Creative Works

[Bad_Witch]

Poor Shuyural Attacked like that, and now she has to go in front of the Commander-General. Unforutanely, I think her problems are only begining. I don't envy her position at all.

Nice to see Deacon come to her aid, but if the lieutenants say that they heard the ryoka say her name, she's going to be in big trouble...and they'll probably end up rewarded.

Good to see Ryushin up and about. Wonder what he's going to do now?

[DeaconPhenix]

A short chapter this time but it's gonna lead into a pretty major one in the next scene. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 18

He was close. They could sense his spiritual pressure clearly, a trail that pursued the ryoka throughout the shadowy alleys he fled through, in the crevices that he hid. It was a thin trail; the outsider had done an amazing job of masking his spiritual pressure to the point that no ordinary shinigami would be able to detect him. Unfortunately for him, the stealth squad consisted of no ordinary shinigami. Under Captain Ni's tutelage, they were trained for years until they were masters of tracking, having not only the ability to find any criminal in hiding, but to also keep themselves in the shadows in the process. It was even rumored that Captain Ni had the power to make her body “dim”, becoming near translucent so as to hide herself from sight. It was said that not even the most preceptive of shinigami could see her in this form, an art that many of her subordinates sought to master.

It was on this night that Sanya Ni activated her rarely used ability of transparency, becoming seemingly insubstantial as she stood atop the roofs of the city. She watched as her squad scoured the streets in search of the damnable ryoka, her lieutenant, Rhia Suzuki, directing the team like a seasoned general. The captain looked on with a proud smile on her ghostly face as Squad Six crept through the darkness, unheard by any who may have been awake this late at night. They were all great trackers, but a troubled look came over her face as she realized that they were still unable to find the intruder two hours after the scuffle with the two lieutenants. The ryoka should have been injured, or at the very least winded. Sanya sighed, noticing that she would have to hunt this night as well.

Closing her eyes, the captain settled her mind, allowing the tense vibe in her head to disappear. Focusing in on her relaxation, Sanya felt the world melt away, replaced by the floating spirit ribbons of nearby souls. If she could find this outsider's spirit, it would show her his general location, making her hunt much easier. She searched through this sea of spiritual energy, hoping to find a peculiar ribbon that would mark a gifted human and not a shinigami. The red ribbons swayed past her for several moments until she came upon a deep violet spirit. This is it, she thought, what does the amethyst color mean? She grasped the ribbon and immediately knew where he was. Opening her eyes once more, Sanya stated, “a mile from here and moving quickly.”

Like the panther stalking its prey, the captain leaped into action, jumping from roof to roof as she closed in on the fleeing ryoka. She activated another of her many hunter's abilities, this time seeing her prey with infrared vision, his spiritual pressure giving away his location in the night shaded streets. She found his heat source and Sanya circled him and dropped down into the alleyway in front of the ryoka, ready to pounce. Her transparency was perfect; there was no way that the intruder would see her until it was too late.

As Deacon Phenix barreled through the maze of alleys, determined to shake the pursuit from the stubborn stealth squad, he did not hear Captain Ni drop from a rooftop above him, nor did he see her in his path, ready to strike with her deadly staff. Fortunately for the Reaper of the Moon, there was somebody in the night that could see the captain through her veil of transparency. Magically camouflaged into a nearby wall, Aeorekka smiled, finding the captain quite adept at her task. The mage had tricks of her own though and one of them included a very powerful detection spell. She snapped her fingers and bid the captain farewell, enacting one of her own abilities.

For a moment, Sanya's infrared vision was fine. She watched in anticipation as the heat engraved image hurtled towards her unknowingly and she leveled her staff to crush his ribs and disable him before a fight could even begin. Then havoc broke loose. Her vision first doubled, then trebled and she fell back a step, afraid of this new change. Finally, her vision exploded into a kaleidoscopic fit of colors, thousands of the ryoka chasing after her from all angles. She tried to cry out, but Deacon collided with her, smacking her hard to the concrete. He swore, thinking that he had tripped over garbage in the street as he continued his flight, wrapping around a corner and out of her sight. Sanya tried to gain her feet, but found it a struggle just to breathe. She realized that the fall had broken a few of her own ribs. The pursuit was over.

Nearby, the captain heard cries emanating from her own people. Fearing for her subordinates, Sanya stood painfully and made her way to the streets, where she found a peculiar sight. In the midst of their hunt, her master trackers stumbled around clumsily, the normally fleet-footed shinigami tripping over their own feet and falling to the ground. The stealth squad was running into invisible walls that they could only see in their minds.

{thanks for reading}

Message Edited by DeaconPhenix on 05-24-2009 06:05 PM

[McDavey]

wow Kira sure is a jack arse, he is a man of action, but it seems like he has no real method to his madness. I jsut got done with the other half of 15. I cant went to see what Kolan does, that has me interested the most right now.

[Bad_Witch]

This chapter was short and sweet. Captain Ni's ability to 'become invisible' is something anyone would love to have, and suits her squad perfectly. Who knew Aeorekka was so powerful? She took out the whole squad by herself...and no one's the wiser. Can't wait to see the major battle you have planned.

[DeaconPhenix]

Chapter 19

So it had begun. As in all things momentous, it was not anything that could be outright sensed or understood. It was more an air of heaviness in the room, one that weighed down on the shoulders of some and sought to suffocate others. It was an air of anticipation, a sense of changing times, of knowing that a difficult decision was at hand and that that discretion could determine the fates of all the Soul Society. Their fates were now in the hands of Third Seat Shuyural Kurokawa of Squad Three, little more than a girl in terms of the shinigami. Her charge was treason and conspiracy brought by Commander-General Nakashima himself, a charge evidenced by impending reports from Captain Ni and Lieutenants Malvae and Senbashi, all of which had been present at the incident hours before. It was at that time that the ryoka had attacked the lieutenants, whom of which claimed to be interrogating Kurokawa. It was from the ryoka's own mouth that the lieutenants were able to determine that he not only knew the Third Seat, but sought to attack on her behalf as well. It was obvious to the two lieutenants that the incident was a planned attack and that Shuyural Kurokawa had betrayed the Soul Society.

The girl sat at the head of the main hall of Squad One on a wooden chair guarded by several members of the squad, all with hands braced on sheathed zanpakuto. She sat silently, a pallid look on her face as she seemed to gaze into a doomed eternity. The Commander-General stood with his back turned to her, his eyes fixed stoically ahead on the small crowd of captains and lieutenants gathered in the room at such an early hour. Glancing around at his most senior shinigami, Kazuma Nakashima wondered where this meeting would lead them all in the near future.

Captain Kuroda stood with a tired, yet bewildered look on his face. Nakashima knew that the coming days would be dark indeed if others shared that expression. Next to Kuroda was the Captain of Squad Three, his jaw set in a frigid grimace. Kolan Janar had repeatedly placed a hand to his forehead, perhaps suppressing a headache. The final member of that grouping was the recently returned Captain of Squad Four, Ryushin Takedo. Nakashima at first took Ryushin's flushed appearance and reddened face as the signs of exhaustion and even an oncoming fever, but he quickly noted the difference. Ryushin Takedo may have been worn out, but that was being overpowered by an intense look of fury that the Commander-General saw in his eyes. The man was purely tumultuous and Nakashima knew that he had every right to be. Takedo had nearly lost his life to the ryoka and was now being betrayed by one of his own. If the blue-haired shinigami had drawn his zanpakuto and attacked young Shuyural, Nakashima would be saddened to have to stop him. Justice was due this night, but it would be earned rightfully and the Commander-General would see that law would not be broken. Besides, he had already imprisoned Ryushin once already; he did not want to burdened with having to do it again.

