Shinigami Chronicles: Dark Intent

By Rebecca Vinson (Alanna Emiya- BA)

Copyright @ 2010 for original materials contained within. Bleach, its characters, and terms are
copyrighted and belong to Tite Kubo. Credit for the title is given to Ogihci324. Hugs Ogi. :D
 Chapter 1

Unohana Park was quiet and peaceful. The weather was just right, perfect for a day of relaxation. The
sakura trees were in bloom, casting their pink petals into the landscape to create a piece of color
amongst the green. On the air was the hint of roses, drifting across the fields from an unknown location
but offering their rewards to the lucky ones who found them.
A shinigami walked slowly into the park, still sore from a sparring session with one of her closest friends.
Her long, auburn hair cascaded in a river of waves down her back and stopped half way. Her blue-gray
eyes shone with a longing and a desire that burned deep inside and very few knew. Walking towards a
willow tree, Alanna thought about her time as a shinigami. She finally made it into a division, the one of
her choice, and now she wanted to train to obtain her shikai.
Alanna walked under the hanging branches of the willow and then turned and faced out towards the
park. She lowered herself onto the ground and closed her eyes to meditate. She did this as often as she
could, hoping to connect better with her zanpakuto and her abilities. Alanna always thought that to train
oneself, one must train every aspect of the person. The mind was no exception.
Unknown to Alanna, another shinigami entered the park and shunpo’d to the top of the willow that she
sat under. His black spiky hair moved slightly with the light breeze. Ogihci looked around the park from
the height and noticed how quiet the park was. His dark green eyes looked down and noticed Alanna
sitting at the base of the tree.
“Hello down there,” Ogihci called out to her.
Alanna opened her eyes and looked up. “Hiya, Ogi. Are you feeling better?” She had seen him in the
infirmary during her brief trip there after her spar. She had noticed that he had a scar of his chest and
knew about his hollow side. She wondered what had happened to cause him to end up in the infirmary.
“Yeah, I feel okay, Lolo,” Ogihci replied. He jumped down and sat next to Alanna. “Yet I just can’t shake
this funny feeling. Enough about me, how are you?”
Alanna smiled. All of her friends called her Lolo. She remembered when she received that nickname one
night at the hot springs with her friends and her little brother. “I’m tired and a little sore. Other than
that I’m fine.” She looked at Ogihci a little closer, her nursing instincts kicking in. “What funny feeling?
Are you dizzy?”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” Ogihci replied. He looked up at the sky and smiled. “I’m not sure what it is.”
Alanna looked up at the sky. “Well, I hope you figure it out.” She sighed. “It’s so peaceful here. I can
relax and meditate.”
Ogihci nodded. “Yeah, it is peaceful.” He pulled out a water bottle and took a sip. “Would you like a
drink, Lolo?”
“Thanks, Ogi,” she replied as she took the bottle. She had called him that from the first day that they
met. Truth be told, she couldn’t pronounce his name correctly and just settled for Ogi. She took a sip
and then handed it back to Ogihci. “Sorry, but I didn’t bring anything to share. In fact, I didn’t bring
anything at all.” She giggled.
Ogihci smiled. “That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to.”
Just then, Nono came into the park. Her black pigtails swung as she walked and her brown eyes shown
with mischief. One time someone called her Pippy Longstocking. The next day the guy was wearing a
tutu and hanging from a flag pole. She saw Alanna and Ogihci and walked towards them. “Hi, Lolo. Hi,
Ogi. Mind if I hang with you?”
Alanna patted the ground next to her. “Come and sit with us,” she said. She looked at Ogihci. “You don’t
mind do you?”
“It’s fine with me,” he answered. “Come and sit, Nono. Would you like a drink?”
Nono sat down. “Is it sake?” she asked as she smiled in hope.
Alanna shook her head, giggling softly. “No. It’s water.”
“Nah, I’m good,” Nono replied with a sigh. She had wanted to try sake for the longest time, but no one
would let her. They all thought she was too young.
Alanna looked at Ogihci again. Curiosity got the best of her. “How come you were in the infirmary?”
“Jessy and I had a spar,” Ogihci replied. “I got hit by her kidou, and it went through my ribs. So, I used
my mask and in a last effort to win, I used my strongest ceros. Unfortunately for me, Jessy absorbed the
blast and sent it back at me, and I got hit with it.”
Alanna looked at Ogihci in shock. She was amazed that he had survived a blast like that, especially from
her sister Jessy. “Wow…. Are you sure that you’re okay?”
“Thanks to AJ I’m fine, physically,” Ogihci replied.
Nono looked at them and smiled. ‘They would be a cute couple,’ she thought. She sat quietly and
listened to their conversation.
“Well, I’m glad that you’re fine,” Alanna said with a smile.
Ogihci smiled back and asked, “How did you end up in the infirmary? Normally you’re the one doing the
healing not the other way around.”
Alanna pointed at Nono. “She decided to try something out on me. She hit me point blank with a kidou.”
“Ouch, that must have hurt,” Ogihci replied. “Well, at least you’re okay now.”
“Yeah, it did. It felt like I got hit by one of those living world semis,” Alanna replied. “I’m still a little sore,
but I’m okay.”
“Wow. It must be nice for someone to worry about you being hurt,” Nono said suddenly. She felt a slight
jealousy over the way the two were. She couldn’t explain why, but it just didn’t seem fair to her.
Alanna looked at Nono slightly hurt. “Hey, you take that back. I took you to the vampire infirmary and
healed you when I injured you during that one spar.” She looked at the ground and pouted a little.
“Only because you have to,” Nono replied. “You’re too nice to leave a dying shinigami in the training
grounds.”
“And you are my friend,” Alanna added. “I don’t leave my friends behind.”
“I doubt anyone would do that, especially your friends,” Ogihci stated.
“I agree. It would take a pretty cold person to do that,” spoke a female voice. It was AJ, one of the
healers of the 4th division. Her brown, crimped hair was pulled back from her face and her green eyes
shone bright with her knowledge. Her robe resembled a sleeveless Chinese dress. It was all white with
crimson trim. “And I agree with you, Lolo. Nono is a friend for life.” She turned her eyes to Ogihci. “How
are you feeling, Ogi?”
Ogihci swallowed nervously. He wasn’t used to this type of attention. “I’m feeling fine, except for this
strange feeling I’m having,” Ogihci replied.

“I feel so loved,” Nono replied. She turned to Ogihci with concern on her face. “And what feeling are you
talking about, Ogi?”

Ogihci looked out towards the park. His eyes lost focus as he thought. “I have no idea what it is, but it’s
like something is changing inside me.”

AJ and Alanna looked at him. AJ was the first to say something. “Do you think it’s something I should be
worried about?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, AJ,” Ogihci replied. He shrugged. “It could be a good thing.”

“You’re right, Ogi,” Alanna replied. “Besides, you have friends who will help you if you need it.”

Ogihci smiled. At that time, a hell butterfly came into the park and landed on his shoulder. His face
became serious and then he stood. “Well, duty calls. I have to go to the living world and deal with some
hollows. I’ll see you ladies later.” With that, he shunpo’d off.
Nono giggled. “So, Lolo, what do you think about Og?”
“He’s cute and nice,” Alanna replied. She watched after him as he left and secretly wished him to return
safely.
“Oooo, she likes Ogi,” AJ said with a teasing voice. “Ogi and Lolo, Sitting in a tree.”
Nono joined in at that time. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!” The two laughed.
Alanna blushed. “Well, he would never want to be more than friends.”
The three women sat there, discussing love lives and such until it got late. They stood and headed to the
barracks. Alanna’s thoughts, though, kept returning to Ogihci. The way he looked in the tree above her
and how he shared his water with her. She smiled as the memories replayed in her mind. But as they
played, she felt that she was reaching for something unattainable. Her smile faded a little and when she
went to bed, she had mixed dreams.

********

Ogihci was busy in Karakura Town Park killing hollows, but his mind would drift back to the park. For
some reason, it stuck with him the entire time. And one person kept creeping into his thoughts more
than any other: Alanna. He had known her for a bit and thought of her as a friend but for some reason,
he looked at her differently in the park. Maybe it was the way she looked under the willow or how
worried she seemed about him, but his feelings for Alanna began to change.
One of the hollows caught him off guard and sent him flying and into some trees. Ogihci stood and
decided to make quick work of the hollows. He summoned his mask and pulled it over his face. Within
moments, the hollows were dealt with and he was back to normal. He then returned to Soul Society and
to the park.
By the time he had gotten back to the park, no one was there. Ogihci felt a little upset that he missed his
friends but decided he could catch them tomorrow. After all, it was late and everyone needs some
sleep. He looked at the willow again and smiled. He headed towards his barracks, looking forward to
tomorrow.
 Chapter 2
Nono was sitting in the park alone for the moment as she began to think. She noticed how Alanna and
Ogihci were acting towards one another, completely different than any other time. Nono smiled as she
thought of a way to see if Alanna liked Ogihci more than just a friend. She looked up at the sakura trees
and even began to picture the two of them married and with kids. Nono laughed at that and then
waited.
Alanna woke up in the barracks secretly wishing she could go back to sleep. The last dream was so
wonderful, but now it was slowly fading into nothingness. She stretched and went through her normal
morning routine. She stopped by the infirmary briefly to see if there was a patient or if someone needed
help. When she found it empty, Alanna went to the park.
As Alanna entered the park she saw Nono standing there, looking at the sakura trees. “Hey, Nono,” she
said as she waved.
Nono looked at Alanna and smiled. ‘Time to put the plan into action’. “Oh, hey Lolo. I was about to die of
boredom here,” she said as she walked towards Alanna.
“How could you be bored here? It’s so wonderful and peaceful,” Alanna replied with a smile.
“Well… yeah… I know. I just feel kinda stupid hanging here by myself,” Nono said. ‘And now for the bait,’
she thought. “Oh, I saw Ogi earlier.”
Alanna blushed slightly at the mention of Ogihci. “Is he feeling any better?”
I knew it, Nono thought. “Well, we didn’t talk or anything. I saw him checking the place out. I guess he
was looking for you.”
Alanna’s blush deepened. “He couldn’t be looking for me. He was probably looking for a place to rest.
That’s all.”
Nono hugged Alanna. “What? Are you kidding me? I was sitting on the bench, and he came in here and
didn’t say a word to me. Not that I’m mad at him for it, but he left because you weren’t here.”
“Why would he notice me? He probably just sees me as a friend, nothing more,” Alanna replied, kicking
the ground.
“Well, he wouldn't waste time talking to you in a park if he doesn't notice you. He could just leave and
have a spar with his buddies or something,” Nono said.
Alanna sat down on the ground. “With my luck, he'll never talk to me again or he'll say he just wants to
be friends,” she replied with a sigh. “He is cute though... and nice. Oh... who am I kidding?” She sighed
again.
Nono sat down next to her. “Stop sulking, Lolo. Think positive. You're a great person.”
“Okay...okay. I'll try,” Alanna looked at the ground. “It was nice to talk to him. He's such a gentleman. He
shared his water with me.” She blushed a little at the memory.
“So stop beating yourself up like that. You might be surprised at what happens,” Nono replied.
It was just about then that Ogihci walked into Unohana Park. He looked around and saw Nono and
Alanna. He smiled a little at seeing Alanna there. ‘Wow, she's so beautiful. She probably wouldn't want
to talk to me again,’ he thought. He took a few deep breaths and then walked to where they sat. “Hey
you two. What's going on?”
Nono smiled and said, “Hiya, Ogi. Nothing is going on.” She stood. “I think I'm going to go for a little
walk. See you two later.” Without giving them a chance to stop her, Nono took off down a path.
“Where's she going?” Ogihci asked Alanna. He was confused as to why Nono would leave like that.
Alanna looked up and smiled. “Oh… umm… hi, Ogi. Sorry, I was lost in thought.” She noticed that Nono
wasn't there. “Hmm I don't know where she's going.”
Ogihci shrugged and sat down next to Alanna. “Oh well. So, how are you doing today, Lolo?”
“I'm fine, thank you. And you, Ogi? How are you feeling?” Alanna looked at him and smiled. ‘God, he's so
handsome. But he probably doesn't see me as anything but a friend,’ she thought.
“I'm fine, Lolo.” Ogihci smiled. “So... what were you and Nono talking about when I got here?”
“Umm,” Alanna mumbled, blushing. “Nothing... well... umm....” She blushed deeper.
Ogihci shrugged not wanting to press the issue. “Never mind. Forget I asked.”
Alanna sighed. ‘Oh, great. He's mad at me.’ She reached into her robe and pulled out a bottle. “Would
you like some green tea, Ogi?”
“Sure. I would love some.” He took the bottle and took a drink before handing in back. “Lolo, why are
you blushing like that?”
Alanna wanted to tell him, but she was too afraid of being rejected. “Umm, it's nothing. So... did that
feeling go away?”
“Not really, but it's probably nothing.” Ogihci looked at Alanna. “Come on. Tell me what's wrong, Lolo.”
Alanna glanced at Ogihci and then said, “I... just think... umm... it’s nice to sit here... and talk with you....
I hope you figure out what that feeling was.”
Ogihci smiled. “It is nice... to talk with you.” Suddenly a hell butterfly landed on his shoulder. “Man... I'm
sorry. I need to go. I'm being summoned for a mission to the living world.”
Alanna nodded. “It’s okay, Ogi. Just stay safe. I'll see you later.”
Ogihci stood and waved. “You can bet on that. Later, Lolo.” With that, he shunpo'd away.
Alanna watched him leave and smiled. “I wish... I was braver.” She looked out across the park and began
to sing a song she heard in the living world. When she was finished, she sighed.
********
Ogihci shunpo'd to the Senkei Gate. He really wished that they had sent someone else today. He wanted
to spend some time with Alanna and maybe get up the nerve to tell her how he felt. But, unfortunately,
he was called upon to deal with a hollow in the living world. At the gate, he met someone he hadn't
seen before.
“Hello, I'm Ogihci of the 7th division. I have orders to leave for the living world to deal with some
hollows,” he said to the guy.
The guy turned toward Ogihci and looked at him. The guy was pale with red eyes and long black hair. He
had a narrow nose and thin lips. There was a look and feel of death surrounding the guy. The guy cocked
his head to the side and spoke, “Ihre Liebe stellt Höhlen von innen und außen gegenüber. Sie läuft viele
Härten durch und kommt nah an Tod viele Male. Sie benötigt Ihre Liebe und Wärme, sie durch die
haltbaren Zeiten voran zu führen. Nicht Aufhebung in Ihrer Liebe. Standplatz fasten an ihrer Seite, oder
Sie verlieren sie für immer.”
Ogihci looked at the guy, confused. “I'm sorry. I don't understand what you are saying.”
The guy pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote the words down, speaking. “Ihre Liebe stellt Höhlen von
innen und außen gegenüber. Sie läuft viele Härten durch und kommt nah an Tod viele Male. Sie benötigt
Ihre Liebe und Wärme, sie durch die haltbaren Zeiten voran zu führen. Nicht Weber in Ihrer Liebe.
Standplatz fasten an ihrer Seite, oder Sie verlieren sie für immer.” He handed the paper to him.
Ogihci looked at the paper. “I'm sorry. But I still don't understand this.” He looked up and saw that the
guy had vanished. “What in the world?”
The Senkei Gate opened, and Ogihci took one last look around before he left for the living world. In the
shadows the guy watched. “Ogihci, stellen Sie Schwierigkeit voran gegenüber, aber Alanna stellt
schlechteres gegenüber. Bekennen Sie Ihre Liebe, bevor sie für die beide von Ihnen zu spät ist,” he spoke
softly. Then suddenly, the guy vanished in a mist. (Ogihci, you will face difficulty ahead but Alanna will
face worse. Confess your love before it is too late for the both of you.)
********
In the park, Nono came back from her walk and saw Alanna sitting alone, staring at nothing. She smiled.
‘Time to see if my plan worked or not,’ she thought. She walked over and sat down next to Alanna.
“Lolo, where's Ogi?” Nono asked, doing her best not to break into 101 questions.
Alanna blinked a few times as if she was waking up from a dream. “Huh? Oh, hey Nono. I didn't see you
come back.” She sighed. “Ogi had to leave on an assignment. Some hollows were causing trouble in the
living world.”
“Well, he'll back, so don't worry.” Nono smiled. “He seemed pretty sweet to ya.”
“Yeah, and he's so cute too.” Alanna blushed. “Oh my god, did I just say that?” She giggled then frowned
a little. “I am worried though.”
“What are you worried about?” Nono asked, looking like she could just pop with excitement.
"It's that feeling he's been having. He still has it and,” Alanna paused a moment before continuing. “It’s
got me worried. What if it's his hollow side?”
“You worry too much, Lolo.” Nono sighed. “He's still a shinigami, and he looks normal to me.”
“Well, I'm a nurse. It's in my blood and training to worry.” Alanna giggled. “He is one cute shinigami
though.” She looked shocked. “Oh lord, I did it again.”
“You're so silly, Lolo.” Nono laughed. ‘Hehe, well I know she likes him. Now on to phase two,’ she
thought.
“Oh no!” Alanna shouted, looking like she could die.
“What's wrong, Lolo?” Nono stared at her in worry.
“Oh my god... I just realized I am out here in my old worn out shihakushou…. I need a new one... and my
hair is a mess...” Alanna begins to panic. “Oh I can't let him see me like this again.”
Nono stared at Alanna and sweat-dropped. “Ummm, Lolo.... your hair is always like that when we spar
and it looks great. And for your shihakushou, I don't think he notices.” Nono smiled. “You know... you
should tell him how you feel.”
Alanna calmed down and looked at Nono. “How can I do that when every time he's near I get butterflies
in my stomach?”
“Girl, you need to be assertive. Look into his eyes and say,” Nono does her Alanna imitation. “Ogi, you
are so good looking. I wanna kiss your lips and hug you all day.”
Alanna laughed hard at that. “Okay, one... I do not sound like that. Two... I wouldn't say that. And
three... I'll tell him how I feel the next time I see him.”
“Good. And you better or I'll send him a hell butterfly acting as you saying all kinds of suggestive things
to him,” Nono said with a laugh. She stood up and smiled. “Well, I better head to the infirmary. It's my
turn to make rounds and all. See ya later, Lolo.”
“Later, Nono.” Alanna watched as her friend shunpo'd away. She sighed. “Okay, the next time I see Ogi...
I will tell him.”
Suddenly, a guy that Alanna never saw before appeared before her. She looked up into his red eyes that
clashed against his pale, ashen skin. The long, black hair made the guy look like death warmed over. The
narrow nose and thin lips gave him a feral look.
Alanna looked at him. “Hello, I'm Alanna. I've never seen you before. Do you need assistance? Healing
perhaps?”
The guy looked at Alanna and began to speak in German, handing her a piece of paper. “Sie stellen Ihre
dunkelste Furcht bald gegenüber. Stehen Sie das bereit, das Sie lieben und er steht Sie für immer bereit.
Aber dieses ist der erste Schritt in der Linie von vielen gerecht, die Sie nehmen müssen. Sie stellen
Höhlen innen und außen gegenüber. Viele Schlachten, die Sie gegenüberstellen. Sie müssen gewinnen,
oder Sie verlieren alles, das Sie lieb halten.”
Alanna stared at the guy. “I'm sorry. I don't speak German. I don't understand.”
The guy pointed at the paper and repeated, “Sie stellen Ihre dunkelste Furcht bald gegenüber. Stehen
Sie das bereit, das Sie lieben und er steht Sie für immer bereit. Aber dieses ist der erste Schritt in der
Linie von vielen gerecht, die Sie nehmen müssen. Sie stellen Höhlen innen und außen gegenüber. Viele
Schlachten, die Sie gegenüberstellen. Sie müssen gewinnen, oder Sie verlieren alles, das Sie lieb halten.”
Alanna opened the folded paper and saw the exact words written on the paper. “But I can't read
German....either...” She looked up and saw that he was gone. “Hello? Mister?”
The guy watched from the top of a tree hidden in the shadows. “Alanna, fürchte ich, daß die Mühen, die
Sie gegenüberstellen sollen, schwer auf Ihnen wiegen. Erlernen Sie, Ogi zu vertrauen. Er ist Ihre Stärke
und leitendes Licht in Ihrer dunkelsten Stunde. Zögern Sie nicht, Ihre Gefühle bald zu bekennen.” With
that, he vanished into a mist. (Alanna, I fear that the troubles you are to face will weigh heavily on you.
Learn to confide in Ogi. He will be your strength and guiding light in your darkest hour. Do not hesitate to
confess your feelings soon.)
********
By the time he had gotten back to the park, no one was there. Ogihci felt a little upset that he missed his
friends again but decided he could catch them tomorrow. After all, it was late and everyone needs some
sleep. He looked at the willow again and smiled. He headed towards his barracks, looking forward to
tomorrow.
 Chapter 3
Nono was sitting in the park. Silently she planned the second phase of her plan. ‘Now I need Ogi to
appear and I can begin,’ she thought. She smiled and waited.
She didn't have to wait long as Ogihci walked into the park, looking for someone. He noticed Nono
sitting on a bench and walked over to her. “Hello, Nono. How's it going?”
“Hey, Ogi. It's going. I'm just bored. Everyone left not long ago. How are you?” Nono had seen how he
was looking around and inwardly smiled. ‘I would bet my zanpakuto that he's looking for Lolo,’ she
thought.
“I'm good, but... I had this weird experience yesterday,” Ogihci said.
“Weird experience?” Nono leaned forward. “Oh, now you have to tell me.”
Ogihci looked at the ground and put a hand into his shihakushou. He pulled out a folded piece of paper
and handed it to Nono. “This guy that I've never seen before appeared at the Senkei Gate. He spoke to
me in German and then gave me that. I had the guys at the 12th division translate it when I got back
from my assignment yesterday.”
Nono unfolded the paper and read it aloud, “Your love will face hollows from within and without. She
will go through many hardships and come close to death many times. She will need your love and
warmth to guide her through the tough times ahead. Do not waiver in your love. Stand fast at her side,
or you will lose her forever.” She looked at Ogihci. “What does it mean?”
Ogihci took the paper back and folded it before putting it back into his robe. “I'm not sure.” He sighed. “I
wonder where Lolo is?”
Nono smiled. “She's on assignment in the living world. She should be here later.” She sighed. “I miss her
though. We always hang out together.”
“Yeah, you two do. Like two peas in a pod,” Ogihci looked at Nono. “Do you think she is acting different
around me or is it just me?”
Nono nearly laughed aloud but quickly caught it. “What do you mean? Could you be more precise and
explain how she was acting? Though... I would say she seemed a little bummed that you had to leave
yesterday.”
Ogihci looked at the ground. “Maybe it was just me.” He pulled out a bottle of water from his
shihakushou. “Would you care for some water, Nono?”
“No, thanks.” Nono looked at him. “How come guys aren’t as open about talking as girls?”
Ogihci took a drink of water. “What do you mean?”
Nono shrugged. “Well, we girls talk about guys and feelings and the like. You guys seem to clam up
when the topic is even mentioned.”
“I don't have a problem with talking about my feelings and stuff,” Ogihci replied, staring out across the
park.
‘Now to toss him some bait.’ Nono smiled and asked, “Really now? So... what do you think of Lolo... as a
friend I mean?”
“Well she is very nice and very good looking… I mean umm..." Ogihci put his hands on his face. "Did I just
say that out loud?"
‘Bingo!’ Nono smiled and put an arm around his shoulders. “Don't worry. I heard it yeah, but the place is
deserted so your secret is safe with me. Or maybe you wanna tell Lolo how beautiful she is, maybe
later?”
“Yeah... I think I will.” Ogihci looked at Nono. “Thanks, Nono. You're a great friend.”
“You're welcome,” Nono replied with a smile. “Now, I wish I had a way to get a message to her. But I'm
sure she'll be here later.”
“Yeah, I hope she will,” Ogihci said. He looked out across the park to the willow tree and smiled.
Nono stood. “Well, Ogi, I would stay here with you, but I have to head to the infirmary. It's my turn for
rounds again. I'll talk with you later.”
“See you later, Nono. Don't work too hard,” Ogi replied with a small wave.
“You know me. I don't work hard unless I really have to.” With that Nono shunpo'd out of the park.
Ogihci sat on the bench, thinking. He pulled out the paper the German guy gave him yesterday. Your
love will face hollows from within and without. He didn't like the sound of that. He didn't want Alanna to
face any hollows if he could help it, but he knew that she would have to face at least one: his inner
hollow. He sighed and waited for Alanna to appear.
********
In a dark room, a woman sat. She was deathly white. Her eyes glowed red. Her silver hair flowed down
over her shoulders. Her blood red lips were neither smiling nor frowning. She looked at the guy before
her, kneeling.
“Haben Sie die Anzeigen geliefert?” she asked. (Have you delivered the messages?)
The guy lifted his head. It was the guy that had visited Ogihci and Alanna. “Ja zu den all, wie Sie bestellt
haben, Geliebte.” (Yes, to both of them as you have ordered, mistress.)
“Gut. Jetzt müssen wir warten. Lassen Sie uns hoffen, daß sie intelligent waren. Wenn nicht, konnte es
ein Unfall für alle sein.” (Good. Now we must wait. Let's hope that they were smart. If not, it could be a
disaster for all.)
“Geliebte, was möchtest du, damit ich jetzt tue?” (Mistress, what do you wish for me to do now?)
“Passen Sie sie von den Schatten auf. Informieren Sie mich, was zwischen ihnen stattfindet.” (Watch
them from the shadows. Let me know what takes place between them.)
The guy stood and bowed before leaving. The woman sat thinking. She knew that events were set into
motion now. “Es gibt keine Weise, sich zurück jetzt zu drehen. Wir benötigen sie beide. Das Schicksal der
Seele Gesellschaft und der realen Welt hängt in der Balance.” (There is no way to turn back now. We will
need them both. The fate of Soul Society and the living world hangs in the balance.)
********
Alanna walked into the park carrying a bag. “What a day.” She looked around and saw Ogihci lying on
the bench. “Oh, he looks so peaceful. He must have had a long day.” She walked towards the bench.
Ogihci heard Alanna walking toward him and opened his eyes. He saw that she was carrying a bag and
smiled. “Hey, Lolo. What's in the bag?”
Alanna smiled. “Hi, Ogi. I brought food. I couldn't decide what to eat so I brought different foods. Would
you like to share?”
“Yeah, I'm starving.” He sat up and made room for Alanna to sit down.
Alanna sat down next to him and opened her bag. “Okay, I have a turkey and cheese sandwich, a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich... a chicken fillet and a cheeseburger. Which would you like?”
“I'll have a turkey and cheese sandwich please.” Ogihci pulled out two bottles of water from his robe.
“Would you like some water?”
“Why, thank you.” She handed him his sandwich and took the water. “I think I'll have the chicken
sandwich.” She pulled out some food.
Ogihci took a bite out his sandwich. “Wow, this is a good sandwich. Did you make it, Lolo?”
Alanna swallowed her food before speaking. “Yeah, I did. I'm glad you like it.” She took a drink of water.
“How was your day?”
“It was... okay.” Ogihci answered. “The hollows were not too bad to take care of.”
“I'm glad the hollows weren't too much.” Alanna looked at him. “You're not hurt any, are you?”
“Nope. I got away injury free,” he replied. “How was your day?”
“Boring compared to yours. I had to go to the living world for herbs, only to find the area already picked
clean,” Alanna said with a sigh. “But... something weird happened to me... after you and Nono left.”
Ogihci looked at her. “What happened, Lolo?”
“This guy appeared and started speaking to me in German. He gave me this piece of paper with German
on it.” Alanna pulled out the paper. “I had the 12th translate it. I'm rather confused at the message.”
Ogihci took the paper and read it. “You will face your darkest fears soon. Stand by the one you love, and
he will stand by you forever. But this is just the first step in the line of many that you will have to take.
You will face hollows within and without. Many battles you will face. You must win, or you will lose
everything you hold dear.” He looked at Alanna and pulled out a paper and handed it to her. “The guy
came to me too.”
Alanna took the paper and read it. “What does this all mean?” She got a funny feeling in the pit of her
stomach.
Ogihci shook his head. “I don't know. But... it has to mean something.” He took both notes and folded
them. “Do you mind if I hold onto them?”
“No, I don't.” Alanna took a bite of her food. “Let's not think about that right now. I want to enjoy our
lunch and not worry about things.”
Ogihci smiled and put the notes away. “You're right. It's a beautiful day.”
“Ogi, are you still having that feeling?” Alanna asked.
Ogihci nodded. “Yeah. I think it might be my inner hollow.” He looked away from her.
Alanna looked at him. “Are you ashamed of it? Personally, I think it could be a big benefit to you.”
“I was ashamed and a bit scared of it and what it has made me do and what it could make me do in the
future.”
Alanna put her food down and took his hand. “You don't have to face it alone.”
Ogihci looked at Alanna and smiled. “You're right. I have you to help me.”
Alanna smiled and blushed. “You want me to help you, really?”
“I think you're the only one who could help.” Ogihci looked into Alanna's eyes. ‘Wow, she's so beautiful
and so caring. Would she give me a chance at happiness?’
“Then I will, with everything I've got.” Alanna looked back into Ogihci's eyes. ‘He's so handsome and
such a gentleman. Does he see me as anything other than a friend?’
“Thanks, Lolo. It means a lot to me,” Ogihci said with a smile.
Alanna blushed. “Ogi... do... do you like me?”
Ogihci blushed a little. “Who wouldn't, Lolo. I mean, look at you. You're perfect.”
Alanna's blush got deeper. “You think so? Cause I think you are quite handsome and I... I like you...” She
hid her face in embarrassment. ‘Oh god. I just told him how I felt.’
Ogihci leaned over and moved her hands from her face. “Hey, you shouldn't hide that face from the
world. It’s too good looking to hide away.” ‘I can't believe I said that to her. But, it is true.’
Alanna looked up at him and smiled. “How come you know what to say?”
Ogihci smiled. “It's a gift, Lolo.”
Alanna giggled. “I'm not boring you... am I?”
“No way. I'm never bored around you, Lolo.”
“Same here. I like being around you. So… what do you want to do now?” Alanna looked down at her
hands.
“I don't know. What would you like to do?” He watched her.
Alanna thought a moment. “How about we go for a walk?”
Ogihci stood and offered her his hand. “Shall we?”
Alanna took his hand and stood. “Yes, let's go.”
Ogihci nodded and led them in a random direction. ‘She's so beautiful. I love how I feel when she's
around.’ He smiled and glanced at Alanna.
“This place is so beautiful. It's even better taking a walk with you, Ogi,” Alanna said. She began to hum
softly.
“Yeah, it is, but you're more beautiful.”
“I don't think I'm that pretty at the moment. I mean, look at my worn out shihakushou and my hair…
well, I won't go there.” Alanna tried to straighten her hair with her free hand.
Ogihci stopped and looked at her. “What are you talking about? You look great, Lolo.
“You really think so? I mean… I look like I've just gotten out of bed.” Alanna giggled.
“Lolo, you always look great, no matter what.” Ogihci looked at her.
“Thank you, Ogi.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You're the sweetest guy.”
Ogihci smiled. “Yeah, I am.” He touched his face where she kissed him when she had turned away.
‘She... kissed me....’
Alanna smiled and let go of his hand. She danced away from him and then said, “Catch me if you can.”
With that she took off running.
Ogihci watched Alanna run away. “Okay then, Lolo.” He ran after her, smiling.
Alanna ran behind a tree and peeked around. “Haha, you're slow.” With that she took off running again.
“Oh, really?” Ogihci sped up and grabbed Alanna, putting her on his shoulder. “I got you.”
Alanna laughed. “Okay, you caught me. So what do you want for your prize?”
Ogihci put her down and kissed her forehead. “Just being with you is prize enough.” He looked into her
eyes and then leaned down kissing her on the lips.
Alanna wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. ‘He's kissing me… Oh my...’ She closed her
eyes and savored the kiss.
Ogihci wrapped his arms around her waist. ‘Wow. Lolo is... wow...’ He kissed her a little longer and then
broke the kiss. “Let's get a better view of the park.” He grabbed her and jumped up into the tallest tree.
“What do you think of the view?”
Alanna looked out across the park. The view was breathtaking. “It's beautiful, Ogi. I never thought about
looking at it from here.”
“Yeah, it's great. You can see just about the whole area from here.”
Alanna laid her head on his shoulder. “It's great, but not as great as you.”
Ogihci rested his head on hers. “Same back at you.” He saw Nono enter the park. “There's Nono. Wanna
go see how she is doing?”
“Sure,” Alanna replied.
Ogihci grabbed hold of Alanna and then shunpo'd down and next to Nono. “Hey, Nono.”
Alanna hugged Nono. “Hey, Nono. How are you doing?”
Nono smiled. “Hey you two. I'm fine.” She smirked. “Are you two on a date?”
Alanna blushed. “Yeah...” Ogihci smiled and nodded.
“Are you enjoying each other’s company?” Nono wanted to hug them. They were finally together.
“Yes, I love Ogi's company.” Alanna replied.
“Yes, Nono. I love being with Lolo.” Ogihci added.
Nono smiled. “Well, you two make a cute couple.”
Ogihci nodded and then looked at Alanna. “I guess we should make it official.” He turned her so she
faced him. “Lolo, would you be my girlfriend?”
Alanna smiled. “Of course, Ogi. Nothing could make me happier.”
Ogihci smiled. “Yes.” He hugged her and then kissed her. Alanna kissed him back, wrapping her arms
around him.
Nono smiled and clapped. “Congratulations, you two. About damn time too.”
In the shadows, the German stranger watched them and smiled. He watched a little bit longer and then
left to tell his mistress the good news.
 Chapter 4

