyou: Are you two IDIOTS?! You are freed and then approach the man who locked you up?!

Zalbeseal: (He clenches his fist, prompting waves of his legion to flutter around him) I’m going to enjoy watching you two suffer, while your bodies are being shredded by my legion, only to become one with your killer.

Lieutenant Sutomu: Captain Mikazuki Kurotuski would want me to help, not run. I remembered that as I watched Azriel die (She is abruptly thrown back, as a blast of energy tears through her body).

Zalbeseal: (He stands idle, his finger sizzling from discharging such potent energy) Hold your tongue, trash. (He directs his sights to Lieutenant Kaganehisho) You’re next, whether you speak boldly or not.

Lieutenant Kaganehisho: (He unsheathes his sword, releasing Bankai in a twist of fate)

Captain Kurohyou: …he has achieved Bankai?

Zalbeseal: (He approaches the lieutenant, despite his release. He simply glares at him menacingly, disregarding his attempts to intimidate him. As he moves across the soil, his legion swirls around him)

Lieutenant Kaganehisho: (He swirls his two bladed staff, generating roaring energy) My Bankai, believe it or not, has the capacity to incinerate spiritual bonds. So you will be completely incapacitated, if struck by my Shukokatsugi! (He whips his hand forward, sending a surge of energy flowing toward Zalbeseal. He watches intently as it is about to wash over his body)

Zalbeseal: (He grimaces at the lieutenant before reciting) … Shuyōna Tasū (The energy crashes down on him like a wave, washing over the area.)

Lieutenant Kaganehisho: (He smiles, enjoying his perceived success. He is abruptly decapitated with a swift strike from Zalbeseal. His head rolls across the ground as his body collapses into the soil).

Zalbeseal: (He stands behind the lieutenant’s body, blood coating his hand. He looks as his palm and tightly forms a fist as he speaks) …after such a weak display, I decided you weren’t good enough to be one with my legion, not when I’m about to claim the captain. (He leans his head backwards, glaring at Zurui from his periphery, blood dripping off his metallic body).

Captain Kurohyou: (He is horrified by this gruesome act, feeling his throat dry with shear panic. This is unfathomable, Zalbeseal’s ability to eliminate enemies so quickly) …I should have known you retained access to your metallic form…

Zalbeseal: It wouldn’t have made a difference. (He approaches Lieutenant Sutomu, now lying on the ground, attempting to recover from her wound. He abruptly dismisses his armor, allowing his legion to scatter into the atmosphere. He steps on her hand, placing tremendous force, so to break her fingers).

Lieutenant Sutomu: (She can no longer grip her zanpakuto, as her bones shatter beneath his foot. She screams in agony, hoping for someone to aid her).

Zalbeseal: Stupid girl…

???: Bakudo 95: Shoho Kakuchō shi dandō (Those words summon a three-dimensional rudimentary square that originates from four focal points above Zalbeseal).

Zalbeseal: (He is caught off-guard by this strange technique, but manages to leap out of the way before it takes shape through his body. He watches as the rudimentary square, similar to a spatial distortion, cages in his swarms of legion. The sheer size of this technique is massive, enabling the capture of much of his legion). …WHAT THE FUCK…WHO THE HELL DID THIS? (He looks around, spotting a strange, masked figured, in captain attire. He growls, summoning the remaining legion onto his body).

???: You’re rather fortunate, brute. That technique is a particularly difficult one. If I had maintained better control, I could have easily swallowed up the entirety of that parasitic filth.

Zalbeseal: (He glares at him, unable to perceive his face with his unfamiliar and elaborate mask) …you don’t look like a member of the Gotei 13, but you don a variant of the captain’s uniform. How peculiar.

Captain Seinosuke: I am Captain Akihiko Seinosuke, of the ninth division.

Zalbeseal: …What? They inducted a new captain?

Captain Seinosuke: I’m afraid I’m misleading. I am not a member of the Gotei 13. I am the ninth division captain of the Jūzō Hoshō.

Zalbeseal: The…what?

Captain Kurohyou: I’m glad you finally arrived…(He looks at the masked captain). I personally thank you for your assistance.

Captain Seinosuke: In many ways, we are united through our oaths as Soul Reapers, but do not misconstrue this encounter, Captain Kurohyou. This is nothing you should be proud of or thankful for.

Captain Kurohyou: (His expression is drown with regret) …I understand.

Captain Seinosuke: Now, to deal with you (His vibrant eyes glisten from behind his mask, delivering a confidence unseen since Sekhmet’s arrival).

Zalbeseal: Well?

Captain Seinosuke: (He stares at Zalbeseal, uttering not a single word).

Zalbeseal: WELL?! Are you going to fucking release your Bankai?

Captain Seinosuke: I see no reason to release my Shikai, let alone my Bankai. You’ve defeated yourself, quite dutifully.

Zalbeseal: (He flash-steps toward the mysterious figure, plunging his hand through his chest. He looks up and smiles) …so much for…(he is abruptly enveloped by powerful, restrictive energy. The body he impaled scatters into sheets of pure kido, wrapping around Zalbeseal’s body like armor).

Captain Seinosuke: Sōkōsha kiseichū no. (He stands in front of Zalbeseal, just behind the clone made of Kido) I was fairly confident your arrogance would override any analytical skills you may possess. I’m not typically inspired by the loss of life, but eliminating you is something worth celebrating.

Zalbeseal: (He stares at the masked captain, his eyes filling with hatred and anguish)

Captain Seinosuke: I deduced your weakness as I watched you battle the others. You can shift between two extremes: Absolute offense or absolute defense. In doing so, however, your technique needs time to recover. Fortunately, I have approximately 30 seconds before you can initiate your original technique. Its unfortunate lives needed to be sacrificed to ensure my victory, but they were noble sacrifices, nevertheless. (He places his hand on the Bakudo body-suit) Teikoku uirusu…

Zalbeseal: (His body erupts in a violent pillar of energy, shredding the Bakudo. He falls to the ground, his armor falling off, leaving him exposed) …you think you’ve one, young one?

Captain Seinosuke: (Suddenly the remaining legion, attempting to convert Zurui’s body, swarm toward the mysterious man. A dimensional barrier opens behind him, swallowing the swarm and dissipating into the air) I readied myself for this very circumstance.

Zalbeseal: …(he looks up at the mysterious man as his body begins to fracture and lose robustness. He stands, wobbling back and forth as his body begins to shatter under the strain of his Jiishi Taiyo) …to think the Gotei 13 somehow contact another nation for allies is…expected. They’re cowards and always have been. (He holds out his hand, reaching for the mysterious captain when he notices his hand has fallen off. His eyes widen as fury fills his face) THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! HOW THE HELL COULD I LOSE TO INSIGNIFICANT FOOLS SUCH AS YOU?! …

Captain Kurohyou: (He stands, as the transition by the legion has been halted. He looks down at his legs and lower torso, now a metallic substance)…he can’t summon them unless my entire body is consumed by them…

Zalbeseal: (He falls to the ground and his foot shatters. His chest receives a massive fracture, traveling up his shoulder and into his neck) I would never have imagined…NO…NO! I WON’T BE ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE GOTEI 13! I WILL BE VICTORIOUS! I AM FAR GREATER THAN EITHER ONE OF YOU! I AM ZALBESEAL KORROTASU OF THE 10TH DIVISION OF SHIRUBARAITO! I AM A GOD BY COMPARISON! YOU ARE NOTHING!!!!! NOTHING! (He turns around, thrusting his hand forward) ) MIMIZAWARINA SOOTO!!!! (He begins laughing maniacally as the concussive energy rampages toward Zurui).

Captain Kurohyou: (He watches as the phenomenal hado shreds the ground as it approaches him. It strikes his body, shattering his legs and lower torso and shredding his upper body by the sheer force of his blow. His body is thrown into the distance, tattered, torn, and bloodied.)

Zalbeseal: I TOLD YOU I WOULD KILL YOU, ZURUI! YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT! THE REST OF YOU WILL BE ANNIHILATED, AS WELL! YOU WILL ALL DIE YOU DISGUSTING SHINIGAMI TRASH! AND YOUR ASSISTANTS WILL DIE, TOO! HAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA! (He continues to laugh uncontrollably, relishing the death of Zurui. His body slowly crumbles as and he falls to the ground, leaving behind nothing but laughter).

Great Job Crazie. 2 more down now.

[Finale! Goodbye, Zurui?]

(Zurui watchs helplessly as the Hado engulfs everything in its path. From a distance, it almost seems heavenly, even though it is anything but. In the background, Zalbeseal screams with rage and determination, as his body begins to crumble. Zurui has already realised that it is too late - that he has no strength to avoid the Hado and that Zalbeseal made his final move, even in his death. Zurui closes his eyes, as memories run through his head.)

Zalbeseal: I TOLD YOU I WOULD KILL YOU, ZURUI! YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT! THE REST OF YOU WILL BE ANNIHILATED, AS WELL! YOU WILL ALL DIE YOU DISGUSTING SHINIGAMI TRASH! AND YOUR ASSISTANTS WILL DIE, TOO! HAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHA! (He continues to laugh uncontrollably, relishing the death of Zurui. His body slowly crumbles as and he falls to the ground, leaving behind nothing but laughter).

Inner Monologue: This is it. This is my final moment. He did it. Zalbeseal beat me. I was too weak to fight him and destroy as the scum he is. I'm sorry, everyone; I did my best - it just wasn't good enough. At least he is gone from this world too. I wonder if I'll meet them all in the other life? Perhaps they'll be there too. I remember the day I became an officer of the Gotei 13... Zalbeseal picked me out of all the other students to become a Seated Officer. It was the proudest moment of my life... Or so I thought. When I finally made 3rd Seat, I was ecstatic and worshipped him. I thought the sun shone out of his every orifice. I was wrong. He left the Soul Society, essentially branded a traitor, along with the other two. I was furious. My mentor left without even saying a word to me. I fought for power and gained it; I became a Captain of the Gotei 13. I've fought Zalbeseal twice, losing once. Now I'm in my final moments as a Shinigami. I can't believe it. I can't believe my life has been cut short like this. It doesn't matter, though. I fought till the very end and surpassed even my own expectations. I'm glad I met Zalbeseal, even if we became enemies. Twisted and sick as he was, I learnt a lot from him. Goodbye, everyone.

(Zurui's body lies twisted, bloody and broken on the ground. Zalbeseal has disappeared. The newcomer stands over him.)

Captain Seinosuke: Regretful, but foolish nonetheless... You sacrificed your own life to fight a man you couldn't hope to defeat. You are young and naive, young man. You should have gone while you still had the chance. Only a fool sacrifices his life needlessly.

Zurui: (Coughs up blood and struggles to turn his head aroud) S-shut y-your mouth... Damn y-you! I did it for them... For e-every-one... I couldn't just give up. (His voice comes out as a whisper, as the life slowly fades from his body)

Captain Seinosuke: I care not. You Shinigami are foolish creatures. It is better that you are gone now, so you can avoid the horrors to come. Rest in peace, foolish boy...