Nakashima continued to watch his audience as Sanya Ni stepped forward and made her report public to the other officials, detailing the strange intruder's movements and attacks, warning all that he had successfully faced down two lieutenants despite the scoffs and scowls coming from the bandaged and embarrassed shinigami. Next, it was Malvae that stepped forward to give his report, the drow explaining why he had felt the need to interrogate the girl in the late hours of the night. His natural frown even more embossed than usual, Gallievo noted Shuyural's continued absence from Squad Three as reason to be suspicious and this time it was Captain Lei Ling Cho that scoffed audibly. Raising an eyebrow, Nakashima pondered the reaction, knowing that even now, years after he had lost his title as captain, people still did not like Gallievo Malvae. Cho may have been one of the many that still found the unusual elf to be a devious one, a drow that still harbored the instilled motives and desires that his people were known for, a society of liars and deceivers. Did the elder captain believe that Malvae was lying, even now? Nakashima remembered that Kurokawa had been Cho's star pupil back when she had first graduated from the Academy. Perhaps emotion was clouding even this renowned shinigami's judgment.

Whatever the case may be, all twelve captains would need to be on the same page to deal with this threat of the ryoka. Nakashima did not need a Second Hanran to strike the Soul Society; there would be nothing left of the city afterwards. No, that was not going to happen, he thought. I will not allow it and that starts with this girl admitting her alliance with the ryoka. Once that happened, the Soul Society could be unified once more and if the intruders truly cared about Shuyural, Nakashima would also have a ransom. If they didn't? Then there would be one more threat out of the Commander-General's way. Either way, there would not be another civil war. Nakashima would not allow the ghost of Jaxon Phenix to haunt the streets of the Soul Society.

The final report came from Fuji Senbashi, stepping forward strongly and proudly despite his beaten appearance. He began to explain the countenance of the ryoka, detailing the monstrous white eyes and ghostly skin. Fuji declared that the intruder had fought like an untrained savage and at that statement, Ryushin Takedo's head dropped into his hands. Nakashima guessed that the mention of the beastly fighter was quite a disturbing topic for the one who had fallen to him. What he didn't know was that Takedo was struggling to stifle laughter. Where he succeeded in this, he failed utterly in suppressing a retort.

“What Lieutenant Senbashi is trying to tell you now is nothing more than a gimmick, a scare tactic to frighten us into disorderly action.” Ryushin interrupted Fuji in mid-sentence. “The ryoka's fighting style may be brutal, but it is efficient, and it is disciplined. You may try to scare everyone with an account of a monster, but the truth is far worse. The ryoka are dedicated and will kill anyone if they must to achieve their goals.”

“That ryoka is nothing but a foul beast. Do not try to glorify your failure!” Fuji yelled back, his blond hair flung back as he whipped his head upwards to address the Captain.

“You should heed your own words, Senbashi. I may have lost my battle, but I do not try to hide my shame behind extravagant stories. Accept the fact that one of the ryoka defeated both you and your friend.” Ryushin spat, waving a hand disrespectfully at the drow.

“Enough of this nonsense!” Nakashima commanded, a spark of electricity flashing in his eyes. “There is already a claim of treachery among us. There will be no further disarray in our ranks.”

The room instantly fell silent as the word “treachery” seemed to hang in the air. All attention came back to the Commander-General and as he turned, everyone followed his eyes to Shuyural. “Third Seat Shuyural Kurokawa, we have all heard the reports of the night and the charges filed against you. What do you have to say on this matter?” the ancient captain questioned.

Feeling the gaze of everyone in the room boring into her, Shuyural broke into a cold sweat, an unnatural fear gripping her heart. The judgmental eyes, the pursed lips holding back curses and accusations, the furrowed brows waiting to convict her frightened Shu and for a moment, she thought she might have a heart attack and fix their persecution for them. To collapse and die in front of those who cared for her one moment and cast her out the next would be a bitter end, but it would also be the easy way out and Shuyural would not allow herself to fall so quickly. She found her resolve in that moment and with determination flowing through her, Shuyural rose to her feet despite a handful of shinigami that jumped to restrain her.

“Allow me to speak, bondsmen, I have been committed of no crime yet.” she spoke steadfastly, not noticing the smile that crept onto Ryushin's face. Instead, she looked directly at Nakashima and although his visage seemed troubled, he nodded to his subordinates to step back. With room to breathe, she then proceeded to answer. “Before you make your final decision Commander-General, you must know one more report. Before the ryoka attacked, there was one other sword drawn with treacherous intent, that of Fuji Senbashi.”

Gasps resounded throughout the room, shock whipping over the audience like a rogue tidal wave.

“First betrayal and now blasphemy?” Fuji cried out shrilly. “You face charges of conspiracy and you dare attempt to drag me into your puddle of despair? You should be killed this instant!”

The lieutenant began to run forward, but was prohibited immediately by their captain, an arm blocking off Fuji's progress. Kolan's face displayed a calm, but demanding expression as he shook his head. “NO??? You should be assisting me in this, Captain! What are you thinking?” Senbashi questioned., his face turning beet red.

“You are no executioner, Fuji. Whether or not you attacked Shuyural is yet to be determined, but if you intend on doing so now, I will strike you down.” Kolan declared, his eyes making the promise as he stared down his lieutenant. Fuji's darkened even more, purple tinting his cheeks as he held his breath. Finally realizing his lack of oxygen, air blasted through his teeth, spittle spraying onto Kolan's sleeve. The captain felt the muscles in Fuji's body tighten and Kolan prepared to take down his lieutenant, but Fuji suddenly relaxed, backing away. The blond-haired shinigami's eyes never left Kolan's as he retreated back to his stand in the audience. The captain bit his lip, turning his attention back to the head of the hall, where Nakashima had never flinched.

“Shall I prove my point any further?” Shuyural questioned the Commander-General, beckoning into the audience at the latest display. Her confidence was high then, but it quickly drew back into horror as Nakashima turned on her sharply. With a thundering voice, he commanded, “watch your tongue, girl. It is you that is being charged, not the lieutenant.”

Shuyural fell back suddenly, landing hard on her bottom on the chair. Her courage shattered, Shu tried to stutter a response, but Nakashima cut her off. “Where is your proof that Lieutenant Senbashi attacked you?”

She pointed a shaky finger at Gallievo Malvae, the drow smiling evilly at her, the tips of his white teeth sticking out as his grin widened when everyone turned his way. “Lieutenant Malvae used some sort of blinding magic on me.” she stammered.

Nakashima glanced down at the drow, who continued to grin as if nothing was awry. The old captain's eyebrow rose, but Gallievo bowed and addressed his superior. “You know my abilities better than anyone, Commander-General.”

Nakashima's focus shifted from Gallievo to the gathering of captains and lieutenants. “Yes, I do, Lieutenant Malvae, and I know for a fact that you possess no such spells.” the old man turned to Shuyural, his glare burning into her ever worse than before. “I have no such proof of an attack on your well-being, Third Seat. However, I have three accounts that charge you with treason. With no proof yet, you will not be definitively convicted, but there cannot be outright chaos in the Soul Society however. Therefore, you shall be imprisoned in the detention cells until further validation of guilt or innocence. This is final.”

Murmurs sprang throughout the room and Shuyural cried out, a scream emanating from her lips that silenced everyone. She was quickly restrained by the members of Squad One and before anyone could move, the shinigami was dragged from the room, her wails echoing back at their stunned faces. Conversation returned to the room, Fuji bellowing of his innocence to anyone within arm's reach as others moved to question Gallievo of the episode earlier in the night. The Commander-General turned to exit the room, but was quickly pursued by both Kolan Janar and Ryushin Takedo. As Nakashima continued to walk down a hallway, Kolan spoke up.

“Was that entirely necessary, Commander-General?” the Third Squad Captain asked.