In the living world, the German woman sat in a chair near one of the windows in her house. Anna was
her name, leader of her clan. She stared out the window, gazing upon the garden lit by lanterns and
candles, though not truly seeing anything. Many things were going through her mind. She had set events
into motion and therefore set two peoples' fates down a dark path. It was upon their shoulders that she
placed the only chance at defeating the darkness that was quickly descending upon them all.
Don't get her wrong. Anna herself was a creature of darkness, a vampire. She loved to hunt her victims
and drain them of their precious life-giving blood. Yet, what was approaching was far worse than she or
her clan. It threatened the very existence of life itself both in Soul Society and in the living world. For this
fact alone did she stand against the coming evil.
Being the head of her clan, Anna gained access to a very unique power which she shared with her most
trusted servant, Christoph. They were able to visit Soul Society without special means or dying. In fact,
she was constantly visiting Soul Society in search of news of the past, present, and future. It was during
one of her trips there that she came across a tome of prophecy. She brought it back to the living world
with her and began to study the text. What she found deeply disturbed her.
After deciphering the text, Anna visited several captains of the Gotei 13 to discuss the prophecy. They
never took her seriously, often stating that she was only allowed to come to Soul Society because of her
undead nature, not to discuss an unknown prophecy. A few of the captains threatened to make her
permanently dead should she visit them again. After receiving such treatment, she decided not to talk
with the captains again. She almost decided to leave them to their fate but realized that it would mean
the death of her and her clan as well.
Anna soon began to search for the two spoken of in the prophecy. She knew that she needed to find
them quickly so she could turn the tide hopefully in their favor. After several months of looking and
spying, she finally found them.
As the prophecy had said, they were of separate divisions. They had been friends since the day that they
first met. Anna secretly had Christoph watch them. Through him, she found out that they became great
friends that secretly cared for each other more than either realized. She watched them herself as they
would steal loving glances at each other when one wasn't looking. Yet, she could tell that they were
about to let that love slip through their fingers.
So Anna set her plans into motion. First, she had Christoph plant the idea of getting them together into
the mind of their friend, Nono. This took several nightly visits before the idea was firmly set in the
shinigami's mind. She also had him see other shinigami and set ideas for various things in their minds to
get the two to meet more. Once it became clear that Nono and the others did their parts, she sent
Christoph to give them a message, one that would hopefully prepare them for the difficulties ahead.
Anna looked down at her hands. Soon they would be dirtied by the blood of the enemy. Yet, she longed
for the chance to grasp true love. At least the two shinigami would get that chance. All she could do was
wait for news from her servant.
Christoph entered the room and looked at his mistress. He longed to tell Anna his feelings for her, but
he never did out of fear of rejection. Instead he did his job the best he could to make her happy. It made
his heart leap for joy to see her smile. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the center of the room and
knelt, bowing his head and waited for her to recognize his presence.
Anna felt Christoph in the room and turned her face to look upon him. He looked so handsome and
graceful. In truth, she secretly loved him yet didn't know if he felt the same. She stood and walked over
to him. She stopped just a few steps before him.
“Christoph, bin ich froh, daß Sie zurückgekommen sind,” she spoke. “Welche Nachrichten holen Sie
mir?” (Christoph, I'm glad that you have returned. What news do you bring me?)
Christoph stood and looked at Anna. His breath caught at her beauty but he quickly recovered. “Sie
haben ihre Gefühle für einander endlich bekannt. Ogihci hat gebeten, daß Alanna, zum seine Freundin
und sie zu sein ja sagte.” (They have confessed their feelings for each other at long last. Ogihci has asked
Alanna to be his girlfriend and she said yes.)
Anna had seen Christoph lose his breath ever so briefly. It caused her undead heart to flutter faster. She
smiled. “Dieses ist sehr gute Nachrichten. Bald fangen sie ihre Reise hinunter den Weg zu jeder Rettung
an.” (This is very good news. Soon they will begin their journey down the path to everyone's salvation.)
“Soll ich sie, Geliebte zurückbringen und aufpassen?” Christoph asked. (Shall I return and watch them,
Mistress?) Secretly he wished that she would say no and ask him to stay there with her for a time. Yet he
knew what she would say.
“Ja Christoph. Ich möchte von allen möglichen Änderungen in ihrem Verhältnis mitgeteilt werden,” Anna
replied. (Yes, Christoph. I wish to be notified of any changes in their relationship.)
Christoph bowed and turned to leave. He sighed inwardly. Was he such a coward that he couldn't
confess how he felt? He was at the door about to leave when Anna called to him.
“Christoph, könntest du einen Moment warten?” (Christoph, could you wait for a moment?)
Christoph turned around and looked at Anna. “Was tut meine Herrin Wunsch von mir?” (What does my
mistress wish of me?)
Anna looked at him. She knew it was now or never. She was gaining the courage to speak her feelings
from the two shinigami. She took a deep breath. “Christoph, würden Sie mit mir während eines
Momentes kommen und sitzen?” (Christoph, would you come and sit with me for a moment?) She
walked to one of the chairs near the window and sat down.
Christoph couldn't believe what he was hearing but didn't let that stop him from seizing the moment. He
walked over and sat in the chair across Anna. “Geliebte, bemüht etwas Sie?” (Mistress, is something
troubling you?)
Anna smiled and then looked out the window. “Denken Sie, daß wir Vampires Liebe verdienen?” (Do you
think that we vampires deserve love?)
Christoph stared at Anna. Her beauty made everything else pale in comparison. “Ja Geliebte. Sie
verdienen ihn mehr als irgendein anderer im Clan.” (Yes, Mistress. You deserve it more than any other in
the clan.)
Anna looked at him again. “Christoph, wie..., wie, Sie glauben in Richtung zu mir? Sehen Sie mich als
alles anders als Ihre Geliebte?” (Christoph, how... how do you feel toward me? Do you see me as
anything other than your mistress?)
Christoph looked shocked. Could she know how he felt? Did she feel the same? He took a deep breath
before he began. “Ja ich. Ich sehe Sie als schöne Frau, die den Raum heller bildet, wenn Sie dort sind.”
(Yes, I do. I see you as a beautiful woman who makes the room brighter when you are there.) He looked
into her eyes. “Geliebte... Anna... Ich habe liebte Sie vom Tag, den wir zuerst trafen. Ich habe ihn zu mich
gehalten und Ihre Ablehnung gefürchtet. Aber heute... heute kann ich nicht sie irgendwie länger halten
ein Geheimnis. Ich liebe Dich Anna. Ob Sie mich annehmen und meine Liebe oder nicht ist bis zu Ihnen.
Aber wissen Sie, daß ich Sie immer liebe.” (Mistress... Anna... I have loved you from the day we first met.
I have kept it to myself, fearing your rejection. But today... today I cannot keep it a secret any longer. I
love you, Anna. Whether you accept me and my love or not is up to you. But know that I will always love
you.)
Anna's breath caught in her chest as Christoph revealed his feelings. Slowly she regained her composure
and smiled. “Christoph, wie ich mich gesehnt habe, um jene Wörter von Ihnen zu hören. Ich fiel auch für
Sie von diesem ersten Tag. Ich habe Angst gehabt, Ihnen zu erklären, daß weil dachte ich, sahen Sie mich
nur als Ihre Geliebte. Christoph... ich liebe Dich außerdem.” (Christoph, how I have longed to hear those
words from you. I too fell for you from that first day. I have been afraid to tell you because I thought you
only saw me as your mistress. Christoph... I love you as well.)
Christoph stood and then knelt before her, looking up into her eyes. “Anna, haben Sie mich glücklich
über Glauben hinaus gebildet.” (Anna, you have made me happy beyond belief.) He reached up and
touched her face. “Ich tue nie alles, Sie zu verletzen.” (I'll never do anything to hurt you.)
Anna caressed his face. “Ich bin dort für Sie immer, bis Tod mich nimmt.” (I'll be there for you always
until death takes me.) She leaned over and kissed him.

********
Alanna walked into the park and sat down under the sakura tree. She leaned back against the tree and
closed her eyes to rest. She had just healed three 11th divisioners and felt exhausted. ‘That was
extremely draining, she thought. I think 11th divisioners fight just to test 4th's healing abilities.’
Nono appeared behind Alanna. “Hey, Lolo. How are you today?” She sat down next to her friend.
Alanna opened her eyes. “Hi, Nono. Right now, I'm tired. Just finished healing three 11th division
members.”
Nono looked at Alanna. “You healed three people by yourself?”
Alanna nodded. “Yep. No one else was available. They needed help immediately, not when others could
come and help.”
Nono sighed. “I'm sorry I couldn't help. I was on assignment in the living world.”
“It's okay, Nono. I just did what was needed,” Alanna replied. She closed her eyes for a moment.
“So, you waiting for Ogi here?”
“Yeah, but he's probably busy killing hollows.” Alanna yawned.
“Well, just be patient. He'll come.” Nono smiled and looked at the sky.
“I know, Nono. All I can do is wait,” Alanna replied.
Ogihci came into the park and saw Alanna and Nono sitting under the cherry blossoms. He smiled at
seeing Alanna and shunpo'd over and sat down next to his girlfriend. “Hello, girls. How are you two?”
Alanna looked at Ogihci. “Hello, Ogi. I'm a little tired, but okay. How are you?”
Nono smiled and stood. “I'm okay, but I need to go. I've got a sparring match with someone in the
training grounds. See you both later.” With that, she left.
Ogihci laughed. “She never stays long, does she? And I'm okay, Lolo. Why are you tired?”
“I healed three members of the 11th division earlier by myself,” Alanna replied.
“I heard that there have been a lot of spars between 11th division members. I keep missing them
though,” Ogihci stated.
“Well these three fought an adjuchas. They came in with some bad wounds.” Alanna looked at Ogihci.
“How was work?”
“Hmm. Adjuchas aren't much of a big deal. Vasto Lordes and the Espada seem unbeatable.” Ogihci
leaned against the tree next to her. “As for work, it was okay, but I like being here with you more.”
Alanna smiled and leaned against Ogihci. “I feel the same. I love it when you are here.”
Ogihci smiled as well. “Hey, would you like me to show you something, Lolo?”
“Sure, Ogi. I would love to see it. What is it?” Alanna leaned back up and looked at Ogihci waiting.
“Well, I'm not sure if this will work or not.” Ogihci put his hand to his face and pulled down his hollow
mask. After it finished forming he handed it to Alanna. “There we go. It’s a strange thing, isn't it?”
Alanna held the mask in her hands. “Strange, but beautiful.” She held the oval shaped mask and then
traced the purple marks that went from the eyes down to the chin. “Can you do that whenever you
want?”
“Yeah, pretty much.” Ogihci looked at Alanna. “Care to go for a walk?”
“I would love to, but I don't know if I can. My whole body feels heavy.” Alanna looked away sad. She
really wanted to go for a walk with him.
Ogihci picked Alanna up and then put her on his back. “Well, since you are too tired to walk around, I'll
carry you.”
Alanna smiled and kissed his cheek. “You're my knight in shining armor.”
Ogihci smiled when he was kissed. “Okay. Where do you want to go?”
“I don't know. Surprise me,” she replied with a yawn.
Ogihci walked toward the pond and then around it. He was enjoying his time with Alanna. He was about
to stop and sit down with her when he heard a soft snore. He laughed quietly and then shunpo'd out of
the park, taking Alanna to her barracks to rest.
 Chapter 5

In a dimension separated from Soul Society and the living world, a man casually walked through a castle.
Dressed head to toe in black, he almost seemed nothing more than a shadow save for his piercing steel
blue eyes, tan skin, and bright red hair. His mouth and lower face were covered with a black mask.
He stopped at a door and knocked. The door opened and he entered. He walked to the center of the
room and knelt, bowing his head. Before him, a woman sat on her throne. Her long red hair cascaded
around her in a river of curls. Her eyes were steel blue as well but her skin was as white as snow. She
wore a long black dress that clung to her body.
“Ahh, my faithful servant. General Zetsubou, how are the plans coming along?” the woman asked with
a sneer.
Zetsubou stood. “The plans are slowly moving forward, Empress Shi, but there is a complication.”
Shi looked at Zetsubou. “Complication? Explain.” She was starting to glow red faintly.
Zetsubou nodded. “It seems that someone found the tome of prophecy that you were searching for.
They have activated something that could ruin your plans, Empress.”
Shi glowed brighter. “Who would dare defy me?” She created a large red ball of energy and sent it at
one of her slaves. The slave died screaming in agony.
Zetsubou lifted a hand and produced an image of a woman. “Her name is Anna. She is a vampire, leader
of her clan. She found the tome and was able to deciper it. She has set events into motion that could
bring your plans to a halt.”
Shi's eyes looked feral. She wanted to rip out the woman's heart. “How dare that wench. I will make her
and her clan pay for attempting to stop me.” She created another energy ball and destroyed another
slave.
“Empress, there is a chance that we could use this to our advantage,” Zetsubou stated.
Shi looked at her general. “Explain your plans.”
Zetsubou lift his hand again and changed the image to that of a couple. “These are the two that could
stop you. The woman is Alanna. She is a shinigami and member of the 4th division. The man is Ogihci. He
is a vaizard and member of the 7th division.”
“Vaizard? You mean that Ogihci has an inner hollow?” Shi asked with a smirk.
“Yes, Empress. We could easily cause his inner hollow to emerge and kill Alanna, stopping the one
chance that they have to stop you.”
Shi's smirk grew. “I love it. It's simply evil. Proceed with your plans.” She created a crystal ball. “I will
watch from here. Oh, and Zetsubou?”
“Yes, Empress Shi?” He stood straight and appeared calm but inside he trembled in fear.
“Should your plan fail, you will be punished severely,” she replied coldly.
Zetsubou nodded and then left. It would take a little time for him to set his plan into motion. He had
much to do before then.
Shi smiled. She loved instilling fear in her minions. It kept them loyal and made them work harder to
keep her happy and them alive. She felt a presence in the room and laughed. “Zouo, you were watching
as well.”
A young woman materialized before Shi. She was the splitting image of Shi, only a little younger. “Yes,
Mother. You put too much trust in Zetsubou and his plan.”
Shi smiled. “That is where you are wrong, Zouo. I know that his plan will fail. That is why I'm giving you
an important mission.”
Zouo smiled as well. “Thank you, Mother. What do you wish for me to do?”
Shi looked upon her daughter with something similar to pride. She began to explain her plan to Zouo.
When she was finished, Zouo left to carry out her mother's plan.

********
Several days had passed by since Alanna fell asleep on Ogihci's back. During those days, work kept them
separated. Both longed to be with the other and hated the time they were apart. Finally Alanna sent
Ogihci a hell butterfly to see when he was free again. From there, she made plans.
Alanna walked into the park carrying a basket. She hummed along to the song playing on her new iPod
that she got on her last assignment to the living world. “I'm so glad work is done.”
Ogihci was waiting for her, sitting on a bench. “Hey, Lolo. Looks like it's just you and me here at the
moment.”
Alanna smiled. “Hi, Ogi. How are you?” She lifted up a basket. “I brought food.”
“I'm alright, Lolo. Just thinking about something,” Ogihci replied.
Alanna sat down next to him. “Mind telling me what you are thinking about?”
“Remember that weird feeling I told you about?” He asked.
Alanna nodded. “Yeah. Has it gotten worse?”
“You could say that. The time limit on my mask has gone down, which means that my hollow side is
coming back. Well, that's the only reason I can think of.” Ogihci looked at his hands, a little afraid of
what Alanna might say.
Alanna looked concerned and placed a hand over his. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
Ogihci felt his heart leap a little. She wasn't running away from him. She actually wanted to help. “I don't
know, but if that is the case, it could come out and attack you.”
“I'm not afraid. I want to help you.” Alanna touched his face. “I'm here for you, always.”
“Thank you, Lolo, but I will never let that happen,” Ogihci replied.
Alanna sighed and grabbed his hand. She led him toward the willow tree. “Then what are you going to
do?”
“Well, I have to wait until it shows up again. So until then, I can't do much.”
Alanna put the basket down onto the ground. As she pulled out a blanket and spread it on the ground,
she asked, “Does that mean that you have to fight it?”
Ogihci waited for Alanna to sit down before he sat next to her. “More than likely, and if I'm honest, it is
just as strong if not stronger than I am.”
“But you've beat it once. I'm sure you will be able to do it again.” Alanna began to pull out food.
“Yeah, maybe,” Ogihci replied, putting his hands on his head.
Alanna looked Ogihci. She put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay, Ogi?”
Ogihci didn't look up. “Lolo, if it does happen, you will have to get away from me, so you don't get
hurt.... or worse.”
Alanna pulled him into her arms. “I want to be here.... to help you...” She ran her fingers through his
hair. “But I will do as you ask. I know you want me safe.”
Ogihci looked at Alanna and smiled. “Well, we'll deal with it when it comes.” He wrapped his arms
around her and kissed her.
Alanna kissed him back and then pulled back. “Are you hungry?”
Ogihci smiled. “Yeah, I'm very hungry.” He thought for a few moments. “On second thought, I think if
you are there to help me, it will guarantee me beating that thing.”
Alanna smiled, looking up into his eyes. “I'll stand by you and help you through it all. You don't have to
face it alone this time.”
“Man, I'm so lucky that you're with me. I don't think I could beat it without you.”
“I'm glad I'm with you as well. I'll do my best to help you.” Her stomach growled and she giggled. “I hope
you like pasta. I made my special chicken parmesan.” She pulled out a bowl and fork and gave it to
Ogihci.
They ate their food with little interruption. Once they were done, Alanna leaned back and looked up at
the stars. She then began to sing along with her iPod. Ogihci sat there and listen to her sing.
“Wow, you can cook, you can sing, and you're incredibly beautiful. You're the perfect woman,” Ogihci
said once she finished singing.
Alanna looked over at Ogihci and smiled. “I don't know about being perfect.”
“What are you talking about? Of course you're perfect.” Ogihci pulled her closer and brushed the hair
from her face. “And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Alanna smiled. “You're perfect, too.” She leaned up slightly and kissed him
In the shadows, Zetsubou watched. He had to wait for his chance to activate his plan when Ogihci was
alone. He smiled. Soon Alanna would be dead, and Empress Shi's plans would continue unhindered.

********
Later that night, Ogihci lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He was thinking about Alanna and how she acted
toward his inner hollow. She wasn't afraid and actually wanted to help. He smiled and slowly drifted off
to sleep.
Zetsubou walked quietly out of the shadows. He glared at the shinigami, then gently put a hand on
Ogihci's head and focused his mind. Soon he found what he was looking for.
Ogihci's eyes opened but they were yellow in color. “Who are you?” came an eerie voice.
“I am Zetsubou. I have come to help you with your wishes to gain control.”
Ogihci smirked. “And who says I want or need your help, idiot?”
Zetsubou smirked back. “Without me, you would still be struggling to break free.”
Ogihci's smirk faded slightly. “And what do you want from me?”
“Simple.” Zetsubou smiled evilly. “Tomorrow you will break free of the restraints and kill Alanna.”
Ogihci's smirk grew. “That will not be a problem.”
“Good. Now, rest. Tomorrow you will gain control.” Zetsubou caused the hollow to disappear and Ogihci
to sleep, unaware of what happened. He smiled and faded into the shadows.
 Chapter 6

A male shinigami sat in the park, resting on a bench. He had blue eyes, red hair and a smile that instantly
gained him friends. He usually worked at the Pizza Parlor, sharing his joy with everyone. Today though,
he had other things on his mind.
AJ walked into the park and over to the guy. “Hey, Joe. How's my brother doing?” She sat down next to
him.
Joe looked at her and smiled. “Yo, AJ. I'm fine. Just catching a breather. How's my sister?”
“Good. Just finished some boring paperwork at the infirmary and created a pill I wanna test on
someone,” AJ replied. “You wanna be my first test subject?”
Joe shook his head. “Heck no. The last time I tried something you created I was a flower for three days.”
AJ laughed. “Ahh that was funny.” She looked at Joe. “Did you get a message from Nono?”
“Yep. She's in the living world on assignment so she wants someone to 'watch' over Lolo and Og and
give her all the details when she returns.”
AJ nodded. “Yeah, same message. She thinks they're going to get married soon. I must say Nono is a
good matchmaker. Those two seem like soul mates.”
Joe smiled. “No doubt about that. They seem to spend as much free time together as they can.”
AJ laughed and then sighed. “As much as I want to be Nono's spy, I have an assignment to check into.”
She stood.
“What's your assignment, sis?” Joe asked standing as well.
AJ looked at Joe. “To see Anna.”
Joe's face became serious. “Then I'll go with you. My captain asked me to see her as well.”
“Alright. Let's go.” With that AJ shunpo'd out of the park with Joe following.

********
In the living world, Anna sat in her room looking out the window. Since the day they confessed their
love, Anna and Christoph spent as much time together as possible. Then yesterday, he asked her to
marry him. She of course said yes.
She watched as her clan ran about making preparations. Both Anna and Christoph had decided to get
married immediately. Tomorrow they would exchange vows and become husband and wife. Anna
smiled at that thought.
A gentle knock came to the door. After a moment, a female vampire entered the room, carrying an
envelope. Without words, she knelt and then gave the letter to Anna and left. Anna opened it and began
to read.
Anna,
Ich habe einen ungewöhnlichen Buchstaben in der Seele Gesellschaft beachtet. Er hat Alanna und Ogihci
außerdem aufgepaßt. Ich fürchte, daß der Feind Pläne Ihr versuchen und stoppen läßt.
IchWAR im Begriff, den Kerl zu konfrontieren, aber er ist verschwunden.
Erwarten Sie auch eine Besuch Form AJ und Joe. Sie kommen bald an. Ich bin dort, sobald ich auf einige
Sachen überprüft habe.
Lieben Sie Sie immer,
Christoph
(Anna, I've noticed an unusual character in Soul Society. He has been watching Alanna and Ogihci as
well. I fear that the enemy is making plans to try and stop yours. I was going to confront the guy but he
has disappeared. Also expect a visit from AJ and Joe. They will arrive soon. I will be there as soon as I
have checked on a few things. Love you always, Christoph)
Anna put the letter back into its envelope and headed to the meeting room. At least Soul Society was
sending two that she knew would listen. Anna walked with a smile.

********
Nono completed her assignment early and sat in the park talking to MB. His name was Magical Bells but
everyone called him MB for short. He had straight purple hair with 6 strands of it pulled in front of his
face and held with a single bead. His crystal blue eyes danced with merriment.
“Nono, you can't be serious. They've only been dating for like 2 weeks, 3 tops,” MB said laughing.
“I tell you Og is going to propose soon. I can feel it,” Nono replied. “They spend every moment together
that they can.”
“But that doesn't mean Og's going to pop the question so soon,” MB argued.
Alanna walked into the park. “Hey, dynamic duo! What are you two up to?”
Nono laughed. “We're not the dynamic duo, Lolo. And we're just talking?”
“About what?” Alanna asked as she sat down across from them.
“Nono thinks you and Og are getting married soon,” MB replied. Nono looked at him with a look that
said he should have kept his mouth shut.
Alanna blushed. “We haven't been dating but like 2 weeks. Besides, he hasn't asked me yet.” She looked
at the ground. “You two are like the third group to ask me that.”
Nono and MB looked at each other then at Alanna. “Well, you two are perfect together, Lolo,” Nono
said. “It's only natural that everyone would think that.”
“I guess,” Alanna replied with a giggle. “I wonder where Ogi is.”
“He's probably on assignment in the living world,” MB stated. “He's like the super hollow killer, deluxe
model.” With that he laughed.
Alanna and Nono joined him in laughter. It filled the park and made anyone who heard it smile. As they
calmed down, Alanna wiped the tears away from her eyes. “MB, you should write comedy.”
MB smiled. “I do. Most of the new stuff in the living world is my stuff that I have bestowed upon the
lucky people.”
Nono playfully slapped MB. “Yeah right. You wish.”
MB pouted. “Awww, Nono. Why do you have to burst my bubble?”
Alanna shook her head laughing as her friends playfully bickered back and forth. Her thoughts turned to
Ogihci and she smiled. He was going to meet her at the park as soon as he could. Alanna couldn't wait to
be with him again.
“Lolo? Earth to Lolo. Come in please,” Nono said waving her hand in front of Alanna's face.
Alanna blinked a few times. “Huh? What?”
“I asked you what you thought MB would look like in a pink skirt,” Nono said. “But you went all space
case on me.”
Alanna giggled. Sorry, I was just thinking about Ogi.”
“Were you picturing him in a pink skirt?” MB asked with a smirk.
“Heck no!” Alanna playfully slapped MB. “Only you should be in a pink skirt.”
“Hey!” MB pouted as Nono and Alanna laughed.

********
AJ and Joe walked down the hallway quietly. Up ahead was the door that led them to the meeting room.
They were anxious to talk with Anna and then get back to Soul Society.
The door opened as they approached and a young male vampire ushered them in. AJ and Joe saw Anna
sitting at a table, a glass of wine in her hand. They knelt respectfully and then approached Anna.
Anna was about to speak when AJ held up a hand and gave her a letter with two tablets attached. Anna
read the note and nodded. She then took one of the pills. After a few moments, she began to speak.
“AJ. Joe. Welcome to my home once again. What brings you here?” Her words held the German accent
but now they could understand each other. “AJ, thank you for the pill.”
“You're welcome,” AJ smiled. “And thank you, Anna. It is always a pleasure. But unfortunately, we're
here on business.”
“We've been sent by our captains to talk with you, Anna,” Joe added.
Anna nodded. “Of course. Please have a seat and we shall talk.”
The shinigami sat across from Anna. AJ looked at Anna. “It seems that you knew we would come.”
“I know that they would send someone eventually. Christoph sent me a letter telling me it was you
two.” Anna took a sip of her wine. “Now, what do you wish to know?”
Joe leaned forward. “Why do you have Christoph spying on Ogihci and Alanna?”
“Straight to the point, I see,” Alanna replied. “Do you remember the prophecy I told you about the last
time?”
“The one that spoke of destruction of Soul Society and the living world,” AJ stated. “What about it?”
“I found something in the tome that offered us all a chance at defeating the evil. It talked about two
who will be able to fight and give us a chance at stopping the leader. After searching and studying I
found them. Those two are Alanna and Ogihci,” Anna stated.
“I can understand Ogihci, but how can Alanna fight some great evil that's supposed to be coming?” Joe
asked. “She can fight but she's more of a healer than a fighter.”
Anna smiled. “Alanna is both. She and Ogihci will face hard times ahead. Soon you will see what I mean.”
She took a sip of wine. “Also, ask Ogihci and Alanna for the notes that Christoph gave them. Those notes
will offer you more insight.”
AJ sighed. “Okay. Now about this evil. Do you know what it is?”
Anna took a deep breath. “All I can determine at this time is that they are extremely powerful with
magic. As to what they are, I am still trying to find that out.”
Joe looked at Anna. “So this evil is truly real?”
“Yes, as real as you and I,” Anna replied.
At that time, Christoph entered the room and came to the table. He kissed Anna, which made AJ and Joe
fall out of their chairs in shock, and then he sat down next to her. Anna handed him the note that AJ
gave her and he read it. He took the second pill and after a few moments, he spoke.
“Hello, AJ and Joe. You better get up off the floor and close your mouths before you gather flies.” Like
Anna, he had the German accent.
AJ and Joe stood and closed their mouths. AJ spoke first. “I'm sorry but... you just kissed Anna.”
Anna and Christoph smiled. “That's because I love her and she's my soon to be wife,” Christoph replied.
Joe smiled. “About damn time. Congratulations!” He leaned over and whispered to AJ. “I won. You owe
me dinner for a week.”
AJ growled at Joe and then asked, “So, when's the big day?”
Anna and Christoph looked at each other then back at the shinigami. “Tomorrow,” they answered in
unison.
AJ and Joe fell out of their chairs again.