Zurui: D-d-dead... S-sorry (His head lulls back and his eyes lose their lustre, Zurui, Captain of the 12th Division finally dies in peace)

Captain Seinosuke: A fool, but a brave one nonetheless... (Reaches over and closes Zurui's eyes) Time to go...

Great post, BP! :)

[Dueling with Swords of Energy] -Play music

An ominous breeze blew gently through Soul Society calmly and serenely. This was in direct contrast with the disaster zone the nation was now in, with the smell of death pungent as if it had been sitting for hours baking in the sun, which it had likely been. The two women stood across from one another at an even distance, eyes locked carefully. Poeira took in the woman’s appearance all at once. She wore traditional robes that didn’t particularly set her apart from the other captains in particular, which was strange, since she did not know of any captains who wore a mask. The headwind blowing against Poeira was gently fluttering the woman’s long black hair around her shoulders along with the multiple colored ribbons that were pinning up her hair slightly. Even so, the dark mane cascaded like a curtain all the way down to her hips easily.

The mask looked ceramic and took the shape of a human woman’s face with a frozen mouth that gave the illusion of smiling ever so slightly. A large fan-like piece extended from the right side of the mask, woven of a lime colored silk embroidered with a golden brim. The two eye holes displayed sad scarlet eyes that seemed to hold reservations in them.

The only sound in the wind was the slight echo of the three multicolored plaques that resembled dog tags that hung from the strange woman’s earlobes, knocking against each other in the breeze.

“Was that necessary?” The woman inquired in a soft voice that still lacked timidity. “With his body reduced to such a state, it would be near impossible to give him a proper burial.”

“By the time this is all over, there will not remain a single person who can give the deceased a proper burial.” Poeira replied simply. The woman sighed in exasperation.

“Not so. No matter what the outcome, there would still be people alive who could do it. Or are the Shirubāraito even above acknowledging their enemy?”

“Ridiculous. You shinigami did no such thing for us centuries ago, and you would expect us to turn a blind eye to that and show that sort of understanding? That is beyond naïve, biased as you are.”

“It’s actually the opposite.” The woman said serenely as she held her hands up and the sleeves of her robe fell back to expose her thin, pale limbs. “I am a third-party mediator who has come to put an end to this bloodshed. My name is Tomoyo Daidōji. If you have had enough off slaying meaningless lives, allow me to deliver your karma.”

Poeira eyes flashed to her sides as she noticed movement through her peripheral. Somehow, massive steel blocks had erected themselves in the air on either side of silently and abruptly slammed together on her like two hammers from opposite angles. Both the steel blocks barely lasted a moment before being shattered apart by a burst of energy, leaving Poeira where she was, almost completely unharmed as she raised a hand in Tomoyo’s direction.

“Suryohoshutsu.”

A single beam of energy shot forward, closing the distance between the two fairly quickly. Tomoyo touched the tips of her fingers together while keeping her palms separate and her lips moved rapidly as she muttered the same incantation several times under her breath at an unreal speed. Several danku spells erected themselves between Poeira and Tomoyo all at once in a row, making a layered wall as the beam of light collided with the first one. Almost immediately, the beam passed through and shattered the walls on after another, the speed of the beam remaining unaffected. Both Tomoyo and Poeira both hid expressions of surprise as the beam passed directly over Tomoyo’s shoulder, though for different reasons. The danku spells had managed to divert the path of the attack, even if marginally, allowing it to miss its initial target and destroy the already massacred constructs behind Tomoyo. To even affect a high pressured attack even with so many defensive spells was a feat. Tomoyo, however, was impressed that the attack had managed to breach even halfway through.

“So the power of the Jishi Taiyo truly is beyond the level of normal spells…” Tomoyo murmured, though she didn’t seem worried. Poeira’s eyes narrowed as multiple lances of light fire from her in Tomoyo’s direction. The masked woman’s eyes immediately drifted to the center of the angel’s chest as she vanished from sight, reappearing out of the lances’ path as she made sure to keep her distance. Both of Tomoyo’s hands were aimed down at Poeira as she reappeared several yards directly above. Once again, the woman’s lips were moving quickly as she chanted at an unreal speed, calling upon the same spells several times in succession so that a hailstorm of lightning rained down on Poeira. Light lances shot up and slashed apart the lightning quite easily, but the Shirub was surprised as several yellow chains of energy shot past the lances, having used the cover of the lightning to get by undetected. The chains wrapped themselves around Poeira’s body firmly, though only managed to pin one arm to her side thanks to Poeira’s quick thinking. Almost immediately, kido spells that were hidden on the Sajo Sabaku spell activated, and bandages began to quickly wrap themselves around Poeira quickly, covering every inch of her body from the bottom up. Poeira immediately began to feel the kido begin to attempt to smother her energy, as if it were going to put her out like a light. This woman was smartly planning to completely seal off her offensive ability. That way, sealing her through conventional means might have been possible.

However…

“Suterasuta-fu.”

Poeira swung her hand out and several particles appeared in the air. Tomoyo frowned as she landed on the ground several yards away and watched as bandages were easily severed and turned to ash by the external force. Indeed, the opponent’s abilities were overwhelming, but the user was sharp as well. Normal tricks wouldn’t work, eh…?

“You handle over kido is that of an expert.” Poeira commented, though no praise was held in her words. “But if I recall, the kido commander of Soul Society has already been dealt with. When you say you’re a third party…”

“Correct.” Tomoyo replied calmly as her scarlet eyes remained focus on Poeira. Poeira thought for a moment that they were focused more on her chest area rather than her face. “I am the 5th squad captain of the Jūzō Hoshō. You might say that our military force is the equivalent of Soul Society’s, though different in many ways. My mask signifies my position as one of the most senior of officers.”

Tomoyo lightly touched a hand to the multicolored plaques hanging from her ears. “My ear jewelry, however, signifies my duty as the one in charge of our very own kido corps. Unlike Soul Society, who has their kido corps work significant roles from the shadows, I like to think that we are a bit more significant.”

“I see…” Poeira murmured softly. “To think that Soul Society would stoop as low as to request assistance from other nations. Scum will, after all, crawl around and search for the best means of survival, no matter what it may be.”

Poeira’s eyes drifted to the sides of Tomoyo’s hips for a moment before she spoke again.

“However, you say that you are a captain-class opponent, and yet you have no zanpakutou. Does it take on a gaseous form?”

“Not really. I usually leave my sword in my lieutenant’s care. I didn’t see it fit to bring it with me today, as I do not require it for something so easily within my expertise.”

“Expertise…?”

“Indeed. Your ‘Jishi Taiyo’ falls under my expertise, which is ‘energy’. After observing you from afar, I can confidently put a theory behind this technique. You are essential a being of energy, compressed into a single spot. The only thing one can expect when that energy is released is destruction, as you’ve displayed for us quite repeatedly during your holocaust. That being said, I’m worried that upon defeat or even your will, you can release that energy all at once and wipe out a good portion of Soul Society as it is. I have finally found my solution.”

“Really? Care to test it then? Toranjento meido.”

The golden sphere within Poeira’s chest centered as a bright light enveloped the entire area. Poeira reappeared directly behind the blinded Tomoyo and raised one hand in her direction. The sphere in Poeira’s chest spun before the red sphere took center stage and lances of energy sprouted repeated in midair, aimed right at Tomoyo’s vulnerable back. Explosions rang and the very earth was shredded from the impact of multiple blasts as the light began to die dissipate and allow Poeira to view to pure devastation she’d wreaked on a single spot. No shingami, regardless of their skill, could survive being blindsided like that at point blank.

“Cruelty has truly gripped your minds along with hatred.”

Poeira stared at the unharmed Tomoyo in surprise. The masked woman was standing at the center of a deep crater with an orb of energy swirling around her, like a globe. Energy was flowing across it like tides and currents, constantly moving with an assortment of lights. Three strange looked runes were floating in the air beside Tomoyo’s raised hand, as if she had drawn them with her finger.

This woman, who claimed to be in charge of the Jūzō Hoshō's kido corps, was using kido as if they were magic spells. Always surprising her opponent with foreign and strange techniques. However, before she had simply been manipulating normal kido spells beyond what normal people could do. This spell looked nothing like normal kido.

Reading the small surprise that had crept onto Poeira’s stoic face, Tomoyo spoke.

“Before you accuse me of anything, I did not ‘block’ your attack. I simply ‘converted’ it. This technique catches energy that touches it and allows it to flow in a harmless state using surface tension to keep it in check. A mere danku would have been destroyed and that poor judgment would have gotten me killed, as which most other options for normal kido. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered showing this technique so recklessly.”

“And what is the name of that technique?” Poeira demanded. She claimed it wasn’t simply kido and she didn’t have her zanpakutou with her…what else could it be?

“If I told you that this is the thirteenth Sumitsuki, would you understand it?”

Tomoyo’s scarlet eyes read the lack of expression on Poeira’s eyes and she sighed.

“I thought not.”

Tomoyo raised her hand and touched her finger to midair and moved it like a pen. White light was left in her fingers path as she drew a single new rune into midair. The energy swirling around her on the globe suddenly shifted directions and gathered in front of her before firing out as a single white beam that shot a Poeira. Poeira instinctively attempted to dodge the attack, but her movements were suddenly incredibly slow, as if the air had turned extremely viscous around her. Below her, a massive symbol identical to the one Tomoyo had drawn had appeared on the ground. It was likely the cause of the sudden lethargic feeling over Poeira. The attack coming at her now had distracted Poeira, making her think that the rune had activated it, when it had really been created to slow her movements and allow the attack, which had initially been the diversion, to hit its mark. The attack that held much of the offensive energy that Poeira had attempted to destroy Tomoyo with earlier.

Even while unarmed, the mask woman was able to turn one’s own strength against them. Poeira had been reckless.

The collision of the blast created another explosion that leveled the ground quite easily, sending rubble and debris flying in all directions. It was lucky that Tomoyo had been in the crater, or else she would have been harmed by the attack indirectly as well.

Tomoyo appeared at the side of the crater as she brushed dirt off of her robes and blinked at the figure still standing before her in surprise.

“…You’re still alive?”

Poeira glared ferociously at Tomoyo with hate shaking her entire being. The damage of the attack had left a sizable hole in Poeira side, but no blood was seeping out. Only light energy was visible where tissue and fat should have been.

“I figured that being struck with your own attack that was meant to kill would be enough…just what are you people?”

“A vengeful people.” Poeira spat. “No matter what efforts you make, until we succeed, we won’t fail. Not until each and every one of you is dead.”