The old man stopped and appeared to ponder something as he kept his back to his subordinates. Refusing to yet turn around, he stated, “there will be no further disorder among ranks, Captain Janar. This must be done.”

“I am not allowed to discipline my own squad members, Captain?” Janar inquired, pulling his straw hat from his head in frustration.

“Perhaps you should work on addressing your lieutenant's fiery side. He has come too far to allow a temper to defeat him.” Nakashima spoke.

“So you do not believe that he attacked the Third Seat?” Ryushin interjected. This seemed to get to the Commander-General and he whipped around to face his lower captains.

“I do not have to explain myself to either of you. Understand this, the ryoka attacked after seeing the three of them together. How are two of my lieutenants injured and the girl does not have a scratch on her? Furthermore, explain to me why the ryoka did not pursue Shuyural after taking down Malvae and Senbashi.” the Commander-General exclaimed.

“I find it hard to believe that the ryoka have corrupted anyone in the Soul Society. This is more likely a scheme from the intruders to throw us all into paranoia and self-suspicion.” Takedo declared.

Nakashima's eyes flared. For a moment, the two lower captains thought he would explode, but he calmed quickly, announcing, “you of all people should understand my caution in these matters, Ryushin. You met them on the battlefield and have seen what the outsiders are capable of doing with power, but there are matters concerning these two that you do not understand. The ryoka may be no more than lads compared to us, but there is ancient blood flowing through their veins. They need to be eliminated as soon as possible and then and only then will Shuyural be free of her charges.”

With that, the Commander-General ended the conversation and stepped away quickly. Kolan and Ryushin were only able to look at each other with mixed emotions displayed on their faces.

{thanks for reading}

[Bad_Witch]

Poor Shuyural I feel so bad for her. I think Nakashima had his mind made up before this little trial, and this was nothing more than a display. Those two lieutenants need to be thrown in a cell too. I can't believe they're going to get away with attacking her.

[McDavey]

*looks at chapter 16* dang it, I need to stop readings these and not commenting, I read this one too.

I am sorry I am getting behind, but I really enjoyed the talk Shun and Cho had about the past. I liked reading about more of the history on captains past and present.

[McDavey]

Well I am catching up some more bro, and I read chaoter 17, pretty cool. It looks like Shuyral's fears might be comming to life. I am curious as to what they will do with her. I was begining to wonder if she was a gonner in the first place. I am kind asuprised Deacon stepped in. I think Ryushin might be right about his feelings, the city might be finished with the infighting can occur.

[forgingaheart]

Chapter 17:  Lts. Malvea and Senbashi are real devious jerks.  I'm glad that Deacon came to her aid, but I wish he had of said: "Run, girl!  NOW!" instead of "Run, Shuyural! NOW!"  Sooner or later those two are going to remember that line as evidence of her guilt. 
Ryushin to the rescue! Too bad he and Shuyural then had the misfortune to run into the thoroughly unpleasant Lt. Asuka. 

Chapter 18:  Captain Ni has some rather interesting powers, too bad for her that Aeorreka has the ability to counter her abilities.  I was laughing at the end where the Stealth Squad was stumbling around trying to step over the imaginary walls. 

Chapter 19:  That sure seems to of been a sham trial.  Poor Shuyural.  Still it was interesting to see Nakashima's thoughts as he scanned the room assessing their reactions, and (LOL) getting some reactions so wrong.  I also thought this exchange was interesting:
 

She pointed a shaky finger at Gallievo Malvae, the drow smiling evilly at her, the tips of his white teeth sticking out as his grin widened when everyone turned his way. “Lieutenant Malvae used some sort of blinding magic on me.” she stammered.

Nakashima glanced down at the drow, who continued to grin as if nothing was awry. The old captain's eyebrow rose, but Gallievo bowed and addressed his superior. “You know my abilities better than anyone, Commander-General.”

 
Nakashima's focus shifted from Gallievo to the gathering of captains and lieutenants. “Yes, I do, Lieutenant Malvae, and I know for a fact that you possess no such spells.” the old man turned to Shuyural, his glare burning into her ever worse than before. “I have no such proof of an attack on your well-being, Third Seat. 

I think Nakashima is lying about that, he likely does know exactly what spells Malvae possesses.  The other thing interesting in this chapter is the convo between Nakashima, Janar, and Takedo after Shuyural is hauled away.

[DeaconPhenix]

Chapter 20

Aeryk knelt down in the grime of the sewer, looking at his sister, who slept sitting against the cold walls the tunnel provided them. The look on her face appeared calm, peaceful even despite their whereabouts and current situation. Her wondered if that show of serenity hid something in the shadows of her emotions, something that crept in the deeper parts of her soul. He had tried to imagine his sister burying Noniko and found himself unable to perceive the pain and heartache it must have inflicted upon her. Yet, somehow the girl came to them, a steadfast look on her face as if the burial had never happened. He knew his twin to be a strong woman, but did those haunting thoughts exist within her? Did she awake from a nightmare in the night, a scream forcing its way to her lips? Did Aeorekka still feel the dirt and blood under her fingernails, the sweat that had covered her body while she put to rest the body of her sister-in-law? A shudder ripped through Aeryk's body as his troubled mind dwelt on the horrible image.

The sound of a lark passed down through the tunnel and Aeryk understood it to be a signal from Deacon, mixed feelings of happiness and anxiety passing through him. He placed a hand on Aeorekka's shoulder and gently shook her, trying to wake his twin. She groaned reluctantly, the last remnants of sleep escaping her as she struggled with consciousness. Soon enough, her eyes cleared and she looked up to her brother, first calmness and then an alertness on her face. “Is something the matter?” she asked, ready to jump to her feet and fight if he beckoned her to do so. Instead, he smiled and that calmed her spiked nerves.

“Come, my sister, Deacon has found a place above ground where we can take respite.” Aeryk stated softly. Aeorekka nodded and as Aeryk helped her to her feet, she asked, “will it be safe enough to stay until our business is complete?”

“Unfortunately not. This will be a very temporary location, but I believe it will help us scout our surroundings. I trust our brother has selected somewhere that will keep us safe for awhile though.” he replied, leading her towards the sewer exit. Cautiously stepping up into the surface of the night, Aeryk quickly spotted Deacon huddled in the shadows and the twins hurried to him as he rose and began the small run to his selected hide-out, a small building that appeared to be vacated some time ago.

“What is this building?” Aeryk asked quietly, scoping out the immediate surroundings.

“It is a storage supply. It's full of dusty sacks of grain and linens. The lock on the outside door was so rusted over that I was able to rip it off its hinges. This place hasn't been used in years.” Deacon explained. “We should be able to spend a few days in there while we find out how to get the tome.”

Voices sounded from nearby and Deacon swore, hurrying them to the entrance. As the voices drew closer, he pushed open the door quietly and the twins disappeared inside. He fixed the lock onto the door so it appeared usable and closed it behind him, gazing through a peephole as he realized that he had recognized one of the voices.

Wrapping around the corner outside, Ryushin Takedo led Mika Kobayashi past one of his unused storage sheds, their conversation centered around the Commander-General's decision earlier that night. Unfortunately, Ryushin didn't like the path their talk was taking them. “You do not find it odd that Captain Nakashima was quick to punish Shuyural, but gave no castigation to the lieutenants that attacked her?” he questioned.

“How can we be so sure that she was telling the truth, Ryushin? I can understand the Commander-General's judgment. It is unfortunately the stories of two against her own. The plaintiff does not oft win in such situations.” Mika explained, her fatigue evident as she walked with her fellow captain through the streets. “I love Shuyural as a sister, but I don't know what to believe regarding her allegiance. What I want to know is why you defend her so wholeheartedly.”

“I have reason to believe that the lieutenants really did attack her. I know it sounds absurd Mika, but I do not place any trust in the likes of those two. I see them taking a shaky situation and using it to their advantage.” Takedo exclaimed.