********
Ogihci walked into the park after he got back from taking care of a few hollows in the living world. He
smiled when he saw Alanna sitting with Nono and MB, laughing. He headed toward them calling out,
“Hey you three. How is it going?”
Alanna looked to Ogihci and smiled. “Hey, Ogi dear. I'm fine. We're just teasing MB. How are you?”
Ogihci sat down next to Alanna. “I'm fine, Lolo. Well, much better now that I'm with you.”
Nono suddenly tackled them. “I can hear wedding bells already,” she said with a giggle.
MB laughed. “You don't waste time, do you, Nono?”
As Nono got off Alanna sat up. “Do you hear these wedding bells that she's talking about, Ogi?”
Ogihci looked over at Alanna and started to twiddle his thumbs. “Emmmm...”
MB poked Nono in the side. “Let's leave the lovebirds alone,” he whispered.
Nono whispered back. “Good idea.” They stood and walked away unnoticed by Alanna or Ogihci.
Alanna looked at Ogihci. “What is it? Why are you doing that?” she asked, smiling sweetly.
Ogihci stopped twiddling his thumbs. “No reason.” He began to look all over the place to avoid eye
contact with Alanna.
Alanna smirked. “Oh, don't give me that. I know you're not telling me something.” She turned more
toward him. “You wanna tell me or do I have to take drastic measures?”
“What do you mean by drastic measures?” Ogihci looked like he wasn't sure if he should run or just tell
her.
“Well, I could do one of two things.” Alanna moved a little closer to him.
Ogihci gulped. “What are the two things?”
“I could tickle you until you tell me or....” She moved a little closer.
“Tickle me?” Ogihci moved back a little. ‘Man, how did she know I was ticklish?’ “Okay, what's the other
one?”
“I could push you into the pond,” Alanna said with a smile. “So, you going to tell me?”
Ogihci suddenly jumped up and began to run. “You have to catch me first.”
Alanna jumped up and took off after Ogihci. “You can't get away from me,” she said, laughing.
“You'll never catch me,” he called back, laughing as well.
“Oh? Is that right?” Alanna shunpo'd next to him. “Boo!”
Ogihci saw Alanna next to him and kept running, not noticing a tree up ahead. “You've got to do better
than that.” He kept looking at Alanna and ran straight into the tree, falling backward onto the ground.
“Ouch. Who moved that tree there?”
Alanna knelt next to Ogihci, concern on her face. “Ogi, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I'm fine, Lolo,” Ogihci replied looking up at her. “It takes more than a tree to beat your
superman.”
Alanna sat down and pulled his head into her lap. “My superman should be careful not to run into
trees.” She stroked his head. “Sorry I distracted you.”
“Hey, don't worry about it. It was fun, except the tree part.” He smiled. “Your lap is comfortable.”
Alanna smiled and giggled softly. “Then rest as long as you like.” She caressed his face. “You have a slight
bruise. I'll take care of it.” She used her reiatsu to heal the bruise.
“Thanks, Lolo. That feels good,” Ogihci said. He closed his eyes and smiled.
“You're welcome.” Alanna studied his face. “You're so handsome when you smile.”
Ogihci reached up and kissed Alanna on the forehead. “Well, I do try.”
She giggled. “Don't stop trying.” Suddenly Alanna began to tickle Ogihci. “Now... what were you thinking
about earlier?”
Ogihci began to laugh. “Okay... okay... I'll tell you...”
Alanna stopped tickling and smiled. “So, what is it?”
Ogihci looked up into her eyes. “When they were talking about wedding bells and stuff, I was thinking
that it wasn't such a bad idea. I would have to take care of that problem first.”
“Really?” Alanna smiled and blushed. “You think it's a good idea?”
“Yeah, but I won't let him interfere.”
Alanna leaned down and kissed his forehead. “We'll take care of him together. We're a team, right?”
“That's right, Lolo. We'll tackle him together,” Ogihci replied with a smile.
Alanna smiled. “What would you like to do now? You can rest in my lap longer if you wish.”
Ogihci sat up and then stood. “Hmmm, I have no idea.”
It was then that Ogihci heard the one thing he truly dreaded. In his head came an eerie, evil voice. ‘I told
you I would be back, baka.’ It laughed, filling Oghci's head with its grating tone.
Ogihci collapsed to his knees and clutched his face. “No... no... not now....”
“Ogi!” Alanna was instantly at his side. “What's wrong? Is it him?”
Ogihci's eyes began to change from his normal dark green eyes to yellow. “Get.. back, Lolo.” A red
reiatsu began to surround him.
Alanna was unsure of what was going on and frightened. She shunpo'd back. “Ogi.. what can I do to help
you?”
“You.... need to....” Ogihci trailed off as his eyes turned yellow completely and a part of a mask formed
on his face.
“So, who are you?” came an eerie voice.
Alanna realized what happened and she instantly calmed herself down. Ogi, needs me. I won't leave
him. “I'm Ogi's girlfriend.”
Ogihci's hollow smiled evilly. “Really? Interesting.” He shunpo'd in front of Alanna. “I wonder how he
would react if you died by his hands.”
In the shadows Zetsubou watched with a smile. “Very good. Soon Alanna will be dead. Perfect.”
Alanna stared at the hollow. “Why are you doing this? I'm not afraid.”
“I'm doing this because I want to and I'm tired of being trapped in this weak guy.” The hollow grabbed
Alanna by the throat and raised her into the air. “You sure you're not afraid?”
A sudden calmness completely filled her. “I'm not afraid because I know Ogi would never let you hurt
me.” She closed her eyes. “I have faith in him. I love him.”
The hollow laughed. “Good bye, baka.” The hollow drew Ogihci's zanpakuto. When the zanpakuto was
completely unsheathed, his right hand suddenly dropped the sword and then grabbed the mask. “Get
off her... NOW!”
The hollow dropped Alanna and started to shout. “Why do you constantly get in my way!”
As the hollow finished his sentence, the mask was ripped off. Ogihci fell to his knees and started to
breath heavily. He couldn't believe how easily the hollow got out this time.
Alanna knelt next to Ogi and wrapped her arms around him. “Ogi, I'm glad you're back. How do you
feel?”
Ogihci hugged her back. “It's not me I'm worried about. I'm sorry. Are you okay?”
“Don't be sorry, Ogi. I'm fine. I knew you wouldn't let him hurt me.” Alanna played with his hair.
Ogihci pulled back from the hug. “Still, I feel bad that it even came out at all. I must be letting my guard
down.”
“Don't feel bad, Ogi. You are back and with me. That's all that matters.” She hugged him tight again. “Do
you feel up to a walk around the park?”
Ogihci stood. “Yeah, okay. Let’s do it.” He took a step and stumbled.
Alanna quickly grabbed him under his arm. “Hmm. Maybe we should go sit next to the pond or under
the cherry blossoms.”
Ogihci nodded. “Let's go sit under the cherry blossoms.”
Alanna helped him walk over to the sakura trees and helped him to sit down. “Would you like to lay your
head in my lap and rest?”
Ogihci thought to himself, ‘I can't believe that I'm this weak.’ He watched Alanna sat down. “Yeah, I
would love to.” He laid down and rested his head in Alanna's lap.
In the shadows, Zetsubou began to curse. He didn't plan on Ogihci to still be strong enough to fight the
hollow. Suddenly he felt himself vanishing from Soul Society. He looked to find himself facing Empress
Shi.
“Zetsubou, it looks like your plan failed,” Shi said, her face and voice emotionless.
Zetsubou fell to his knees. “Empress Shi, please forgive me. I did not know that he could stop the
hollow....”
“ENOUGH!” Shi shouted. Her face was full of rage. “I told you that should your plan fail that you would
be punished. You should have made sure that your plan would not fail.”
“But, Empress...”
“SILENCE! I will not listen to your petty excuses!” Shi lifted her right hand. “You have failed me too many
times, Zetsubou. I'm tired of your presence.” Shi stood and then gathered a large, black ball of energy.
“Disappear into the abyss.”
“Empress Shi! Please…” Zetsubou bowed low to the floor, groveling for forgiveness.
Shi laughed. “Your fate is sealed. Goodbye.” She sent the energy ball at Zetsubou. His screams filled the
room and filtered throughout the castle. When the energy was gone, all that was left was a burn mark
on the floor.
 Chapter 7
As night fell in the living world and Soul Society, in the separate dimension a man walked down a
hallway on his way to meet Empress Shi. His white hair was cut short on the sides and spiked at the top
with the tips red like blood. His eyes were solid black like the darkest night. He had a scar that started
below the middle of his right eye and traveled in a haphazard path down to his chin. His skin held a
reddish hue and his clothing was all blood red. On his back he carried a large double blade axe. The
edges were covered with dried blood.
As the man approached the throne room, the door opened and he walked in without a sound. Halfway
toward the throne, he knelt. He held no fear, only deep devotion to his empress and a thirst for murder
and blood.
Shi smiled. “Welcome home, Abaddon.”
Abaddon stood and looked at Shi. “Empress, why have you recalled me from my duties?”
Shi laughed. “Straight to the point as always.” She flipped a hand toward the black mark on the floor. “It
seems that I am in need of a new general.” She stood and walked toward him. “You seem to fit the bill
rather well.”
Abaddon stared. “Zetsubou failed you again.” It wasn't a question but a hate filled statement. “I am
surprised that you allowed him to live as long as you have.”
“As am I, but this time I had enough of his incompetence,” Shi replied. “He now resides in the abyss in
torment forever.”
Abaddon grinned slightly. “I would not expect anything less of my empress.”
Shi smiled. “To see you grin is a rare sight indeed.”
“To tell the truth, I have waited for Zetsubou's death. That arrogant fool would have caused your plans
to fail.” Abaddon's eyes flashed with anger.
“My, my. Such raw emotion for you,” Shi smirked. “And to think you would have been sad about your
brother's death.” Her voice was full of sarcasm.
“He was a weak excuse of a general and no true brother of mine.” Abaddon growled. “I would have
killed him long ago if you hadn't stepped in and made him general.”
“Ahh. Maybe I should have let you, but then again…” Shi put a hand on his chest. “You wouldn't have
become the blood-thirsty killer that you are today. But… now he's gone and you are the new general.”
Abaddon nodded. “What is your wish, Empress?”
Shi grinned evilly. “Death and destruction. But first we have several obstacles to deal with.” With that
she led him to a table in the back of the room to begin planning.

*******
In the living world, a wedding was beginning. Everyone was in their places. The aisle was decorated with
an Oriental carpet, gold and black in color with twin dragons entwined. On the inner and outer seats
were bouquets of purple, blue, and white flowers. The altar was black covered with gold tapestries and
with black and gold candles.
To the right side of the altar stood Christoph and his best man, Joe. Christoph had asked Joe to be the
best man after the meeting was finished. They both wore black tuxes with gold ties. Christoph had a
purple iris in his lapel.
The music began to play and AJ, the maid of honor, walked down the aisle. She wore a long black dress
with a golden dragon that went down the side. Her hair was pulled up into a bun and held in place with
two gold chopsticks. She carried a bouquet of irises.
Once AJ was in place, the wedding march began. Everyone stood and turned to watch the bride. Anna
walked down the aisle slowly. She wore a white gown with black dragons on the hems and a train that
was about a foot long. The veil was white with golden dragon charms at each side of the head. She
carried a bouquet of white roses and purple irises.
Christoph watched Anna walk down the aisle. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful woman alive. She
seemed to float toward him like a lost angel. He smiled as he watched her and still couldn't believe that
they were together at long last.
Anna saw Christoph standing and watching her. She smiled back at him. She couldn't believe that they
were getting married. It was like a surreal dream.
Once Anna had made her way to the altar, lifted her veil and was in place, the minister began the
ceremony. The two exchanged vows and rings. Then they performed an ancient ritual. Walking up to the
black alter, they picked up two knives. Holding their hands over two goblets, they sliced open their
hands and let the blood flow into the goblets. When the bleeding had stopped, they picked up their
goblets and handed it to the other person. They drank the blood completely and then sat the goblets
back down onto the altar and walked back to their normal positions.
The minister raised his hands. “By the powers vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may
kiss the bride.”
Christoph pulled Anna into a loving embrace and kissed her passionately. The whole room erupted in
cheers and excitement. AJ and Joe stood there, smiling and wiping away the tears.

********
In Soul Society, Alanna sat talking with three of her sisters. Jessy, aka Joso, was the vice-captain of the
2nd division. She stood 5'11” and had dirty blond hair and blue grey eyes. The one thing that the male
shinigami noticed was her cleavage. Everyone said that she was well endowed, just not to her face. A
male shinigami made a mistake and said it to her one day. She promptly kicked him across Soul Society.
Lori, aka FF, had long, straight, pink hair and green eyes. She earned the nickname of FF from another
nickname, Final Fantasy. Some male shinigami mentioned that if he died tomorrow that Lori would be
his final fantasy. Of course, Lori heard this and promptly hit him over the head with a frying pan. Lori
was the 3rd seat of the 8th division.
Romi, aka Roro, was the 4th seat of the 2nd division. She had long, wavy, dark auburn hair and hazel
eyes. From time to time, she would wear glasses. Several male shinigami made a mistake one day and
called her four-eyes. Later that day, the 4th division infirmary found itself with their first case of a
zanpakuto stuck where the sun doesn't shine.
Jessy looked at Alanna in shock. “Og's hollow appeared?”
Alanna nodded. “Yeah. It came out and attacked me.”
“Are you hurt?” Rose asked.
“Did he gain control again?” Lori asked at the same time.
“No, I'm not hurt,” Alanna replied. “And yes, he gained control. I knew he would.”
“Lolo, were you not scared?” Jessy asked.
“No, little sis. I knew he wouldn't let the hollow hurt me. He gained control and came back to me,”
Alanna replied with a smile.
Rose and Lori looked at each other and smiled. “Awwwwwww!” they said together.
Alanna giggled. “I... I told him that I love him... Well his hollow was in control so I don't know if he heard
me or not.”
Jessy hugged Alanna. “Alright Oneechan! Sister got herself a man.”
They all laughed at that. Alanna wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. “Yep, and he's so damn
sexy.”
“Who's damn sexy?” Ogihci asked as he appeared and sat next to Alanna.
Alanna smiled. “Why, you of course.” She kissed him on the cheek.
Her sisters laughed. “Why ain't that so cute,” Lori said.
“Come on, you two. Let's leave the lovebirds alone,” Rose replied, standing.
Jessy and Lori stood as well. “You two don't do anything I wouldn't do,” Jessy added.
Ogihci laughed. “Well, that means we can use your secret room.”
“Nope. Secret room is off limits. Only Wolf and I can use it right now,” Jessy replied over her shoulder.
“See you later.” Rose and Lori waved as they left with Jessy.
Ogihci and Alanna smiled and shouted, “Later!”
Alanna looked over at Ogihci. “How are you feeling?”
Ogihci looked at the ground. “I'm fine... I'm sorry about the hollow...”
Alanna stopped him with a kiss. After a moment, she pulled back. “Don't be sorry. What matters is that
you gained control and came back to me.”
Ogihci wrapped his arms around her. “Why... why are you still here? Why aren't you running from me?”
Alanna caressed his face. “Answer me this. When the hollow was in control, could you hear what I was
saying? Do you remember what I said?”
Ogihci nodded. “Yeah, I heard it all.”
“What did I say?”
Ogihci took a deep breath. “That you weren't afraid. That you knew I wouldn't let it hurt you. That you…
loved me.”
Alanna kissed his forehead. “I meant it. I love you, Ogi. I want to be at your side and help you defeat
him. I'm not afraid of him.”
Ogihci hugged her close. “I love you, Lolo. I was so afraid that you would leave me after... after he
appeared. I'm so lucky to have you.” He kissed her passionately.
 ********
Abaddon walked down the stairs and out into the courtyard. He was on his way to inspect the troops
after his talk with Empress Shi. He had much to do, much to plan before they could move forward.
Two soldiers came forward, dragging someone. Their names were Bo and Ki. They were dragging
another soldier who was trying to escape, screaming not to take him to Empress Shi. Bo and Ki were
being rough, not caring if they kicked him or hurt him in front of their new general. Truth be told, they
didn't know Abaddon was there.
“What is the meaning of this?” Abaddon asked.
The two soldiers stopped holding the prisoner between them. Bo spoke. “This guy is a traitor, General.
We caught him tampering with the equipment and spreading lies amongst the troops.”
Abaddon looked at the prisoner. “Is this true?”
The guy looked at Abaddon. For a moment he thought he would lie but then found himself compelled to
answer truthfully. “Yes... it is.”
Abaddon grabbed his axe off his back. “You have one chance to redeem yourself. Survive a fight with
me.”
The traitor looked at him. “But… I do not have a weapon.”
Abaddon looked at Bo and Ki. “Release him and give him a sword.”
They released him and Bo gave him his sword. The two then moved away. Both had heard stories about
their new general. They pitied the traitor, but only a little.
Abaddon looked at the traitor. “This is simple. We fight. If you survive, then I will take you to Empress
Shi and speak of a chance for you to redeem yourself. If you don't… well... pray you survive.”
The traitor nodded and launched himself at Abaddon, swinging his sword at the general's head.
Abaddon brought his axe around and blocked the attack easily. He inwardly smirked at the guy's
weakness and poor strategy. He knocked the traitor backward. The guy slid to a stop and then launched
himself again at Abaddon, this time aiming for the left arm.
Bo leaned over and whispered to Ki. “The traitor is done for. The general is just playing with him.”
Ki nodded and whispered back. “He deserves it. It's fitting punishment.”
The traitor was knocked back for a third time when Abaddon stretched and then smiled. “Time for me to
get serious,” he said, beginning to twirl his giant axe with one hand.
The traitor gulped, afraid once more. Yet, he felt compelled to fight. He stretched himself and again
attacked. He went through several moves before getting close enough to attack.
Suddenly, the traitor's sword arm was gone, falling to the ground as blood began to squirt out of the
stump and cover the area. The traitor screamed in pain and tried to turn to run, but he didn't get a
chance. Abaddon brought his axe around and sliced the traitor across the stomach, nearly cutting him in
half. The guy's guts fell to the ground as Abaddon swung his axe back around, slicing off the other arm.
The traitor began to fall but Abaddon didn't stop. His axe sliced across the guy's chest, causing his lungs
and heart to fall out. He then brought the axe around in a swinging arc, slicing him down the middle.
Before the two halves could fall apart, he brought the axe around and decapitated the traitor.
Abaddon stopped and watched the traitor's lifeless body fall to the ground. He looked at Bo and Ki.
“Clean up this mess. Leave no drop of blood behind. Make sure you take the body back to the troops
and show them what happens when they betray the Empress.” With that, he left.
Shi watched from a window with a smile. Abaddon was as brutal as ever. The fight lasted only a few
moments. She left the window knowing that death would soon rain from the sky.

********
Ogihci and Alanna were walking together. They were enjoying each other's company and the park.
Holding hands, they seemed at peace. But in truth, they were discussing something very important.
“Lolo, I need to fight my inner hollow soon,” Ogihci said. “If not, he could get out and this time hurt you
or worse.”
Alanna nodded. “I'll help you. What do you want me to do?”
“Well, when I start to fight him, I will need to be restrained. But... I don't think you can do this alone,”
Ogihci replied.
Alanna thought a moment. “I can ask Jessy. She's a vice captain and has bankai if needed. With her, we
should be able to keep the hollow restrained while you fight.”
“That's a good idea. We should talk to her the next time we see her,” Ogihci stated, squeezing her hand.
Alanna squeezed back. “And I'm sure she'll be more than willing to help out.”
Ogihci laughed nervously. “Yeah. She loves to spar with me normally.” He stopped and faced her. “Lolo, I
really don't like getting you involved in this. I don't want you to get hurt. But... I don't think I can beat
him without you there.”
Alanna hugged him. “I know how you are feeling. I don't want you hurt either. But I know that this is
something we must face together. I won't leave you when you need me most.”
Ogihci smiled and kissed her. He felt like the luckiest man around. He wrapped his arms around her,
holding onto her like she was his lifeline. After a few moments, he broke the kiss. “Well, I guess we
should find Jessy and ask her.”
“Ask me what?” Jessy asked as she walked up to them.
“Well, we need your help, little sis,” Alanna replied.
“I need to fight my hollow and… well... Lolo needs help restraining me. She said that you might be able
to help us,” Ogihci added.
Jessy's normally carefree face was serious. “I was coming to talk to you about that. Of course I will help
and keep Lolo safe as best as I can.”
Alanna hugged Jessy. “Thank you, Jessy. This means a lot.”
“Yes, thanks.” Ogihci hugged Jessy as well. Breaking the hug, he asked, “Where should we do this? I
don't want to destroy the park.”
Jessy nodded. “I have to agree on that. I know the perfect spot. It's abandoned and open enough for us
to be able to restrain you.”
“Great. That will be perfect,” Alanna replied with a smile. “When should we go and do this?”
“I think we should do this as soon as we can,” Ogihci stated.
“Let's go now,” Jessy added. “I think it would be better not to wait.”
Ogihci and Alanna nodded. With that, the three of them left the park.

********
Zouo walked into the throne room and up to her mother's side. She bowed slightly and smiled. “How are
the plans going, Mother? Is it true that Zetsubou is finally dead?”
Shi looked at her daughter with an evil grin. “Yes, the fool is suffering in the abyss. As to my plans, they
are moving along smoothly. Abaddon has assumed the position of general and has taken care of a traitor
already.”
“Wonderful! He was always a better candidate for the job.” Zouo smiled. “Did he leave the traitor's body
in pieces?”
“Yes. It was a splendid display of his power and his thirst for blood,” Shi replied. “How goes your
preparations, daughter?”
“They are going well. Plus my spy has informed me that Ogihci and Alanna have left with Alanna's sister
Jessy. They are heading to assist Ogihci fight his inner hollow.”
Shi growled. “I guess Zetsubou really screwed up. I should have taken him out of the picture years ago.”
She sent a black energy ball in the unfortunate slave that came into the room, killing him instantly.
“But… what's done is done. Plus Abaddon would not be like he is now.” Shi shrugged. “No matter. Things
will be going our way soon, and my plans will become reality.”
Zouo grinned evilly. “All worlds will bow down to you, Mother. Those who oppose you will know only
pain and regret.”
Shi smirked. “Blood will soon run through the streets. But there is one person who will know true
misery. I will make sure of that.”
 Chapter 8

The reception for Anna and Christoph's wedding was coming to an end. After several hours of fun and
laughter, everyone was slowly leaving to rest. Lower vampires were cleaning the area, removing the
signs of a brief peace in the clan.
AJ and Joe walked up to the newlyweds. “Well, we are happy to see you two finally together,” Joe said
with his infectious smile. “You two were made for each other.”
Anna smiled. “Thank you. I can't believe we hid our feelings for so long.”
“And it took something drastic for us to reveal it to one another,” Christoph added, wrapping his arms
around his wife. “Better late than never, as the saying goes.”
AJ nodded. “That is true. Now you both have a chance at happiness together instead of sadness apart.
Live each moment to its fullest.”
Anna left Christoph's arms and hugged AJ. “I'm glad that both of you could be here. It seemed right for
you to be here.”
“We wouldn't have missed it for the world. Well, unless there was a massive hollow attack,” Joe replied.
“Well, we better head back to Soul Society.”
Christoph nodded and shook Joe's hand. “You know you are both welcome back anytime.”
AJ and Joe smiled, nodded, and waved before shunpo'ing out of the room and back to Soul Society.
Christoph then looked at Anna and smiled. Without another word, he swept her off her feet and took
her to their chambers.

********
In an abandoned field far from anyone or anything, Jessy, Ogihci, and Alanna stood. They surveyed the
area to make sure no one was around that could interfere and get hurt. There was a slight nervousness
to the air.
Alanna walked over to Ogihci and kissed him. “Are you ready, dear?”
Ogihci smiled slightly. “Yeah, I'm ready, kind of.”
“Don't worry, Ogi. We're here to help. I have complete faith in you. Defeat that hollow side of yours and
send him packing,” Jessy said with a smile.
Alanna walked back to where Jessy was standing and turned to face him. “I have faith in you too. I know
you won't let that hollow take control.” She took a couple deep breaths. “I'm ready.”
“Thank, you two.” Ogihci took a deep breath and looked at Jessy. “Don't let it hurt Lolo if you can.” He
then began to set up a barrier to stop him from getting out.
“Don't worry, Ogi. Your 'wifey' is safe with me. As if I would ever allow something to happen to my
sister.” Jessy smiled. “Here, let me help you with that barrier. Protection Art # 68: White barrier wall.” A
white barrier wall was put up all around them. Unlike most barriers, this one was so that anyone could
get in but no one could get out. “Alright, Lolo. There's no turning back now.”
“I'm prepared. I have faith in him.” Alanna stared at Ogihci. “So, do we take turns fighting?”
“No, you don't have to take turns. You can both do it at the same time,” Ogihci answered. “Lolo... you
won't like what will happen to me, but you only have to endure it for about 1 hour.” He jumped back
away from them. “Right. I'm going in.” He closed his eyes and fell to the ground.
Alanna drew her zanpakuto and whispered. “I'm going to do my best. I wish I had shikai... but I'm not
going to let that stop me from helping Ogi.”
Jessy watched Ogihci fall to the ground. In her mind, she thought ‘I will not use zanpakuto... I can't use
my zanpakuto...’ She looked over at Alanna and could see that her sister was worried. Jessy got into her
fighting stance and repeated her thoughts.
Alanna looked at Jessy. “You're not going to use your zanpakuto, Joso?” She got into her fighting stance.
“I guess you don't need it... but me... I don't know kidou yet.”
In Ogihci's mind, Ogihci stood in an empty street with buildings surrounding him. Ogihci looked up and
saw a white version of himself standing at the top of one of the buildings. It unsheathed its zanpakuto
and leapt off the building swinging it at Ogihci. “Hey, Ogihci. Back here again, but this time.... I WILL
WIN.”
Outside his body, the wind started to blast through the area. Ogihci slowly stood up with half of his
hollow mask on. He drew his zanpakuto and started shouting. He then rushed toward Jessy, swinging his
zanpakuto down to slash her.
Jessy shunpo'd to her left and put her hands out in front. “Binding Art #45: Constrict.” Shadows under all
their feet shoot up at the hollow Ogihci and bond him. Jessy then whipped out her zanpakuto. “I just
didn't want to hurt my possible future brother in law, Lolo, but it looks like I have no choice but to draw
my zanpakuto.”
Alanna smiled. “I'm here. I'm a member of the 4th after all. I can stabilize him if needed. I trust you,
Jessy, but I don't want you hurt in the process either.” She lifted her zanpakuto.
Inside Ogihci's body Ogihci was smashed into the floor. He looked at his hollow and thought ‘Man, he's
stronger than before. I'm gonna have to catch him off guard.’ He stood and shouted, “BANKAI!” His fire
snake came out and headed straight for the hollow.
The hollow smirked. “Okay then. Let's play. BANKAI.” His snakes smashed into Ogihci's and made a
large explosion.
Outside, Ogihci shouted in pain as a hollow hole was created at his chest. His bankai appeared as well,
but twice its normal size. It sent a huge amount of fire towards Alanna and Jessy.
Jessy saw the fire and stood before Alanna, pointing her zanpakuto straight at the fire. A big blast is
heard and through the noise and smoke, Jessy could be heard saying, “Bankai.” When the smoke
cleared, Jessy's appearance had changed. She had horns on either side of her head and wings on her
back. Her zanpakuto was now a scythe. Her shield began to glow as she aimed it toward Ogihci and fired
the attack right back at him, twice the power it held before. Alanna stared at her sister in awe.
Inside his mind, Ogihci sent his snake to bite the hollow's snake but he missed. The hollow grabbed his
arm and threw him into a building. Ogihci thought, ‘He's beating me. Man... what should I do?’
The hollow flew down at Ogihci smirking. “Is this all you have? How in the world did you ever beat me?
You're pathetic.”
Outside his body, the hollow was hit by the attack and the top of his clothes were destroyed. His right
arm became a hollow's arm. He ran straight at Jessy, clawing at the shield and sent the snake after
Alanna.
Jessy got hit by the arm and was knocked into the barrier. Smoke appeared and slowly began to clear.
When it did, Jessy saw the snake aimed right at Alanna. “LOLO, WATCH OUT!”
Alanna shunpo'd back and brought her zanpakuto up to block the snake. “Jessy! Are you alright?” She
got pushed back by the snake. “Ahh, this thing is strong.” She tried to push back.
Inside his mind, Ogihci was in the hands of the hollow. The hollow smirked. “You are so weak, Ogihci.
Now… you are going to die.” The hollow began to squeeze his neck, cutting off Ogihci's air.
Outside, Ogihci's legs and other arm became hollow legs and arm. The hollow clawed at Jessy's shield
until it started to crack. The snake that was after Alanna opened its mouth wide and shot fire at her.
Jessy saw her shield beginning to crack. “No way. I won't let my Paw of the Saint be taken down by the
likes of you.” She focused her reiatsu on her shield and it began to suck the hollow arm in. She felt a
strong pain upon this, but she kept sucking the arm until she cut it off and the arm was in two pieces.
She looked over to Alanna and focused her reiatsu on her scythe, leaving her with a pointed spear.
“Fang, go and constrict.” The scythe blade turned into a light orb. It flew to the snake's mouth and
wrapped around to close the mouth and prevent its attack on Alanna. “I'm okay, Lolo. How are you
doing over there?” She glanced at Ogihci. “This is starting to get bad. I'm worried about Ogi. He better
not lose this fight.”
Alanna was struggling against the snake. “I'm fine, Jessy. I just wish I had shikai. It would make this a
little easier.” She looked at the hollow Ogihci and shouted. “Ogi, I'm here for you! I'm proud of you! Kick
his butt! I know you can do it!”
Inside his mind, Ogihci was being choked by the hollow. He passed out and the hollow sighed. He
smashed Ogihci into the floor. “You are so pathetic, Ogihci.” The hollow then sent his snake to finish
Ogihci.
Outside, the hollow screamed at Jessy as he grew spikes from his back and a tail. His body was almost
entirely taken over save for a part of his face. He went straight at Jessy and grabbed her by the neck and
began to squeeze. The snake that was fighting Alanna broke the hold around its mouth. It created a
giant fire ball and sent it straight at Alanna.
Alanna saw Jessy getting strangled by the hollow and saw the attack coming for her. “I'm sorry, Ogi and
Jessy. I know neither of you want me hurt, but there's no other way. Ogi, I love you!” She closed her
eyes and braced for the impact of the fire ball. The attack hit her, burned her and knocked her back.
Alanna screamed in pain. “AHHHHHHHH!”
Inside his mind, Ogihci heard Alanna scream. “That… that sounded like Lolo. What's happened to her?”
he said as he woke. He saw the attack coming for him and rolled out of the way and then jumped up to
face his hollow.
“It sounds like your girlfriend is having some trouble,” the hollow replied.
Ogihci stared at him. “What have you done to her?”
The hollow laughed. “Let's just say that she isn't fighting anymore.”
Ogihci flew at the hollow and wrapped the snake around him to give him his second stage of bankai.
“You'll pay for that.”
Outside, Nono happened to arrive. She had been looking for them and finally felt their reiatsu out here.
She saw Alanna getting hit with the fireball and Jessy getting choked by hollow Ogihci. She drew her
zanpakuto and ran toward them. The hollow noticed Nono running toward them and threw Jessy. Jessy
landed next to Alanna on the ground. He then sent fire at Nono.
Alanna looked over and saw Jessy next to her through her blank stare. “Jessy.....” She crawled over and
put her hand on Jessy's throat. “I'm... here... sis...” She began to use her reiatsu to heal Jessy's throat.
Nono knocked the attack away and shunpo'd next to Alanna. “Lolo... what's going on?”
Alanna looked through her blank stare. “Ogi... hollow... fight.... Jessy.... throat healed... Please... help
Ogi....”
Nono nodded. “Don't worry, Lolo. Og's my friend. I'll help him.”
Jessy woke up and looked to see Alanna next to her in bad shape. “Lolo... noooo...” She saw Nono there.
“Hey, girl. When did you...” she coughed, “get here... and what happened to Lolo?” She stood and drew
her scythe and swung it, sending a huge beam at the hollow Ogihci. She shouted, “Ogi! You better win
this... WIN IT!!!”
Nono nodded at Jessy. “Hey. I was looking for you three. Lolo got hit with a fireball and then healed
you.”
Inside his mind, the hollow and Ogihci were flying at each other. They clashed making an explosion and
then Ogihci jumped back. “Hadou # 33 Soukatsui.” He sent the kidou straight at the hollow. Right this is
how I won last time, he thought. Ogihci started making snakes come out of his zanpakuto, but the
hollow appeared behind him.
“You really thought I would fall for that again?” the hollow asked. As Ogihci turned around, the hollow
stabbed him in the shoulder.
Outside, the hollow got hit by Jessy's attack. When the smoke cleared, a grey creature was sent flying at
Jessy and a fireball headed toward Nono.
Nono saw the fireball heading toward her. “Batter up!” She knocked the attack away and into a tree,
causing the ground to shake a little.
Jessy saw the grey creature coming at her. She raised her shield and the chunk of arm that the shield
swallowed before flew out toward the thing, allowing her time to shunpo out of the way. “Man, this is
getting exhausting, and Ogi looks like he isn't getting any better.” She looked at Alanna with sadness in
her eyes. “My sister... you know we will have to take him down soon. I... I don't think Ogi is winning and
his hollow is getting tougher to beat. I'm sorry.” A concerned and sad look crossed her face as she
looked at Alanna.
“Jessy...” Alanna spoke weakly. “Help... me... to Ogi…” She tried to sit up. “Please... Jessy...”
“Go over to him? Girl, you are insane. He will kill you, plus you are in no condition to fight,” Jessy said as
she walked over to Alanna. She helped her to sit up so Alanna wasn't in so much pain trying to do it
alone. “Lolo, Ogi told me to protect you. I'm not going to let you go to that thing over there.” A tear fell
down her face. “That's not Ogi, Lolo. That thing is nowhere near your love and possible future hubby.
Look what he did to you. Ogi would never do that.... I can't let you try to go to him... I WON'T!” She
looked at Ogihci. “Alright disgusting hollow, I'm giving you 10 more minutes. Just 10 more minutes, and
you better fall to Ogi... I believe in him… I have faith in him... But....” Jessy's face got serious, “if you are
still growing more powerful in 10 minutes... I SHALL TAKE YOU DOWN MYSELF!”
Inside his mind, the hollow put Ogihci into the air with his sword. “You ready for death, Ogihci?”
Ogihci looked at the hollow. “You think this is over. You're a fool. You will never take me down.” Ogihci
put his finger out. “Hado #4, Byakurai.” A lightning bolt went through the hollow's arm and caused him
to let go of the zanpakuto. Ogihci pulled it out of his shoulder and threw it away and rushed toward the
hollow.
Outside, the hollow looked over at Jessy and pointed his hand out. It began to charge a giant cero.
Alanna looked at Jessy and then toward the hollow. “Watch.... out... ceros.....”
Jessy was about to help Alanna up when she heard something about a ceros attack. “Huh, what...” She
looked at the hollow and saw the red light forming and her eyes opened wide with shock. “I don't think
my shield can take another cero just yet.” She laid Alanna down and looked at Nono. “Get next to Lolo.”
Nono moved and knelt next to Alanna. “What are you going to do?”
Jessy began to chant. “Protective art # 17: Mirror wall.” A shield appeared around Alanna and Nono.
Jessy lowered her scythe. “I guess I'm going to fight fire with fire. Nono, heal Lolo if you can while you
are in there. And whatever you do, don't get out. This blast is going to be intense. You understand me?”
Jessy charged up a beam attack with her scythe and fired an enormous white beam at the hollow to
block out the cero attack.
Nono nodded and nervously put her hands on Alanna, which cause Alanna to scream out in pain. “I'm
sorry, Lolo. I'm trying to heal you.”
Inside his mind, Ogihci rushed up to the hollow and thrust his zanpakuto into the hollow's chest. The
hollow began to disappear. “Ha… this is what I get for underestimating you... But remember... next
time you slip up... I'll come back...” Ogihci watched the hollow disappear.
Outside, the two energy attacks clashed and a large explosion occurred, covering the area in smoke.
After the smoke cleared, the hollow rushed toward Jessy and started to slash at her. Suddenly it stopped
and some cracks began to appear over his body. Blood squirted out and the hollow screamed loudly
before exploding. Shortly after, Ogihci stood with a hollow mask on his face.
Alanna looked over at Ogihci. She had been forcing herself to stay awake to make sure he was okay.
“Ogi..... You... did it.....” Fatigue overcame her and she closed her eyes, passing out.
Jessy stood slowly from getting knocked back and saw Ogihci standing there with his mask. She smiled.
“Ogi… I knew you could do it...” She winced. “I had faith in you this whole time... I knew you just
couldn't... lose...” Jessy fell to the ground unconscious.
Ogihci looked over at Alanna and ran toward her. “LOLO!” Before he reached her, his mask fell off and
he collapsed to the ground and started to breathe heavily, blood pouring from his wounds. ‘Come on.
Pull yourself together, Og.’ He got back up and gently picked up Alanna then looked at Nono. “Can you
pick up Jessy? We need to get them to the infirmary.”
Nono nodded and picked up Jessy. “You need help too, Og.”
Ogihci nodded. “I'll worry about that later. They need it worse than me at the moment. Come on. Let's
get them to the infirmary.”
With that they shunpo'd toward the infirmary, unaware of someone who had been watching them.