The moment might have seemed like stalemate to a third party. Poeira was severely damaged and Tomoyo was unarmed. However, in a war between two long distance combatants, it wasn’t that simple. The wound didn’t impede on Poeira ability to attack, and between the two of them, there was no doubt that Tomoyo had less destructive ability by several levels. She couldn’t directly defend and could not directly attack. So long as Poeira stopped being careful and didn’t allow Tomoyo to set up another trick, the battle would be decided quickly.

“Turn to dust.” Poeira said scathing as she raised her hand up. “Ichiji-tekina!”

There was a brief moment as Tomoyo waited for the attack to come, her entire body tense. When nothing happened, her scarlet eyes shut in relief. Poeira gritted her teeth in confusion in frustration. Why had her attack not come? The gravity crushing attack should have reduced Tomoyo to nothing, and yet somehow the attack failed at such a crucial moment. Poeira tried to force the attack out, but she could feel nothing. She’d never been injured by her own attack while using Jishi Taiyo—perhaps it had some effect on her attacks?

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t important at the moment. Poeira’s sphere spun as she switched to another attack.

“Ms. Shirubāraito, do you remember what I said earlier? About your Jishi Taiyo?”

As Tomoyo spoke, Poeira’s body gave a sudden and violent jerk as she felt something begin to well up inside her, like an inflating balloon. Poeira’s eyes widened as she began to realize what must have happened.

“You seem to have realized fairly quick. You are a cluster of energy all in one place—both you and your orbs in your chest. To attack, you release energy from them, or so I guessed, from the way they switched places with each different attack you used. So I speculated what would happen if the energy couldn’t reach you in order to attack. And what would happen if that energy expanded suddenly inside of you.”

Whenever a large amount of energy burst out at once, it only left destruction in its wake. By probably using a spell that changed the dimensions of the orb in Poeira’s chest, Tomoyo allowed Poeira to pour needless effort into activateing the sphere, which in turn compressed more energy. Upon returning the sphere to its proper dimensions, the energy activated. But Poeira had already begun to switch to the next attack.

Tomoyo had probably cloaked the spell under the cover of returning Poeira’s initial attack earlier to injure her. The vitality of that attack hitting its mark was more than she had thought.

“You filthy woman.” Poeira muttered as her light began to shine and swell up with the energy expanding within her at a rapid pace. Her body couldn’t hope to contain it for much longer. “You couldn’t even defeat me with your own attacks.”

“Like I said,” Tomoyo replied melancholically as she shut her scarlet eyes to avoid seeing her opponent in such a state. She had forgotten to ask the woman’s name, though she doubted she would have received it. “It’s my area of expertise.”

Great post, Silver. Really great! I'll respond shortly. :P

Thanks. I feel slightly guilty since Tomoyo's fight was so much longer than the other two's, but since Poeira hadn't fought an opponent seriously until then, I figured it would be fine.

Don't feel guilty. It was great!

Well, I feel like an ass. I'm SO sorry about the big Randomfan I pulled. School, work, and several other items on my agenda have kept me stupidly occupied. Fortunately, I'm much more available now. I'll jump straight on writing something.

[A Bloody Dance begins. A New Threat enters the Scene]

Blood dripped to the ground as Nagaishi and Ezretha gasped for breath. This woman was far too fast for them to fight, what with her portals allowing her to travel undetected and at massive speeds. The two battles involving the sibling Archangels were pulling closer towards each other. After several more minutes, they were entwined. The two pairs of captains wordlessly grouped together, facing down the two Shirub.

Gilgamesh: Why'd you chase them my way, sis? I don't wanna have to deal with them as well.

Vyenna: What the hell are you going on about, Gilgamesh? You should be easily defeating them.

Gilgamesh: They're a pain in the ass. I-

Their voices ceased as the feeling of a massive weight on their chests was lifted.

Gilgamesh: Did you feel it?

Vyenna: Yes... Goodbye, Azriel...

Kai: Don't take us lightly, Shirub.

???: Never planned on doing so, I fear!

A massive reiatsu descended from the sky with suffocating power. Seconds later, a man with a stiff ponytail landed in front of the sibling Angels.

Gemini: It's time to go, I fear. Sekhmet-sama will be very angry. These impure bastards, after all, slew Azriel... Jiishi Taiyo.

His blade remained in its sheath as wind picked up about him, encasing him in an opaque cocoon of air.

[Play Music]

Gemini: Poena Ventora..... Hahahaha..... AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

The general's maniacal cackles echoed throughout the area as the veil of wind turned into a roaring hurricane. It dispersed suddenly, leaving him exposed, his form nothing but a translucent flurry of wind.

Nagaishi: This....

Ezretha: This must be a general....

Luna: Such reiatsu....

Kai: How.... How can he do this?

Gemini: This is the Embodiment of a general. It's pathetic that I would be forced into activating it on the likes of you...

His voice seemed amplified and inhuman, carried by the wind.

Gemini: My Jiishi Taiyo is a punisher, meant to discipline the impure. The likes of you can no longer even hold a candle to the three of us. Now, I shall begin the cycle... Gilgamesh, take their first opening. With your speed, you should be able to kill one off guard. Vyenna, disappear and flank them when possible. I shall initiate this battle. Shikan... Koru!

The wind-composed body of Gemini swung his arm across his body, loosing a wave of pale blue.

Kai: He's coming.

Nagaishi: Don't drop your guard even for a second.

Kai's giant collided with the earth, standing in the path of the light blue arc of wind Gemini had sent forth.

Vyenna: A frost type, huh? Let's see what we can do about that...

She disappeared into a portal without another word while Gilgamesh flashed forwards with tremendous speed. Then, seemingly all at once, Vyenna appeared and crossed blades with Luna, Gilgamesh's lance smashed into Nagaishi's blade, and Kai's giant ceased movement.

Kai: What-

Gemini: You're Bankai... It may be frost oriented, but nothing can withstand by freezing attack. It's completely frozen still within a sheen of powerful ice. The most docile of my four punishments. Now, let us begin the final dance, yes?

He snapped his fingers, causing Kai's giant to shatter violently with the icy prison. The Shinigami's eyes widened as he took a step back. Was this it? Did they really stand a chance against the combined efforts of three Shirub, Embodiments released?!

-End-

Kai took yet another step back as Gemini continued to hold his silence and precariously balance on the tips of his toes.

Nagaishi grabbed Kai's shoulder and yanked him back, just as Vyenna appeared beneath him and attempted to slice him in two with her strange blades. She growled and sunk back into her portal as though it were a pool, and disappeared from sight once more. Kai looked at Nagaishi curiously as Luna and Ezretha kept an eye on Gemini and Gilgamesh.

Nagaishi shot Kai a knowing look. "Her Jishi Taiyo is based off the ability to jump from on area to another within nano-seconds. Her blades also act like erasers of sorts, taking whatever they touch and wiping it from existence."

Kai's eyes widened even farther as he heard this, peeking around and trying to locate Vyenna. Nagaishi shook his head.

"It won't work. She's hiding, like a coward, in her portals." He said flatly. "All we can do is wait."

Kai nodded and watched as Luna lunged at Gemini, attempting to take his head off with one fell swing of her blade. Ezretha suddenly screeched for her to stop. Vyenna had appeared directly in front of her and was lashing out with her long blade. It was aimed directly at Luna's abdomen.

{Play Music}

Nagaishi acted quickly, whipping the water around her arm and pulled her to the side, just far enough to be out of reach of Vyenna. Ezretha and Kai both took that opportunity to attack. Vyenna was still out in the open as Ezretha appeared mere feet from her. Kai, with only his blade now, was in a similar position some feet on the other side of her. She cursed as she failed to balance herself in time to avoid their tandem attack.

Gilgamesh suddenly appeared in front of Kai. "Oh no you don't!" he shouted as he threw Kai to the side.

Ezretha brought his blade down as this happened, and managed to slice Vyenna's side just as she began to retreat.

Nagaishi released Luna from his water, and she nodded thankfully at him, before prancing off to join Kai. The battles were separated once more, at least for the moment.

Nagaishi whispered to himself. "I really hope that we can figure out a way to stop Vyenna... and get to Luna and Kai soon..."

Ezretha appeared at his side. "Nagaishi, don't let your guard down." Nagaishi snorted.

"Of course not," was his snide reply.

Just then, Vyenna dropped from seemingly nowhere and brought both blades down on Nagaishi's left forearm, effectively severing it with her strange power. Nagaishi retaliated by bringing his water whip around in a wide arc and freezing it mid swing, creating a cane shape behind Vyenna.

As she tried to retreat, she was stopped by this cane of ice and stuck for a split second. That's when Ezretha moved in, his blood red blade glistening as it came. Vyenna began a vertical escape, attempting to flip over the ice itself.

Nagaishi caught sight of this, and melted the ice, thus making Vyenna's hands slip through the liquid of his Zanpakuto. She practically face-planted on the ground, allowing Ezretha to reach her.

He brought his zanpakuto down hard on her back, dragging the spines of the blade across her flesh, before he skillfully avoided her Eraser-blade. She growled as she stood and sank into her Rift once more, eyeing Nagaishi. He smirked a bit, surprising her as she closed the rift around her and disappeared from their line of sight.

Ezretha turned. "That was a nice trick, Nagaishi."

"Seems like she thought the same thing." Nagaishi replied as he dodged a wave of dark and malevolent energy. Looking in the direction it came from, he spotted her, about to fire another.

As it began to force it's way towards them, Nagaishi willed a wall of ice to form. But within seconds, it was shattered, creating a very dangerous yet beautiful shower of ice shards.

"Well there goes Shikai..." Nagaishi muttered. "I'll have to step it up."

And as the shower of ice continued to rain, Both Vyenna and Ezretha watched as Nagaishi took a stance with his one hand gripping the handle of his blade.

"Bankai!" Nagaishi shouted over the continuous explosions around them.

Water swirled and cascaded around the man, funneling and creating a vortex. The water suddenly changed hues, from a light blue to a deep red. It suddenly formed a giant wave, swirling in a large cycle.

"Horobi no Kyuryu." Nagaishi said blatantly. "There's no escape."

Vyenna growled and sent another, and perhaps larger wave of Purple energy at him, expecting to be able to penetrate the barrier again. But the energy bounced off after leaving a large crater in the ice. She stole a glance at Nagaishi, who stood emotionless.

"The ice is not as weak and brittle as it is in my Shikai. You look like you expected everything to be the same, Shirub." he stopped, pausing to grin. "But I'm sorry to say that's not how it works!"

Ezretha smiled. "Nagaishi, let's go!"

Nagaishi nodded. "Right."

And they both flash stepped to Vyenna's location, One whipping his arm in a spiral motion, and the other attempting to land a second hit.

Vyenna easily dodged Ezretha's swing, bringing her own arm around and slicing into his midriff. He cried out in surprise and leaped away.

Nagaishi continued to swirl his arm in the strange pattern, and just as Vyenna turned, Nagaishi allowed his eyes to glance upward. Vyenna followed this small bodily motion. seeing almost nothing. But as she squinted and looked harder, she saw small droplets of red water, raining down endlessly.