“I understand that, but why would the ryoka defend her from them? That makes me think that she has allies in the outsiders.” Kobayashi stated, staring up to Ryushin with her tired purple eyes.

“It may seem so, my lady, but what if the ryoka was just taking advantage of their commotion to surprise them with his own attack?” Ryushin asked. They stopped in front of the door to the supply as Mika put her hands to her forehead in frustration. Her back turned to the door, she sighed and spoke, “I just don't know what to think anymore. I can't sleep well and it is clouding my judgment. Do I think Gallievo is a devious liar? Absolutely. Is Fuji trying to sabotage his own squad? It's possible. Is Shuyural in alliance with the ryoka? I don't know. All we know is what we got from the reports and I have to take all cautions not to allow suspected traitors walk free.”

Not enjoying her response, Ryushin stared past her, noticing that the shed seemed different. For a second, he thought he saw Deacon's face flash through one of the windows and it must have shown on his face for as he looked down to Mika, she asked, “what is the problem? Are you alright, Ryushin?”

He scratched his head, stating, “I'm seeing shadows. Come along, I will walk you to your quarters. You look absolutely exhausted.”

She smiled thinly. “I am. I just hope I can gain some sort of adequate sleep in the little bit of night left.”

“I hope for the same.” he replied. Raising his voice a little, he exclaimed, “try not to think about Shuyural in the detention cells. It will only distract you and worry you further.” Giving one final glance to his shed, he turned and led Mika to Squad Eight.

Within their hideout, an anger boiled through Deacon as he paced the room, kicking up dust everywhere he walked. His description of the room had been accurate; it was full of wooden crates and sacks. Two dirt covered windows showed the only light from the outside, but it was easy for them to hide from sight. Not that it would do them any good now; Shuyural was imprisoned and it was their fault. Aeryk was only able to stare dejectedly as his half-brother stomped furiously around the room and as Deacon whipped around, he dropped back a step in shock. “We rescue her before we get the tome, Aeryk. Do not argue with me on this matter. There will be no valor in saving Noniko's life if Shuyural gets killed to do it. When we leave the city, she comes with us.”

=============

The wind swept through her long, black hair as she fled deeper into the forest, the thick, ancient trees enshrouding her in darkness. Billowing around her, the wind screeched like the tormented souls of a thousand ghosts and she shuddered, imagining the most gruesome of creatures that haunted the shadows around her. In her terrified mind, these monsters circled her ever slowly, enticingly, assessing the delicious appetizer before them. Their fangs were elongated and drew back the faces of the beasts into horribly contorted expressions, large gobs of drool dripping from hungry mouths. Their claws, grossly over-sized, scraped through the dirt, digging up roots and shrubs and leaving deep trenches. These primal blades longed to slice into her warm flesh and her entire body trembled as she imagined her innards as a feast for the denizens of Hell.

Despite the heart-stopping fear that this portrayed, that image took nothing away from the present threat that pursued her. She could hear the angry shouts of the mob as they chased her deeper into the darkness. They cursed her name, spittle flying from enraged mouths as they pressed ever closer, with their torches and swords. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she realized that there was no end to this forest, that she would be chased down by this furious crowd and slaughtered on the spot, much to the delight of all present.

It was when she lost all hope that the girl finally came to a clearing and for a moment, all she saw was the moon, omnipotent and oddly familiar as its light offered a beacon of safety to her. When her vision cleared, she noticed a large slab of rock in the middle of the clearing. Upon this boulder stood a tall black wolf, its fur undulating wildly in the wind. The wolf's intelligent blue-white eyes gazed at her and she was paralyzed in its sight. In the blink of an eye, the wolf sprang from its post and darted towards her and she was so shocked that she could do nothing but draw back and fall to the ground in surrender.

She waited for the vice-like grip of its jaws to close around her throat and crush the life from her, but after several moments, no such pain came to her and she opened her eyes. Instead of devouring her whole, the black wolf had passed right by her and now stood between the girl and the mob that had made themselves visible. The wolf's fangs were bared and a growl resonated from deep inside the animal. It was protecting her, that much she knew, but as she observed the crowd, the girl realized that they were shinigami of the Soul Society. They were her people, but they were attacking her. What had happened that she would be betrayed by her homeland? And why was she being protected by this mysterious creature?

She screamed as the wolf charged forward, prepared to dive into the middle of the mob. All else was drowned out by its powerful roar....

Mika jolted awake, unable to keep the scream from blasting through her lips. She tasted blood and she realized that she had bitten down deep into her lower lip, the image of the wolf still fresh in her mind. She had tossed and turned frantically in the midst of her fretful sleep and she found that her mattress had shifted wildly. A line of red trailed down her chin, which was still quivering from her nightmare, and dripped down onto her nightgown, leaving a mark like a stab wound on her chest. Hearing the bustling from outside her room, Captain Kobayashi quickly rose from her bed and stepped to her wash basin, dabbing a cloth in the water.

Looking into her bureau mirror, Mika cleaned her lip, gazing at her worn reflection. Her violet eyes were tired, bloodshot from little and restless sleep. Her face was pallid, her visage almost dimmed and gray. Her cheeks were gaunt, her insomnia defeating any appetite that may have arisen in the past week. Her well being, no, her entire life had debilitated in this time and it had all begun with the appearance of the ryoka, those damnable outsiders that had caused so much chaos in so little time. Her ailment was their fault. It was all their fault.

The only option left was to capture them....and kill them, even if it meant their deaths had to be at her own zanpakuto. Maybe then these awful dreams would stop, the dreams of the moon and the snowy-eyed figure.

{thanks for reading}

[forgingaheart]

Interesting dream that Mika was having, somehow I think it relates to Shuyural's plight, and that wolf represnts Deacon.  So i wonder what is going to happen when she finally meets him.

I'm glad that Deacon is planning on help Shuyural, but if he does, he provides the proof that she was in touch with him.  Then there is the question as to whether ot not she would want to leave her old life and go with Deacon and the twins. 

[McDavey]

I read 18 and 19: Well I was wondering how Deacon was going to avoid the stealth force

As for Captain  Ni she must not be very tough lolz

Nakashima seems to be purposely protectin g certain people, as if he intends to premote those who have darker ambitions to higher ranks. Those who will do his bidding. I see this causing division amongst the squads later, as the ones who believe in doing the right thing will not stand by and watch. Nakishima seems to be getting reckless with his decision making.

[McDavey]

chapter 20: It seems like Deacon isn't as angry as he has been  in the past few chapters. It always helps someone think more clearly. Well what a dream, if Mika is the type to have dreams that would represent what is to come I would be as bold to say that the ones that will side with Nakishima will be the ones to drive her to side with the Ryoka, although I don't see Deacon going it alone. I don't think he could take them all. I am interested to see who will end up switching sides though even though the lsit of possiblities suggests there won't be many in regard to the current situation.

[Bleach117x]

... looks like i got some reading to do

[DeaconPhenix]

Good to see you're all caught up bro

There's a big fight coming up soon. I hope ya like it!

[DeaconPhenix]

If you do some reading, lemme know how ya like it

[Bad_Witch]

Deacon's so intent on saving Shuyural, I hope it doesn't cloud his judgment. I don't think that's what Ryushin meant when he called that out. I think Ryushin was trying to tell them that he would handle it. Also, I wonder if Shuyrual will want to go with them, though she might not have a choice in the end.

Mika's dream is interesting. I'm trying to figure out if it relates to Shuyural or if it's a type of prememition about her own future. It seems she's been having them for awhile, if her health is starting to suffer from lack of sleep.

[Bleach117x]

1 late night session and i am now caught up, i love the story so far man, I hope to read about this big fight you said soon

back later gotta go get some sleep

*yawn*

[DeaconPhenix]

Awesome, glad to see you're caught up. That must have been one long night lol.