********
Zouo walked into the throne room and up to her mother. “Plans are nearly complete, Mother.”
Shi nodded. “Good, though it seems we have a problem.”
“Problem?” Zouo looked at her in confusion.
“Yes... Ogihci beat his hollow. He's stronger now.”
Zouo closed her eyes. “Don't worry, Mother. Your plan will work.”
Shi smiled. “Of course. And they will all wish they didn't fight me.”
 Chapter 9
Alanna slowly opened her eyes, blinking in the bright light. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around
and noticed that she was in the infirmary. At first she was confused as to why she was there, but then
memories of the fight returned. She turned her head to the right and saw Ogihci sitting in a chair, his
eyes closed. She called out weakly, “Ogi...”
Instantly Ogihci's eyes opened and looked at her. “Lolo, you're finally awake. How are you feeling?” He
took her right hand in his, squeezing it gently.
“Tired... sore... How long... have I ... been out?” Alanna replied, breathing a little heavily.
“You've been out for two days. Your body was covered in burns, and you had some internal injuries. AJ
and Nono healed you and put dressings on your burns,” Ogihci replied. He looked at her with sadness in
his eyes. “I'm sorry, Lolo. I never wanted you to get hurt. It's all my fault.”
Alanna squeezed his hand weakly. “Don't be... sorry for... what happened... You didn't... hurt me... The
hollow did...” She grimaced in pain, inhaling deeply.
Ogihci stroked her head. “Do you need some pain medicine, Lolo?”
“Yes... please....” Alanna replied.
Ogihci stood. “I'll be right back. I'm going to let Nono know.” He turned and walked toward the desk
where Nono sat. He said a few words and Nono nodded, standing. He came back to the bed and sat
down. “Nono is going to bring you a shot and change your dressings.”
Alanna slowly nodded. “Okay.... Are you okay?”
“I'm fine, Lolo. They healed me really fast and said to sit next to you as punishment,” Ogihci said with a
smile.
Alanna smiled. “Punishment?”
“Yep. Apparently I left a mess on the floor when I passed out. AJ had to clean it up and said that I had to
make sure you stayed in bed when you woke up,” Ogihci replied with a smile.
Alanna giggled, which lead her into a coughing fit. She coughed hard, causing pain to hit her body,
making her cry.
“I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to make you hurt like that,” Ogihci said softly, stroking her hair.
“It's okay... It was funny... thank you....” Alanna replied.
“Alright now. You should let Lolo rest,” Nono said with a smile as she came up with the pain medicine
and dressing supplies.
“Nono..... it's okay.... I needed... a laugh....” Alanna said.
Ogihci looked a little sad. “I was just trying to cheer Lolo up.”
Nono smiled. “Don't worry. I'm joking. I know what you were doing.” She set her stuff down and picked
up the syringe with pain medicine in it. “I'm going to give this to you first and let it start to work before I
change your dressings.” She gave the medicine through Alanna's IV.
“Thanks... Nono...” Alanna said with a smile.
“How long do you think she'll be in the infirmary?” Ogihci asked, stroking Alanna's hair.
“At least two more days to make sure she's fully healed,” Nono replied. “Plus AJ said that she would be
back to check on her and release her after her mission.”
Alanna looked at Nono. “What... mission?”
“I don't know. All she said was she was asked by our captain to do the mission. She left early this
morning,” Nono replied.
“I hope she'll be okay. It's strange that they would send AJ to do this,” Ogihci said.
“Actually, it's not that strange. When AJ was alive, she led a double life, one as a nurse and the other as
a spy,” Nono stated. “From what I've read of her file, she was the best spy around until she was killed,
betrayed by her own partner.”
“Wow, I didn't know that,” Ogihci said. “She should be okay then.”
Alanna yawned. “AJ.... can.... take care.... of herself…” Her eyes closed and she was soon fast asleep.
Nono walked over and began to change her dressings.

********
AJ hung from two chains on a wall. She knew she was in the enemies' dungeon and had been since
shortly after arriving to this dimension. The person she came with was someone she wasn't too familiar
with and turned out to be a spy.
For hours AJ hung from the chains, tortured by men with different weapons. She had several stab
wounds and numerous cuts. She had lost a lot of blood and her reiatsu was getting low. Truthfully, AJ
didn't know how or why she was still alive. The wounds she had would have killed anyone long before
now.
The door to the dungeon opened and two people entered. One was a tall man with a giant axe on his
back. The other was a woman in black. They walked over to her and stopped. The woman wore an evil
smile on her face.
“My name is Empress Shi. I rule this world called Heru. You are a shinigami, but I couldn’t care less about
your name. What I want to know is why you are here,” the woman said.
AJ glared at Shi with a smirk on her face. “I'm here on vacation. I got a travel brochure that said this
place was the next Hawaii. Boy, did it lie,” AJ replied.
Shi slapped AJ hard across the face, breaking AJ's nose. “You think you are so funny? Well, you're not. In
fact, I think you are rather stupid to come here along with one of my spies. Now, be a good girl and tell
me why you are here.”
AJ smirked more. “Karaoke night, buffalo wings, and beer.”
Shi's smile faded. “Do you know why you are not dead yet despite the wounds you have?”
“You wanted to have a tea party and thought I would like to come?” AJ asked with a silly grin.
Shi slapped her hard again. “You lowly wench. You are still alive only at my will, by my spell. I could kill
you at any time I wish. But I wish for you to experience true pain, to beg for death. But you have a
chance to save yourself. Tell me why you are here and I will heal you and set you free.”
“Okay, okay. I'll tell you,” AJ said, hanging her head as if in defeat.
“Good, now tell me.” Shi smiled evilly.
AJ looked up and smiled. “I heard that there were male exotic dancers that make women drool and I
wanted to see for myself.”
Shi's smile faded and anger flashed in her eyes. “Make her suffer, Abaddon. Draw and quarter her. Make
her scream so that all can hear it in every world.”
“Yes, Empress Shi.” Abaddon unhooked his great axe from his back and walked toward AJ.
AJ smiled. She knew that in Soul Society they had heard everything. The necklace she wore was an
actual microphone. It relayed everything to the offices at Soul Society. She knew that they were creating
a party to come and save her. She didn't want them to fall into the same trap. So she said, “My death is
important to save others from a fate like mine. I do not require saving. I die for others. I die for Soul
Society.”
“You'll die only when I say it's time for you to meet death face to face,” Shi said. “Don't have too much
fun with Abaddon. He's quite skilled with that axe of his.”
Abaddon swung his axe, slicing into AJ's gut. AJ screamed out in pain.

********
Anna sat looking out the window. The moon had a red haze to it. To her clan, it was the sign of someone
dying a horrible death. Anna also felt a pain in her chest. The one who died was someone close to her.
She felt tears fall down her face.
Christoph walked into the room and saw her crying. He was at her side instantly, placing a hand on
Anna’s shoulder. “Darling, what’s wrong?”
Anna looked up at him. “I feel like a close friend has died. The moon even has a red haze and my heart
pains me.”
Christoph knelt in front of her. “Then I will go and check on our friends. Who would you like for me to
check on first?”
Anna looked at him. “I… I don’t know. Visit them all please. I don’t like this feeling I have.”
“I know, Anna. I’ll return as fast as I can.” With that Christoph left to check on their friends.
Anna stared out the window and suddenly thought about AJ. She felt dread sink into the pit of her
stomach. “Please… AJ, be safe.”

********
Joe and MB sat in the park. They saw the red haze over the moon and uneasiness settle into them. They
looked at one another but remained silent. They knew AJ was on a mission and should be returning
later.
Suddenly Joe clutched his chest and tears fell from his eyes. MB saw it and put a hand on Joe’s shoulder.
“Hey, man. You okay?”
“No, something has happened to AJ,” Joe said, quietly.
MB stared at him. “No, that can’t be,” he replied.
“I can’t explain it, but I know something has happened to her,” Joe said. “I can feel it in my heart.”
MB fell silent, looking down at his hands. He didn’t want to believe it. The red haze stayed over the
moon.
 ********
In Alanna's dream, she was in the park under the willow tree. She was looking up at the peaceful blue
sky. It was a wonderful warm day. The scent of roses filled the air.
Out of nowhere AJ appeared and sat next to Alanna. She sat quietly looking at the park and the sky for
awhile. Alanna smiled and let her be. AJ didn't seem to notice her.
“Lolo, the park is beautiful, isn't it?” AJ asked out of the blue.
Alanna looked at AJ. “Yes, it is. I love it here.”
AJ turned and smiled sadly at Alanna. “I'm going to miss this place, all of Soul Society.”
Alanna looked shocked at AJ. “What... what do you mean? Why are you going to miss Soul Society?”
AJ moved closer to Alanna and hugged her. “I'm going to miss you. You are the sweetest person I know.
So giving and caring. You and Ogi make a wonderful couple.”
Alanna felt tears in her eyes. “AJ, what's going on? Why are you saying you are going to miss Soul
Society and me?”
“Alanna, listen to me carefully. I don't have much time,” AJ replied. Alanna knew it had to be serious for
AJ to call her by her real name. She nodded for AJ to continue.
“Alanna, I was sent to another dimension, to a world called Heru. My mission was to check out the
place, see if there was any threat to Soul Society and the living world, and make note of any army. The
shinigami Tita that went with me turned out to be a spy. I was captured as soon as I got to Heru and
tortured. The world here is controlled by a powerful sorceress named Shi. The head of her army is a
brutal man named Abaddon. He carries a giant axe and is a master at torture. They are ruthless and
dangerous. Alanna, you have to pass this information onto the captains. I'm dying, Alanna. When you
wake up, I will be dead. Please, give Joe my love. Tell him to remain strong.”
“No, this can't be. AJ, you can't die, please,” Alanna said, tears streaming down her face.
“I'm sorry, Alanna. It is the truth. I have been brutally tortured. Soon, Shi will come and end my life. I
needed to give the information to someone. Your mind was the most open one, seeing as you are
injured and still recovering. Alanna, please take care of yourself and watch over Ogi.” AJ fell silent for a
moment then said softly, “Shi is here. My time has come to die. I'm sorry, Alanna, for giving you this
burden.”
Suddenly AJ vanished completely. Alanna began to cry. “No.... AJ..... This can't be real....”
Alanna sat up in bed screaming. “NO!!!”
Nono and Ogihci were sitting at the nurse's desk talking quietly when they heard Alanna screamed.
Instantly they ran to her bedside to find Alanna crying, her bandages bloody. Ogihci helped Alanna to lie
back down as Nono ran to grab supplies.
“Lolo, what's wrong? Are you hurting?” Ogihci asked, stroking her hair and trying to wipe away her
tears.
Alanna shook her head, crying harder, unable to speak. She didn't want to believe her dream, but
somehow she knew it was real. She wanted to hold onto Ogihci. She lifted her arms wide.
“Let Nono check your wounds first, Lolo. I'll hold you after,” Ogihci replied, understanding in his eyes.
Nono came running, pushing a cart holding various items. She stopped at Alanna's bedside and began to
cut the bloody dressings away. Her face was lined with worry. “Lolo, don't worry. We'll have you fixed
up and resting in a few.” As she pulled the dressings off, Nono stopped, shock on her face. “What in the
world...”
Ogihci looked at Nono and down at Alanna's wounds, only to notice that there was no fresh blood on
either her body or the underside of the dressings. “How is that possible?” He looked at Alanna's face
and saw that she was staring out at nothing, crying. “Lolo, what's wrong? Why is the blood on the
bandages? What's going on?”
Alanna didn't look at them but answered, “AJ… is dead.”

********
Shi looked at the remains of the shinigami. When the woman had refused to answer her questions, she
allowed Abaddon to have fun torturing her. Even with Abaddon's horrifying techniques, ones that Shi
found delightful, the woman refused to answer Shi's questions. Shi finally had enough and stabbed her
through the heart and released the spell that kept the shinigami alive.
“Damn wench. Defying me the entire time. That is something that ticks me off,” Shi said, anger in her
eyes. A slave entered the room to clean it, but he quickly came face to face with Shi's black energy ball,
killing him.
Abaddon cleaned his axe and hung it from his back. “She was stubborn. What should I do with the body,
Empress?”
Shi thought a few moments and then began to smile. “Put it into a box and send it back to Soul Society.
Let her body be a warning to those arrogant fools who think that they could stop me.”
Abaddon bowed his head slightly. “Do you wish for Tita to take the box back?”
“No. Kill him and stuff him into the box as well. We don't want them to think that he was a spy,” Shi
replied with a smirk.
Abaddon smirked. “As you wish, Empress.” He left to make preparations and to kill Tita. Shi watched him
leave, delighted that they would make the best of the situation.
 Chapter 10

The day after Alanna awoke and spoke the fateful words, a box appeared on the steps of the infirmary.
The box was the size of a coffin and inside was two bodies, AJ and Tita. Nono had found the box on her
way to get a captain to come and see Alanna. Her scream woke everyone in the Gotei 13.
Joe was hit the hardest. He cried at his sister's side for hours, not wanting to leave her side. It took the
4th division captain to knock him out to remove Joe away from AJ's body so that they could prepare it
for burial. Joe was placed in a bed with orders to keep him sedated for at least one day.
Alanna was questioned extensively about her dream. She explained the dream at least four times to
various captains. By the time she had finished, she was exhausted and soon passed out. Nono had then
given her extra pain medicine and changed her bandages again, tears in her eyes.
Ogihci sat at Alanna's bedside, refusing to leave no matter what. The previous night's activities had left
him fearful of what could happen next. It wasn't long before he fell asleep, holding Alanna's hand.

********
Two days passed in Soul Society. The sky was clear and blue with very few clouds. The weather was
perfect and cheery, yet no one felt it. Throughout the entire Soul Society was a dark cloud of mourning.
Everyone walked with their heads slightly bent; their eyes dull with pain and sadness. Joe was worse
than all. He sat in the park, staring at nothing, refusing to eat or drink since he was released from the
infirmary. Anna and Christoph were there as well, sitting silently with him.
Alanna sat in the infirmary bed. She had eaten very little since that night and her wounds were slow to
heal. She stared at her hands wondering if there was something she could have done to save AJ. Her
dressings were fresh, and she had a clean robe on. Today was the day of AJ's funeral.
Ogihci walked into the infirmary and up to the nurse's desk. There, he grabbed a wheelchair and pushed
it to Alanna's bed. He saw that she had barely touched her food again. He looked at her with worry in his
eyes. “Lolo, you should eat.”
Alanna looked up at Ogihci. “I’m not very hungry, Ogi. I’m sorry....”
Ogihci sat down on the bed and took her hand. “Don’t be sorry, love. It’s been hard on everyone. Joe
hasn’t eaten either. I’m just worried. Your healing is taking longer than it should.”
Alanna nodded. “I know, dear. I’ll try to eat more later okay. It’s just.... with what happened to AJ, I’m
worried about my brother. He’s been gone on a mission for a long time...” She trailed off, not wanting to
finish her sentence.
Ogihci squeezed her hand. “I’m sure he’s fine, and I’m sure he will be back today. I heard that they are
calling all shinigami back from their missions to attend the funeral and for debriefing.”
“I hope so. I haven’t seen Kyo in a long time,” Alanna replied.
“Don’t worry. Right now you need to focus on getting better.” Ogihci stood and lift Alanna out of the
bed and set her into the wheelchair. “Let’s head to the funeral.” With that he pushed the wheelchair out
of the infirmary.

********
It had been months since he had been back to Soul Society. His mission had been a dangerous one, and
he had been forced to stay away while he gathered what he needed. Standing outside the wall that lead
to his home, Kyo took a few moments to drink it all in. At 5'11” he had a medium build and shoulder
length black hair that was tied into a thin tail at the neck. His cold, dark brown eyes took in everything
around him.
With a determined pace, Kyo walked into Seireitei and toward the funeral. It still shocked him to find out
about AJ's death. He always thought that nothing could stop her. He also found out that his sister was
injured. He needed to see her as well. He was worried about Alanna. But first was the funeral and then
the debriefing.
Kyo saw other shinigami making their way toward AJ's funeral. Everyone respected AJ. She was one of
the best healers in the Fourth. There were many occasions that AJ healed him after spars. They became
good friends sharing the same sarcastic nature.
He sighed and walked down the path. No one acknowledged his presence, seeing as all were in their
own private memories. Kyo didn't hold it against them. It was a tragic loss for everyone. He saw Jessy,
Lori, and Romi walking together, arms around one another and tears falling. He didn't go to them
though. They needed time to heal in their own way.
Kyo saw the infirmary coming into view and two people coming out, one in a wheelchair. He instantly
recognized them. Ogihci was pushing his sister Alanna in the wheelchair. He didn't like seeing Alanna like
this; pale, gaunt and sad. He was used to her being healthy, happy and loving. He walked toward them a
little faster.
Ogihci saw him first. “Kyo, it's good to see you back, though I wish the circumstances were different.
Lolo, see I was right.”
Alanna looked up and saw Kyo. “Little brother, I'm glad you're back at last.” Tears filled her eyes and she
tried to stand but found two hands on her shoulders.
“Oneechan, you should rest. You look like death warmed over,” Kyo replied with a slight smirk. He
wanted to see her smile.
Alanna did smile, but it was full of sadness. “Kyo, I've been so worried about you, especially after what
happened.” She looked at him. “Please tell me that you're back to stay.”
“You're stuck with me for now until the situation changes. You should feel lucky to be in the presence of
my charm and good looks,” Kyo replied with a larger smirk.
Alanna giggled and Ogihci smiled. “That's the first laugh I've heard from her in five days,” Ogihci said.
“It's good to hear it again.”
Kyo nodded. “Yeah, it is. Now we have to work on getting her fattened up and tanned.”
“You make it sound like you're cooking a turkey,” Alanna said with a smile.
“Well....” Kyo trailed off with a smirk. The three of them shared a laugh, shinigami staring at them like
they were crazy.
Alanna's laugh fell away as the day came crashing back down around her. She looked down at her hands.
“I remember the one time that AJ gave you that pink pill...”
“Yeah... She said it was a pain pill, but it actually turned my skin pink for 3 days,” Kyo finished. The smile
vanished from his and Ogihci's faces. “I'm going to miss her. I still can't believe she's gone.”
“None of us can. She was a great friend to us all,” Ogihci added quietly. “She's left her mark on us all.”
They were quiet for a moment before Kyo turned. “Let’s join everyone else and pay our respects,” he
said. Alanna and Ogihci nodded and the three of them headed toward the funeral of their dear friend.

********
On Heru, Shi sat watching the funeral through her orb with a smile on her face. The shinigami were all
grieving over the loss of one of their own. She didn't know if they knew the who, how, or why of the
female shinigami's death, but Shi couldn’t care less. She was taking delight in the misery she could feel
coming from them.
Abaddon came into the throne room and saw her looking into her orb. He knelt before her and waited.
He too could feel the misery that Soul Society was feeling. To him, it was like a drug.
“Abaddon, you feel it too, don't you? The misery and pain they feel. Such a delightful feeling,” Shi said,
an evil smirk on her face.
Abaddon stood. “Yes, Empress Shi. It makes my whole body feel alive with excitement.”
“Yes, mine too. Now, for the next step. Zouo, come forward,” Shi called out.
Zouo materialized and walked up to Shi's side. “Yes, Mother?”
“How go your preparations, Zouo?”
Zouo smiled. “They are ready when you are ready to give the order, Mother.”
“Good, and the second part?”
“It knows the plan and what to do. It also knows the consequences of its failure,” Zouo replied.
Abaddon looked between the two women, curious as to what they were talking about. “Forgive me,
Empress Shi, but I am not following what is going on here.”
Shi and Zouo smiled. “Just a plan to take care of two troublesome shinigami. But there is something I
want you to do for me. Punishment must be delivered to the one who caused me trouble to begin with,”
Shi said.
“Tell me who and it is good as done,” Abaddon replied.
“Anna the vampire mistress.”
Abaddon smiled. “As you wish. When do you want this to happen?”
“Tomorrow, after they have returned to the living world,” Shi answered. “Allow them time to grieve.
Tomorrow, the vampires will mourn the loss of their leader.”

********

Kyo sat toward the top of a tree in the park, looking out over the area but not seeing anything. He
thought back to the day's events. The funeral was packed with people paying their last respects.
Afterward he spent 3 hours in debriefing before he was told that all missions were canceled until further
notice.
Kyo sighed. Things were not looking good at the moment. AJ was dead. From Alanna's dream, this Shi
character was behind it and wanting to kill others. From his mission, an army was gathering on the plain
between worlds.
“Hey, Kyo. What are you doing up there?” A man's voice called up to him. Kyo looked down and saw MB
standing there.
“I ran out of toilet paper so I came up here looking for the perfect leaf to wipe my ass,” Kyo replied.
MB laughed. “Funny, Kyo, very funny. I'm surprised you aren't at the infirmary visiting Lolo,” MB
shouted.
Kyo jumped down and landed next to MB. “I wanted to clear my mind before I went to see her,” Kyo
waved his hand in front of his face. “And now you stink up the air. Man, MB, could you do that
elsewhere?”
MB turned beet red. “Hey, sorry man. It was the bean burritos I had for dinner.”
Kyo laughed and sat down. “What brings you out here, MB? I thought you would be with Joe and the
others?”
“Well, everyone went to the infirmary to visit Lolo, except for Jessy, Romi, and Lori. They went to the
hot springs to talk,” MB replied. “Lolo asked me to see where you were and to see if you would come
and visit her. She's been missing you a lot since you left for the mission.”
“I'll visit her in a few. I just got out of debriefing and wanted time to myself. I'm sure that everyone will
be asking me tons of questions,” Kyo replied.
Suddenly Romi and Lori were rushing toward the infirmary carrying a very pale and unresponsive Jessy.
Kyo and MB stood and ran with them. “What happened to Jessy?” MB asked.
“Purple people drowned her in the hot springs,” Romi answered.
“Okay what really happened?” Kyo asked.
Lori looked at Kyo. “We're serious. Purple people appeared out of nowhere and drowned Jessy. She's
not breathing.”
 Chapter 11

Kyo and MB entered the infirmary, carrying Jessy. They had taken her from Romi and Lori when it
seemed like the two were going to drop her out of frustration. They quickly put Jessy onto a bed. Kyo
looked at Nono. “We need assistance now.”

Nono ran to Jessy's bedside. “What happened?”

Romi stood at the foot of the bed. “Purple people came into the hot springs and drowned her.”
Nono put a hand on Jessy and used her reiatsu to assess her. “Oh no, she's not breathing and has no
heart beat.” She looked at Alanna. “I don't know what to do. Help!”
Alanna nodded and slowly got out of bed with Ogihci's assistance. Inside she was freaking out but on the
outside she kept a calm expression. Slowly she got herself completely under control. Jessy needed her.
“Turn her onto her left side.”
Kyo and MB did as Alanna say, holding Jessy in place. Ogihci supported Alanna as she opened Jessy's
mouth and placed one hand just in front of it. Alanna then put a hand on Jessy's chest. She summoned
her reiatsu and sent it into Jessy, pushing the water out of her lungs while the other hand pulled the
water out and onto the bed and floor. Once all the water was out, Alanna looked at them, swaying. “Lay
her on her back.”
At that time, two shinigami came into the infirmary. Both were vampire. One was a woman with wavy
black hair that flowed down her back to just below her butt and had red streaks throughout. Her bright
red eyes fell upon the scene and were filled with panic. Her name was Nikki, and she was another of
Alanna's sisters.
The man with her had long straight black hair that went to just below his shoulder blades, and it held
red tints. His eyes were the color of an endless deep blue sea and were filled concern. His name was
Xemorus though everyone called him Xemo. He and Nikki use to date, but now we just good friends. He
placed a comforting hand on Nikki's shoulder asked, “What happened?”
Alanna glanced at them before returning her attention to Jessy. “Jessy was drowned in the hot springs
by a hostile force. Right now, she isn't breathing nor is her heart beating.”
“You've got to do something!” Nikki screamed in panic. She couldn't lose her sister.
Alanna placed both hands on Jessy's chest. “Don't worry. I won't let her die.” She began to summon her
reiatsu but knew that it wasn't going to be enough. “Ogi, ototochan, MB. I need your help. I need you to
send some reiatsu into me when I tell you.”
The three men nodded and placed a hand on Alanna. They then began to gather reiatsu as well. Ogihci
looked at Alanna with worry on his face. “Lolo, do you think you should do this?”
“I have too. I'm not losing my sister,” Alanna replied. She looked at Nono. “I need you to get ready to
take over care of Jessy once I'm done. She'll need an IV for fluids.”
“Okay, Lolo. Anything else?” Nono asked.
“Not sure. Just use your best judgment,” Alanna replied. She looked down at Jessy and felt that the
three guys had gathered enough reiatsu. “Now! Send it now!” Instantly the three reiatsu hit her, and she
channeled them through her and to her hands. She combined them with her own and then slammed it
into Jessy like an electrical charge. Suddenly Jessy gasped and began to breath, though it was shallow
and her heart rate was slow.
Alanna glanced over at Nono. “Take... over....” She trailed off as she passed out, collapsing into Ogihci's
arms.
Nikki looked at Alanna. “She did it.”