Nagaishi smiled and leaped away suddenly, and willed all of that water to freeze. The seemingly harmless water was now a deadly projectile and falling at great speeds.

Vyenna realized a little too slowly and took two or three to each shoulder before she retreated finally.

Nagaishi gathered up his water, waiting once more. Ezretha was visibly shaken at the sensation that was spreading through his body. The sight and feeling of missing flesh, but the absence of blood. It was truly unnerving to see ones body in state like that.

A soft whistle worked it's way into their inner ears, and they ceased all movement. Nagaishi turned his head in the direction of the sound, only to have Kai and Luna collide with him, sending them all careening into a nearby wall.

As the dust settled, Nagaishi Spit up dirt and rubble from his mouth, and shoved Kai off of himself.

"What the hell was that?" he questioned them softly.

Kai and Luna both lifted themselves up before speaking. "It was the one called Gemini."

Nagaishi paled a bit, and growled. "What, do they think this is some kind of Team Sport?!"

Ezretha appeared next to the three of them. "Apparently so."

Luna coughed. "I don't know what we're supposed to be able to do right now... We know next to nothing about any of their abilities or the way they fight..."

Nagaishi face-palmed. "You mean you didn't hear a word I said about Vyenna and her ability?"

Luna stared at him blankly. Kai placed a hand on her shoulder, and sighed. "We'll lead Gemini and Gilgamesh away from you two again. I'll see If I can get my Bankai up and running, you two focus on her. She has a strange ability, making her very dangerous."

Kai and Luna both flash stepped from the smoke, leading Gemini and Gilgamesh away. Vyenna still remain unaccounted for as Nagaishi and Ezretha left the plume of smoke that was still settling.

{Play Second Song}

Nagaishi stopped. "Ezretha." The man in question turned. "We need to figure out a way to get rid of her."

Ezretha snorted. "Isn't that what we've been doing this whole time?" Nagaishi nodded.

"But I have a hunch. Something that might work, but I'm not sure." Nagaishi explained. Ezretha raised one brow.

"Do tell." he said simply. Nagaishi nodded, whispering his plan to his fellow captain.

"Interesting. So, on your command...?" Ezretha asked as Nagaishi finished.

He nodded. "Remember, you need to be ready at a moments notice to cast the Hado. Understand?"

And then they stood, waiting once more. Nagaishi and Ezretha stood back to back, both hands raised and silently reciting hado spells. Neither was thinking of anything other.

And both of them looked up as a Tear opened up just above their heads, Vyenna hopped out of it and lading nimbly just feet from them. Nagaishi and Ezretha instinctively leapt away, hands outstretched.

They both fired the same hado.

"Hado 63: Raikoho!" they screeched. Vyenna took a defensive stance, before quickly realizing something. They weren't aiming it at her. She followed the path of the blasts as they fired and watched as the void swallowed the near pure reiatsu. Her eyes went wide. She growled and closed the rift.

Nagaishi smirked. "Then my hunch was correct..." Both he and Ezretha smiled.

Vyenna suddenly appeared between the two of them, thrusting both of her blades into each of them. Ezretha was caught in the abdominal area, the blade piercing his flesh and protruding from his back. Nagaishi was caught a bit higher, the blade swallowing part of his stomach and flesh. She removed both blades and retreated a few steps. Nagaishi felt his body go numb around that specific area, but said nothing as he glared at Vyenna.

"You damn Shinigami..." she said, her voice dangerously low.

Nagaishi smiled, his Rapids beggining to swirl more violently. "Are you angry that we figured it out? You couldn't have honestly believed that we would have be stupid enough to try and fight you without knowing anything... am I right?"

Ezretha appeared at his side. "Come now, did you really think we were that stupid?"

Vyenna slowly looked from one to the other, and took slow, deep breaths. She had managed to calm herself before speaking. "No. But to be honest, I had hoped that you would be ignorant enough to assume you could win with brute force."

Nagaishi scowled. "No. But brute force is a big part of it."

Vyenna glared at him distastefully. "Something a neanderthal says shouldn't be taken seriously."

Nagaishi was suddenly behind her, his finger charged with electricity. "Hado 4: Byakurai."

The energy erupted from his finger with unimaginable force, enveloping Vyenna in it's cascading blue depths. Nagaishi followed up with a blast of deep red water, conducting the electricity in all directions. Vyenna's scream could be heard, but was quickly drowned out as she swallowed gallon after gallon of electrified water, the sparks coursing throughout her entire body.

Nagaishi wasn't done however. The water sh had swallowed was still water he controlled. He waved his hand and willed the water to boil inside of her.

A soft hissing could be heard as the Byakurai was stifled. Vyenna sat in the midst of Nagaishi's water, hands frantically grasping her body as she writhed in agony. Ezretha looked on in horror as he watched a fellow captain torture another living being.

"I am no neanderthal." he said flatly.

She glared a Nagaishi as he began to turn the water to steam, allowing it to exit her body. She began her first on many attempts of stand, shakily rising to her knees. Her body was wracked with convulsing waves of pain, visible merely from looking at her. She was finally able to stand, finding her footing. She immediately tried to open a Rift and seclude herself inside.

"Hado 88: Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!" Ezretha shouted.

"Hado 90: Senju Koten Taiho!" Nagaishi screamed.

Vyenna merely scowled as she herself was knocked back into the rift, the massive blasts and waves of energy following her inside. The rift began to close slowly. Nagaishi felt a small pang of satisfaction, followed by a hollow feeling as he watched it begin to mend the tear in space and time.

Ezretha suddenly began to shout at the top of his lungs. Nagaishi turned swiftly, seeing his fellow captain begin to do the unthinkable.

Ezretha dashed towards the rift, his battle cry echoing across the barren soul society. Nagaishi ran after him, attempting several times to grab his friends wrist and stop him, but to no avail. There was no way he could keep up with the docile, small and dangerous frame of Ezretha Isishio. The he suddenly flash stepped in front of him, forcing Ezretha to skid to a halt.

"What the Fuck are you doing?" Nagaishi questioned. Ezretha remained in his position, one foot back, and the other poised to help him spring forward. the smaller man said nothing, but instead smiled his innocent smile. Nagaishi understood immediately.

"Are you sure...?"

Ezretha nodded once more. "When I'm inside, fire another hado after me, would you?"

It was Nagaishi's turn to nod. Ezretha smiled, and dashed forward, throwing himself, zanpakuto and all, into the rift after Vyenna.

"Hado 73..." Nagaishi whispered. "Soren Sokatsui!"

The twin blasts of Energy barreled from his hands and followed Ezretha suit, entering the rift and essentially giving off a show of final fireworks. Nagaishi watched as the rift finally closed, taking Ezretha and Vyenna with it.

Nagaishi said a final word of thanks to his friend, holding up his hands in a prayer fashion, the same Ezretha would have done. He knew now, what his friend would do while inside. He would release his Bankai, and cause a spatial collapse with the power of his spiritual pressure. The void had already absorbed so much, that anymore would cause it to implode in and of itself, taking anything inside with it.

Nagaishi opened his eyes and rushed off, going to the aid of Luna and Kai as they fought their respective opponents. He appeared at Kai's side. The latter gave him a questioning look.

"Where's Ezretha...?"

Nagaishi said nothing.

The second song to go with my above post.

Nice post, Link. XD

[Morning Star: Flickering sorrow]



Poeira: (The energy continues to radiate beneath her transparent flesh. It cascades throughout her body, but the quantity is far too large for her to skillfully release it. As the energy ravages her body, the other orbs become active, enabling their energy to leak into her already chaotic insides. She struggles to move, stumbling as she generates massive bursts of energy. She glares at the mysterious captain, lamenting over her acknowledged loss). …you’re fortunate today, captain. If it had not been for my overuse of Jiishi Taiyo, you wouldn’t have gained such an advantage…(she falls over, her angelic features becoming visible as her Jiishi Taiyo fades, the turbulent energy ripping her insides). Sekhmet-Dono…my beloved princess…(her eyes swell with emotion, shattering the cold, rough exterior presented for a millennia). I failed you and therefore our cause has been compromised. My defeat will not have been in vain…(she glares at Captain Daidōji, attempting to read her eyes behind the mask). You wear a mask…how inconvenient (said in a cold, bitter tone)


Captain Daidōji: How so?


Poeira: I won’t be able to see your face upon killing hundreds more shinigami…


Captain Daidōji: …(her eyes widen as Poeira rocket’s herself further into the city).


Poeira: Farewell…my brothers and sisters. May Shirubaraito be blessed by our sacrifice! (She speaks loudly and boldly, for the very first time. Her words echo within the power her body unleashes into the Soul Society. The energy begins to split her torso open, cracking her chest like it were a twig. The energy surging from her body, incinerating the tearful beauty, as it expands across the Seireitei. The energy crashes across the Seireitei like tidal waves, decimating all in its path.)


Captain Daidōji: (She watches from a distance as Poeira’s final sacrifice was that of continues bloodshed) …A truly scornful method for ending one’s tortured life (She again closes her eyes, silently accepting the tragedy of this day).

[Yet Another One]

Teiko watched in complete horror as the rotting effect spread from his wrist up his arm and down his hand. It was a slow process but an excruciatingly painful one. Galgalzzi was still laughing manically at Teiko's pain and torment. He started moving towards Teiko again, causing the captain to recoil in fear.

However unexpected to both combatants, Galgalzzi was suddenly encapsulated in a yellow, translucent kido box. Galgalzzi pounded away on the kido wall with his rotten fists surprised to find that he had not made a single dent on the strange structure.

Galgalzzi: (He couldn't understand where the structure had come from, it was obvious Captain Sheishin hadn't erected it. It was too strong for him to have erected. Not only that but from the way that Captain Sheishin's hand now looked, casting Kido would be the least of his worries.) Who did this? Speak up, I won't stay captive here forever.

???: You'll stay here as long as I want you to stay there and that's not going to be too much longer believe me.

Galgalzzi turned around, following Teiko's eyes that stared straight past him. He then witnessed a woman. She was attired similarly to a regular Captain, but what was so enchanting about her. The mask that sat on her face. It was larger than her face and gold in colour with a purple flower embellished in the hair engraved onto the mask. The woman's hair itself was blonde and pony-tailed falling to her lower back.

Galgalzzi: (He pressed his hands against the imprisoning bakudo, finding it as strong as when it was first cast) Who are you?

Captain Shimo: (She pointed at herself) Me? Well I don't think you particularly deserve to know, but seeing as you won't be alive much longer I will oblige. My name is Akumu Shimo. I am the Captain of Squad 7 of the Juzo Hosho.

Galgalzzi: Huh?

Teiko: (His face was the picture of confusion) Juzo Hosho? Who or what are you?