[Bleach117x]

very very long night, i started at around 12am, when i got done it was 1pm lol, i didn't even notice time flyin by, you got one good story man, VERY few books/fanfics can keep my intrest for longer then 3hours lol

[DeaconPhenix]

Chapter 21

Ryushin had been watching the building for almost half an hour, a dawning sense of trepidation deep in his stomach. This building that had so entranced him was no more than a supply shed, but his walk with Mika early that morning had passed him by this very shed and Ryushin had sworn that he had seen the face of his recent enemy in one of its duty windows. The entire time atop his balcony he had spent eying the building, as if some sort of explosion would occur that would rock the streets of the Soul Society and send everything into disarray. This thought gave him much to fear, but at the same time, a peculiar excitement also spread through him as he began to recall more of his memories from Hanran, when his love's life had been denied from her and Amane's loving embrace had been denied from him forever. Even now, thoughts that had been dormant for years invaded his mind. Why was it that the tome that the decorated Commander-General secured from the Shokubai, the father of Deacon Phenix, not been seen in thirty years? Why was it that this war prize that Nakashima had so eagerly claimed as his own not been utilized to assist Korvalien in any way? Why was it that his Amane had not been given another chance to live?!

A sudden anger coursing through his body, Ryushin forced himself to breathe regularly, deep exhalations gushing from him as the vein in his forehead slowly receded. His color returned to normal from the beet red that it had been and he stood from his chair, a realization coming over him. Staring at this building would do nothing for him or his nerves. There would be no incredible explosion that brought Nakashima to his knees and awarded the ryoka their father's tome. They did not know the city and even if they had been able to access the supply shed, there would be no way of knowing where to plan their attack and where to secure their victory. Ryushin would have to initiate some of the action, lest the ryoka be found and captured.

Breathing in deeply, Captain Takedo jumped from the balcony, accessing his shunpo and finding that his strength was returning to him readily. A few days ago, the thought of using Flash Step was just a joke, but now Takedo was able to launch himself from his squad's headquarters and arrive at the base of the shed in mere seconds. As he approached the front door of the building, Ryushin found that his hand had oddly crept to the hilt of his zanpakuto, ready to draw the weapon that had almost executed one of the ryoka...and also his fellow captain. Shrugging off the image of Victor's death, the blue-haired captain wondered what how strong a grip this paranoia would have over him if he found the shed empty.

A smirk creeping onto his face, he threw open the door and stepped inside. Dust billowed up from the gust of air that flew into the room and the small amount of light that penetrated the shed turned the vacant room into a kaleidoscope of swirling grayness. Ryushin inspected the room as he moved in further, sniffing the air but finding nothing but the sense of an oncoming sneeze. The clop of his block sandals provided the only sound, an echoing knock that further concluded that this building, which had more than likely been devoid of life for a year or more, had now only gained the audience of one fearful, yet hopeful shinigami. Although the air felt heavy, Ryushin could sense no spiritual pressure and knew that he was really just seeing shadows earlier.

“There is nothing here but grains of wheat and one man's maladjustment.” he said to himself as he turned to exit the shed.

“Not so, Captain Ryushin Takedo. If you would but extinguish that light, I can prove it to you.” a voice sounded from behind him and Ryushin grinned, seeing that his paranoia and excitement was found with reason. Closing the door to the supply shed and turning back around, he watched as the ryoka materialized right in front of his eyes, accompanied by a young woman that the captain guessed was the source of their invisibility.

“So we meet again.” he stated slowly and quietly, hands in the open to signal peaceful intentions. “Is this your sister?”

“That I am, Aeorekka Valkryon by name. You are the esteemed Captain Takedo.” she spoke lightly.

He smiled, already liking the girl. “I do not know about 'esteemed', milady, but I am Ryushin Takedo at your service.” the captain responded, bowing before the ryoka.

“Those are funny words coming from your mouth.” Deacon interjected, his tone grim. “For have we not locked blades against each other with intention to kill?”

“Aye, and dead I would be had Shuyural Kurokawa not saved my life.” Ryushin said. “Has she directed you to my supply building?”

The ryoka seemed to sigh in relief collectively, realizing that there was a bit of luck on their side in this dark hour. “No, this was not Shuyural's doing, but we have met her.” Aeryk explained, his voice dropping into solemnity.

“So you have heard of her recent imprisonment on your behalf?” Ryushin questioned, any humorous inflection now vacant from his speech.

“If it wasn't for my brother, the girl would be dead right now.” Aeorekka declared forcefully, another asset of her personality that Ryushin liked. The young woman had determination and the honor to defend her own, something that she would need dearly in the coming days.

“Your compatriots seem more intent on attacking their own kin then dealing death to intruders.” Deacon exclaimed. “Will you now make the same mistake?”

“I seek no such violence and I am offended that you label me a compatriot of the likes of those two.” Ryushin replied, a twisted smile on his face.

“Their fighting style was lacking.” Deacon agreed, the same look apparent on his face. “What do they seek to accomplish attacking her?”

“The drow elf has been a devious creature since his arrival in the Soul Society.” Takedo revealed. “I would not be surprised if he used your presence as a distraction to rebel against his captain.”

“Then why has Shuyural been imprisoned because of it?” Aeryk inquired.

“The lieutenants that Deacon battled declare that Shuyural was in league with you, their only evidence being that she was defended in their 'interrogation' by your brother.” the captain resolved.

“That is no ground to punish her.” Phenix declared. “There is something about your leader that leaves me with a haunting suspicion.”

“I agree wholeheartedly. I tried to argue her innocence to him, but he would hear none of it. I'm not entirely sure that he holds no favor over one of the two lieutenants. The blond-haired one used to be under his direct command and has thrived under his tutelage for years.” Takedo added.

“It seems that we need to move quickly then.” Aeorekka stated. “There are elements to your city that can uncover dark secrets.”

“These secrets that you speak of are vile things that need to be shown to the city for it to be truly purified. There has been something hidden within the Commander-General's history that will vilify him if uncovered. I think it has something to do with your father.” Ryushin examined.

A growl resounded deep within Deacon and he announced, “that fool robbed our father blind. I seek to repay him tenfold.”

“I would advise against that. We have put our abilities on the line against each other and almost drew even. I assure you that all four of us cannot dethrone him. The Commander-General is old, but he is extremely powerful.” Ryushin explained. “Do not concern yourselves too much with him. I believe that there is a way to obtain your tome without ever fighting against him.”

“You are prepared to assist us in this mission?” Aeryk asked.

“Let me ask you this. You will answer your own question with a response. What is your plan concerning Shuyural?” Takedo questioned.

“Shuyural can prove to be a strong ally. Before we make our move, we plan on rescuing her first.” Aeryk responded.

“Then you have my support completely. Let us not waste our time on this conversation. There is much I have to show you about this city and your enemy.” the blue-eyed captain declared.

=========

Captain Lei Ling Cho watched as the girl walked away, disoriented and aimless. At times, she even appeared to stumble, stopping and shaking her head clear as if she was drunk. Mika had come to him desperate, needing advice from him concerning her recent sleeping problems. They must have been worse than he had originally thought; the young captain was not just frazzled, but on the border of collapsing on the spot. Her eyes were hazy, but also fervent and she muttered constantly about finding and eliminating the ryoka as soon as possible. She was blaming her insomnia entirely on the intruders. Cho had thought that to be the problem, but now he was not so sure. Since he had taught the girl in her first days in the academy, Cho had known Mika Kobayashi to be a calm and relaxed individual, not one to stress unnecessarily in any situation. In fact, she excelled more so than her classmates in being able to collectively address, organize, and conduct her training sessions. The Soul Society had faced worse threats to its well-being, but for some reason beyond Cho's understanding, this was the event to set her off and he wasn't convinced that it was only nerves.