********

Shi watched the scene through her orb, grinning evilly. The first step was done. She looked at her
daughter. “Zouo, did it work?”
“Yes, Mother. Her soul has been linked to the victim. Soon they will be pulled into the abyss for the next
part to start.”
“Excellent. Things are falling into place. Abaddon should be in position to kill Anna. I think then we will
have no trouble taking over and spreading darkness.”
Zouo smiled. “Mother, how much longer before we can attack?”
“Well, that depends on how well this plan works. Hopefully within a month's time,” Shi replied.
“Abaddon has told me that the troops will be ready by that time.”
“Abaddon is much more efficient than the other one,” Zouo said, refusing to speak the name, “and
much more destructive.”
“Yes, he is. Now, Zouo, go and check on the troops. Instill fear into them if need be.” Shi focused her
attention on her orb.
“As you wish, Mother,” Zouo bowed and disappeared.

********

Anna and Christoph arrived home and walked into the mansion. The moon was shrouded by clouds,
creating a darker night. Yet the two had no trouble seeing. Their eyes could see everything perfectly.
They held hands and entered the meeting room. They stopped when they saw a figure standing before
them.
“Welcome home and to your deaths,” the man said in a deep voice. There was no emotion in his words.
Christoph stood before Anna, pulling out a sword and preparing for battle. “Who are you? What makes
you think you could kill us so easily?”
The man unhooked a giant axe that was on his back. “My name is Abaddon, general of Empress Shi's
army and your executioner. No one has defeated me. You will not be the one to do so either.
Christoph spoke to Anna over his shoulder. “Get out now. Go to Soul Society, and let them know what is
going on.”
“No, I won't leave you. I can fight too,” Anna replied.
“It doesn't matter. You will both die tonight,” Abaddon said beginning to whirl his axe with ease. The
door and windows suddenly slammed shut. “I'm afraid no one's leaving.” Abaddon launched into his
attack without hesitation.

********

Ogihci lifted Alanna and carried her to her bed. Kyo followed concern on his face. “Will oneechan be
okay?” he asked.
Ogihci nodded. “Your sister is tough. Something like this won't be much of a problem for her normally.
I'm worried that she pushed herself while still recovering.” He laid Alanna on her bed and then brushed
her hair out of her face.
Kyo sat down and looked at his sister. “She always does that. She cares for others sometimes more than
her own health.”
Ogihci sat down opposite of Kyo and took hold of her hand. “Yeah, that's Lolo. It's what makes her so
special.”
Nono had finished getting an IV started on Jessy when she noticed her becoming paler and her vital
signs weak. “Something is wrong.”
Nikki, Lori, and Romi looked at Nono. “What's wrong?” Romi asked.
“Jessy... her vital signs are weakening, and she's pale,” Nono replied.
Xemo looked at Jessy. “You're right. She doesn't look so well.”
MB happened to look at Alanna and frowned. He looked back at Jessy and then again to Alanna. “I think
we have a major problem.”
Nono looked at MB. “What do you mean?”
MB pointed to Alanna. “Whatever is happening to Jessy is happening to Lolo as well.”

********

In Jessy's mind, she walked around the dark abyss, trying to find a way out. She had thought that she
had seen her sisters for a brief moment, but then they vanished. She sat down and sighed. “What's the
point? I'm totally lost. I give up. I'm just tired.”
At the same time Alanna found herself in a dark room. She could have sworn she heard Jessy. “Jessy?
Where are you? Jessy, I can't find you.” Alanna became fearful and sat down. “Where's everyone? Am...
Am I all alone?”

********

Abaddon brought his giant axe down at Christoph's shoulder only to be blocked by Christoph's sword.
Christoph pushed back and kicked Abaddon in the gut. Abaddon grunted a little and backhanded
Christoph, sending him back a few feet. Christoph slid to a stop and then launched himself into another
attack.
Anna stood poised and ready to attack. She watched the two men intently and waiting for when she
would be needed. In her hands were twin daggers with blades about 9 inches in length. She was skilled
fighter.
Abaddon blocked Christoph's attack but not before the sword sliced into Abaddon's arm. Abaddon
growled at the fact that Christoph drew first blood. He summoned his power and slammed it into
Christoph, sending the vampire into the far wall. “Lucky... but your luck just ran out.” Abaddon's face
changed, becoming extremely serious, death in his eyes.
Christoph hit the wall and slid to the floor. He slowly stood and lifted his sword. “Don't be so sure of
yourself. I'm just getting warmed up.” Christoph's eyes glowed red.
Anna watched as the two ran toward each other, weapons at ready. The clang of metal against metal
rang in her ears as time after time the two met each other. Anna gripped her daggers, ready for
anything.

********

In the infirmary, two sisters lay unconscious and seemingly connected to one another. Both were slowly
becoming pale and their vital signs were deteriorating. The others in the room were not sure what to do.
Ogihci stood. “I don't have much choice anymore.” He pulled down his hollow mask and began to feed
reiatsu to Jessy and Alanna. “I'm not sure how they will react to this, but their wounds should heal,
hopefully.”
Kyo looked at Nono. “What can I do to help?”
Nono turned to Kyo. “Be ready to take over with giving reiatsu to Lolo.” She looked at everyone in the
room. “All of you please be ready. Ogi can't do this forever. In the meantime, I'll see if I can find out
what's going on.”
Everyone nodded and split up, preparing to take over when Ogihci couldn't give any more reiatsu. After
about 20 minutes, Ogihci's mask broke. “Crap, I can't give any more. I'm tired.” He sat down in the chair
next to Alanna's bed and grabbed her hand. “Come on. You can get through this.”
 ********

In her mind, Alanna sat in the dark, looking around. “Where's Ogi? Did.... did he leave me too?” She
began to cry, holding her legs. She felt so alone.
Suddenly, Alanna noticed warmth begin to spread through the area and a light appeared. She heard
Ogihci's voice. She looked around but saw no one. “Ogi... where are you?”

********

In the infirmary, Alanna called out in her sleep. “Ogi... where... are... you....”
Ogihci heard her and brushed the hair away from her face. He leaned closer to her and whispered in her
ear. “Please come back to me, Lolo. I need you. I love you.”
Nono walked over to Jessy and assessed her. “Jessy isn't improving. Neither is Lolo. Could they be linked
somehow?”
Nikki was slowly pumping reiatsu into Alanna. “If they are linked, then if one dies....” Nikki trailed off not
wanting to finish her statement.
Xemo was pumping reiatsu into Jessy. “We have to find out what's causing this, or we won't be able to
help them.”
Suddenly three shinigami came into the infirmary. The first was Syira aka Soso. She had black eyes and
black hair that was pulled up into a bun with hair sticking out in a cute pattern. She wore rectangle
shaped glasses. The next was Rissa. She had slightly wavy brown hair that flowed in layers to her mid-
back and had brown eyes. The third person was Rin. She had brown hair and violet eyes. Her hair went
just pass her shoulders and was wavy.
Syira walked toward the group. “What in the world happened?”
Kyo stood and looked at the three newcomers. He paused a moment as his eyes fell upon Rin before he
spoke. “Well...” He began to tell them what happened.

********

The fight between Abaddon and Christoph was turning out to be a bloody one. Both of them were
bleeding heavily from various wounds. They fought with the desire that would rival that of the great
Zaraki Kenpachi. Blood lay in pools on the floor.
Anna watched the battle, fearful for Christoph but at the same time yearning to fight. Multiple times he
told her to remain out of the fight. She sighed, holding her daggers and ready to fight at a moment’s
notice.
Abaddon stood facing Christoph, breathing heavily. He hadn't had a tough opponent in a long time. He
was enjoying this fight greatly but knew he had to end it and fast. Shi would be getting disappointed by
now. He thought for a moment on how he could take out at least one of them for now when his eyes fell
on Anna. He smiled.
Abaddon chuckled. “You are a great fighter, but I only need to kill one person to make my mission a
success.”
Christoph was breathing heavily as well. “Stop talking and fight me, coward.”
Abaddon smirked and acted like her was going to attack when he suddenly turned toward Anna and
threw his giant axe at her. “Die for Empress Shi.”
Anna stared at the axe like a deer caught in headlights. She couldn't move. Am I going to die? Anna
thought. Suddenly, something blocked her view and the sound of the axe hitting flesh filled the room.
Anna felt arms around her. Blinking, Anna looked up and saw Christoph looking down at her.
“Anna... are you...okay....” Christoph asked, blood beginning to flow from his mouth.
Anna stared a few moments before she began to cry. “Christoph, why?”
“I couldn't....let you....get hurt....” he replied.
“Oh, how touching,” came Abaddon's voice. The next moment a wooden stake burst through
Christoph's chest. The next instant, his head was severed from his body, spraying blood everywhere.
Anna was in shock. This couldn't be. They were to live together forever. Now, Christoph was dead,
murdered in front of her eyes. “No..... no...... NO!!!” Anna screamed. She collapsed with Christoph's
body in her arms.
Abaddon pulled his axe from Christoph's body. “Don't worry. You will be joining him shortly.” He lifted
his giant axe to strike. “You should have never plotted against Empress Shi.”
Suddenly a burst of power hit Abaddon and sent him flying into the far wall. He slid to the floor, slightly
dazed. He watched as Anna stood up, her body glowing with a swirl of red and black energy. She slowly
turned toward Abaddon her head hung low and her daggers in her hand.
“You made the worst mistake,” Anna said her voice cold and filled with anger. “You think I'm such a
pushover. I'm not the head of this vampire clan for nothing. I'm going to put you through a world of
pain.” She lifted her head slowly to look at Abaddon, her red eyes glowing brightly.
Abaddon stood and was about to say something when Shi's voice came to him. Stop, Abaddon. Return
at once. He closed his eyes and replied, 'As you wish, Empress Shi.' Abaddon opened his eyes and looked
at Anna. “Well, I guess I have to cut this battle short. Business calls me elsewhere. Until we meet again.”
Abaddon bowed slightly and vanished.
Anna threw a dagger at him as he vanished. It missed and hit the wall. Frustrated, Anna screamed.
Abaddon appeared in the throne room and instantly knelt. “I have returned as ordered, Empress Shi.”
He stood and looked at her. “May I ask why I was called back from the mission?”
Shi looked at Abaddon. “Anna would have killed you without breaking a sweat that's why. You did your
job well, but I did not realize the power she holds.” Shi looked into her orb, watching Anna in her
meeting room. “Though she cannot defeat me, she would have killed you in an instant, especially in the
state she is in.”
Abaddon was shocked at Shi's statement. “Anna is stronger than me?”
Shi nodded. “She has been hiding it until now. If I had known, I would not have sent you. Now that you
have killed her husband, she will want revenge and will wait for you to appear again.” Shi looked at
Abaddon. “At this time, I cannot afford for you to be killed. For now, remain here, looking over the
troops. Go and get healed.”
Abaddon bowed. “As you wish, Empress Shi.” With that, he turned and left.
“Mother, what you said,” Zouo said, appearing next to her mother. “Are you sure Anna is stronger than
Abaddon?”
Shi looked at her daughter and nodded. “Yes, she is a lot stronger than Abaddon. In truth, Christoph was
a little stronger as well. Abaddon was lucky to have killed him.”
Zouo stared in open shock. “But, what does that mean for your plans?”
“Nothing,” Shi replied calmly. “I'm still stronger than Anna. My plans will continue on their current
course. Soon, I will have the two worlds under my control.

********

In her mind, Alanna heard Ogihci's voice coming from the light. It was full of his love for her. “He didn't
leave me,” she said with a smile. Alanna stood and looked at the light. “Ogi, help me. I'm scared.”
In the darkness a figure stood. It watched Alanna and then smirked. “For Empress Shi,” it said quietly as
it began to transform.

********

In her bed, Alanna called out in her sleep. “Ogi… help... me... I'm.... scared….”
Ogihci squeezed her hand. “I'm right here, Lolo. Come back to me.” His face was full of concern.
Rin looked at her father Xemo and her mother Nikki. She then looked at Alanna. “Mom, what's wrong
with Aunt Lolo?”
Nikki shrugged, worry in her face. “We're not sure. All we know is she and your Aunt Jessy are somehow
connected.”
Rissa, Jessy's daughter, walked to her mother's side. “Mom, please come back to us,” she said as she sat
down near her.
MB put a hand on Rissa's shoulder. “Don't worry. Jessy and Lolo will be okay.”
Romi and Lori sat and watched their sisters fight for their lives. Syira came up to them and sat down. “I
can't believe this is happening. It's too much of a coincidence to happen so close to AJ's funeral,” Syira
said.
Lori nodded. “I don't like this feeling I have. Nothing good will come of this. I just know it.”
“Lori, you shouldn't talk like that,” Romi said. “Jessy and Lolo are strong. They'll make it.”
“I know they will,” Lori replied. “Yet I can't shake this feeling that one of them will be changed forever.”

********

The figure finished transforming and looked exactly like Jessy. She smiled. “Time to put the plan into
action.”
The fake Jessy walked toward Alanna. “Hmm, hello. Are you lost here like me?” She looked at Alanna,
playing her part. “You look familiar. Do I know you? Who's Ogi?”
Alanna looked at the fake Jessy. “Jessy, it's me Lolo, your sister. Ogi is my boyfriend, remember?” She
grabbed her hand. “Come with me. The light is warmer.” She pointed at the light ahead of her. “If we go
that way, we can make it back.”
Suddenly Ogihci's voice came from the light. Alanna smiled. It was him leading her back. She called back.
“I have to save Jessy too.”
The fake Jessy smiled inwardly. ‘Time to act my best.’ She stared at Alanna confused. “My sister? But I
have no family. Let go.” She pulled her hand from Alanna's grasp. “I do not know the light. I stay in the
darkness. I have no idea who you are. GO AWAY!”
Alanna became scared. “Jessy, please, you have to trust me. You have to come with me.”
The fake Jessy laughed inside. ‘Sucker.’ She clutched her head. “What... what's going on?” She closed her
eyes briefly and then opened them, looking at Alanna. “Lolo, I'm scared.” She hugged Alanna.
Alanna hugged the fake Jessy back. “Jessy, I'm scared too. The light... It's the only way for us to get
back.” She looked toward the light. “Come with me, please.”
“But I don't see a light, Lolo. Where is the light?” the fake Jessy asked. She began the cry. “Where are
we? What is this place? Why do I only have the urge to sit and let the darkness swallow me? Lolo, we
need to get out of here, but how much longer can we stay here before the darkness consumes us both.”
The fake Jessy felt the real Jessy coming toward them. ‘Time to kick it up a notch.’ “Lolo, something is
here. We need to get out of here.”
Alanna grabbed Jessy's hand. “Trust me. I know the way now. Come on, little sister. Let's go home.”
With that they began to run toward the light ahead.

********
Ogihci looked at Alanna. “Please, come back to me. I need you.” His face was full of worry.
Kyo placed a hand on Ogihci's shoulder. “If there's one thing I know, it's that Oneechan is strong. She'll
come back.”
Ogihci nodded. “I know. Lolo is in many ways the strongest person I know. Her capacity to love everyone
gives her a great strength.”
Xemo sat down as MB took over pumping reiatsu into Jessy. “Lolo and Jessy are both strong. And they'll
come out of this stronger,” Xemo said.
MB laughed. “I can hear Jessy now, spinning tales about this incident to make it bigger each time.”
Everyone laughed. Lori smiled. “And Lolo will be like 'I didn't do anything. I just healed'. And then she'll
say that she's too weak.”
Nikki smiled as she sat down and Nono took over pumping reiatsu into Alanna. “Yep, that's our big sis.
Always making out like she's so weak when she could make us all run with that one look.”
“Oh, you mean this one?” Romi asked, mimicking Alanna's mad face.
Ogihci laughed. “I haven't seen that yet.”
“Be glad,” Kyo replied in a light-hearted tone. “It's scary.”

********

As they were running, the fake Jessy continued her act. “Sis, there isn't a light there. Are you blind? Why
are we running?” The fake Jessy could feel the real Jessy behind them. “AHHH! Never mind! Run!” The
fake Jessy started to feel the warmth and finally see the light. Inwardly she smiled. “Lolo, come on.”
Alanna ran with Jessy into the light, but at the last minute, she felt something grab her arm and bite.
“AHHH! LET GO!!” She pulled her arm away, blood flowing from the wounds on her arm. She ran into
the light.

********

In the infirmary, Jessy suddenly gasped and opened her eyes. She began to look around and then into
the light. Unfortunately, Alanna did not wake up. On her left arm, wounds suddenly appeared and began
to bleed profusely.
MB noticed that Jessy was awake. He stopped pumping reiatsu and smiled. “I'm happy to see you
awake, Jessy.” Everyone sighed in relief when they heard MB's words.
Jessy continued to look into the light. “Happy? Why are you happy? What happened? Did something
happen? Why is everyone looking at me like that?” She closed her eyes.
Nono walked to Jessy's bed and covered her with a blanket. “You were attacked by purple people and
drowned in the hot springs. Lolo saved your life.”
Kyo looked at Alanna. “Why hasn't Oneechan awakened?” He noticed the wounds on her left arm.
“Nono, Oneechan has wounds on her left arm that weren't there before.”
Nono walked over and looked at the wounds. She cleaned them and then healed the wounds. “How in
the world did this happen?”
Suddenly, the room filled with an evil laughter.
 Chapter 12
Abaddon sat in his room, holding a dagger and staring at it. He was still in shock to learn that Anna was
stronger, way stronger than him. If anyone other than Empress Shi told him that, he would have
discounted them as being foolish or even idiotic to believe such a notion. Yet, if Shi told you something,
it was the truth, often the brutal truth that rocked your very soul. And that was what happened tonight.
He now sat in his room, healing from the battle and wondering if he was truly fit to lead the army.
He held the dagger up to the pale candle light that was over his bed. A faint red twinkle flashed off the
ruby that graced the end of the silver hilt. The silver hilt was rather plain despite the ruby on the end.
What interested Abaddon and held his attention was the blade of the dagger itself. It was 8 inches in
length and silver like the hilt. Engraved on the blade was numerous runes surrounding on one side a
dragon and on the other a tiger. The engravings were blood red in color, as if blood was used to mark
the blade.
Abaddon thought back to the day he had obtained this unique dagger. He had been in a rundown tavern
outside the capital, looking for someone to fight. He had been extremely ticked off that his lowly brother
Zetsubou had been given the position that he had been training for all of his life. He wasn't made at Shi.
He was mad that his brother stole what he was after. Zetsubou always did that to him. He sat at a table
in a darken corner, watching everyone with a hawk-like gaze. It was then that he noticed his prey.
The man sat at the bar, separate from the rest of the patrons. In his hand was a cracked mug of pale ale.
The man was bald and had a black goatee that was braided and at the end held a spike. Abaddon could
see that within the braid of the goatee were what appeared to be metal thorns. Abaddon smiled at the
man's ingenious use of his facial hair to inflict more damage on his opponent. On the left side of the
man's face was a long scar that ran from the corner of his left eye to his jaw line. His clothing consisted
of a plain gray cloth shirt and matching pants covered with leather armor that was secured with straps.
His boots were black as coal.
As he watched the man, Abaddon saw the dagger for the first time. The glint of light off the ruby caught
his attention, and he began to plan on how he would obtain such a valued piece of equipment. He also
noticed that no one save the bartender dared approach the man. Abaddon smirked. He would dare it and
win. Standing, he walked toward the man at the bar and sat down.
The man looked at Abaddon. “What do you want?” he asked, before returning to his drink.
“I saw your dagger there and wanted to learn more about it,” Abaddon replied. “It's an interesting
weapon. I've never seen a solid silver dagger before.”
The man fixed Abaddon with a hard, cold glare. “You best be movin' along, son. This dagger isn't meant
for the likes of you.”
Abaddon resisted pounding the idiot for his reply but just barely. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the
man. “Is there a story behind the dagger? I'm really into stories.” It was the biggest lie he ever told. Truth
be told he hated stories. It drove him crazy to hear others talk about the latest story.
“No. Now leave before I kick your arse out.” The man took a long drink of his beer.
Again, Abaddon restrained himself but just barely. “Sir, I assure you that...”
“What part of no do you not understand?” the man asked, interrupting Abaddon. “I said no, and I meant
no. Now leave or you'll regret it.”
Abaddon was to the breaking point. He knew that he didn't have much more restraint before he killed
the man in an instant. Instead, he stood and bowed slightly. “Very well. May you die as you have lived,
with a sword in your hands.” With that, Abaddon left the tavern.
Several hours passed before the man left the bar. He waved to someone good night and then walked
toward his home. Abaddon smirked. The man was going to play right into his trap. Silently, Abaddon
stalked his prey, observing the surroundings and waiting for his chance.
As the man began to walk pass a cemetery, Abaddon made his move. Taking the man completely by
surprise, it wasn't long before the man hang from a tree with multiple severe wounds. Abaddon held the
dagger in his hand, looking at the design. “You have no choice now. Tell me about this blade.” It wasn't a
question, but rather it was a demand.
The man looked at Abaddon. “If you were smart, you would drop the dagger now. It is cursed and will
bring you death.”
Abaddon laughed. “I'm not afraid of death.”
“When you meet your death at what comes for you, you will regret taking the dagger,” the man replied.
Abaddon unstrapped his giant axe and held it with one hand without effort. “You don't understand. Why
should I fear death when I bring it to all I meet? Last chance to tell me about the dagger, or else I will kill
you slowly and painfully.”
The man looked at Abaddon. “You're fate has been sealed, young one. There's nothing I can do for you
now.”
Abaddon's eyes flashed in anger. Without hesitation, he began to use his axe to dissect him into pieces,
blood flying everywhere as the axe spun in his grip. By the time he was done, the body looked as if it had
been sent through a grinder. With the dagger in his belt loop, Abaddon left, leaving the man's body for
the vultures circling overhead.
Abaddon returned to the present. He had spent years looking for answers. The history of the dagger
remained a mystery to him. The last hope he had was to talk with Empress Shi about the dagger. Yet, he
knew she was busy. Closing his eyes, he decided to let the matter rest until tomorrow.

********
The evil laughter filled the infirmary, making those present and awake turn their heads toward the
sound. Their eyes all fell upon Jessy, who was sitting up in the bed. Her eyes were as black as the
deepest hole on a moonless night.
“Drown, eh? What a pathetic shinigami,” came an eerie voice, “though the amount of reiatsu in her is
unbelievable. This power... is amazing. This is such a THRILL!” Jessy looked at Lolo as a great amount of
reiatsu is released. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. I think your sister was trying to keep you back there with her. Look how
she left your arm. How pathetic.” Jessy laughed evilly again. “Oh well, she's lost in my dimension now.
Only I can set her free, but as if I would.”
Nikki looked at Jessy and took a step back. “Jessy.... what's wrong with you?”
Nono tried to move back but fell to the ground. “Oh no. A hollow... A hollow got Jessy!”
Kyo, Nikki, and Xemo drew their zanpakutos. “What can we do without having to kill Jessy?” Nikki asked.
Jessy laughed even more. “You think that you pathetic shinigami can stop something that has been
pumped with so much reiatsu. The only one that can stop me is there, lying in the dark abyss. There's
nothing you can do to bring her back out. You might as well say bye to your friend because she'll never
return.”
Syira stood. “We need to restrain her. We can't be fighting in the infirmary.” She raised a hand. “Bakudo
# 61. Rikujokoro.” Six thin, wide beams of light hit Jessy in the abdomen, immobilizing her.
Nono stared at Jessy. She knew she couldn't overpower her, but she had to do something. She walked
up to Jessy and released all of her reiatsu. She then placed a hand on Jessy's forehead. She soon was
staring blankly.
“Great, Nono's out of it now.” Kyo looked at Nono and Jessy. “What are we going to do now?”
It was then that Alanna opened her eyes. She blinked and looked around, her eyes falling on Ogihci.
“What... what's going on?”

********

Shi watched what was happening in the infirmary with an evil smirk on her face. “This is going very well.
Soon the final act will begin.”
Zouo appeared before her mother. “Mother, there is news I wish to report.”
Shi looked at her with a mixture of anger and curiosity. “What is it? It better be important enough to
interrupt my fun.”
Zouo bowed. “I understand, Mother, but this is very important.” She looked at her mother, her face
serious. “There is a traitor amongst us. Several units of our troops have been wiped out, and equipment
has been destroyed.”
Shi's eyes flashed in anger. “Has the traitor been apprehended?”
“No, Mother. At this time, the traitor is still at large. Rumors are spreading about other troops on the
front lines being wiped out as well. At this time, our army has been decreased by ¼ its size.” Zouo's face
mirrored her mothers. “There are talks among the troops of possible desertion as well.”
Shi stood, shouting for one of the slaves to enter. A small brown haired girl entered the room carrying a
tray of food. Without hesitation, Shi hit the little girl with a massive orb of black energy. In a flash, the
girl was gone, not able to let out a scream of pain or terror. Shi turned to her daughter. “I want the
traitor found and brought to me. I will show the troops what happens when one tries to defy my will!”
Without a word, Zouo bowed and vanished.

********

Somehow Jessy managed to move on of her arms and grabbed Nono by the throat. “Trying to bring her
out, huh? Let me teach you a lesson.” She started to choke Nono but suddenly stopped and dropped
her. Jessy roared out in pain. “NO! You stay... in there... you weak shinigami...”
Ogihci looked at Alanna. “A hollow's possessed Jessy. Nono is doing something but I don't think its
working.”
Alanna looked over at Nono and Jessy. “I have to help…” She sat up, wincing in pain. “Ogi, help me to
Jessy... please….”
Nikki looked at Alanna. “Are you sure you're strong enough?”
As Ogi lifted Alanna up out of the bed, Alanna replied. “I have to be... I think I'm the only one... who can
help her...” As soon as she was close enough, Alanna placed a hand on Nono and Jessy. “I'm going... into
Jessy's mind... Please keep an eye... on me...” With that she closed her eyes and sent her reiatsu into
Nono and Jessy, connecting them. She then appeared in the dimension next to Nono. “I'm here... to
help.”
Nono looked at Alanna. “I'm not sure where Jessy is.”
As if to answer her, Jessy appeared. She hugged them both. “I'm so sorry, you two. I... I tried to stop it..”
She started to cry and then turned drawing her zanpakuto, facing the hollow. “Lolo, you've got to get us
out of here like NOW!!”
Alanna nodded. “Hold on.” She closed her eyes and focuses her reiatsu. A light surrounded them that
would lead them out of the dimension. “Jessy, Nono. I'll see you on the other side.” With that they
disappear from the dimension and return to their own bodies.
In Ogihci's arms, Alanna collapsed, breathing shallowly from the overuse of her reiatsu. She fell into a
deep sleep. Ogihci looked down at her and frowned. “You always push yourself too hard.” He carried her
to her bed and laid her down. Pulling the blanket up and over her, Ogihci tucked her in and then sat
down next to her.
Nono sat in a chair next to Jessy. “The hollow is back in the abyss. Now Jessy and Lolo can rest.”
Xemo nodded. “You did a good job, Nono and Syira. You did what was needed to give Lolo the chance to
bring Jessy back.”
Lori sighed. “Somehow, I have the strangest feeling that this isn't over with yet.”
Romi looked at Lori. “What are you talking about? Didn't we have this conversation before?”
Lori giggled. “Yeah, and I still have this feeling that Lolo's not going to be the same after she wakes up.
Don't ask me why. I just do.”
Kyo sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the bed from Ogihci. “Well, I know my sister. She's tough
and will be just fine.”
Ogihci smiled and nodded. “You've got that right, Kyo. And then she'll be chasing us with a water gun.”
Everyone in the infirmary save Jessy and Alanna began to laugh. It was a good feeling after all of the
drama.

********

Shi was sitting in the throne room, watching the events in the infirmary again. A small smile crossed her
face. “Good. The plan worked. Now to give the hollow time to bond fully with Alanna. No one in Soul
Society has the capacity to remove a hollow without killing the shinigami it’s attached to. Well, at least
not at this time.”
Shi used the orb to turn her focus on Abaddon. She found him asleep in his room, healing. She noticed
the strange dagger in his hands. “Hmm. Where did he get that wonderful little trinket? I must ask him
about that dagger the next time I see him.”
Shi then turned her attention on her army. It was true what Zouo told her. One-fourth of her army was
destroyed. Most of the equipment lay in ruins. Whispers of desertion flowed on the wind among the
troops. Shi growled in frustration and anger. She wanted the traitor found and soon. Shi already had
plans forming in her mind on what she would do.
********

In Soul Society, in the park near the infirmary two figures met. One was tall, about 6'6” and had the
frame built like a man. His features were hidden in the shadow. The other was shorter and wore a cloak
that hid all features.
The cloaked figure handed the man a package. “Here's what has been done so far to delay Empress Shi's
plans,” the figure said with a distorted voice. “Right now, Shi is very angry about what has been done. I
expect arrangements have been made for when the time comes for me to leave permanently.”
The man bowed his head. “As per the agreement all has been prepared. I thank you for what you have
done. Now, you know what we have asked. I look forward to meeting you again.”
The cloaked figure bowed. “As do I. I must return before I am missed. Remember the deal.” With that,
the figure vanished.
 Chapter 13

The next day, Joe was sitting in the park. He was slowly returning to his normal self, though the loss of
his sister AJ hung on his heart. He knew that in time the pain would lessen. He also knew that AJ
wouldn't want him to remain depressed. Joe could actually picture her yelling at him for being that way.
Taking a deep breath, Joe stretched. Today he had a simple assignment, show a new recruit of the 13th
Division around. Joe had been approached by the captain yesterday. He knew Joe was a good person
and easy to get along with. Joe accepted the job because it gave him something to take his mind off of
things.
Joe looked around the park, wondering what the guy would look like and when he would get there. As
he turned toward the main entrance, he noticed a young man with a confused look on his face. The guy
had short, khaki-colored hair and had a medium tan. His eyes were a mixture of sage and olive in color
and held a child-like quality to them. He wore the typical shinigami robes but also wore gloves that
disappeared up his sleeves. Joe was shocked to see that the guy's zanpakuto was in shikai. It hung from
the guy's right hip and had a blue hilt and twin blue blades.
After the initial shock of seeing the new guy, Joe stood and walked toward him, waving and smiling.
“Heya! My name's Joe, 2nd Division 5th seat and your personal tour guide for today. You are?”
The young man smiled and held out a hand to shake. “Hi. My name's Yondy Matagano, 13th Division
recruit. Everyone calls me Yondy. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
Joe shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Yondy. How are you liking your first day as a recruit?”
“Oh, it's wonderful. Everyone's being so nice. I can't wait to see what everything is like,” Yondy replied,
grinning from ear to ear.
“Good, but I must warn you. Once your first day is officially over, you'll likely to find yourself at the
receiving end of Jessy's pranks.” Joe laughed. “Not even her sisters are safe.”
Yondy laughed. “She seems likes someone I could get along well with. Who is Jessy anyway?”
“She's the vice captain of the 2nd Division.” Joe laughed. “Come on. Let's get started with the tour.”
Without a pause, he turned and led Yondy toward their first stop.