Akumu: Well did you honestly think that you are the only group of shinigami in the world. There are many shinigami nations which each have their own territory across the human world in which they operate. Juzo Hosho and Shirubaraito are two such nations. And before you childishly ask me why you didn't know about this, you didn't know simple because we're not meant to interact at all. The fact I'm here is breaching this rule. (She returned her attention to Galgalzzi) So my Shirub friend, this is the part where I kill you or I would if it was my place to finish this fight, that right remains (She pointed at Teiko with her right index finger) with the child there.

Galgalzzi: (He looked at Teiko) What? That whelp? He couldn't kill me if .....

Akumu: (She lifted her right hand pointing all her fingers in Galgalzzi's direction) Hado 53: Raitoninguransu

A highly concentrated beam of energy erupted from the end of her finger tips, burrowing straight through the barrier and going straight through Galgalzzi's stomach causing the noxious substance generated by his Jishi Taiyo to spill forth. Akumu however didn't even give him time to contemplate what had just happened.

Akumu: Hado 73 Soren Sokatsui

The twin blue flames burst forth from her hands, igniting the fluid in and around his body, setting him on fire.

Akumu: Bakudo 95: Shoho Kakuchō shi dandō.

A large box, similar to the one used on Galgalzzi the first time, erected itself around him trapping the flames and more importantly the burning fluid. However unexpectedly, the searing heat caused some of the fluid to turn to gas, this gas filled the box and combusted itself, causing the inside of the box to become a sea of roaring flames, that were only themselves drowned out by the screams of Galgalzzi. They were screams of unbearable pain which caused Teiko not only to watch in shocked awe of what he saw but to feel sympathy for him in his predicament. He looked over at the masked captain, noticing that her body was extremely relaxed and he imagined that she didn't even feel a shred of empathy for Galgalzzi.

After a matter of minutes the flames started dying down, revealing the hideous sight that had lain beneath the inferno. What was left of Galgalzzi's skin was burnt black, it was even falling off in places where the skin had charred, the bones that had been exposed had been blackened and the remaining fluid that oozed from his body either sizzled on his skin or fell onto the ground and sizzled away. Teiko was appalled at this sight, he couldn't imagine the amount of pain and was temporarily oblivious to his own but knew that what he was and is still suffering is no where near in comparison to what Galgalzzi must have felt.

Akumu: (She walked past the barrier still containing Galgalzzi who had now sunk to his knees and stood in front of Teiko. The deadening of his skin had spread even more it was starting to eat away at his chest, soon his organs would succumb to the cellular corrosion.) Well why are you just sitting there captain. You have a fight to finish, though in the state your in now I doubt you could injure him let alone kill him.

Teiko: (He coughed painfully, blood starting to pool in the corners of his mouth as one of his lungs started to corrode) I still...[cough]...have one...trick left. (He pushed himself to stand) Kudokai.

His body transformed into a half hollow state. He had nearly completely changed. However it was clear that doing this would kill him. He could barely walk in a straight line and his coughs were even more pronounced.

Teiko charged up his blade with as much lightning as he could muster, it being black in colour and threw it like a javelin at Galgalzzi. Akumu managed to dis-spell the bakudo just before the blade made impact and she watched as the blade went straight through Galgalzzi's heart. The wound itself was mortal but the added effect of the shock created by the lightning was lethal. Galgalzzi fell backwards the blade still sticking out of his chest as his back hit the earth.

Who's characters are those?

[Forced Infliction]


Galgalzzi: (He leans up, holding Teiko’s blade by its tip. He throws it to the side, his hand mangled by his efforts to stop Teiko’s blade from piercing his heart) ….did you think you could defeat me so EASILY! I AM GALGALZZI, MIGHTY GENERAL OF SEKHMET-SAMA! YOU…(he looks down at his chest, feeling a tingling sensation throughout his body).


Akumu: I thought something like this may happen, but I did make an effort to aid this boy in defeating you. It turns out, my better judgment was correct. I knew you’d be able to stop his blade, despite it’s strength, so I laced it with a special hado right before it passed by my Bakudo.


Galgalzzi: …(his eyes widen)



Akumu: Kokoyujiji…(she looks away as she finishes her sentence) this will incinerate you from the inside out.


Galgalzzi: IT ENTERED MY BODY WHEN THE BLADE DID! (HE begins scratching at his chest as his body swells and his skin begins to burn. Bright-red fractures begin spreading across his body) NO! SEKHMET-SAMA! PLEASE! FORGIVE ME! TO THINK I WOULD BE DEFEA….(his body is subsequently torn apart by erupting flames, fueling by his own power. The flames burst from his body, eviscerating him).



Akumu: Pick-up your blade, kid. You are still able to fight.


Captain Seishin: …(he grabs his blade, sensing an overwhelming spiritual energy, like nothing he has ever felt. It feels as though his skin is melting off his bone as the intensity is immeasurable) Sekhmet…SUREIYA-SAMA! (He looks over, but the mysterious Juzo Hosho captain has vanished).

[Shrieking Darkness]


Veznesel: (She clutches a maimed Captain Elrantz by the throat, twisting his body toward Yua’s location) Can you see the different in our power, Captain? With all your might and numbers, I can overwhelm you with a single technique. Once more, you’re being defeated by former captains of the Gotei 13.)


Captain Elrantz: (He struggles to speak) …when…will you learn. Defeat is not an option for us.


Veznesel: Oh, Captain, when will…(her eyes widen and her grip becomes tighter. She abruptly throws the captain into the distance)….(Her eyes soften for a moment, her expression fading from pleasure to immeasurable grief. She finds her body collapsing into itself, her shoulders dropping and back slouched. She covers her face with her hands, quietly weeping. Her cold, maniacal, and sinister demeanor quickly dissolves, washed clean by an overwhelming sorrow. The foreign emotions surge through her body, leaving her numb. She continues to sob from beneath the cover of her hands, allowing her cries to be heard to only the most acute observer. She removes her hands, having succumbed to her emotions, and glares maddeningly at Quidel.) We shared a portion of ourselves with one another, as many siblings do. You have, once again, stripped a portion of my being from me. (She clenches her fists and grinds her feet into the ground, raising her spiritual pressure to suffocating levels). …do you think I will allow you to to get away with this? (She reveals her face and stares into his eyes) cast out the moon, blacken the sun…. Kurozunōja…(Her holds her blade in front of her as it releases a monstrous pulse of energy. It reverberates through the atmosphere, striking Quidel, but doing nothing.


Captain Honoko: (She falls to the ground, bloodied and beaten as the two former captains of the Gotei 13 stand before her, prepared to deliver the final strike. The pulse of energy booms through the area, passing through Byakuya, Toshiro, and Yua. She watches as the energy suddenly unbinds their bodies and reduces them to energy, sending them hurtling toward Veznesel. They combine with her as energy pulse becomes to recede. As it recedes, moving backward, it pulls all light from their surroundings. The sky is reduced to a blackened void as the light is torn from its surface. Yua watches in dismay as the darkness swirls around Venzesel as she approaches Quidel).


Veznesel: My Jiishi Taiyo may not be as flashy as the others, but it certainly has its advantages…(she clutches Quidel by the throat, lifting him from the ground. The dark energy weightlessly lies on her body and floats around her and Quidel). Are you prepared? This is where my Jiishi Taiyo becomes interesting! (The darkness condenses around Quidel, binding him in place. She smiles for a moment before thrusting her hand into his chest. Her hand passes directly through his chest, but never breaks the skin. The mysterious dark energy seeps down her shoulder into his chest, widening the gap and maintaining its size and shape. She whispers to him) …I can see it flickering from inside you…it tries to hide…(she thrusts both hands in the black void in his chest and clutches something. His chest begins to emit light and she begins pulling a strange energy. She delights as Quidel screams in agony, unable to stop her efforts) Don’t fight it…I will get your soul no matter how long it takes me!


Captain Honoko: …his soul! She’s going to do the same to him as she did to Byakuya and Toshiro! I need to help him…


Veznesel: (As she pulls, his sound begins to stretch, becoming stringy. Her chest abruptly makes a cracking noise and teeth-like spikes separate and retract into her side. She reveals bottomless pit of despair, residing in her chest. This containment unit holds all the residual souls she has collected over the centuries.)


Captain Elrantz: (As she pulls his soul from his body, he can see it being slowly fed into her chest, into that put of misery and entrapment. She can feel himself losing control and being pulled further into her.)


Vezensel: (She clutches his soul tightly, pulling it further outward and then repositioning her hands toward to grab more and remove it from his body) This process, I’ll admit, is draining and difficult. That’s why throughout my entire Bankai I was trying to weaken the bonds between your soul and body. By doing so, I can more easily extract it. I’m almost finished, too. You aren’t a worthy opponent at all…(she smiles devilishly as she pulls on his soul. She is suddenly struck by a beam of energy, singing her arm. She looks at Yua, who lies on the ground, her finger pointed toward Veznsel) You’ll need to do better than that to distract me from this. Oh…but you can’t, can you? (She tugs on his soul, as it slowly is absorbed into her chest) …I believe we’ve reached the end. Ready to join the collective? Ready be another slave amongst the hundreds in my Soul Phylactery! (She clutches the end of his soul tightly and takes her right hand and shreds its connection with his body like shears. The end spirals around before it surges into her chest, becoming one with her.)


Captain Elrantz: (His body becomes limp and his eyes empty as the hole in his chest closes and his body falls backwards. His limp, lifeless body collapses into the ground)



Captain Honoko: QUIDEL!!!!!



Veznesel: (She turns and looks at Yua) Now it’s your turn…


Captain Honoko: (She quickly musters the strength to stand, but is immediately clutched by Veznesel)



Veznesel: How did it feel, Captain? To have your comrades soul stripped from his body…



Captain Honoko: You…monster…(Veznesel clutches her throat tightly, before thrusting her hand into her chest. The darkness creeps down her hand and opens the void further).



Veznesel: Monsters don’t rely on reason to affirm behavior…(She thrusts both her hands into her chest) I do…everything your people have done, even now, will be brought to trial by a higher power. MINE! I will personally rip each and every of your souls out and torture you for the rest of my existence. You will serve me, forever! Better yet, I will force you to kill your remaining comrades and allow me to rip their souls from their bodies! (She begins feeding Yua’s soul into her chest. A faint blue hue radiates from inside her chest as she continues to collect Yua’s soul, delighting in Yua’s agony).


Captain Honoko: AHHHHHHHH (She screams as the pain increases as she further has her soul ripped from her body)!!!


Veznesel: (She tightly clutches her soul, weaving it into her chest, further approaching the point of completion) Almost done, Captain. I am excited for you to join my collection! You will be in the company of so many…(as she speaks a condensed beam of energy strikes the side of her torso, passes straight through and exits the other side. The delivery is clean and precise, decimating all that it contacted. Her eyes quiver and widen as she looks to the side, still holding Yua’s soul. She spots a mysterious masked-man standing in the distance).