With that the elder captain's thoughts turned to the supposed cause of Mika's syndrome, the purported sons of his old friend Jaxon Phenix. After hearing the reports the night before, there was much that circulated through his aged watermill of a mind and he truly had begun to wonder if revenge was the motivation behind their appearance in this city. Was it possible that the justice of the Shokubai had shown through to his sons? Had one of them actually defended Shuyural Kurokawa, one they would name an enemy, from her own kind? Cho had no doubt that the claims from Fuji Senbashi and Gallievo Malvae were false. Life in the squads was internal warfare and Cho had been waging that war for years and knew all of the schemes and strategies. He had dethroned a poor captain years ago and successfully defended his status against countless would-be usurpers since then and it was clear as day that Senbashi would end up challenging the Squad Three Captain for leadership. His underhanded subterfuge was no secret to Cho and he had a good idea that the wily drow elf had a major part in motivating the young man to make his move for captaincy. The attack on Shuyural had been nothing more than an attempt to make Squad Three appear weak and led by a captain unable to protect his own. Even with the ryoka's interruption, the effect still held as whispers flew through the streets that Squad Three was in chaos. Despite that and Shuyural's imprisonment, the ryoka had probably saved her life the night before and Cho was interested in why that would happen.

Cane in hand, Cho passed through the streets with a purpose, amazed how everyone seemed to scurry to and from their destinations as if they were expecting to be attacked. This observation would benefit him as he trudged along, ready to discover the true intentions of the ryoka. Were they savage raiders hellbent on destruction or were they critical warriors seeking to claim their father's tome for its ungodly spells? Would this battle that is being prepared for in the shadows of the city be Commander-General Nakashima's shining moment....or would it be his downfall? And where would Lei Ling Cho be when this ended? That was what he planned on finding out this day.

Approaching the remains of the main gate to the Soul Society, Cho found Captain Aiber Fujiwara talking to the giant guards Shugo and Shuggoraio. Fujiwara was wearing a sun hat and a brown hanten over his haori, appearing as no more than a commoner. Good, Cho thought, the young man knew what he was getting himself into then. Cho pulled a blue hanten from his pack and donned it over his robe before looking to Aiber.

“They really did a number on our door, old man.” Aiber spoke up, waving his hand back at the gaping hole in the Soul Society's once impenetrable walls. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

The image of Mika's staggering form came into Cho's mind and he nodded strongly. “More so than ever.” he stated resolutely, looking past Aiber and into the clearing that opened to the rest of Korvalien.

“Okay, but if you get tired halfway there and collapse, don't expect me to carry you the rest of the way.” Aiber joked, his trademark smile spreading across his face.

Cho scoffed. “Quiet, you pup. These bones may be getting older, but they will still have life flowing through them long after yours will be collecting dust.” he laughed.

“We shall see, old man Cho. With the rumblings I have been hearing, I'm not so sure what will happen anymore.” Aiber replied, his smile shrinking.

“Then, with all haste, let's complete this task and learn what we will.” the elder captain declared. Understanding the importance of their mission, the captains departed the Soul Society, stormy thoughts deep in their minds.

{thanks for reading}

[forgingaheart]

It was an interesting reunion Ryushin had with the ryoka, still I'm not surprised they joined forces.  Something tells me Kovelian will never be the same.

Plus I'm really curious as to what Cho and Aiber are up too.

I enjoyed the chapter. 

[DeaconPhenix]

So here's one of my favorite fights in this arc. It's a relatively long one and I'm wondering whether I should break it into two chapters or just make one really long chapter. I'd hate to leave you on a cliffhanger for a week so I may just end up posting both parts tonight. It should be up shortly.

(once again, sorry for the length, its a pretty critical chapter though)

Message Edited by DeaconPhenix on 06-21-2009 01:53 AM

[DeaconPhenix]

Chapter 22

 

The wolves prowled that night, their prey oblivious to their oncoming doom. The sheep mulled through the streets, dreadfully vulnerable to an attack. The stealth squad had encountered the ryoka Deacon Phenix the night before and their lengthy pursuit of the intruder made it seem obvious that he would not show his face in the streets of the city for quite some time. None were prepared to face the ryoka that following night and even though they stalked the streets with the similarly apparent vigor and care, the slight malaise that had crept into the hunters' minds was more than enough for their skilled enemies to notice. The hunters had become the hunted.

Aeryk Valkryon was quite impressed with Ryushin Takedo at the moment, finding that the captain's description of the stealth squad's movements and habits was nothing short of perfect. As they had planned their next move in the supply shed earlier that evening, Ryushin had detailed everything of the city's outline and where they would need to locate to remain hidden from the stealth. He also cited that Sanya Ni's squad usually hunted in a V-formation, proposing that their long stretching arrangement allowed the squad to detect and eliminate any threats before their epicenter could be breached. At this center, the bottom of the V, was Lieutenant Rhia Suzuki, who directed the movements of the squad's through her incredibly convoluted hand signals and body language. This allowed the platoon to move throughout the city secretly and fluidly and was the reason why the lieutenant was so highly regarded among her fellow shinigami.

While Rhia's plan of attack was quite intelligent, it was also flawed and Ryushin Takedo had formed a counter attack that would eliminate any formation the stealth squad could amount in their panic. Understanding where they would patrol this night, Ryushin had set the ryoka on his “chessboard” of the city in a perfect position to disrupt and send the stealth squad's vigilance into utter chaos and disarray. Aeryk continued his trail of the squad as he followed one of the “wings”, intending to descend upon its center as soon as he received the signal. He watched in the distance as Aeorekka's watery image pursued the other wing of the formation through one of her tracking techniques, the Shimmering Mirage. Under this effect, she could be completely unseen unless she moved and then appearing only as a slight disturbance in the air as she hunted silently through the city. Having seen this technique several times, Aeryk could think of nothing but a moving body of vapor in the air, like a mass condensation. Aeorekka noticed her brother and stopped moving, disappearing from sight as she also awaited the signal from the center of their proposed attack.

Deacon sat in a tree and surveyed the entire scene unfolding, as the wings of the stealth squad's form passed right by him unknowingly. He smiled, thinking of how vulnerable he would be had Ryushin's concise explanation not been flawless. The tree that he resided in stood in a small patch of grass that supported a marble fountain and a few park benches. This rest area was located in the middle of one of the main streets of the city, completely open to everyone that passed by, yet Deacon remained completely unseen. He watched as the core of the stealth's formation moved down the street. This core consisted of only Lieutenant Suzuki, who walked along the avenue in an incognizant manner, appearing to sometimes yawn and drift dreamily down the street. Phenix knew this to be a facade, seeing that this act would leave her supposedly assailable. When an attacker would move, the jaws of her squad would close shut and annihilate the threat. The pale-skinned warrior smiled once more, knowing that this charade only worked when Suzuki knew a threat was present. He waited patiently until she drew nearer, less than twenty yards from the bubbling fountain, the inviting benches...and the wolf in the shadows.

Seeing his opening, Deacon signaled his compatriots with the call of the lark. As they swung their clamp shut upon the center of the stealth squad, Phenix sprang from the tree, activating his Flash Step and targeting Rhia with his massive ebony sword, Nightslayer. The stealth squad were caught unawares, but they were diligent enough to sense the attack and the two closest shinigami to the lieutenant jumped from their hidden locations to defend Suzuki. Deacon had counted on this and with his sword blazing black fire, he attacked both of the masked figures, Nightslayer clashing with a katana and a wakizashi. Upon sighting her attacker, Rhia dropped back and tried to signal for the jaw of her formation to close, but at that moment, the twins attacked their separate wings, breaking the connections between the entire platoon.