********

Alanna lay in bed, looking up at the dull ceiling. She could feel the pain medicine start to work. Nono had
left for the barracks earlier. She had pulled a 24-hour shift and needed rest. Alanna promised Nono that
she would send a hell butterfly should a patient arrive.
At that time, Ogihci came into the infirmary carrying a box of chocolate and a dozen red roses. He sat
them down on the bedside table then sat down in a chair, taking her hand. “Hey. How are you doing,
cutie?”
Alanna looked at Ogihci and smiled. “I'm tired... and sore... but better now that you are here.” She
looked at the roses and chocolate. “Are those for me?”
Ogihci chuckled. “Yeah, they're for you, Lolo. I thought they might cheer you up.”
Alanna blushed. “Thank you, Ogi. Your being here has helped a lot already.” She squeezed his hand.
“How are you feeling?”
Ogihci squeezed back. “I'm okay now. All recovered.” He looked into Alanna's eyes. “I'm glad the hollow
problem was taken care of.”
Alanna looked away and at her hands. “Yeah, but... if I hadn't woke up... we might have lost Jessy for
good.”
“I just don't understand what happened,” Ogihci replied. “And don't blame yourself.”
Alanna began to tell him everything that happened in her dream. She started to cry. “It's my fault. If I
had been paying closer attention... We almost lost her...”
Ogihci wiped the tears away. “Hey, it's not your fault. You saved her life.” Ogihci kissed her forehead.
“I just hope the hollow is gone completely. I don't know if it was left behind for sure yet,” Alanna replied
sadly.
Ogihci squeezed her hand. “I hope it's gone. She doesn't need to go through that kind of pain.”
Alanna nodded but kept silent. Something told her that it wasn't over. She squeezed Ogihci's hand and
sighed. She doubted things would ever be the same.

********

Rin walked the hallway at the 2nd Division. She was worried for her two aunts. Last night had been a
trying time for them and everyone. She was deep in her thoughts when she ran into someone and fell to
the ground.
“Umm… I'm sorry,” Rin said as she stood.
“You know, Rin, you should pay more attention,” came Rissa's voice.
Rin's eyes focused on her cousin. “Very funny, Rissa.” She giggled. “At least I didn't trip a captain when I
was drunk like someone.”
Rissa blushed. “Well... ummm...” She giggled nervously. “At least he landed in the sake pool. Of course,
afterward, I had to do his laundry for a week.”
Rin laughed harder. “You weren't complaining about it at all. In fact, I think you liked washing the
captain's undies.”
Rissa blushed and playfully smacked Rin. “You would mention those.” She laughed with Rin a few more
moments before falling quiet. Sighing, she looked at Rin. “Do you think my mom's okay?”
“Yeah, Lolo saved her. She'll be fine.” Rin glanced up at the ceiling. “I'm more worried about Lolo. She
was already in the infirmary, and now she's probably pushed herself to exhaustion.”
“You're right. She's always doing that,” Rissa replied. “I can't shake what Lori said either.”
“Me either. I think Lori's right. Lolo's not going to be the same,” Rin replied, her gaze falling to the floor.
“What are you two talking about?” came a female voice behind them. Rin and Rissa turned to see Romi
standing there.
“Mom and Lolo,” Rissa answered her face full of worry.
“I see. You two are worried as well,” Romi stated. She walked up to her nieces and gave them both a
hug. “Don't worry. They'll be fine. Those two don't know when to give up. So no more sad, worried faces
or I'll make sure to pie you both.”
Rin and Rissa laughed. “Oh no! The dreaded pie in the face move! What will we ever do?” Rin asked
sarcastically.
“I'm surprised that they haven't tried to make a pie zanpakuto,” Rissa added, giggling. “The bankai could
be a thousand pies hitting you in the face.”
Romi looked sad. “We tried it, yet....” She trailed off for a moment before the three started to laugh.

********

Abaddon opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. His sleep had been plagued with nightmares.
Normally such dreams were caused by him and brought him great delight. Yet now, he found himself
covered with a cold sweat. Sitting up, his gaze fell upon the dagger once more.
Your fate has been sealed, young one. There's nothing I can do for you now. The old man's words
haunted him now. Never in his life did he feel such dread at remembering those words. Abaddon
wondered if there was anything he could do to change his fate.
Sighing, Abaddon got up out of bed and went into his bathroom to prepare for the day ahead. His
wounds were completely healed though his body still ached. He washed off and then put on his outfit.
Picking up his giant axe and putting it on his back, Abaddon walked out of his room and toward the
throne room. He had a feeling that Shi wanted to talk with him. At his hip was the dagger, glinting in the
faint light.

********

“Wow! This place is huge!” Yondy exclaimed. His tour was ending at the 2nd Division Pizza Parlor. “And
you have pizza too! Awesome!”
Joe laughed. “Come inside, and I'll treat you to pizza and a coke.”
Yondy smiled and followed Joe. “How do you not get lost in this place?”
“You'll learn your way around quickly. Getting lost helps in that,” Joe replied, walking behind the
counter. “What kind of pizza would you like?”
Yondy thought a moment. “Sausage and pepperoni with extra cheese.”
Joe nodded. “Coming up. Sit down and relax.” With that, Joe disappeared into the kitchen.
Yondy sat down at a table near one of the windows. He watched as different shinigami went about their
daily business, unaware of Yondy looking at them. He wondered how many were seated members and if
they sparred a lot. He hoped that he would get the chance to fight hollows to prove himself. He didn't
realize how much time went by until Joe arrived with their food and drink.
“Dinner is served,” Joe said, trying to imitate a butler. He couldn't keep a straight face though. He
started laughing as he set the food and drink onto the table.
Yondy laughed. “Awesome.” He took his drink and a slice of pizza. “Joe, what's it like to fight a hollow?”
Joe swallowed a bite of his slice. “Well, it's like sparring only with a higher chance of death or your soul
getting eaten.”
Yondy swallowed his bite of pizza. “Interesting. I've heard it put so many different ways.”
Joe nodded. “Each shinigami has their own views on things. You'll quickly learn that not everything is as
cut and dry as it is at the Academy. You learn to find your own way of doing things within the rules of
the Gotei 13.”
Yondy nodded. He took another bite of pizza, thinking. “Is there a lot of exciting things going on?”
“Sometimes. It just depends. Sometimes it's quiet. Just don't go looking for trouble,” Joe replied, taking
a sip of his drink. “I'm sure trouble will rear its ugly head soon enough.”
“Is there something going on now?” Yondy asked.
Joe stared out the window. “A war is brewing.”

********

Zouo had finished punishing another soldier before his buddies. His body lay in parts, blood flowing
along the ground in little streams. Zouo wiped the blood splatters from her face and glared at the
soldiers before her.
“I hope you understand what will happen should you think about desertion and betraying my mother,”
she said, her tone icy. “We do not take kindly to such actions, especially when we have been so
generous to all of you.”
The soldiers' faces had a green tint to them. Several had turned away and emptied their stomachs upon
the dirt path. Fear was deep in their eyes and evidence in their shaky stances. They nodded in unison
and slowly made their way back toward the main army.
Zouo sighed. She was forced to do this because Abaddon was still asleep when she had left. She had
wanted to spend her morning discussing plans with her mother. Yet Shi sent her to make an example of
the now dead soldier. It was fun while it lasted though. She licked the blood of her left hand and then
turned, leaving the body for the vultures circling overhead.
A soldier came running up the path, his breathing strained. He stopped before Zouo, bowing lowly. He
took a few moments to try to catch his breath. Zouo looked at him in disgust. She didn't know how this
545 lb blubber ball made it into the army. She had to chalk it up to someone's stupidity.
“Mistress Zouo... the traitor... has struck again...” the soldier said between breaths. “Division 18 ... of the
archers... was wiped out....All weapons.... were destroyed...”
Zouo growled and lifted her hand. The next instant the soldier was screaming in agony as a large black
orb similar to her mother's consumed him. This was not her day. Zouo hoped that Abaddon was awake
to assist her now.

********
Jessy opened her eyes and looked around. She was once again in the infirmary, the one place she
feared. Well... it wasn't so much the place than what was in it. She hated needles. She wanted to stay as
far from them as possible.’
Carefully, Jessy sat up in bed and removed the IV in her arm. After a few moments, the bleeding
stopped. Jessy silently thanked her lycan abilities. She looked around to make sure no one would try to
stop her from leaving. Though she knew the 4th members would want her to stay, Jessy felt fine. Why
take up a needed bed when she was fine?
Jessy found her zanpakuto and placed it back at her hip. She took another look around and then headed
out of her room. Halfway up the hall, she caught a glimpse of someone heading her way. Quickly she
went into an empty room to hide. She waited as she watched a 4th recruit walk pass, carrying a bag of
trash.
Jessy stepped back out into the hall and right into MB. She blushed. “Ummm... hi there, MB my buddy.
How are you doing?”
MB stared at Jessy. “What do you think you are doing?”
“I'm leaving, that's what,” Jessy replied. “I'm perfectly fine and don't need to be here.”
“Oh? Well, after everything that you went through last night, I think you need to stay here,” MB
retorted. He grabbed Jessy's arm. “Come on, back to bed with you.”
Jessy jerked her arm away from MB's grasp. “You're not my boss. I'm leaving and that's final.” She
moved around MB and continued to walk.
“So you're going to make Lolo worry even more about you?” MB asked his voice just loud enough for
Jessy to hear. “You know how she is.”
Jessy stopped in the hall and hung her head. “I... I know.” Sighing she turned and headed back toward
her room. “You know, that's pretty low, even for you.”
“No, it's not. I care about you and Lolo. Right now, Lolo is worse off, and I know she wouldn't let herself
rest until she knew for sure that you were okay,” MB said, walking with Jessy. “Just wait long enough for
Nono or someone to come and discharge you properly.”
Jessy sighed. “Fine. But if they try to give me a shot, I'm going to hunt you down and give you ten.”
MB laughed. “Okay. That's a deal.”

********

Ambivalence walked down the path heading to the 8th Division and The Cherry Blossom and Sake
Lounge. His black hair moved gently with the faint breeze, the spiky top prominent. Most shinigami who
knew of him thought the captain of the 13th Division as cold and distant. Those who were his friends
knew differently.
Ambivalence's eyes searched the area as he entered the lounge. In the corner he saw the one that he
sought. Without a lot of sound, Ambivalence made his way to the corner and the subject of his
wandering. “Hello, Nikki. How are you today?”
Nikki looked up from her half full sake cup and smiled faintly. “Hey, Ambi. I'm okay I guess. How are
you? Better yet, what brings you to seek my company today?”
Ambivalence allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he heard a few nearby whispers and gasps at Nikki
calling him Ambi so openly. “Can't a friend come and enjoy a cup of sake with you? I'm fine, by the way.”
Nikki laughed slightly. “Yes, but normally it's not so early in the day.” She handed a cup to Ambivalence
and poured sake into it. “Then again, things have been strange lately.”
Ambivalence lifted the cup and drank it like it was water. Placing the cup on the table, his face became
serious once more. “Yes, it has. Tell me, what happened in the infirmary last night?”

********

Shi sat on her throne, looking into her orb. She growled softly as she scanned the devastated archery
unit. She wanted to find the traitor and torture that fool until they begged for death's sweet release. As
a slave entered the room, Shi casted her black orb at the unfortunate soul, sending him to the abyss.
“That traitor will pay! No one dares to interfere in my plans!” Shi shouted. Her body began to glow
black.
Abaddon walked into the throne room and paused, watching Shi with an unmasked fascination. He
knew Shi could kill him without a second thought. The knowledge didn't hinder him any. He was not
afraid to die. He longed for the one fight that would bring him closer to the eternal darkness. He decided
to chance his luck. “Empress Shi, I wish to know my orders.”
Shi's attention focused on Abaddon. For a brief moment, she contemplated sending him to the abyss as
well when her gaze fell upon the dagger at his hip. Shi forced herself to calm down before she spoke.
“Abaddon, it is a pleasure to see you up and healed. It seems that we have a traitor amongst us,
destroying my army and equipment. Zouo should be back shortly to report on what she has learned.”
Abaddon's face darkened. “Do you wish for me to find this traitor and dispose of them, Empress Shi?”
“No, not yet. I want to hear what Zouo has to say,” Shi replied, leaning back in her throne. “But I do
want to hear about the dagger that now resides at your hip.”
Abaddon looked down at the sheathed blade. “What do you wish to know?” The sense of dread crept up
his spine and lodged itself in his chest.
“Where did you acquire such a magnificent dagger?” Shi asked, desire to grasp the weapon clear upon
her face.
Abaddon could hear the old man's voice again, a silent reminder that his fate was sealed. “I took it off an
old man during my journeys several years ago. He refused to tell me anything about it though.”
“Interesting. I take it that you have had no luck finding information either,” Shi stated, clasping her
hands in her lap.
“That is correct. I have researched in my spare time since obtaining this dagger to no avail,” Abaddon
replied. “None of our weapon experts could tell me anything either.”
“That is problematic. To have a beautiful dagger and know nothing about it or its capabilities is quite...”
Shi searched for the word. “A disappointment. I was hoping to see what you could do with it.”
In the pit of stomach, the first real ball of fear began to form. Abaddon wished that he never brought
the dagger out of storage. “Forgive me, Empress Shi. I understand how you feel. Yet I am still carrying
out my research. I am determined to find out about the dagger.”
Shi smiled. “Good. I want to be informed as soon as you have recovered the information.”
“As you wish, Empress Shi,” Abaddon said, bowing slightly.
It was at that time that Zouo made her appearance. Her eyes fell upon the dagger at Abaddon's side for
a brief moment before turning toward her mother. “I'm ready to give my report, Mother.”
Abaddon wasn't completely sure, but he could have sworn that he saw something in Zouo's eyes that
brief moment. He could have sworn that he saw fear and recognition in her gaze.
 Chapter 14

Two weeks passed with some changes for the 4th Division. Two days after Alanna was released from the
infirmary, the captain disappeared suddenly. After searching his quarters, they found a note explaining
his sudden departure. The captain stated that he felt lost in a sea of turmoil and was taking a trip of self-
discovery. Everyone in the 4th was devastated, none more than his own daughter Nono. For the first
few days, Nono stood in the park under her favorite sakura tree as if waiting for her father to show. On
the third day, she too disappeared, a note similar to her father's was found in her room at the barracks.
Nono wasn’t the last of the shinigami disappearances. MB and Rissa felt the urge to leave and travel as
well. Both shinigami disappeared only a day apart from each other with notes left behind. MB stated
that he wanted to train with the armies of a country called the United States in the living world. Rissa
just said she needed to find herself.
The loss of her friends saddened Alanna greatly, especially Nono. Nono had been the first person to
welcome Alanna with opened arms. Alanna hoped that Nono would suddenly reappear, saying that it
was all a joke. After two days, Alanna gave up on that daydream.
The second week started off rough as well. Ogihci, Kyo, Yondy, and Joe went on a mission in the real
world. There had been reports of multiple hollows terrorizing several school kids. Unfortunately, one of
the hollows turned out to be an Arrancar. The four shinigami came back with multiple injuries.
At the time, Alanna was the only one in the infirmary and had healed all four. Surprisingly, she didn't
feel any drain until she finished healing Yondy. A few hours later, a few recruits found Alanna passed out
in the supply closet.
Today though was a special day. It was Alanna's birthday. She was told that she could not work in the
infirmary no matter what. So here she was, walking on one of the paths in the park, a little bored, a little
frustrated, and alone. Alanna was promoted to the 18th seat, and it was her birthday. Yet, no one was
around to celebrate.
“What a rough two weeks,” Alanna said aloud.
Well, it could be worse, baka.
Alanna stopped and looked around. “Hello? Anyone there?” She continued to look around, trying to find
the source of the voice but found no one. Sighing, she shook her head and continued to walk down the
path.

********
Anna walked toward the 13th Division headquarters, her face void of emotion. The last two weeks had
been filled with pain and anger. After burying Christoph, she began to train harder, increasing her
strength and power. She then enacted ancient magic that protected her home and clan from attack and
spies.
Today, she was visiting with one of the captains, Ambivalence. Anna had talked to him on several
occasions and felt that he was one of the few shinigami she could trust at the moment. It was time to
see if the other captain were not willing to listen to her.
Outside the headquarters, Anna saw a young man with khaki-colored hair and a strange zanpakuto. He
smiled at Anna, his child-like eyes twinkling in excitement. “You must be Anna. Ambivalence-taicho has
been waiting for you. I'm Yondy. How are you? It's a pleasure to meet you.”
Anna blinked a few times, shocked at Yondy's hyperness. She couldn't speak at first. After gathering her
thoughts once more, she smiled softly. “Nice to meet you, Yondy. I'm in a rush to see Ambivalence if
you don't mind.”
“Oh, no worries. Follow me. I'll take you to the taicho,” Yondy replied, grabbing her hand and dragging
her behind him as he began to speed toward Ambivalence's office.
As she was dragged, Anna shook her head. He was talking a hundred words a minute as he led the way.
By the time they got there, she had heard his entire history plus his recent hollow fights. She was having
a lot of difficulty to keep from screaming.
The moment they stopped, the office door opened, and Anna found herself grabbed by a pair of hands
and dragged inside. As the door slammed shut, she turned to face Ambivalence himself. He had a rather
annoyed look on his face. “I'm sorry about that. Several of my members decided to spike the kid's coffee
with some sort of stimulant. Unfortunately, that was three days ago and he's still going.”
Anna just stared in complete shock.

********

Ogihci was in the cafe helping everyone to decorate. They wanted today to be special for Alanna. First
off, it was her birthday. Second, she was finally seated. Ogihci had even talked to several of the 4th
members to make sure she wouldn't have to work today. She had been working too hard lately,
especially with two members now gone.
“Nikki, you're going to ruin the cake,” Jessy shouted, slapping Nikki on the back of the head. “Take that
thing away from the cake.”
Nikki rubbed the back of her head. “You know I'm going to get you for that, Jessy.” She picked up the ice
sculpture of a dragon and moved it to the other end of the table.
“Yeah, whatever,” Jessy replied, sticking her tongue out at Nikki.
Ogihci laughed and shook his head. Thankfully, the two sisters had agreed to keep the arguments to a
minimal. They wanted Alanna to feel special today, especially after everything that happened. Ogihci
finished hanging the banner. He got off the ladder and looked at everything with a smile.
Kyo came into the cafe, carrying several presents. He placed them on a table away from the food before
joining Ogihci. “Wow. It's looking really good. Oneechan is going to be so surprised.”
“I hope so. She deserves it and more,” Ogihci replied. “Plus there's something I want to ask her.” He
stuck a hand into his pocket.
Kyo smiled. “I think I know what you're going to ask. That will make her extremely happy.”
Ogihci smiled and nodded. “I know. I will be too. With everything that's happened, I just want to make
her happy.”
“Well, unless we can find her, we're all going to be unhappy,” Xemo said as he came up to the two. “No
one has seen Lolo all morning.”
A worried look crossed Ogihci's face. “I'll go look for her.”
“Would you like some help, Ogi?” Kyo asked concern clear on his face as well.
“No, I think you should stay here just in case,” Ogihci replied. “If she shows up here, don't let Lolo
leave.”
Kyo and Xemo nodded. Ogihci smiled and left, heading to the first place that came to mind, the park.

********

Abaddon walked along his troops with Bo and Ki in tow. Truthfully, he was rather annoyed at the two
being at his side constantly today. They were dressed head to toe in heavy armor, their features hidden.
The only way Abaddon could tell them apart was the two pieces of cloth that they wore around their left
arm. Bo's cloth was purple while Ki's was pink.
Sighing Abaddon inwardly kicked himself. ‘Great. I have two gay soldiers following me around, no doubt
having weird daydreams concerning me.’ Abaddon silently wished for them to be gone. It wasn't that he
was against their... desires. He just didn't need the distraction today.
“Ki, I told you. General Abaddon's skin tone is perfect for the color he wears. Red is perfect,” Bo stated
casually.
“True, but I still feel that pink would suit him better,” Ki replied. “It would lessen the death undertones
in his face only slightly.”
“But those death undertones are what make General Abaddon scary and at the same time sexy,” Bo
retorted.
Abaddon stopped and whirled around to face the two soldiers. “Would you two sissies stop trying to
find my perfect color and calling me sexy? That makes me want to puke. I have bigger fish to fry than
listen to you two talk.”
Bo and Ki looked at each other and then shrugged. “Sure thing, General Abaddon,” they said together.
Abaddon turned around and continued on his march through the army. For a few moments, he heard
nothing from the two soldiers walking behind him. He still couldn't believe that he was forced to deal
with them. After about 10 minutes of silences, Abaddon heard them whispering to one another.
“You ask him.”
“Oh no, you ask.”
“No, it's your turn.”
“What are you talking about? I asked the last time.”
Abaddon whirled around and grabbed them by the cloth. “What are you two talking about? I'm about
ready to use you both as practice.”
Bo looked at Ki and then back to Abaddon. He swallowed. “We were wondering.... Do you wear boxers
or briefs?”
Abaddon's face suddenly had a meeting with the ground.

********

Anna sat across from Ambivalence, thinking. The story he relayed to her was interesting. She began to
think of the prophecy and then began to frown. “Hmm. I believe that the prophecy is starting to play
itself out now.”
“What do you mean?” Ambivalence asked his face serious once more.
Anna gazed at the 13th Division captain. “I believe Shi has made a major error in our favor, though it still
remains to be seen,” Anna replied, clasping her hands before her. “Shi must have thought that giving
Alanna an inner hollow would work in her favor.”
Ambivalence's eyes grew wide. “Nani?? Lolo has an inner hollow?”
“It's hard to say for sure, Ambivalence,” Anna answered. “Only time will tell. But if Alanna does, Shi's
chances for success decreases drastically.”
Ambivalence leaned back into his chair, pondering what Anna told him. He didn't like the idea of Alanna
being forced to deal with something this drastic. He wished that Anna was wrong and that his 4th
Division friend would not have to deal with such hardship. Looking at Anna, he asked, “When do you
think will we know?”

********

Alanna sat underneath her favorite place in the park, the willow tree. She felt a little sad at the moment.
Neither Ogihci nor her family had shown up to wish her a happy birthday. She was starting to feel like
everyone forgot her and depression threatened to make it worse.
God, you are such a weak fool!
Alanna looked around, fear clear in her face. “Hello? Is someone there?” She found no one around and
just chalked it up to her emotions. Sighing, she looked up at the sky.
Ogihci made his way into the park and saw Alanna sitting under the willow tree. She looked so sad and
yet so beautiful to him. Smiling, he made his way over to her. He quietly sat down behind Alanna and
covered her eyes. “Guess who?” he asked.
Alanna smiled. “I would have to say, Ogi.”
Ogihci laughed and uncovered her eyes. “Correct as always. How are you, Lolo?”
“I'm okay, Ogi. Just....” Alanna sighed. “Never mind. How are you, dear?”
“I'm good,” Ogihci replied. He pulled out a small box and handed it to her. “Happy birthday, Lolo.”
Alanna took the box with a smile on her face. She opened it to reveal a beautiful silver dragon necklace.
“Oh, Ogi! It's beautiful. Thank you so much.”
Ogihci took the necklace and put it on Alanna. “You're welcome, Lolo. The only thing more beautiful
than the necklace is you.”
Alanna blushed and turned around, wrapping her arms around Ogihci. She kissed him. “I love you, Ogi.
You make me feel like a princess.”
“I love you too, Lolo. You deserve it and more,” Ogihci replied. “Would you like to go for a walk?”
“I would love to,” Alanna replied.
Ogihci grabbed Alanna, pulling her onto her feet. “Okay, let's go.” He took off in a random direction.
Alanna couldn't help but giggle. “What's the rush, Ogi?” She walked faster so she wasn't being dragged
behind Ogihci then squeezed his hand. “It's so nice here today.”
“Yeah, I know. It's beautiful here,” Ogihci replied.
Alanna stared at Ogihci a moment. “You look a little distracted. What's wrong?”
Ogihci shrugged. “I'm not sure. I feel like something is going to happen, something that's going to
change our lives.”
Alanna squeezed his hand again. “Whatever it is, you know I'll stand by you, no matter what.”
“I know,” Ogihci replied, stopping. “That's why I need to ask you something.”
Alanna stopped as well and turned toward him. “What is it, Ogi?”
“Well....” Ogihci reached into his robe as he went down onto one knee. He pulled out a black box and
opened it to reveal a silver ring with a flower shape design and diamonds. “Alanna, will you marry me?”
he asked, looking up and into her eyes.
Alanna began to cry. “Yes.... yes, Ogihci. I will marry you.”
 Chapter 15
Kyo walked back and forth at the cafe. He was beginning to worry about his sister and Ogihci. Ogihci had
left the cafe 30 minutes ago, and there was still no sign of either of them. Kyo walked from the present
table to where the large chocolate cake sat. He paused long enough to look at the decoration.
It was a large sheet cake with cream cheese icing. On the top, Lori had air-sprayed a black backdrop on
the top. She then drew a large white dragon whose wings spread wide in flight. The dragon's face looked
down upon an ancient village with care clear in its expression. One eye was icy blue in color, the other
was fire red. Lori stood on the other side of the table putting the finishing touches on the cake that
covered the two tables.
Lori looked up and smiled at Kyo. "Well, hello there, little brother. Why do you look like you can bolt
from here at any moment?"
Kyo glanced briefly up at Lori before he returned his gaze to the cake. "Oneechan and Ogi aren't back
yet. I'm worried."
"Well, I'm sure everything's fine. Maybe they're spending a little quiet time together," Lori suggested as
she put the last item on the cake, a candle shaped like a castle.
Kyo continued to stare at the cake. "Lori-neechan, where did you get the idea for the cake? It's beautiful
and seems familiar."
Lori smiled. "Lolo told me about a dream she had last week. She described it in detail to me and well..."
She spread her arms over the cake. "I used the dream to design the cake decoration."
Kyo stared at the dragon. "This dragon... It seems more caring than what I've seen in real world
drawings."
"That's because Lolo said she was," Lori replied. "The dragon in her dreams made Lolo feel safe and
loved, like a mother to a child."

********

The cloaked figure ran through the shadows, running late for the meeting. On the figure's back was a
bag, black and worn with age. The figure kept away from others, hiding its presence. It stopped only
briefly in the park to watch Ogihci propose to Alanna before continuing on.
Heading across the park, the figure saw the building that was being used to hold the meeting. The figure
moved without sound and stopped. A gloved hand lifted and rapped on the door. The figure waited.
"Enter," came a man's voice.
The cloaked figure opened the door and walked in like a wraith. "I'm sorry for the delay. It's getting
harder to find a way out without detection," came a distorted voice. "Empress Shi has stepped up
measures to capture me. I fear that the next time I come, it will be to remain until the war is over."
In a dark corner sat the man the figure always met. The shadows hid his features from view of any who
may be spying. "Your services have helped delay her attack. It is a great job that you have undertaken. I
understand how dangerous this is for you." He reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll. "This will
be the last assignment we have for you."
The figure took the scroll and opened it. After reading the scroll and committing it to memory, the figure
handed the scroll back. "Understood." The figure took the bag it had been carrying and handed it to the
man. "In the bag is the accumulation of information from Heru over the past 200 years. One of the items
is a detailed report you have asked for."
The man took the bag and looked at it in disbelief. "Is this a trick? There's no way you could contain 200
years worth of knowledge in this bag."
The figure chuckled. "That's where you are wrong. The bag is no ordinary bag. I have placed an
enchantment on it where inside is like an endless storage area. It can hold anything and everything you
can imagine." The figure motioned at the bag. "Go on. Take a look for yourself."
The man opened the bag and looked inside. A smile began to appear on his face. "Fascinating...."

********

Abaddon walked hurriedly down the hallway, a murderous look in his eyes. Behind him at a near jog was
the source of his anger. Bo and Ki were hardly speaking as they tried to keep up in the full armor. That
was the one thing that kept Abaddon from unleashing his wrath.
As the door to the throne room began to come into view, Abaddon slowed his approach. He finally
stopped and turned toward the two soldiers. "Look, you imbeciles. You are to stay out here and remain
silent. One word from either of you without permission, and I will personally make you an example of
both of you before the entire army. Nod if you understand."
Bo and Ki glanced at one another then back at Abaddon. They nodded in unison, metal clanging
together. Their heavy breathing could be heard in between the clanking. Both were smart enough to
know when not to test the general's patience.
Abaddon turned back toward the door and pushed it open easily. His eyes fell upon Shi in an instant. He
knelt briefly before standing. "Empress Shi, I have finished my inspection of the troops as ordered."
Shi looked up from her orb and smiled, though her eyes flashed with her own pent-up anger. "What
news do you have for me, Abaddon?"
"One soldier was used to set an example in regards to thoughts and speech concerning desertion.
Observation of equipment showed further sabotage by the traitor, though only at half of what it could
have been," Abaddon stated, looking directly at Shi. "Report of the traitor has been minimal."
Shi nodded as she contemplated the information. "The traitor must realize what we are doing. Keep up
with the current plans." Shi looked into her orb and cursed. "Damn this orb! Something is interfering
with my spying."
At that moment, Zouo walked into the throne room. "Greetings, Mother. Abaddon. I bring news from
our spies."
"Ahh, welcome back, Zouo. Go ahead with your report," Shi replied, irritation clear in her voice.
Zouo nodded. "Apparently, ancient magic spells have been enacted to counter any and all spying on our
part. The spies returned shortly after witnessing the rituals being performed. It seems that the vampire
Anna is the one who used the magic."
Shi began to growl in anger. "That wench has been a thorn in my side from the beginning. Now how am I
to know what's going on?"
It was at that moment that a slave entered the room. Not knowing the anger that was building in Shi,
the slave came baring food and drink for all. Shi sent a massive lightning strike at the poor soul this time,
causing the slave to explode into many bits and pieces. Afterward, Shi sat breathing heavily, wishing
another slave would dare enter her throne room.
Abaddon never saw that kind of attack from Shi before. It intrigued him and filled the pit of his stomach
with fear. "Empress Shi, why don't we send a special force to take care of the spells? At least to remove
the one in Soul Society."
Shi's icy glare fell upon Abaddon. "Explain," came her anger-filled replied.
Thinking of the two soldiers in the hallway, Abaddon smiled evilly. "Well, first there needs to be a
distraction."