Rohei: Oh…(he says with a deep, solemn tone) it appears despite my efforts, I missed. But not entirely…



Vezensel: …(she glares at him in utter shock, slowly becoming aware of her wound. She looks down as a strange sensation builds in her chest). My soul phylactery…


Rohei: Was I successful? Your face sort of gives it away…(He looks at the energy begin to pour from chest).


Veznesel: YOU BASTARD! …it has been compromised. I can’t mend it… Kurozunōja…you n…need to…to do something! (She watches as streams of energy begin sprouting from her chest into the air, circling her and Yua) ….nooo. They’re escaping! Kurozunōja (As she shouts to her zanpakuto, Yua musters the strength to thrust her blade further into Veznesel’s soul phylactery. The blade pierces the shining orb, shattering the structure. The bonds placed over the souls are no more as they explode from Veznesel’s body. She reluctantly releases Yua’s soul, watching it whip around before slamming into chest).


Captain Honoko: (Her soul collides with her chest and the hole closes. She falls to the ground and begins crawling away from Veznesel as the souls erupt from her chest in a colorful and chaotic display of energy. Hundreds upon hundreds of steams of energy soar into the air, hovering above Venzesel).

Veznesel: (She pulls Yua’s blade from her chest, throwing it to the side. She clutches her chest, trying to contain the escaping souls. The shear energy produced by the collective release of souls drains Veznesel. Her vibrant and beautiful features begin to fade as her body becomes emaciated. She falls to the ground as her hair becomes grey and stiffens. Her skin loses its darkness and greys, resembling ash or soot. She crawls across the ground, toward Yua. She is weakening further, with each passing second, only able to drag the rest of her body with her hands. She looks deep into Yua’s eyes, hatred and grief filling her face) …


Captain Honoko: (She watches as Veznesel dragons her stiffening, graying body toward her, but she remains silent).


Venzesel: (She reaches for Yua, clutching at Yua with her right hand while she supports herself with her left. Her body has become emaciated and resembles that of ash, her face losing its beauty. Her left arm abruptly crumbles into powder, her face demonstrating the shock and despair of loss as her body collapses, no longer supported by her arm. Her hand falls slowly, still reaching for Yua, as her head and torso crash into the soil, crumbling into soot-like powder.)


Captain Honoko: (She stares at the ashy remains of her opponent, who moments ago, was seemingly unstoppable. She looks into the distance) you saved…(she stops, as the peculiar figure has vanished). You did come after all…

[Trial by Fire: Questions of might]
Sekhmet: (Watching the pillar of light diminish, she senses an exploding presence rushing toward her. Spiritual energy resonates as the object approaches, closing in with tremendous speed. She maintains her view, calmly watching as Shirubaraito becomes whole again. Head-Captain Sureiya explodes into the scene, producing a torrent of air upon landing).

Captain Sureiya: (He remains still, though aggression and bloodlust radiate from his body and fowl expression).

Sekhmet: You’re putting on quite a show, Kami. I suppose this is the point where I feel some degree of intimidation or fear. (She looks over her shoulder, gazing into Kami’s eyes. Her eyes are calm, but bright with joy. Her disposition is a testament to her lack of concern as her composure continues to mock his notable rage) you’ve obviously chosen the wrong opponent. (She quickly unsheathes her blade, blocking a swift and robust strike from Kami. He swings his blade with tremendous might, but despite his strength, she is able to easily block his efforts. She presses into his offense, pushing against his blade).

Captain Sureiya: (His frightening grimace is not strained as he attempts to overpower her. He places more power into his arm, hoping to gain the advantage. He abruptly grinds his blade down hers, but to his dismay, her blade erupts in flames, quickly washing over his body. Subsequently, he retreats, placing distance between them as he releases his zanpakuto. He inhales deeply, ignoring the pain of his burns.) …I have come to obliterate you, Sekhmet. You will no longer wreak havoc on the soul society…you will no longer kill! No more shinigami will die at the hands of you or your subordinates!!! FROM HERE ON OUT, YOU WILL BE THE ONE TO SUFFER! FEEL THE RAGE OF THE GOTEI 13 BY MY BLADE!

Sekhmet: (her beauty is off-set by the dramatic tone. Yet, she continues to gaze at Kami without worry, unperturbed by his threats and declarations. Her eyes lock with his as he speaks, gleaming with excitement as her dream becomes a reality. She closes her eyes for a moment, slowly responding) …Captain Sureiya, Head-Captain of the Gotei 13, you just delivered your final speech. And to think, it was not only wasted, but presented on Shirubaraito.

Captain Sureiya: (He shouts as his energy soars, and his blade points at her) DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ME!

Sekhmet: Not even you, Head-Captain Sureiya, are capable of defeating me. You’re well-aware of this, aren’t you?

Captain Sureiya: Age isn’t the only determinant.

Sekhmet: It’s true, age isn’t the only component influencing a battle. However, I more than outclass you in age, I am beyond you in experience, wisdom, and strength. My strength isn’t simply derived from my age, Kami, you are well-aware of that. While I guised as a captain, my power was beyond all the others, even while I used Zalbeseal’s limiter technology. I possess far too much Reiatsu to be stifled.

Captain Sureiya: (He raises his brow, shocked by this sudden revelation)

Sekhmet: You’re understanding now, aren’t you, Kami? The reality of your circumstances is finally beginning to weigh on your perceptions of survival. You may be a member of an incompetent organization, but you’re no fool. You’re cognizant that my power is not exclusively a product of my age. I was born with this strength…this power to overwhelm all that challenge me. And would you like to know why? (She adopts a coy grin as the flames from her blade roar, encircling the entire area) the divine right to rule…is something you’re born with. Power is born, not bred. You can train and struggle to further your strength and aptitude, but the truest form of power is something visceral. It is created the moment of conception. I am mighty not by coincidence, like yourself, but because I was willed this way by the universe.

Captain Sureiya: You’ve driven yourself to madness, Sekhmet. Are you listening to yourself? You’ve become consumed by….

Sekhmet: (She quickly interrupts him by shouting, prompting her spiritual pressure to drench the atmosphere) QUIET! You no longer have the convenience of speaking to me as an equal, Kami! Matter of fact, you no longer deserve acknowledgement! You are nothing more than a speck. And with everything insignificant, it must be smote for the greater good! You will die today…shinigami! Bankai! Cenusa Fiamma Fuoco!

Captain Sureiya: (He watches as a blue spark stains her flames, producing vibrant, cerulean-colored fire. The molten energy erupts from her blade, pouring around her and bathing the landscape. He is required to retreat, in order to adequately avoid her release).

Sekhmet: Avoiding these flames is more imperative, Captain Sureiya.

Captain Sureiya: …(he stares at the vibrant blue flames, concerned as to why they shifted in appearance)

Sekhmet: You look quizzical, Yami? You’re likely wondering what this means…

Captain Sureiya: (He can feel the heat against his flesh and can sense the lusting of the flames. The shear intensity is enough to cripple a weaker opponent, but he remains firmly grounded.) Bankai…(He unleashes his powerful weapon, hoping to even the playing field). As the Head-Captain of the Gotei 13, I will obliterate you!!! YOU WILL DIE HERE, SEKHMET!

Sekhmet: (She speaks softly, but loud enough for him to hear) Burn into nothingness…Niekurikaeru!

Captain Sureiya: (He abruptly flash-steps backwards as blue flames flutter through the air where he once stood. When he reappears, in the distance, his face has been badly burned, leaving charred, reddened skin. He raises his eyes, angrily staring at Sekhmet. Before he can rest, flames wisp across his body. He takes evasive action, flash-stepping to numerous locations, in an effort to escape this unusual technique. When he reappears, once again, his body has been badly burned by the flames. His Hiori has been marred by the destructive capability of her flames, leaving his outfit disfigured and flesh badly scarred). …I see.

Sekhmet: You determined it that quickly? What brilliant observation.

Captain Sureiya: Your spirit energy can be used to create flames, hence their blue hue. And if you pump your spirit energy into the atmosphere, your range is almost limitless.

Sekhmet: Are you willing to bet your life on that theory (She glares at Kami wickedly, hatred and anger lacing her every expression).

Captain Sureiya: Inner-monologue: I’m certain I am correct. The flames reside primarily around her, sourced by her zanpakuto. However, flames abruptly materialize near me, without any trace of a connection to her. I… (Kami’s thought process is interrupted by another assault. He watches as flames pour from the sky like liquid, bathing over him with fury and intensity.).

Sekhmet: (She watches as the flames flow in his general area, realizing he had quickly erected a barrier, shielding him from damage.) Barriers are only partially efficient, Kami…

Captain Sureiya: (The barrier begins to fracture as the flames eat-away at its hull. He smashes through the barrier, quickly passing through the flames surrounding it. He flash-steps toward Sekhmet, hoping to capitalize on his speed).

Sekhmet: (Her visual and spiritual acuity enable her to track Kami effectively, predicting his movements with ease. She remains calm as he approaches her, the flames quickly spoiling his strategy and latching onto his flesh).

Captain Sureiya: (In an attempt to strike Sekhmet with his Bankai, he places himself in a dangerous circumstance. The flames clobber him, forcing him to retreat. He lands in the distance, further burned by her immeasurably powerful flames) Inner-monologue: Her sensory skills are highly advanced, not surprising considering her age and experience. She was easily able to predict my movements. She’s well-aware I need to be closer in order to use my Bankai, whereas she can utilize her flames to keep me at bay. I need to develop another strategy…)

Sekhmet: (Her face becomes blank, losing any pleasure in Kami’s misfortune. She pauses as the Seireitei is drained of powerful forces of spiritual pressure, all belonging to her.) …where did you go? WHERE DID YOU GO? WHERE DID YOU GOOOOOO!!!!! (She continues to scream the same few words as she frantically explores her surroundings, staring into the distance). WHERE ARE YOU, AZRIEL! AZRIEL! AZRIEL!!! (Tears begin pouring down her face as she weeps in agony. Her beauty is wiped away as she cries out to her lost subordinates). TRAEA! POEIRA! ZALBESEAL! VEZNESEL! VYENNA! GILGAMESH! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LIVE!!!! (She falls to the ground, her blade striking the soil).

Captain Sureiya: (He watches in dismay as the fearless and unstoppable force crumbles into an unstable state of chaos and emotion. He realizes this is his only opportunity…He dashes toward her, prepared to deliver his most powerful technique, but her body explodes with energy. Energy scatters everywhere, dripping from her body like water as it fills every morsel of space. He attempts to strike her, but her flames burn brightly and furiously around her. He distances himself, watching this colossal display of power).