As Phenix engaged the two shinigami in the street and Aeryk battled more of the squad in the alleyways, Aeorekka cast a spell and a cloud of smoke billowed up into the air, sending her half of the squad into confusion as they frantically tried to contact one another. She used the smokescreen to begin casting a fireball to strike down her closest opponents, but was interrupted suddenly, forced to drop out of her Shimmering Mirage and out of the way of the attack from a staff. Jumping to her feet, Aeorekka found the olive-skinned shinigami standing in her way, the Captain Sanya Ni.

“Your illusions may have worked for you last night, girl, but such feeble cantrips will have no effect now!” Sanya declared, launching herself forward with her staff with devastating speed. Aeorekka was forced to fall back once more, but before she could gather her wits, Sanya attacked again and Aeorekka stumbled backwards. The captain's staff was set to bludgeon the blond girl's forehead, but a disruption sent the weapon wide and Sanya realized that her opponent had enacted a minor shield to ward off the attack.

“So you are full of annoying dissipations, I see. I wonder how long you can avoid your fate!” Sanya called out, swiping her staff down at Aeorekka once more. The mage moved to block with her arm and the captain assumed that she had struck the forcefield once more. To her surprise, a different staff appeared in Aeorekka's hand, charred-black wood with a silver claw at the end.

“I have more than just spells, dear Captain. I can strike you down just as easily in hand-to-hand combat.” Aeorekka declared, shifting her hold on her weapon and dislodging the two, momentarily throwing Sanya off-balance. With the distraction, Aeorekka dove forward and attacked, but the captain proved her reaction time to be quite fast as she spun to the side and out of the way of the mage's strike. Sanya side flipped behind Aeorekka and struck downwards with her staff, once again set to crush her forehead. The girl's shield managed to block the shot, but Sanya felt it give the slightest bit and she knew that the shield would break with her next attack. The mage didn't seem to notice or care and Sanya wondered what else this tricky child had up her sleeve. Smiling, she launched another charge, but quickly halted halfway and attacked to the other side. Aeorekka recognized the feint and blocked accordingly, the clatter of the staves producing an echoing clock in the alley.

Aeorekka ducked and slid between the distance of the two fighters, her red-knee length robe sweeping across the street as she attempted to trip her opponent. Sanya once again made the faster move, tearing back her staff and whipping it around in a circle to jab the mage in the stomach. This attack finally succeeded and Aeorekka fell back with a large gasp, her rib cage jolting with pain. The captain jumped forward, trying to end the fight quickly, but Aeorekka flashed her hand out as she retreated and a blast of purple shot out from her fingers, splashing Sanya right in the eyes. She cried out and fell into a nearby wall, wringing her hands over her face. The color spray was not meant to harm Sanya, but the time it took Sanya to clear her vision was more than enough for Aeorekka to regain her composure and set herself to continue the fight.

“You witch!” Sanya screamed and attacked furiously. Like I haven't heard that one before, Aeorekka thought with a small smirk and she spun her staff in an arc to block once more. The weapons smacked into each other hard and both combatants were thrown off their balance once more, but Sanya was the quicker to recover and she lunged at Aeorekka for another shot. The girl's image disappeared and the captain felt pain in her back as she realized that the mage had struck her with a wide open attack. Aeorekka, who had “blinked” behind the agile fighter, readied her staff and prepared to attack again, but Sanya turned her forward sprawl into a cartwheel and she pushed herself further away from her opponent.

Sanya landed on one knee several yards from Aeorekka and she put a hand to her shoulder blade to inspect the damage. Her fingers came back with blood, those damnable claws on the girl's staff proving quite deadly. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Sanya held her staff out in front of her and declared, “Now, blast, Yamanekosougi!” She pushed her hands inwards and her staff collapsed. In its place was a pair of foot-long claws that she wore attached to her wrists. “I should not have need to show you this, but this is the Wildcat Strike, my zanpakuto's true form. Now prepare to die, you foolish child!” the captain cried and she disappeared into thin air. Before Aeorekka could utter a single word, Sanya appeared behind her and the mage felt the claws against her throat. She felt the sharp edges of Yamanekosougi draw a thin line of blood across her skin and she gulped, afraid that she was going to die where she stood. Aeorekka felt the captain's forearm clench and Sanya cried “now bleed to death!”

As Aeryk battled his way through his end of fighters, he recalled his conversation with Victor Valtherion, where the captain had stated that he would have made an admirable shinigami. Fighting through the stealth, the golden-eyed warrior realized that if he had indeed been a shinigami, this stealth squad would have been his battalion of choice. All of the combatants he had faced so far, which numbered over ten, had similar fighting abilities to his own, each possessing amazingly quick reflexes and short but powerful strikes. There was only one difference to them; Aeryk was faster than all of them, he was stronger than any of the stealth, and he was more determined to win than any of Sanya Ni's squad. A trail of downed fighters proved that to any hidden onlookers.

Valkryon continued onward, locking with another combatant, this one arming himself with a tanto. In a flash, Aeryk flicked his wrist and sent the masked figure falling forward, cutting himself from wrist to tricep on the broadsword Fenyerosseg. Aeryk saw the blood course from the shinigami's arm as he ran past the fallen fighter and he instantly regretted the attack, but he knew that it was unfortunately necessary. Although the ryoka had sprung a surprise attack, they were still the ones being hunted and Aeryk knew that he had to defend himself or else he would be struck down and lose Noniko forever.

[DeaconPhenix]

Chapter 22 (continued)

Deacon growled as he battled back his two adversaries, the proposed guards of the lieutenant, Rhia Suzuki. The first of the guards launched out at the black-haired warrior with his wakizashi, but Deacon blocked the attack with one of his newly made bracers. Using the resistance as momentum, Phenix ricocheted towards the second of the duo, his great sword leading the way. His opponent blocked the initial offensive, but two more massive swings of Deacon's blade sent the shinigami reeling backwards, momentarily out of the fight. Looking to seize the advantage, the ryoka turned towards the remaining guard, hoping to dispatch the threat and deal with the lieutenant quickly. Just as his mind passed over the previously silent leader of the group, a blinding blue flashed past his periphery and a sharp pain struck his shoulder under the pauldron. Deacon let out a feral growl as a static shock ripped through his body and he whipped around, finding that Suzuki had cast a kido spell. She quickly began to cast another spell, but the sword Nightslayer flared to life and a blast of black fire shot from the blade, cracking Rhia directly in the stomach, sending her tumbling back several yards.

Before Deacon could readjust to the fight, both of the guards assailed him, their zanpakuto swinging wildly. They scored several minor hits on him as Deacon ducked and dodged to avoid their deadly blades. Unable to counter their disciplined attacks, the Reaper released a little of his spiritual pressure and a wave of black and violet reiatsu pushed his opponents off their balance. They recovered quickly, but the small opening allowed the ryoka warrior to activate his Flash Step and jump as high into the air as he could. As he began to plummet back to the ground, Deacon raised his sword above his head and crashed down upon the katana wielding shinigami. He had meant only to disarm his opponent, but Nightslayer cut right through the blocking zanpakuto and into the shinigami. As Phenix landed on his feet, he watched with a small amount of displeasure as the entire upper half of the stealth member's kosode fell apart and a bright line of red appeared on his body from shoulder to waistline. Blood blasted from the soul reaper's body as he crumpled to the ground in a heap. Deacon, who was now stained red, let out a debilitating sigh, thinking, 'I've killed my first shinigami.'