********

It was evening, and the sun was fighting to spread its last bits of light upon the world. A lone figure
walked down the path toward the cafe where Alanna's birthday party was being held. In his hands was a
package wrapped in black and red paper. A few recruits quickly moved out of his way, fearful of what he
might do. The man just shook his head.
Janos Audron was the king of the Nosferatu in Soul Society. He wore the typical shinigami black robes.
His hair was short, going just pass his ears. It was black with silver highlights. His fingernails were longer
than most males yet shorter than most women in the Gotei 13.
Janos could understand why normal shinigami would be frightened by him. He had a constant dark aura
about him that gave others who didn't know him chills. Yet, his friends knew that he was easy going, a
huge flirt, and extremely protective of his love, Nikki.
Janos walked into the cafe and up to Nikki. "Hello, beautiful. How are things going?"
Nikki turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm good, Janos. I'm glad you could make
it. We're just waiting for the guest of honor to show."
Janos placed his free arm around Nikki's shoulders. "I'm sure Lolo will be here soon. I hope she loves the
gift."
"Well as long as it's not something sexual in nature," Nikki replied.
"Don't worry, Nikki. I still remember what she did the last time," Janos said, rubbing his head. "I had a
headache for three days after that."

********

Alanna walked hand-in-hand with Ogihci. She felt like she was floating on air. She didn't care that no one
remembered her birthday. Ogihci gave her the best gift ever.
God, you make me sick. Stop acting like a love-sick teenager, baka.
Alanna stopped dead in her tracks, jerking Ogihci to a stop as well. She began to look around, trying to
find the source of the voice. As much as she wanted to call out, Alanna kept quiet. She didn't want
Ogihci thinking she was nuts.
Ogihci looked back at Alanna the moment she halted their movement. “Lolo, are you okay? What's
wrong?”
Alanna's eyes fell upon Ogihci. “I thought I heard something in the trees, but I guess it was just the
wind.”
The worry was clear on his face as Ogihci moved closer. “Are you sure, Lolo? You know you can tell me
anything.”
Sighing, Alanna nodded. “I know, dear. I thought I heard someone speaking, but there's just the two of
us here.”
‘I don't like the sound of that, but there's no way….’ Ogihci knocked the thought away. “I guess it was
just the wind. Let's get something to eat at the cafe. I can hear your stomach growl a mile away.”
Alanna laughed. “Very funny, Ogi.” She smiled. “I am hungry. Let's go and get some cheesecake.” She
squeezed Ogihci's hand and continued their walk toward the cafe.

********

Anna sat in Ambivalence's office. “Unfortunately, there's no way of telling when the hollow will make its
presence known. It may take a long time for the hollow to appear.”
Ambivalence leaned back. “This could prove to be a problem if the hollow decides to make itself known
at the wrong time.”
“Yet, it tips the scales in our favor, especially if Alanna can defeat it and gain control over it,” Anna
retorted. “Shi made a fatal flaw, but of course, she didn't have the book of prophecy like I do.”
Ambivalence laughed. “It's a good thing you're on our side, Anna.” He stood. “Would you care to join me
and come to Lolo's birthday party?”
Anna stood with a smile. “I would be honored. I understand Janos may be there.”
“Your spies never seem t fail you, do they?” Ambivalence inquired.
“They are the best. What can I say.” Anna's face fell. “What are we going to do about Yondy?”
Ambivalence sighed. “I guess he'll have to come as well. Maybe it will give him a chance to release more
energy.” He opened the office door and moved back as Yondy fell to the floor snoring.
“Well, I guess that solves our problems,” Anna replied.

********

Shi stared at Abaddon. “Are you sure that will work? You know how I don't like failure.”
Abaddon nodded. “I am well aware of that, Empress Shi. We just need two distractions that will keep
them busy, two strong distractions.”
Zouo looked at Abaddon like he had his head and was now talking gibberish. “And where do we find
these two disposable distractions?”
Abaddon smiled and walked to the door, opening it. “Bo. Ki. In here now,” he barked.
In a crash of noise, the two soldiers walked into the room. Still covered head to toe in armor, the two
moved a little closer before kneeling. Neither spoke out of fear of being so close to Shi.
“These are the two you spoke of, Abaddon?” Shi asked with annoyance in her voice. “Surely you jest.”
“I do not joke, Empress Shi. These two will be perfect for the mission,” Abaddon replied. “They just
need a little... assistance from you.”
Zouo snorted. “A little? More like a massive amount of magic on my mother's part to make them
worthy.”
Shi was silent as she looked upon Bo and Ki. She knew what Abaddon was doing. She decided to test
them. “I don't know. It would cause them a lot of pain. Yet, if they survived that and the mission, they
would be honored as heroes.”
Bo lifted his head. “Empress, may I speak?”
Inwardly, Shi smiled. “You may, both of you.”
Bo didn't move his gaze from Shi. “Empress, I would endure any pain if it would mean that it would help
you to defeat the enemy. Please, Empress Shi, allow me to fight for you.”
Shi looked at the other soldier. “And what do you say?”
Ki lifted his head. “No pain would be too great to bare for you, Empress Shi. Please allow me to help as
well.”
Shi smiled. Looking at Abaddon, she saw the satisfaction in his face. “Very well.” Shi stood and lift her
hands. “I hope you can endure the pain.”
 ********

At the top of a willow tree near the cafe, a figure stood. Wrapped in a strange cloth, the only thing that
could be seen was his eyes. Pale silver in color, they scanned the area, capturing everything in their
hawk-like gaze. The figure watched as Ambivalence and Anna met up with Joe before the two entered
the cafe below.
He continued to scan the area as the small group vanished. Soon his piercing gaze caught movement on
the path ahead. The figure waited until two shinigami came into view. They were holding hands, smiling.
Neither Alanna nor Ogihci noticed the figure watching them.
The figure touched the side of his head and spoke into his ear piece that was hidden in the cloth. “The
pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. The scales await the outcome.” After removing his hand, he
jumped out of the tree silently and kept to the shadows as he moved closer to the cafe.
*********
Ogihci glanced at Alanna as they neared the cafe. She seemed to beam with love and joy. Smiling, he
squeezed her hand. “You look beautiful, Lolo.”
Alanna returned the smile and blushed. “Thanks, Ogi. You're quite handsome yourself.”
“Thank you.” Ogihci grabbed the door handle to the cafe and then paused. “What do you want to eat?”
“Oh, I don't know. Cheesecake for sure,” Alanna answered with a giggle.
Ogihci chuckled in response and opened the door. “After you, Lolo.”
“You're such a gentleman, Ogi. Thank you,” Alanna replied as she entered the cafe.
At first Alanna was confused. The cafe was completely dark. Searching the nearby wall, she finally found
the light switch and flipped it on. The next instant she nearly had a heart attack as suddenly all of her
friends and family shouted in unison.
“SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOLO!!”

********

Zouo stood behind her mother, leaning against the wall. She looked upon the end result of Shi's magic
wondering if it could work. Zouo glanced at Abaddon and saw a look of satisfaction. Her eyes fell briefly
upon the dagger at Abaddon's hip before looking at her mother.
“Do you really think this will work, Mother?” Zouo asked, curious to hear her mother's opinion.
Shi smirked. “Oh, yes. This will provide the distraction needed so that our top spies can remove the
magic spells. Now where to send them?”
Abaddon was silent as he contemplated. He smiled as he remembered something one of the spies told
him. “Empress Shi, I think I have the perfect place for Bo and Ki to have their fun.”
Shi smirked. “Oh? Do tell. I hope it's somewhere.... lively.”
 ********

Alanna stood speechless as her friends and family finished singing 'Happy Birthday'. Kyo was causing
people to giggle with his special 'YOU' in the right places. She never expected that they would throw
something like this for her. After the shock wore off, Alanna began to cry. “Thank you. Thank you all.
This has been the best day ever.”
Ogihci wrapped his arms around Alanna. “Why are you crying, Lolo?”
“Because I'm so happy.” Alanna beamed. “You proposed to me and now this.”
“You two are getting married?” Kyo asked as he walked up to them.
Ogihci nodded. “Yes, we are.” He was smiling ear to ear as he spoke.
“Congratulations!” Kyo shouted as he hugged them. “I'm so happy for you both. Oneechan, I can't wait
to see you in your wedding gown.”
Alanna smiled. “Thanks, ototochan. I can't wait either.”
As the news of Ogihci and Alanna's engagement spread, everyone began to congratulate them. One by
one family and friends hugged them and gave them best wishes. As everyone began to migrate toward
the food, Ambivalence walked up to the couple with Anna. Alanna and Ogihci were curious as to who
the woman was, though her appearance brought about a sense of déjà vu.
“Happy birthday, Lolo, and congratulations you two,” Ambivalence said with a smile.
Ogihci bowed his head slightly. “Thanks, Ambi. I'm glad you could make it.”
Alanna hugged Ambivalence. “Ambi, thank you. It's so good to see you, Mr. Iron Stomach.” She giggled.
Ambivalence chuckled. “The pleasure's mine, Lolo.”
Alanna noticed Anna standing quietly behind Ambivalence. “Ambi, why don't you introduce your
friend?”
Ambivalence smiled and turned toward Anna. “Lolo and Ogi, this is Anna. She is the leader of a vampire
clan in the real world.”
Alanna hugged Anna, which surprised the vampire. “Welcome, Anna. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
As Alanna released her hug, Ogihci extended his hand. “It's nice to meet you, Anna.”
Anna took Ogihci's hand and shook it. “It's a pleasure to finally meet both of you face to face.”
It was Alanna and Ogihci's turn to be shocked. Anna's accent took them back to the day they met the
strange German man. They looked at one another and then back to Anna. Ogihci was the first to speak
their suspicion. “Did you send someone to deliver a message?”
Anna nodded a slight frown upon her face. “Yes, I sent Christoph, my husband, to meet you and give you
both a message.”
“Where is your husband, Anna?” Alanna inquired.
Anna looked away a moment, fighting back the tears. “He's dead, killed by a servant of our mutual
enemy.”
“I'm sorry, Anna,” Alanna replied, not sure if she should hug her again or not.
“Mutual enemy?” Ogihci asked. “What mutual enemy do we share?”
It was Ambivalence's turn to speak once more. “In a separate dimension, a race of humans unlike those
of the real world live. At this moment, their armies are gathering to attack both the real world and Soul
Society for their leader.”
“Who's their leader?” Alanna inquired, a ball of fear building in her stomach.
Anna looked up at Alanna and Ogihci. “Her name is Shi.”

********

The figure looked into the window, his silver eyes taking in everything. He looked at his wrist to check on
the time. “The next players in this performance are due any time. The scales are moving wildly. The time
is near.”

********

Shi smiled. “Once again, Abaddon, you never cease to amaze me. What a wonderful idea.”
Abaddon bowed slightly. “All for you, my empress.”
Zouo rolled her eyes. “I have a bad feeling about this,” she said. “Something the opposite of what you
wanted is bound to happen.”
Shi spared a moment's glance at her daughter before raising her hands. “Daughter, you don't see the
beauty of this plan, but you will soon.” Shi began to use her powers to open a portal.
Abaddon looked at Zouo and noticed the young woman's eyes falling once more to the dagger at his hip
before looking away. He made a mental note to talk to her about it later. Right now, he had bigger fish
to fry. “Bo. Ki. Go through the portal now. You know what to do.”

********

Joe walked over to Janos, a smile on his face. “Janos, I saw that you brought Lolo a gift. Did you get her
another... toy?”
Janos shook his head as he chuckled. “No. I'm not willing to have another headache like I did the last
time.”
Joe laughed. “Well, at least you're not dumb enough to pull that again. You remember Charlie?”
“Yeah, I remember him. Whatever happened to that dude?” Janos asked.
“Well, he decided to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge in his gigai because someone dared him to,” Joe said.
“The last I heard, he was floating in the middle of the Atlantic.”
Janos laughed. “If he was smart, he would have left the gigai and return to Soul Society.”
Nikki walked up carrying two slices of cake at that time. “Are you two talking about Charlie?”
Joe and Janos looked at Nikki. “How did you know?” Joe asked.
“Well, I heard about the bridge jumping incident. I also heard that he was spotted in Africa trying to
convince a lion that he wasn't a good meal,” Nikki replied with a laugh.
Joe and Janos joined Nikki in her laughing. After a few moments Janos noticed Anna talking with Alanna,
Ogihci and Ambivalence. “I wonder why Anna is here,” he said out loud.
“Anna?” Joe inquired confusion on his face.
“Anna is the leader of the largest vampire clan in the real world,” Janos replied. “She's well versed in the
ancient magic and very strong physically as well. It's been awhile since I've talked to her.”
Joe smiled. “I know Anna. I’m just surprised that she’s here.”
Nikki smiled. “Then why don't we go and talk to her. I'm in need of teasing my sister and future brother-
in-law.”
“Great. You're going to do something to get Jessy chasing you,” Joe stated matter-of-factly.
“Joe's right. Jessy's watching you like a hawk,” Janos added.
Nikki smirked. “Let her. That reminds me. I have to pay her back for that last prank she played.”
“You two are always playing pranks on each other. One day, they will back fire,” Janos said as he
chuckled.
“Yeah, yeah. Until then, the prank war shall continue,” Nikki replied with a smile on her face.
The trio finally made it over to where Anna was talking to Alanna, Ogihci, and Ambivalence. Janos smiled
as he bowed slightly before Anna. “Greetings, Anna. How are you today?”
Anna turned and returned the bow. “I am fine, Janos. It's a pleasure to see you again.” She looked at
Nikki. “Is this your future queen?”
Alanna giggled. “If Nikki's going to be his queen, Janos has his hands full.”
The small group began to laugh at Alanna's statement, only to be cut short as the doors to the cafe were
knocked off their hinges and across the room. Everyone turned to see two things walking into the cafe.
Things were an accurate word to use as no one could put a name to the creatures. As the two creatures
finally made it into the room, they stood up to their full height.
Standing over 8 feet tall, the creatures were an oddly shaped mass of muscular that seemed to make
them appear like an example of steroids gone horribly wrong. Their faces were full of sharp angles,
making the chins come to an exaggerated point. The skin on the creatures was a multitude of sickening
shades ranging from green to black. Their eyes were blood red, and their mouths were opened revealing
a set of jagged teeth that looked like someone took a hammer and broke them on purpose. An odor of
slow decay filled the room. At each of the creatures left hip was a large, jagged sword.
For a moment, no one moved. The creatures scanned the shinigami until their gaze fell upon Alanna and
Ogihci. The two things grabbed their sword hilts and removed them from their bonds. Slowly the duo
began to advance. As the creatures began to move, the ringing of zanpakuto coming out of their sheaths
filled the air.
Jessy, Joe, and Kyo were the closest to the deformed giants. Jessy moved into the path of them and
shouted, “What in heaven's name are these things?”
“I don't know, but they sure are ugly,” Kyo replied.
“Let's take care of them,” Joe added. “These two look like they want to tear the place down.”
With that, the trio moved to attack the two intruders. The creatures saw this and stopped. “Bo!” “Ki!”
they shouted in unison, swinging their swords at their attackers.
What happened next shocked everyone in the room except the creatures. The moment that the swords
touched the zanpakuto of Jessy, Joe, and Kyo, the trio were sent flying backward, into and through the
wall. It was like they were nothing but rag dolls to the two creatures. The other shinigami stared in
disbelief at the occurrence.
Ambivalence stepped forward at that moment. “Allow me,” he said his voice icy cold. He moved to
attack them.
The creatures noticed Ambivalence coming toward them. Once again, they shouted in unison then
swung their swords. What happened to Jessy, Joe, and Kyo happened to Ambivalence as well. No one
could understand how even a captain couldn't get close enough to stop these creatures.
“What the... What is going on?” Janos asked. “How could they knock a captain away like that?”
Anna stared at the two creatures a moment then began to curse in German. “There's a spell placed
upon them, an ancient one. It will protect the two from attack by any other save their targets. We can't
touch them, but their target can.”
“And who are the targets?” Nikki asked, still holding her zanpakuto before her.
Anna followed the gaze of the two creatures. She wasn't surprised at where the gaze took her. “Alanna
and Ogihci,” she replied.

********
Shi was smiling. Already the blocking spells were being removed. She could see that Bo and Ki were
doing their jobs wonderfully. “Ahh! Such wonderful success. The distraction is doing wonders. Soon, all
of those troublesome spells Anna placed will be broken.”
Abaddon nodded. “Those two are actually doing well for a change. With that added spell, no one but our
victims can harm them. Perfect as always, Empress Shi.”
Zouo actually smiled. “I must say, I had my doubts about those two. Yet, they actually make wonderful
monsters.”
Abaddon nodded and noticed Zouo's eyes once more on the dagger. He was curious to know what Zouo
was thinking at that moment, but he decided to wait for another time. He returned his attention to Shi.
“Empress Shi, is there anything you wish for me to do?”
Shi was quiet for a few before she replied. “Yes. You and Zouo are to inspect the troops. Monitor for any
signs of the traitor.”
Zouo moved away from her spot and over to Abaddon. “As you wish, Mother.” With that she turned and
left the room, Abaddon close on her heels.

********

Alanna and Ogihci stood side by side, their zanpakuto drawn and ready. Ogihci looked over at Alanna
and sighed softly. “Lolo, let me take care of these things.”
“But I can fight too, Ogi. I'm help...” Alanna started.
“Lolo, please. I... I don't want you to get hurt,” Ogihci interrupted. “I can't bear the thought of you hurt.”
Alanna stared at Ogihci for a moment. She could see the fear in his eyes, the fear of losing her. Tear
threatened to fall from her eyes. “Ogi, I feel the same about you. I want to help,” Alanna replied softly.
“But I will do as you ask. Just... just don't die, please.”
Ogihci smiled and placed a hand over his face. “Don't worry. I don't plan on leaving you for a long time.”
He pulled down his mask. “It's my job to protect you.” With that, Ogihci leapt at the two creatures,
swinging his sword at one while using a kidou against the other.
Lori moved to Alanna's side. “Lolo, we need to move back. This is too dangerous for you to be near. You
could get hurt. Let's move back to give Ogi room.”
Alanna glanced briefly at Lori. “Okay, but I will not leave the cafe.” With that, she began to backup with
Lori.
Meanwhile, the creatures were shocked at Ogihci's new appearance and sudden attack. Because of this,
the one on the left got hit with the kidou in the left shoulder while the one on the right received a deep
slash across its chest. They staggered back, but then they slowly regained their composure. In unison,
they roared in anger.
Ogihci stood ready for their attack. To keep Alanna safe, he would fight until either the creatures were
defeated, or he couldn't fight any more. He lifted his zanpakuto once more as the creatures began to
approach him again. Just as he was about to fight them both, the worse thing in Ogihci's mind
happened.
The first creature swung its sword at Ogihci, causing him to block the attack. At the same time, the
second creature leapt over them in an amazing feat of agility. It made its way toward Alanna. Lori tried
to help out and prevent the creatures from reaching her sister. Yet, like the others before her, Lori found
herself flying into and through the far wall.
The second creature swung its sword at Alanna, and she tried to block. Unfortunately, she brought her
zanpakuto up just a little too late. The creature's sword sliced Alanna across the chest, sending her
backward into the wall behind her. She slid to the floor seemingly unconscious.
Ogihci watched what happened as he fought. “No.... No please.... Lolo!” Anger flooded Ogihci, and he
glared at his opponent. “Damn you both. You'll pay for that!” He swung his zanpakuto, slicing off one of
the creature's arms.
Suddenly, the room began to fill with a steadily increasing reiatsu, followed by a howl of pain. Ogihci
turned and watched as the second creature fell to the ground dead. Something flashed pass him in a
blur. Ogihci turned back to the creature he was fighting in time to see the same thing happen again.
Ogihci noticed Alanna standing there, her back to him and her head down. He was surprised to see her
up and fighting after the attack. “Lolo, are you okay?”
Slowly, Alanna turned to face Ogihci then lifted her head. Ogihci took a step back in shock when he saw
the partial mask covering Alanna's upper face. Then she spoke.
“That weakling is not here. I'm here now, and I'm here to stay.”
 Chapter 16
Ogihci stared at Alanna in disbelief. He couldn't fathom what he was seeing. This was the one thing he
never wanted Alanna to go through. “What are you doing, hollow?”
Alanna growled. “I'm setting myself free from Shi's grasp. How dare she send those creatures to kill
Alanna! She's made a big mistake.”
Romi walked up to Ogihci. “What's going on, Ogi? Why does Lolo have that mask?”
Alanna looked at Romi with her yellow eyes. “What do you think, little mouse? I've taken over your
weak sister, and I'm going to make everyone pay.”
Ogihci frowned. “You don't know Lolo very well. She's much stronger than you realize.”
“You're an idiot to think that, little mouse,” Alanna sneered. “She's not able to defend herself. Look at
this wound she received! Look at it!” Alanna pointed to her chest. “Lolo needs to be put out of her
misery, and I'm the one to do it.”
Romi stared at Alanna. “We're not going to let you do that. Lolo is going to fight you, and we're going to
help the best we can.”
Ogihci nodded. “I know Lolo will come back to me just as I did for her.”
Alanna raised her zanpakuto. “I guess I'll have to show you just how wrong both of you are. Soon the
floor will be painted with your blood.” With that, she leaped at Ogihci and Romi, swinging her
zanpakuto.
********
The figure watched Alanna's transformation and subsequent conversation. He looked at his watch.
“Right on schedule. The scales currently tip in favor of the shinigami.”
The figure looked back into the cafe. He watched as the hollow Alanna attack her sister and future
husband. He felt sad at what was bound to happen to Alanna. Quietly, he watched.
********
Abaddon walked silently next to Zouo, uncertain as to how to start the conversation he had been dying
to have with her. The tension between the two was thick enough to cut easily with a butter knife. To
Abaddon, it was as if Zouo knew what he wanted to ask. It was during another of his internal battles that
he realized his hand gripped the dagger's hilt.
“Why are you acting like a rabbit about to bolt?” Zouo asked as they walked.
Abaddon jumped a little at Zouo's voice. Calming his breathing, he glanced at Zouo briefly. “Well, I
have.... I was wanting... ummm...” he started. For the first time, he found himself at a loss for words.
Zouo rolled her eyes. “You want to know why I've been staring at the dagger you have. You also believe
that I possess knowledge about it and wish for me to tell you,” she stated in a matter-of-fact fashion.
Zouo stopped and faced Abaddon. “What makes you think that I have that kind of knowledge?”
Abaddon halted his march and looked at Zouo. “How did you know that?” he asked a mixture of
curiosity and fear clear on his face.
Again Zouo rolled her eyes. “I can read minds, but that's beside the point. Answer my question.”
Abaddon stared dumbfounded for a few moments. He never knew Zouo possessed that ability. Slowly
shaking himself out of a daze, Abaddon took a deep breath. “I've seen you stare at the dagger. Each
time, there has been a look of recognition in your eyes. You know something about the dagger when no
one else has a clue.”
Zouo's face remained emotionless. “And you want me to tell you everything that I supposedly know just
like that,” she replied. “And if I said that I don't know what you are talking about?”
“I would say that you are lying and then mention it to your mother,” Abaddon replied. “I'm sure she
would love to hear why you have kept such knowledge secret.”
Zouo looked around and then back at Abaddon. “Fine. I'll tell you what I know but not here. The
information shouldn't fall into the wrong hands.”
Abaddon was about to argue but stopped, knowing that if he pushed the matter, Zouo would refuse to
talk. “Very well. Where do you wish to talk about the matter?”
“Come to my room tonight and bring the dagger, no other weapons,” Zouo replied. Suddenly, she
leaned up and pulled Abaddon into a passionate kiss. After a few moments, she moved back and
continued on their march to inspect the troops.
Abaddon stood there shocked. Secretly, he had a crush on Zouo for the longest time, but he never
thought he would have a chance with her. Blinking and regaining his composure, he allowed a brief
smile to grace his face before following Zouo.

********

Shi threw a pitcher of wine against a wall, watching it shatter into a million pieces. Her anger was not
alleviated though, and she picked up the glass goblet, throwing it as well. Shi continued to throw
whatever she could get her hands on. Finally, the only things left were her throne and her orb.
“That ungrateful, self-serving wench!” How dare that hollow betray me after everything I've done for
her!” Shi shouted. “I saved her from death, and this is how she repays me! INGRID! Come in here NOW!”
The door to the throne room opened, and a girl around the age of 15 walked in. Her head was shaved
bald, and a tattoo covered the entire area. Slowly moving forward, the girl shook in fear as her eyes fell
upon Shi. “Yes, Empress Shi? What do you wish for me to do?”
Shi glared at Ingrid. “I wish for you to die.” Shi lifted her left hand and sent out a massive ball of dark
energy at Ingrid. She watched as her slave was enveloped by the attack. A sense of delight filled the
empress as screams of pain erupted from the young girl.
As the black energy slowly faded away, Shi sat down on her throne. Some of the anger had dissipated
with the attack. Shi was wishing she could do that to the hollow. All she need was the right moment to
do so.
“Well, let's see what my daughter and general are up to,” Shi replied as she waved her hands over her
orb. “I'm sure they are going to be rather boring to watch.”
After a few moments, the orb showed Zouo and Abaddon talking in the hallway. For some reason, she
could not hear what they were saying. It didn't matter though. The next instant Zouo kissed Abaddon,
surprising not only the general but her mother as well.
“Well, well. I never knew Zouo like Abaddon,” Shi said after recovering from the shock. “I am rather
pleased at her choice though. They do make a wonderful couple.”

********

Anna moved over to the hole in the wall that Ambivalence had gone through. She peered out and
looked down to find the 13th captain in a daze. Underneath him was Kyo in a similar state. Anna
couldn't help but giggle at the sight as she stepped through the hole and knelt next to them.
“Okay you two. Enough lying around. We have a problem,” Anna stated as she shook Ambivalence. She
then pulled him off of Kyo.
“But Mom, it's Sunday. We don't have school today,” Ambivalence replied in a childish voice.
“Oneechan, give me back my blanket,” Kyo added.
Anna laughed harder at the two. “Alright, you two. If you don't get up right now, I'm going to turn on the
hose and spray you with ice cold water.”
The threat seemed to register with both guys as they started to blink their eyes. Ambivalence was the
first to regain his senses. “Anna, what happened?”
“Well, a spell knocked you both through a wall, but that's trivial at the moment,” Anna replied. “We
have a bigger problem.”
Kyo sat up. “What's the matter, Anna-sama?”
“The problem is well...” Anna took a deep breath. “There's a hollow controlling Alanna. It's fighting
Ogihci and Romi at the moment.”
Ambivalence's face became grave. “So what I feared to happen has. What of the two creatures?”
“The hollow killed them, saying that Shi betrayed her,” Anna replied.
Kyo stared blankly. A hollow controlling Alanna? Did that mean that she was a vaizard now? Coming
slowly to his senses once more, Kyo looked at Anna and Ambivalence. “What are we going to do?”
Ambivalence stood, unsheathing his zanpakuto. “Well, we have to stop her in any way we can.
Hopefully, we won't have to hurt Lolo to do so.”
“And if you have no other choice?” Anna asked.
“Then I will do what is need for the safety of Soul Society,” Ambivalence answered.
Kyo gulped. He really didn't like the sound of that. “What do you mean, Ambi?”
Ambivalence looked Kyo in the eyes. “If we can't bring Lolo back and the hollow is threatening everyone,
I will not hesitate to injure Lolo to knock her out. If need be, I will kill her to protect everyone in Soul
Society.”

********

The silver eyed man stood at the cafe window watching the fight between Alanna and the others. He
sighed deeply. “She needs some sort of encouragement to fight the hollow. What could that be?”
“May I be of some assistance?” a male voice came from behind the figure.
The wrapped man turned slowly in shock. He had thought that the spells would stay in place and keep
him concealed. Unfortunately he had been so enthralled with the fight that he didn't notice them
vanishing. As he completed his turn, his gaze fell upon the one who spoke. Well, his eyes actually had to
look up at the man.
The man stood 6' 6” and was one of the tallest in the Kurenai Seireitei. Though he appeared thin and
lanky, he exuded an air of strength and power. His blue eyes sparkled with untold intelligence. Today,
his short, brown, curly hair was hidden under a red silk jacquard, and his formal shihakusho and haori
flowed softly against him in the light breeze. Slung over his back was a worn leather bag.
The figure bowed low. “Thank you for your offer, but I require no assistance today. My job is one that I
must do alone.”
The man tilted his head in a slight bow in return. “I understand the duties of one's job, yet I feel
compelled to do mine as well.” The man lightly placed a hand upon the hilt of his zanpakuto. “I would
rather this not result in a fight.”
The figure sighed. “There is no need for a fight between us. I am merely an observer.” He paused as he
reached up to his right ear as if listening to something. “Very well. Understood,” he muttered. The
figure's focus returned to the man before him. “Tell me, what is your name, good sir?”
The man looked over the wrapped figure before him as if assessing the potential threat. “I am Aicerno
Ocathasaigh, newly appointed captain of the 4th Division.”

********

“Lolo, snap out of it. Come on and fight it,” Jessy shouted as she and Syira jumped into the fight after
Romi and Ogihci got knocked into a wall.
“How many times do I have to say that I'm in control here!” the hollow shouted. “That weakling is gone.
She's dead to the world!” She swung her zanpakuto at Jessy's head. “Lolo is gone FOREVER!”
Jessy blocked the attack. “You're wrong. My big sis will put you in your place. You don't stand a chance.”
The hollow controlling Alanna growled. With her free hand, she punched Jessy hard in the stomach.
“You think that a weak 4th Division member like Lolo even has the will to fight me?!?! You and the rest
here are stupid to put so much faith in her.”
“That's where you're wrong,” Ogihci said as he stood finally, helping Romi up as well. “Lolo has more
strength than you know. She gets stronger every day.”
Ambivalence and Kyo walked up to the scene at that time, zanpakuto at ready. “Lolo works hard to help
everyone, pushing herself sometimes to exhaustion,” Ambivalence said. “Her determination helps her
gain power by leaps and bounds.”
“How would you know what oneechan is capable of? How long have you been hiding only to appear
now?” Kyo asked, getting into his fighting stance. “You haven't been around long enough to know her
like we do.”
Syira nodded. “You only think you know our friend, but I would venture to say that you've only
scratched the surface.”
The hollow roared in anger. “SHUT UP, BAKA! ALL OF YOU!” Her eyes squinted, and her face contorted
in fury. “I have been here long enough to know what she is capable of. She hasn't even obtained what
you little mice call shikai.” Alanna's left hand raised and began to glow red. “I've had enough of this. I
think I will put you all out of your misery.”
Ogihci stared into Alanna's yellow eyes. “Lolo, I know you can hear me. I love you. Come back to me. I
know you can fight it. I believe in you.”
The hollow laughed. “Wrong answer. Now do me a favor and die.”