Sekhmet: (She grinds her fingers into the ground, collecting soil as she attempts to clench her fists) …my brothers and sisters…my…my people…my family…you were ALL TAKEN FROM ME (She looks up, enraged and crazed, like feral beast. Her face bleeds hatred and evil as she slowly raises herself from the ground)! You….you filthy, insignificant shinigami trash! I will burn your very existence from this world! You will be more than dust…YOU WON’T EVEN EXIST! I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING! MY FLAMES WILL ANNIHILATE ALL MEMORIES OF THE GOTEI 13!!! (She Hogyoku appears in her hand, feeding on her power. She looks down at the Hogyoku)

Captain Sureiya: (He is shocked to see it seeks to aid her) …it’s chosen her as its master…(as his body becomes numb from the shock, he observes something even more surprising)

Sekhmet: I don’t need you…you’re worthless to me now…(she flicks the Hogyoku from her fingers, into the distance) I HAVE MY OWN POWER! I NEED NOT PATHETIC SHINIGAMI WEARS! When I am finished…you will have never even existed! …Scorch the heavens… Imōtaru nenshōkuchi! (She slowly raises her blade, emphatically pointing it toward the sky, clutching the hilt with one hand. Energy rockets into the sky, creating thunderous claps as it collides with the atmosphere. The sky erupts into a churning red-orange ocean before plummeting. As if the ocean were falling from the sky, energy, with the likeness of flames, crash into the ground and over her body. When it strikes the ground it creates a tremendous booming roar, sending tremors along the ground.)

Captain Sureiya: (He flees as the shear energy is enough to stifle any who near it. He flash-steps far into the distance. When he appears he is slouched over, clutching his arm as he has been badly injured by the simple release of her Jiishi Taiyo. He watches as the energy bubbles and churns around her, whipping across the landscape.)

Sekhmet: (The flames seep into her body, transforming her flesh into flames. She leans her head back as her hair erupts into the flames, pouring and striking the ground like liquid magma and surging across the soil. She twitches her fingers, commanding the flames to calm themselves. She opens her eyes, fire burning within her very soul and projecting outward. She glares at Kami in the far distance, noting his fear) …you flee like a coward. That’s to be expected, though. All your thoughts, all your actions, all your efforts and all your desires mean nothing in comparison to my Jiishi Taiyo. Your very existence can be reduced to ash at my command. All is futile. You no longer need breathe…you no longer need move. You no longer need to think or plan. My flames will always reach you and they will consume and obliterate everything.

Captain Sureiya: (He is amazed by the magnitude of her strength, that of which is beyond measure.) …victory is never assured for those who desire…(he looks from the corner of his eye as Captain Seishin Seishin charges Sekhmet) …TEIKO!

Sekhmet: (Her sight of Kami does not waver as she waves her hand and speaks) Unmei Fuun’na…

Captain Seishin: YOU JUST NEED TO DIE (He screams agonizingly as he approaches her, wielding his mask and blade. He feels a tremendous heat against his flesh before his entire person bursts into flames. The flames peel his flesh and render it dust, exposing his skeletal structure before completely reducing him to nothingness.)

Captain Sureiya: (He watches in despair as Teiko’s body is reduced to absolute nothingness. Nothing remains of his former subordinate). Teiko…you fool. Why did you approach her…

Sekhmet: What makes you think distance provides you anymore safety?

Captain Sureiya: (His eyes shift to Sekhmet’s fiery form, fear filling his face. His body is struck with tremendous heat as he summons a powerful barrier to block any attacks. The massive barrier rockets into the sky and surrounds him but is instantaneously incincerated. He throws his blade in her direction, but watches it burn into nothingness before his body erupts into flames. A force of unperceivable energy washes over his body, melting his flesh from his bones and reducing him to nothing).

Sekhmet: (She watches as the remaining captains approach her, though very few) Prepare to burn as your head-captain and fellow comrade did.


Captain Honoko: ...That's impossible. I don't sense Head-Captain Sureiya...


Captain Shikishima: ...HEAD CAPTAIN CAN'T BE DEAD! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!


Captain Shuichi: (He remains silent, anger building in his extremities)!


Captain Nagaishi: STOP (He shouts, watching Kai dash toward Sekhmet)


Captain Honoko: KAI!!! (She watches in horror as he barely is able to approach Sekhmet before he is reduced into nothing by her invisible flames).


Captain Nagaishi: ...Kai. You fool...why did you do that!


Captain Shikishima: (She watches as the remaining lieutenants stand beside them) We're in this together. If we all die, we all die...


Captain Nagaishi: That's not a very good plan, Luna!


Sekhmet: She's correct. You have but one option...death!


Captain Honoko: Her flames aren't invisible...


Captain Shikishima: What?


Captain Honoko: They're not invisible...they're encircling her. They are like spiritual energy, not apparent to the eyes, but you can sense them if you look closely. They are a slight variant to her spiritual energy).


Sekhmet: Astute, Captain Honoko. It doesn't matter, however. Unmei Fuun’na is the ultimate fire. It is capable of erasing anything from existence...even the barriers you're trying to skillfully shield yourselves with.


Captain Honoko: (Her eyes widen, astounded that Sekhmet could sense the invisible barriers resurrected.) ...it is true, you out-class us, but victory is still not obtainable.


Sekhmet: Oh? Why not?


Captain Honoko: You've been blinded by your rage and it has driven you to absolute madness, enough to distort your ability to sense the presence that exists alongside me and my fellow captains.


Sekhmet: (She tilts her head, grinding her teeth) SHUT YOUR MOUTH!


Captain Honoko: (She and the other captains quickly retreat into the distance as the flames completely obliterate the bakudos.) It doesn't change anything...


Sekhmet: (A massive, layered barrier is erected around Sekhmet, containing her and her spiritual energy) Another barrier? You didn't erect this...(she spots figures in the background, a group of masked figures. All around her these figures show up, accompanied by other men and women). ...you called in another nation to aid you?! YOU FOOLS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO YOURSELVES! Well, it doesn't matter...i'll destroy you, regardless.


Captain Honoko: (She glares at her quizzically, but this is soon disrupted as her flames decimate the multi-layered bakudo) Impossible...


Sekhmet: I told you...Unmei Fuun’na is absolute. It erases everything from existence...including kido. (Her arms are abruptly bound by kido, as are his legs and torso) Can you not hear beyond those ridiculous masks? (The kido quickly disintegrates around her) Kido won't work on me. You're nuisances, but I am glad you're here. I now have more people to kill, which will help ease my sobbing heart!

Teiko you fool. Great posts, Crazie :)

Great posts man! awesome job.

Thanks! :D Now, all we need is a collaborative effort by the Juzo Hosho and we can finish Sekhmet! I believe we discussed the specific spell, right, Silverexorcist?

This is exciting! I can't wait to use my new character! I found much inspiration from a certain battle in which certain characters were involved. I am dying to be able to use her, she's gonna be so BADASS! XD

I feel like a major dick forgetting about this because it is mine after all but could someone catch me up then i'll edit what I need too and pick it back up.

[Blazing Sunset of Divine Providence]

The air was absolute dry thanks to the blazing flames of the single woman standing at the center of the loose circle the masked Jūzō Hoshō created around her. Sekhmet’s flames flared impatiently as she eyed the twelve people with only a brief moment of caution. The silence was broken by the sound of a dozen zanpakutou being drawn all at once from their sheaths and held by these twelve individuals as they prepared to fight the enemy before them. Along among these, Tomoyo did not draw a sword as she did not hold one. The scarlet eyes peering through the mask eyed the woman with apparent calm as the others seemed to be waiting for something.

“It’s too late to have second thoughts, Tomoyo.”

Tomoyo didn’t respond as her gaze lowered to the ground with a slight amount of melancholy. Akihiko, the one who had spoken, was the one standing closest to her but didn’t take his eyes off of their lone enemy.

“A flame glows brightest before it burns out.” He went on in a calming tone. “Have faith that we will succeed. You are leading the charge this once, but if the leader wavers, we who follow her will be forced to waver as well. Lead us with conviction, rather than reluctance, or else there will only be one person to blame in the case of failure.”

Tomoyo sighed as she shut her eyes and raised a hand, touching the tips of her forefinger and middle finger to her eyelids for a moment. When she drew her hand away and opened her eyes once more, what looked like two magic circles were glowing there subtly, their light strengthening and fading steadily.

“Let us write the last chapter of this agonizing tragedy.” She spoke quietly but firmly, which seemed to be enough for Akihiko as he glanced at Tomoyo briefly before returning his attention to the flaming woman.

Sekhmet then decided that being cautious was a waste of time, figuring that simply wiping out these newcomers would solve things quicker. Flames spewed through the air like an eruption of magma at the wave of Sekhmet’s hand and the Jūzō Hoshō reacted instantly. As the flames descended down like a curtain of fire, a dozen pairs of fear were moving as they vanished with flash step, evading the flames as they moved in unison toward Sekhmet.

[Play Music]
“Fools—you’ll burn all that much quicker.” Sekhmet hissed as they approached. The air around her instantly set into flames to engulf the approaching attackers. Rather than running right into the flames, however, the Jūzō Hoshō immediately scattered, moving in seemingly random directions as they backed away from the flames. Two of the attackers, however, combined their kido to create a barrier to resist the flames temporarily as they founded a spot where the flames were the least hot. Sekhmet turned on her heel immediately to face them as their barriers shriveled to ashes and they swung their katanas up. Flames blasted forth like flame throwers from her body and the two attackers quickly shifted their weight to push themselves out of the way immediately. Sekhmet moved to swing her sword and turn them both to ash, but they retreated through the fading flames almost instantly before she could completely the movement. While Sekhmet was still in the middle of ceasing her pointless strike, she felt the presence of three more coming from behind, and she swung around once more, only for them to evade as they swung their swords. Their weapons found no purchase in the flames Sekhmet exuded from her body as she exploded into a raging fury of fire, and her sword slashed through the curtain of flames at one of the captains in order to cut him apart instantly. However, someone from behind grabbed the captain’s elbow and pulled him out of range of the explosive flames just in time to escape with minimal injury as another captain stepped forward in the same moment, aiming for the blind spot left behind by Sekhmet’s attack. Kido was glowing in the captain’s palm as he thrust forward at her side. Several chains of kido burst forth to wrap themselves around Sekhmet quickly. Though the flames ate away at them quickly, the captain showed no dismay as he retreated at once, calling out.

“Anenokoji!”

“Pointless.” Sekhmet snarled as her flames completely withered for a brief moment before flaring up an swallowing the chains of kido at once. “Even if you use small nanomachines to try and smother my flames, their useless if they’re burning away in the process.”

“Ah, is that so?” The captain standing just behind Sekhmet said with a grim smile. “I had hoped that it would be enough to weaken your flames to the point where kido would work, but you truly are a force to be reckoned with, princess.”