Phenix looked to the remaining guard and for a moment, a look of apology came over his face. He quickly reset himself as the shinigami screamed crazily and attacked him with renewed vigor. Any sense of discipline fell away from his opponent and Deacon realized that the slain shinigami must have been close to this person. With a twinge of regret, the warrior parried the guard's first attack and prepared for his next move. As expected, the shinigami bounced off the parry and struck hard to the opposite side. Deacon set his sword diagonally and blocked this attack as well, the impact sending the guard's blade out wide. Nightslayer was aimed to pierce the shinigami's skull and the ryoka swung, but at the last minute he turned the sword to the side, colliding with the soul reaper's forehead with the flat of his blade. His opponent collapsed to the ground, knocked out cold.

Resting Nightslayer across his back, Deacon looked to the lieutenant, who had finally recovered herself. A slight smile covered his face as he saw her ruffled hair and the dirt marks on her face. She looked a little too haughty to be a fighter. “Maybe she will surprise me.” he said aloud to himself.

“What was that, you foul fiend?” Rhia interrogated him crudely.

“I would mind how you address me, shinigami. I can only be mannerly when insulted for so long.” he stated calmly.

“Mannerly? You are nothing more than an uncivilized beast!” she declared.

“I spared one of your men's lives.” Deacon growled, gritting his teeth.

“And yet you slaughtered the other.” Rhia shot back.

“That was completely by accident. I do not seek to end lives here.”

“Such brutality betrays your claim. You seek nothing but havoc!” she shouted.

“Your accusations will be your downfall. Your petty spells will have no affect on me.” Deacon retorted.

“You underestimate my magic. Do you not travel with a mage?”

“My sister's power is far superior to your own. If I decide to let you live, you can witness it at your captain's funeral.” Deacon declared.

Rhia flinched, a shocked expression on her face. That was all the opening he needed.

The moon briefly steered clear of the blanket of clouds across the sky, revealing a path of broken and unconscious stealth members lying along the alleys of the city. At the end of this path stood Aeryk Valkryon, his body covered in perspiration from the long fight with Squad Six. Wiping his forearm over his head, the kensai looked down the streak of bodies, guessing that he had downed fourteen of the stealth's finest. With his wing defeated, Aeryk began to move towards the other half when he felt Deacon's spiritual pressure surging.

“Don't be foolish, brother. You are going to bring the whole of the Soul Society down upon us!” he shouted, changing his direction to meet up with his half-brother. As he sprinted through the streets, he wondered what kind of trouble Phenix had encountered. Suddenly, Aeryk screeched to a halt, a horrified expression on his face as he realized something he had not before. Aeorekka's spiritual pressure, which she was normally able to to keep at a steady ebb and flow, had completely disappeared. A tough decision at hand, Aeryk wavered, unsure of who to assist. Deacon must have sensed their sister's pressure as well as a wave quickly passed over Aeryk's consciousness, letting him know that his brother could handle the situation. Changing direction again, the kensai sped towards where he hoped his sister was, sending a thought back to Phenix.

“Don't you die on me, Deacon. I'm going to need you until the end.”

Sanya sliced her Yamanekosougi across Aeorekka's throat, pleasure rippling through her body as she relished in the kill, but her glee was cut short. Instead of the feeling of blood bursting from a gashed throat, the captain's claws dug into an amorphous substance and Sanya opened her eyes to see that the mage's body had transformed into a colorless blob, quickly seeping through Sanya's Death Embrace and splashing to the ground. A momentary fearful shock came over Sanya and she tried to back away from the unnatural being, but Aeorekka quickly returned to her original form. She ducked and launched a devastating high arc kick that clocked the captain in the temple, sending her flying into a nearby wall.

Aeorekka jumped forward, hoping to knee the captain in the throat, but Sanya swiped across with her deadly claws and the mage had to use her Blink, her equivalent of the Flash Step, to avoid the hit.

Sanya Ni stood, blood trickling down her forehead to her cheek, where she absentmindedly licked it away. “You wretched girl. Nobody denies Yamanekosougi her kill. You will die for your wicked tricks!” Sanya screamed, diving forward with her claws leading the way. Aeorekka dodged and the zanpakuto dug into the opposing wall. As Sanya tried to wrench her blades from the concrete, Aeorekka elbowed her in the face, materializing her staff and smacking it hard into the captain's stomach, finally knocking her free. Using her momentum, the mage threw the staff forward, but Sanya ducked and sliced upwards, slicing into the girl's arm. Aeorekka cried out, dropping her staff and falling back, grasping her arm in pain. With blood seeping through her fingers, she surveyed the damage to find three long gashes in her forearm.

Not allowing her to recover, Sanya activated one of her abilities and her image blurred until there were three separate versions of the captain. The three shot forward to attack and Aeorekka, who had no idea what was real, did her best to dodge, but ended up getting two sharp kicks to the ribs and a slash from the zanpakuto that cut her from cheek to ear. She fell back hard into a wall, her breath blasting from her lungs. Sanya's false images disappeared, but she wasted no time, charging forward to end the fight. With her vision wavering, Aeorekka placed a hand out and a shield of fire engulfed the air in front of her fist just as Sanya collided with her and the captain cried out in agony, her entire forearm singed.

Sanya stumbled back and Aeorekka blinked forward. The captain spun around and just as Aeorekka placed a hand on her shoulder, Yamanekosougi sliced into the mage's shoulder. Her consciousness fading, Aeorekka enacted her fire shield again, torching Sanya's shoulder as well. The two women cringed and fell away from each other, tumbling to the ground. The world soon went black for both of them.

Another gust of black fire flared towards Rhia and she was barely able to cast a red flame cannon to deflect the attack into the balcony of a nearby building, the structure crumbling to the ground. Deacon charged with Nightslayer and even though she blocked the swing, he continued to drive forward, pushing her back several yards. Rhia dug her heels into the street, but Phenix's charge was relentless and she skidded back helplessly until he crushed her into the wall of the same damaged building. She quickly found herself defenseless and as Deacon held her pinned to against the wall, he was about to command her to surrender when he felt the drop off of spiritual pressure from Aeorekka. Rhia sensed this as well from her captain and Deacon dislodged Nightslayer from her zanpakuto and the two used shunpo to find their fallen ones.

Arriving at the scene, Deacon found that Aeryk was already attending to Aeorekka, who lay unconscious in the alley. Rhia ran for her captain, finding that Sanya was in just as bad condition.

“Aeryk, is she alright?” Deacon asked, hovering over his shoulder with a concerned look.

“She'll live.” Aeryk stated quietly. “These two must have found a quick hatred between each other. Their wounds are severe.”

Deacon remembered his battle with Ryushin and understood completely. He stepped over to Rhia, who quickly whipped around defensively, prepared to die to protect her captain. There was no battle lust in Phenix however. “How badly is she injured?” he asked.

“I...I don't know.” she stammered, her nerves on edge from seeing her captain in this condition. “She needs medical attention immediately.”

“Listen to me closely, girl. I do not do this often. I apologize for killing one of your men. We have no ill will towards your people.” Deacon stated.

“We were the ones met with hostility.” Aeryk added. “That is why we must do what we do.”

“What is your name?” Deacon questioned.

“Rhia Suzuki.” the lieutenant found herself answering. “I am the lieutenant of this squad.”

“Rhia, I am prepared to kill you as well if you resist, but all I want is our sister's safety. We will return to our hideout unscathed and alone and in return, I will allow you to take your captain and leave in peace. We do not need to end this night with further violence.” Deacon declared.

Rhia stared at him in silence, trying hard not to cry. She was in a tough situation and unfortunately, his option was the only option. Finally, she uttered, “I agree to this deal. Just know that you will not catch my squad off guard again.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. You do not have to worry about that. Your squad will not see us again.” Aeryk stated, lifting Aeorekka into his arms gently. He walked with Deacon to the end of the alley.

“Who are you? Why are you here?” Rhia inquired.

They turned back towards her and Aeryk declared, “let your superiors know that we are the legacy of Jaxon Phenix. We are here to reclaim what is rightfully ours.”

{thanks for reading}