Sekhmet turned her gaze toward the captain with her dangerously cruel eyes as flames appeared to engulf him, but her focus was arrested by a captain that rushed straight at her from the front. She turned forward once more and swung her sword out, only to have it narrowly dodged as the attack as the captain shot to the side immediately as flames roared once more, nearly catching the captain. Sekhmet's eyes narrowed as he noticed the small smile on his face (this captain's mask did not cover the bottom half of his face, unlike the others) and she immediately noticed to small orbs of kido floating by her head, using a delayed activation spell. Sekhmet cocked her head back as two spires of energy erupted from the balls, nearly impaling her through her temples as flickering flames wiped out the spires easily. At the same time, a katana came flying out, held by a string made a kido held by the captain with a short mask. Sekhmet took one effortlessly step to the side as severed the kido string easily as she waved her hand and sent a torrent of flames in the captain's direction. The captain quickly vanished with a flash step that even surpassed that of the other captains, though Sekhmet could easily track him reappearing behind her as he caught his sword once more in midair, jumping immediately to avoid the eruption of flames that nearly caught him. His evasive manuevers seemed last minute, but Sekhmet was well aware that his seemingly random movements seemed to be trying to keep her from moving from her current spot--probably to make her an easier target.

“This hit and run tactic is becoming tedious.” Sekhmet’s eyes narrowed drastically as she raised her hand toward the retreating captain. “At this rate, you’ll tire yourselves before you even touch me.”

“If you think that we are so shallowly prepared, then perhaps you should reevaluate your standards.” Captain Yvon Gerard replied simply. The reason for his words became apparent in a single moment as she noticed two of the captains close by with their palms touching the ground beneath them.

“Seinosuke!” Akumu Shimo called aloud as a brown energy engulfed her hands and the ground began to shake. “I’m doing the earth attribute—you just focus on the calculations!”

Akihiko Seinosuke didn’t reply as he focused on an incantation under his breath, his eyes focused on Sekhmet as he quickly assessed her position between the two of them. Using the information sharing spell already cast of them, Seinosuke quickly sent the necessary coordinates to Akumu, who focused all of her energy into the kido spell she was casting. The earth she was touching suddenly began to rise like as if it had been cut out of the ground and folded forward, along with eight other pieces on all sides, with Sekhmet at the center. It was like a giant piece of origami as Akumu cast a spell that normally took two or three people to do it, thanks to Seinosuke’s help, making it much quicker to cast. The earth closed in around Sekhmet, shutting off all of her access to the outside light, literally using the earth of Shirubaraito as her cage. The air went silent for a brief moment, but before any of the captains could relax, a pillar of flames exploded from the top of the encasement of earth and shot into the atmosphere, exploding like an erupting volcano as the skies were darkened with ash. Sekhmet’s glaring form appeared out of the flames as she peered down at the captain’s below. She realized what they were doing. They were evading her attacks up close by sensing the spiritual pressure in the air and moving through the area with the least heat. Normally, doing that would be impossible in the middle of battle so easily, but she could guess that someone was relaying to them that information. Also, the captains were moving in perfect unison, just remaining outside the reach of her flames as others came in quickly to distract her rage. Though she should have been picking them off one by one, her fury was distracted as if someone else were attracting the ‘agro’, just like in some sort of MMORPG. It was a unique, but efficient, group support spell. Someone who could cast something like that had to be extremely skillful with kido, but had to be standing away from the fighting as well.

Then Sekhmet spotted her. The only Jūzō Hoshō captain who was standing away from the battle and remaining stationary was standing on the ground with her eyes focused up on Sekhmet, remaining so still and quiet that her presence was hard to detect even for someone on Sekhmet’s level. But before Sekhmet could attack, several captains appeared in front of her suddenly. She whipped a hand out fiercely as if brushing them aside and flames spewed out. Most barely managed to evade with burns coating their clothes as she rocketed forward like a meteor, flying straight for the lone captain who was tracking her spiritual pressure. Killing her would cripple the entire strategy and killing the captains off from there would be simple, no doubt.

But that was as far ahead as Sekhmet could think. Her mind temporarily went blank as she froze right in front of Tomoyo, who hadn’t moved an inch in face of Sekhmet’s advance. Sekhmet’s blazing sword was nearly at Tomoyo’s neck, ready to behead her with a single twitch. Tomoyo stared at Sekhmet’s flaming form with apologetic scarlet eyes with magic circles glowing in them and Sekhmet’s fury raged instantly as she struggled to finish the motion and kill the woman. Instead, Sekhmet felt a tug around the biceps of her arms and her arm was forced back a few inches.

“Exuding more of your strength to try and break free will only bind you further.”

Sekhmet’s eyes flashed to the face of Seinosuke, the captain who spoke. He was holding the end of a golden chain in his hand and Sekhmet let her eyes trace the length of the chain toward the arm holding the sword that was meant to kill Tomoyo. It was soon obvious to the woman that not only her arm, but each of her limbs, torso, abdomen, waist, and neck were all wrapped several times with golden chains. Akumu Shimo and all the other captains of the Jūzō Hoshō were holding the chains tightly in their hand. With Sekhmet’s superior strength, she should have been able to easily exert enough force to send them all plowing into each other, but strangely she was the one who could hardly fight against their strength. It was clear that these chains weren’t normal.

“Ten no Kusari is a special spiritual item somewhat similar to Soul Society’s Sokyouku.” Seinosuke explained calmly. “It’s not something to be used on anyone, though. It’s an ‘anti-divinity’ tool that is meant to bind beings of immeasurable strength such as yourself. I honestly never imagined that such a tool would be necessary, though.”

“You people have been hiding such a convenient tool?” Sekhmet spat as she shot a heinous glare at the captain. “A tool that can bind anything, even gods?”

“Correction: It’s a tool that can bind only gods and beings likened to them, though that’s really just an overzealous way to explain it. These chains are meant to immobilize existences so strong, no other way works. But if used against even a captain, this chain is no different than a normal high leveled binding technique. I suppose you can take pride in the fact that you are monstrous enough to be likened to a god.”

[Play second song]
“SILENCE!” Sekhmet suddenly roared so fiercely that her voice must have echoed all throughout Soul Society. “YOU CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE THE HELL I’VE GONE THROUGH! DO YOU BELIEVE YOU DO JUSTICE BY ASSISTING THESE POOR EXUSES FOR SHINIGAMI? WHERE WERE OUR REINFORCEMENTS WHEN SHIRUBARAITO WAS ANNHILATED? WHERE WERE OUR SYMPATHIZERS WHEN OUR PEOPLE WERE SLAUGHTERED?”

“You may yell all you like, there is no one left to hear you.”

Sekhmet’s teeth ground together fiercely as Akihiko apathetically stepped aside and Tomoyo stepped forward, her eyes soft with pity.

“Your mistake may have been trying to avenge a dead people.”

“Offering me words of pity will only stoke my flames of hatred, woman.” Sekhmet said through gritted teeth. It was hard to tell, but she might have been biting so hard that she was drawing blood, thought the flames hid it and made that possibility unlikely. “Soul Society deserves to burn.”

“And who gave you permission to be the one to do that?”

“Who gave them permission to do that to us? You may hold my body still with anti-divinity chains, but my spirit won’t be swayed by your words of hypocrisy!”

“I wasn’t being a hypocrite. I was simply trying to see things from your perspective. I’m afraid that I’m still unable to accept my orders.”

For a moment, a look of confusion crossed Sekhmet’s face before she made sense of Tomoyo’s words. Suddenly, a heinous smile split onto her face. Even the shattered remains of her sanity left in that second, leaving this empty shell.

“Ahahaha! Incredible! So no matter the circumstances, fate will not change! Even if I die here, we have left our footprint on history! But despite all of that, all of the people I hold dear die?! Is this fucking world so screwed up that it would even damn the winners? Perhaps life itself is a hypocrite, taking the lives of my fellows!”

“Does it satisfy you?”

“I hate it. I hate this fucking world for what it has done to my people.” Sekhmet stared at Tomoyo in the eyes, flickering insanity and solemn regret clashing like oil and water. “But yes, I feel strangely at peace at the same time. If I cannot even change this world with power likened to a god, then what would it take? Perhaps this world will realize that it’s its own worst enemy.”

Tomoyo didn’t reply to that. She reached a hand inside her sleeve and pulled out a single long katana, but it wasn’t made correctly. It had a dull blade and the tip wasn’t even the normal crescent shape. It entire katana was translucent, as if made of glass, and the end was straight and flat, as if the tip had been cleanly cut off. It was not an ideal weapon for fighting.

“I had figured that killing you would be difficult, as you held the Hogyoku.” Tomoyo’s eyes veered momentarily in the direction that the manmade object had been thrown a while before. “Even though you cast it away, it still feeds you enough power to regenerate, I would guess. Sealing you is the only feasible way by this point.”

“Ridiculous.” Sekhmet muttered. “These chains prevent me from even ceasing my Jishi Taiyo. I can’t break free, so waiting for the effects of the Hogyoku to fade should be feasible. Then you’d be able to find a way to slay me in these chains. You’re simply being merciful.”

“Call it what you like.” Tomoyo murmured as she held the sword up horizontally. “I plan to give you a proper execution.”

Tomoyo began chanting and a string of runes began to float around her sword, connecting and swirling with each other like DNA strands. Energy made the air heavy around her as everyone looked on silently as Tomoyo touched the flat edge of the broken katana to Sekhmet’s flaming chest briefly, but didn’t pierce it.

“Saigo Kousei”

A hole suddenly appeared in Sekhmet’s chest where the blade had touched her and her body began to distort, as if being sucked into the center as if it were a black hole. In the matter of seconds, Sekhmet’s entire body vanished into the hole, leaving nothing behind but a chilling silence as the chains collapsed to the ground. Their golden hue faded away, leaving nothing but the normal steel colored chains with no divine being to chain.

Tomoyo lowered her sword slowly as the echoing cheers of the surviving shinigami in Soul Society echoed throughout all of Seireitei. Sekhmet, their greatest threat, had finally been vanquished. It was as if a deep sigh of relief was exuded by everyone all at once as tension vanished. The remaining captains of Seireitei traded relieved expression as they rushed forward to thank their saviors. Tomoyo could only smile briefly under her mask before her legs gave away. She would have fallen into the dirt had Seinosuke not caught her arm.

“I’m impressed that you used that spell on your own.” Akihiko told her calmly. “Though it must have taken all of your stamina.”

“The cycle of hatred and vengeance has finally been broken. Such a cost of effort is hardly a sacrifice.” Tomoyo watched the elated faces of the shinigami converging on them with tears in their eyes. “Though it cost Soul Society its stability.”

They were alive. They had survived the assault from a devastating enemy. With the country of Shirubaraito still hanging over Soul Society like a second moon, a cheer of joy and happiness echoed along with sobs of loss and sacrifice. Much more was lost in the war than gained, with a death toll far surpassing anyone’s guess. Even so, the shinigami of Soul Society still found it within themselves to cheer through their tears.

They were alive.

Second song for above post ^

Amazing post, Silver! Truly amazing. Well-done!

And I presume that this will bring this wonderful arc to a close? I would hope so, unless w wish to post some of the aftereffects like we did with the first arc :P I'm very happy with the way things turned out! :)

That post was awesome Silver. And now we can finally move on. A well done goes out to everyone at this point.