********

The sun began to set behind the dead, black mountain range that rested behind the castle. Bats began
to slowly venture out into the dark recesses of the valleys, hunting for their pray. In the distance, an owl
called out its low cry to be answered by another. In the castle looking out her window, Zouo stood
waiting for Abaddon's arrival.
“What's taking him so long?” Zouo pondered as she watched the last rays of light vanish. “Surely he has
not forgotten.”
“Who has forgotten what, daughter of mine?” came Shi's voice from behind.
Zouo turned and faced her mother with a disgruntled look. “Mother, why did you come into my room
without knocking?”
Shi smiled. “Oh, but I did knock. Several times in fact. When you didn't answer, I came in to find you
staring out the window. Now, Zouo,” Shi moved closer to her daughter and sat down on the bed. “Who
are you waiting for that would cause such a reaction in you?”
Zouo sighed. “I am waiting on Abaddon. He was supposed to meet me here.”
Shi smiled and clapped her hands together. “Wonderful! I was beginning to wonder when the two of
you would get together as a couple. You are a perfect match.”
Zouo blushed. “I.... ummmmm....well....”
Shi chuckled. “Now ain't that just precious. My daughter blushing and stumbling over words. So cute!”
“Mother,” Zouo said, blushing more. She turned away from Shi in embarrassment.
“Oh, Zouo, don't be so,” Shi said. “I think it's long overdue. We need some kids running around here
causing havoc.”
Zouo looked back at Shi. “Don't you think it's a little early to be talking about children?”
“No, I don't,” Shi replied. “I would love to have grandchildren to teach the ways of black magic. Besides,
you will need an heir.”
“I know, but I don't want to rush things. I don't even know if Abaddon likes me that way,” Zouo replied
with a sigh.
Shi stood and walked over to Zouo, giving her a brief hug. “I know he does. I've seen the way he looks at
you. Abaddon loves you, Zouo. It's just a matter of time before he expresses it.”
Zouo smiled. “Thanks, Mother. You know, it's weird having this kind of talk with you.”
“Yeah, I know. I'm not the typical nurturing type,” Shi replied with a smirk. She walked toward the
bedroom door. “Well, I must return to the throne room. The fight at the cafe is getting very interesting.
Enjoy your time with Abaddon when he arrives.” With that, Shi left.
Zouo took a deep breath. She knew the real reason for Shi to come here. Her mother wanted to spy on
her like she did with everyone else. Looking at her bed, she noticed a small item just under the mattress.
Turning back to the window, she sighed. The conversation she needed to have with Abaddon will have
to be elsewhere now.

********

The figure bowed low to Aicerno. “Greetings, Aicerno, formerly of the 8th Division, wielder of the 5
elemental zanpakuto.” He reached to the top of his head. “The time for concealment has come to an
end.” He grabbed the cloth and gave it a tug. Suddenly the wrap loosened all over his body, and it and
his cape fell to the ground in a heap.
Before Aicerno stood a man about 5' 9” with long smooth silver hair that matched his eyes. His face was
long and over with a sharp chin. His lips were thin and pale pink with his skin almost ivory in color. His
body was well toned but not overly muscular.
The man's clothing was fitted just right to move with his body without constricting it. All of the material
appeared to be cotton and was dark green in color. His boots were made of dark brown leather and
seemed a little worn. At his left hip was a sword. The sheath was wooden and had Celtic symbols etched
on it. The hilt of the sword was wrapped with a mixture of silver and dark green leather with the guard
being bronze and shaped in a Celtic symbol as well.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Daelen Silvermane, member of the Draconic Watchers and long
allies to the Shinigami,” the man said with another bow.
Aicerno had a curious look on his face. “The Draconic Watchers, eh? A group of Celtic descent who
practice the ways of the Druid. They have been watching for the return of their protector who died
several millenniums ago.” Aicerno's hand slid of his hilt and came to his chin. “Tell me, Daelen, what
does this have to do with the fight you are watching?”
Daelen smiled. “We have found the protector once more, the one who is born of several prophecies,” he
replied. “Today will determine the shifting of the scales for good or evil.”
“The one whom you speak of is in the cafe, I take it,” Aicerno stated. “Who is it? Jessy? Ambivalence?”
Daelen shook his head and smiled. “Neither of them or any of the obvious choices. Come; let me show
you the one.” He turned and moved back to the window, peering in.
Aicerno moved next to Daelen. “Point to the one who you claim is your group's long lost protector.”
Daelen's eyes never left the fight as he pointed. “You see the one with the partial mask? She is the one.
She is the protector, the one born of several prophecies.”
Aicerno looked to the one Daelen's pointed to and gasped. “Is that... Lolo?”

********

Abaddon stood before Zouo's bedroom door, hesitant to knock. In his hand was a bouquet of wild
flowers he had picked earlier. He hoped that Zouo would like them. Taking a deep breath, he raised his
hand to knock.
The door to Zouo's room opened and revealed the empress's daughter in her typical outfit and a look of
relief on her face. “Abaddon, I was worried that you wouldn't show.” She saw the flowers in his hand.
“Are... are those for me?”
Abaddon swallowed hard. “Yes, they are.” He held them out to her. “They're not as pretty as you
though.”
Zouo took the flowers, blushing. “Thanks, Abaddon. I... I didn't know you were such a romantic.”
Abaddon chuckled nervously. “Neither did I. May I come in?”
Zouo closed the door as she stepped out into the hallway. “Why don't we go for a stroll instead? It's
such a wonderful night. I know the perfect spot.”
“But I....” Abaddon began.
Zouo quickly kissed him on the lips to stop him from saying anything she didn't want overheard. At first,
it was just something of necessity, but the longer she kissed him, the more she realized how she truly
felt for Abaddon. It wasn't long before she felt Abaddon return the kiss and wrap his arms around her.
She didn't want it to end.
After a few moments though, the two broke the kiss and looked into each other's eyes. Abaddon
brushed a strand of hair out of Zouo's face. “Zouo, I know this seems so sudden, but... I... I've loved you
for a long time.”
Zouo smiled. “I've known for a long time, but I've tried to deny it myself. Yet, I know now that I love you
as well.” She sighed. “We need to talk, but we can't here,” she whispered.
Abaddon leaned forward and nuzzled her neck. “Why? What's wrong?” he asked in a hushed whisper.
“Shi bugged my room earlier. If we talk here, she'll be able to hear us. Let's go for a walk. There is one
place where Shi's powers cannot reach yet,” Zouo replied as she stroked his hair.
Normally, talk like that would have caused Abaddon to punish the one for treason. Yet, hearing it from
Zouo made him feel something different. Like the day Shi had first noticed the dagger in his belt,
Abaddon began to feel a ball of fear form in his stomach. He wasn't afraid of Zouo, but he was of Shi.
“Okay, Zouo. Lead the way,” Abaddon replied.
Zouo nodded and grabbed his hand. “Thank you for trusting me, Abaddon.”
Abaddon squeezed her hand back. “You're the only one I can trust.”

********

Alanna opened her eyes and was shocked to find herself at the bottom of a canyon. On either side of her
was a sheer cliff that looked to be at least 50 feet tall. Slowly, Alanna sat up, looking around the canyon
floor. It felt as if she should know this place, yet she didn't.
“Where am I? How in the world did I get here?” Alanna asked as she stood.
“Why, dear child, you are in your spirit realm,” a calm, motherly voice replied.
Alanna spun around, trying to find the source of the voice. “Who are you? Where are you? Why am I
here?”
“You are here because you went into shock after the monster attacked you. This allowed the hollow to
gain control,” the voice replied. “As to who and where I am, you are not ready to learn this.”
“Not ready to learn? What do you....” Alanna trailed off as it finally hit her. “I have an inner hollow? The
hollow is in control? I.... I need to get back. I can't let them get hurt.”
“You can't allow who to get hurt, dear child?” the voice asked.
“My friends and family, but more importantly my husband-to-be Ogi,” Alanna replied as she searched
for a way back. “I don't care what happens to be, but I will not let this upstart hollow harm anyone.”
A light chuckle filled the air. “Your words fill my heart with joy. Yet, words alone cannot help you back.
Do you have the strength to fight back, to gain control once more?”
Alanna was about to speak when she heard Ogihci's words. “Lolo, I know you can hear me. I love you.
Come back to me. I know you can fight it. I believe in you.”
Alanna felt the tears fall down her face and watched as they hit the ground. She could feel the hollow
for the first time and could tell it was going to use a ceros. Alanna felt angry at herself for allowing this
to happen. At her side, her fists were clenched.
“What are you going to do now, dear child?”
Alanna looked up at nothing in particular, her face set with determination. “I'm going to take back what
is mine.”

********

Ambivalence looked on in horror and regret. It seemed as if Alanna was indeed gone. He had no choice.
The safety of Soul Society outweighed the life of one, even if it was that of a good friend. Lifting his
zanpakuto, he said in cool, calm voice, “Everyone, leave now.”
Ogihci turned his gaze toward the 13th captain. “Ambi, you… you can't. Give Lolo more time.”
“I'm sorry, Ogi. I truly am, but I cannot put Soul Society in danger. Lolo is not....” Ambivalence began.
“Don't say it. Lolo is going to come back. I have faith in her like she did me,” Ogihci said, interrupting
Ambivalence. “This is her first time with dealing with the hollow. Just give her a little more time, please.”
The hollow laughed. “Baka, don't you understand that she's gone? I'm in control, and I'm not going to
die so easily.” The ceros grew brighter red. “Besides, I think I'll destroy everyone and everything here.”
“I don't think so. You've overstayed your welcome.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing, even Ambivalence, and stared at Alanna. After a few
moments, Ogihci smiled. “I knew it. I knew she could do it. Lolo's fighting back.”
The hollow growled as the ceros faded. “Do not get in my way, baka. You don't have enough...”
“Quiet, hollow. I've had enough of you. You have no right to take control.” The left hand went up to the
mask and began to pull. “I'm taking back what is mine.”
“Baka! You're too weak. You can't do anything to me!”
“That's where you are wrong.” The left hand pulled the mask completely off and tossed it against the
wall. Alanna stood there, breathing heavily and bleeding profusely. “I am the master of my own body. I
will not allow you to harm anyone.”
Baka! I'll be back when you least expect it!
Alanna took a deep breath and looked around at those in the cafe. She smiled weakly. “I'm sorry,
everyone.......” she began before she collapsed to the floor. The last thing she saw was Ogihci catching
her in his arms, and then the world went dark.
 Chapter 17
Zouo stood before a dark, damp cave next to Abaddon. Already they were beyond Shi's reach, yet she
felt that is was time to reveal the truth not only about the dagger but the both of them as well. The
moment they set foot into the cave, nothing would remain the same. She took a deep breath and faced
Abaddon.
“Abaddon, do you trust me?” Zouo asked, squeezing his hand.
Abaddon squeezed her hand back. “Zouo, you are the only one I can trust. I don't know why I feel that
way, but I do.”
Zouo smiled faintly. “I do. Listen, Abaddon. The moment we step into this cave, nothing will be as it was
for you. Your eyes will be opened to the truth. Stepping inside means you cannot return to how you are
now. Do you wish to go inside or remain here?”
Abaddon listened to Zouo carefully. He was silent as he thought a few moments. “Let's go inside.”
Zouo smiled. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Zouo, I am. It feels right to do this,” Abaddon replied with a smile of his own.
“Good,” Zouo replied as she faced the cave once more. “Let's go.”
Abaddon stepped over the threshold into the dark recesses of the cave. The moment he did so, a
strange feeling filled his every ounce of being. It was warm and tingly and like something was slowly
evaporating from him. Strangely, he was calm throughout the whole process. After 10 minutes, the
sensation ended.
“That was a strange but pleasant sensation,” Abaddon said.
“Yes, it is. It is a relief to be free of the constraints Shi placed upon us,” Zouo replied.
Abaddon turned toward Zouo only to see a different person standing next to him. He released her hand
and backed away, his hand on the dagger. He was surprised and fearful of the woman next to him. How
could she so easily replace Zouo?
The woman before him had long, blond hair that flowed to her mid-back. Her skin was light tan. Her face
was oval with a small nose and plump pink lips. Her clothing changed as well. She now wore a white
sleeveless shirt and dark green pants. On her feet were brown leather boots.
Abaddon was in awe at her beauty yet at the same time fearful of her sudden appearance. “Who are
you? What have you done with Zouo?”
The woman sighed softly. “Abaddon, it's me. Look into my eyes.”
Abaddon stared at the woman a few moments and then looked directly into her eyes. He was shocked
to see Zouo's eyes staring back at him. After what felt like an eternity, Abaddon spoke. “Zouo, is that
really you?”
The woman smiled. “Yes and no. I am Zouo yet I am not. Follow me, and I will explain.” She turned and
walked deeper into the cave. Torches sprang to life before her as she walked.
Abaddon hesitated just an instant before he walked after the woman who claimed to be Zouo yet not.
He wondered for a moment if coming into the cave was a good thing. That thought lasted only a
moment as a feeling of love and trust took over. He didn't know it, but he was smiling as he followed
Zouo.
Zouo came to a wooden door etched with runes. She waved her right hand in front of it, and the runes
glowed. After a moment, the door opened inwardly revealing a vast room filled with various items. Zouo
walked into the room without a word and toward the center of the room where an iron cauldron sat.
Zouo turned and faced Abaddon. “Shortly after you left on your training expedition, I came upon the
cave we are in and decided to explore it. I felt the same sensation you did though I thought nothing of it.
As I explored, I came upon this room, though the door was not there at the time.”
Zouo's eyes searched the room and then fell upon the cauldron. “For some reason, the cauldron seemed
to draw me to it. Without hesitation, I walked up and looked into the pot. The reflection was murky,
showing me glimpses of someone I was not. I touched the surface of the water in fascination.”
Zouo turned and looked into the cauldron. “When I did so, I heard a voice telling me to drink of the
water and be released from the lies that held me captive. Without a second thought, I did what the
voice told me to do. Then I blacked out. When I came to, I remembered everything. I stood and looked
into the cauldron seeing my true reflection for the first time in many years.”
Zouo turned back to Abaddon. “My true name is Elayne Hideki. I am the daughter of Seth and Emilia
Hideki and rightful ruler of Heru. Shi is actually a demon who murdered my parents to gain control of
Heru. Shi isn't her real name either. No one has ever heard her true name.” Her eyes flashed in anger.
“You too are not who you think you are. Come and look in the cauldron.”
Abaddon walked to the cauldron and looked in. The water reflected back a murky image. He found
himself reaching into the cauldron and touching the water. When he did, a voice spoke to him. It was a
gentle, caring woman's voice.
“Drink of the water, son of Heru. Release yourself of the lies that bind you.”
Abaddon didn't hesitate. He scooped some water and brought it to his lips. As he sips it, he noticed how
cold the liquid was. He swallowed, and the sensation changed. His body went from feeling cold to warm
again. The next thing he knew, the world went black.
********
Shi growled as she looked through her orb. She searched the castle and the surrounding lands for Zouo
and Abaddon. Shi didn't like the fact that she couldn't spy on the two lovebirds. They needed to be
watched closely, very closely.
Shi feared that they would find out the truth. It was the one thing she feared. If the truth was revealed
to those two, it would hinder her plans greatly. For fifty years, Shi ruled Heru with an iron fist of terror,
grooming Zouo and Abaddon secretly to the ways of demon kind. Soon the blood moon will appear in
the night sky, and Shi could perform the ritual that would make the two full demons and her obedient
servants. Yet, her plans would be ruined if they knew the truth.
Growling louder as she continued to scan the castle through the orb, the demoness felt the anger began
to build. Shi finally stood and summoned for her two best men, demons both. As they appeared, Shi
turned toward them, her demonic aura radiating from her greatly. If any human came into the room
then, they would have met their death instantly.
“I want you two to search everywhere for Zouo and Abaddon. Do not leave a single area untouched.
When you find them, bring them to me at once.”
The two demons bowed low. “As you wish, Empress Shi,” they said in unison. With that, they vanished.
Shi allowed herself to calm down. She returned to the throne and sat down. There was one thing that
she made sure of and that was to keep her real name secret from even her most loyal followers. If
anyone knew her real name, they would be able to find her weaknesses and defeat her. That was
something she wanted to avoid at any cost.
Shi summoned her orb to her once more and continued her own search for the two lovebirds. She
allowed her mind to think about the situation at hand. If Zouo and Abaddon found out what she really
was and who they were, she would have to kill them before they regained their powers completely. It
would be a shame though. They were coming along nicely with their demonic training. Besides that,
they could give her demonic offspring to corrupt and control. She always could use new minions.
********
Abaddon felt something wiping his face gently. He opened his eyes and saw Elayne gazing down upon
him with concern clear in her face. He reached up and caressed her face. All of the memories of his past
life were restored, and he couldn't be happier.
“Elayne, thank you,” he said.
Elayne smiled and caressed his face in the same fashion. “You're welcome, Adrian. I'm glad to have you
back at last.”
Adrian sat up and wrapped his arms around Elayne before pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss. He
felt her arms wrap around him. He drank in her presence, feeling giddy with the love and happiness he
felt. He still had the memories of the fake life, yet that mattered little. He was back to normal and with
the one he loved.
Elayne broke the kiss and hug, leaning back a little breathless. She finally stood and smiled down upon
Adrian. “Come and see your true self once more, darling.”
Adrian nodded and stood. He moved to the cauldron once more and looked in. This time his reflection
was crystal clear. Staring back was a sandy blond, blue eyed, tanned man. Adrian looked at his clothing.
He now had a white short sleeved shirt with black pants and black leather boots. The only thing that
remained the same was the dagger at his hip.
Adrian's face fell. The words of the old man came back to haunt him once more. He had just regained
himself and his love. Now it was going to be taken away. It was only a matter of time.
Elayne noticed his sad expression and knew what he was thinking. “Adrian, do you wish to know about
the dagger?”
Adrian nodded. “I think it's well past time for me to know. The curse placed on it will take me away from
you once more.”
Elayne smiled. “The curse doesn't affect you, Adrian.”
Adrian was about to ask why the dagger's curse didn't affect him when the door to the cave room
slammed shut of its own accord. He looked at Elayne who now had a mixed expression of anger and fear
on her face. “Elayne, what's wrong? Why did the door close by itself?”
Elayne lifted her hands and began to cast a spell. At the last word, everything in the room began to
shrink and move. “I placed a spell at the entrance to the cave that connected to the door. Should a
demon cross the threshold of the cave, the door would close and protect us in this room, giving us time
to gather everything and escape.” A leather bag appeared at Elayne's feet, and the items began to enter
it.
“Gather everything? Don't you think it would be best to leave it and run?” Adrian asked moving closer to
her. “And escape to where?”
“Everything in this room in one way or another is magical or related to magic. Tomes of knowledge have
been kept here for centuries. We cannot allow a single item to fall into Shi's hands,” Elayne stated as the
last item entered the bag. “As to where we are escaping to, we are going to Soul Society. By now, Shi
knows that we have regained our identities. We are no longer safe here. Arrangements have already
been made in advance.”
“Arrangements? How in the world did you make arrangements for something like this?” Adrian asked.
Elayne grabbed the bag and walked toward the back of the room. “It's a long story that we don't have
time for, Adrian. The demons are getting closer to the room.”
Adrian followed Elayne. “How do you know this? And how are we going to get to Soul Society?”
“Did you forget that I can read minds? They are here to take us back to Shi,” Elayne replied as she
stopped before the back wall. “The moment those demons touch the door, it will trigger a spell that will
destroy the cave.” She lifted her free hand toward the wall. “Luckily, I have the portal prepared for a
quick escape.” She began to chant in an ancient language. After a few moments, the blue portal
appeared.
Adrian smiled at Elayne. “You never cease to amaze me, Elayne.”
Elayne smiled back. “Come on. Let's get out of here and to safety. I would rather not have the portal
open when the spell activates.”
Adrian smiled and took Elayne's free hand. Together they walked into the portal and vanished. A few
seconds later the portal vanished. There was no trace of anyone or thing being in the room.
*********
On the other side of the door, the two demons finally made it to the room. At first, both stared at the
door, wondering what the runes meant. Then one of the demons touched the door. The runes
immediately glowed bright red. The next instant the cave was engulfed in a wave of fire before it
imploded, killing the two demons.
 Chapter 18
Kyo was at Ogihci's side instantly. “We need to get oneechan to the infirmary. She's losing too much
blood.”
“That's something I can help with,” came a male voice from the door.
Everyone turned and saw Aicerno walking into the cafe with a strange man. Ambivalence was the first to
speak. “Aicerno, it's good to see you. I can't help but wonder how you can help though.” His eyes fell on
the newcomer. “Who is your friend?” he asked in a cool tone.
Aicerno smiled. “This is Daelen Silvermane, a member of the Draconic Watchers. I'll tell you more about
them later.” He knelt next to Alanna. “As to how I can help, well, I am the new captain of the 4th.” He
placed his hands over the chest wound and began to clot the blood.
Jessy laughed. “You have to be joking, Aicerno. You love fighting too much.”
Aicerno spared a moment’s glance at Jessy. “I kid you not. I have been studying the healing manuals left
by the previous captain as well as watching the best healer in the 4th.”
Rose smiled. “You mean Lolo I take it. She's the one that everyone in the division turns to for advice as
of late.”
“Hai, she's the one, and her skills are very unique. Lolo has grown a lot in a short amount of time,”
Aicerno replied.
Kyo nodded. “That she has, yet she's also a stubborn mule pushing herself too hard too much.” He
looked down at Alanna. “The question is how do we deal with the inner hollow?”
Aicerno finished stabilizing Alanna for transport to the infirmary and stood. “I can remove the hollow,
but it uses a technique that I am still developing and will leave Lolo in the infirmary for much longer than
normal.”
“No, you can't remove the hollow,” Anna stated, stepping forward from behind Ambivalence.
“Why not?” Rin asked. “It seems to be the best thing for Lolo.”
“Removing the hollow from Alanna would be like allowing your enemy to kill you without fighting back,”
Anna replied. “She is needed how she is as well as Ogihci. They are pivotal in the fight against Empress
Shi.”
“Alanna also plays a bigger role in greater things,” Daelen added, moving forward slightly. “To change
her in any way could bring about dire consequences.”
Everyone was quiet, looking at Alanna. Ogihci was at a loss. Part of him wanted the hollow removed so
Alanna wouldn't have to face the pain. Another part wanted her to keep the inner hollow so that he
wouldn't feel so alone as a Vaizard. He took a deep breath, standing and carrying Alanna in his arms.
“This is something that only Lolo can decide for herself. Doing anything without discussing it with her
would be unjust and undermining her possible wishes,” Ogihci said in a calm voice.
Aicerno smiled. “You have a point, Ogi. We will wait until Lolo wakes up and has been given all of the
information she needs to decide.” His eyes looked from one person to the next, finally resting on Anna.
“Agreed?”
Anna gave a slight nod. “Agreed. I will tell her what I know at that time.”
“I will tell her what I am allowed,” Daelen added.
Ogihci nodded. “Let's get Lolo to the infirmary. She needs to be taken care of and to rest.”
Syira smiled. “I think the majority of us needs to be healed, though I doubt Jessy will sit still long enough.
She's scared of the infirmary.”
Jessy pouted. “I'm not afraid of the infirmary. I'm afraid of what's in it, like needles.”
Everyone laughed and started to head out of the now destroyed cafe. Rin walked by Kyo and Ogihci,
smiling at Kyo before catching up to her mother. Kyo blushed slightly as he watched Rin walk away.
Ogihci noticed and smiled. “You like Rin, don't ya?”
Kyo blushed. “Well.... ummm... yeah, but...” He sighed.
“I think I know your problem. Talk to Lolo when she wakes up. She can answer your questions better
than I could,” Ogi replied.
Kyo nodded. “I will. Right now, I just want oneechan to get better.”
“We all do, Kyo. She'll be back on her feet in no time,” Ogihci replied.
The group made the rest of the way to the infirmary in silence. Each had their own thoughts and worries
to deal with. Everyone worried about the future and their part in it. Only one person seemed to be at
peace for the moment, and that was the sleeping Alanna.
********
In the hut hidden in Unohana Park, Elayne and Adrian sat resting. Escaping from Heru and subsequently
Shi’s grasp went off without a hitch for the most part. Unfortunately, the two refugees arrived to far
from safety and had to stealthily make their way here. After dodging rabid animals and blood-thirsty
bandits, they finally got into Unohana Park and made their way to the hut.
“I must say, despite it all. I am rather enjoying myself,” Adrian said, looking out a window. “Quite a nice
setup here.”
“Thanks. I wanted to make sure it was ready for our departure from Heru,” Elayne replied. “And yes, I
am enjoying this as well. It is quite an adrenalin rush.”
Adrian walked over to Elayne and sat down. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you
sabotaged Shi’s army. It is too bad that you had to kill so many men.”
Elayne smiled. “I only killed the demons that were loyal to Shi. Our men, though, I sent here in a stasis
until we can return.” Elayne turned toward Adrian. “The men are going through a special procedure to
allow them to see the truth of the demons. When they awaken, they will be loyal to us once more.”
“That’s good, Elayne. Once Shi is overthrown, we can rebuild Heru to its former glory,” Adrian replied.
He leaned down and kissed Elayne, his tongue licking gently at her lips seeking entrance.
Elayne opened her mouth and returned his kiss passionately. Her arms wrapped around him and held
him tightly. It had been too long since she shared her love with him. Yet, she paused, pulling back from
their kiss and caressing his face.
“Adrian, before we had to flee Heru, I was going to tell you about the dagger. Do you still wish to
know?” Elayne asked.
Adrian’s eyes fell away. “Part of me wants to say no, that I would be better off not knowing. Yet at the
same time, I know that I need information on the dagger, and you have that knowledge.” He looked
back up and into Elayne’s eyes. “I need to know despite wishing it away. Tell me about the dagger,
Elayne.”
Elayne nodded. “Very well. I will retell what I have read on the dagger.” She took a deep breath and
began.
Five thousand years ago, the oracle of the Toshi family had a vision concerning the family and its last
heir. In the middle of the night, the oracle summoned the family to her. Disgruntled about being awaken,
the heads of the family refused to go to her, stating that such things could wait until the dawn. Upon
receiving the message, the oracle decided to take matters into her own hands.

The rest of the night the oracle used to create an item that would assist the last heir of the Toshi family
in the future. She found a dagger that would do the job. The hilt was silver with only a single ruby at the
end of the hilt. The blade was also silver and plain. The oracle took the dagger and rested it upon the
alter in her room. She prayed for an hour before picking up her tool.
On the first side of the dagger blade, the oracle etched a dragon with runes around it, chanting as she
did so. She moved with skill, carefully creating each element perfectly. Once the side was done, the
oracle turned the dagger over and continued her work. On this side, she etched a tiger and runes around
it.
With the last rune finished, the oracle lifted the blade and watched it began to glow. The oracle began to
chant, lifting the blade high above her head, the glow from the runes became brighter, filling the room
with light. Then the light vanished. The oracle placed the dagger upon the alter once more.
The last thing that the oracle did was grab a small knife. Holding her hands above the dagger, she sliced
open her left palm and allowed the blood to flow and fall upon the dagger. With each drop of blood that
fell upon the dagger, a rune began to glow red. The oracle continued to allow the blood to fall upon the
dagger until all of the runes and drawings glowed red.
The oracle smiled and backed away from the alter, allowing the sun’s first rays to fall upon the alter and
the dagger. When this happened, there was a flash of light. When the oracle opened her eyes once more,
the dagger laid upon the alter as if nothing happened. The oracle walked back to the alter and smiled.
She reached down and picked up the dagger. She then sheathed it and moved to her desk where she
began to write everything down. Once that was done, the oracle cast a spell upon the dagger, the
journal, and the room. It was then that she decided to rest once more.
Around noon, the attendants for the heads of the Toshi family came to the oracle’s room. Barging in,
they violently shook the oracle awake and demanded that she come with them. The oracle did her best
to get ready, but it was not fast enough for the attendants. They struck her repeatedly in anger, telling
her to hurry. Not knowing what was the rush; the oracle did what she could and left the room.
The attendants took her to where the heads of the Toshi family were waiting, all with tired expressions
on their faces. The leader stood and walked to the oracle. He stopped before her and then slapped the
oracle hard across the face. He demanded to know why the oracle dared to summon them in the middle
of the night and wanted to know what she had done during the night to keep everyone in the castle
awake.
The oracle began to explain her vision. She explained that the last heir to the Toshi family would face dire
circumstances and stand in the middle of conflict that would decide the fate of every world and
dimension. This heir would need something of great power in order to help save everyone. She then
explained that she spent the night creating a dagger that would do just that.
The leader, upon hearing about the dagger, demanded to see it. The lust for power was clear in his eyes.
The oracle refused to tell him where the dagger was. This enraged the leader. He drew his sword and
pointed it at her heart demanding the dagger or that she would die.
The oracle smiled and said, “Kill me if you must, but know that you activate the curse that I have placed
upon the dagger. It is not intended for you, and its secrets will remain hidden from you as well.”
The leader sheathed his sword and then backhanded the oracle. He ordered for the oracle to pack her
belongings and leave the castle immediately. He then told her to never show her face around the area
again under the penalty of death, regardless of the curse. He then returned to his spot with the others.
The oracle returned to her room and packed everything that she could carry including the dagger. She
then left the castle, heading for the forest and her old home. It was a cabin in the center of the forest and
far away from the Toshi family land.
For three years the oracle lived in peace, recording her visions and thoughts in her journal and assisting
the occasional traveler. She was happy and satisfied with her life. Yet she knew that it would end soon.
Despite that knowledge, she lived each day to the fullest.
The one day two men came to her cabin. They were bandits under the employment of the Toshi family. It
had taken them over three years to find the oracle. The bandits had one goal, the dagger.
The oracle refused to give them the dagger. This angered the bandits. They tied the oracle up and
tortured her day and night. They had orders to retrieve the dagger even if it meant killing the oracle to
do so.
One of the bandits found the dagger and was mesmerized by its uniqueness and beauty. He made plans
to take the dagger for himself. He came back to where his partner was torturing the oracle, smiling. He
bragged about finding the dagger and showed it to his friend. The two bandits laughed, and the one
torturing the oracle plunged his sword into the oracle’s chest.
The oracle smiled and with her last breath uttered the curse. “You take the blade by force and murder, so
shall it be taken from you and all of the unfortunate souls after you until the dagger reaches the hands of
its rightful owner.”
Elayne fell quiet, allowing the story sink in. She could see the worry on Adrian’s face. She wasn’t sure
what to say or do. Even she didn’t know what this meant for Adrian.
Adrian sat quietly, thinking about the story Elayne had told. He understood the curse now. Only the true
owner of the dagger could access the dagger’s powers. Until the blade was in the right hands, Adrian’s
life hung by a thread.
“Do you know who the heir is?” Adrian asked finally.
Elayne shook her head. “The Toshi family record was destroyed about 700 years ago. After the family
was removed from their lands after the peasants revolted, all traces of lineage vanished.”
“I see,” Adrian replied. He looked down at his hands. “Is there a way of telling who it is, like a test?”
Elayne sighed. “Unfortunately, the oracle didn’t write anything on how to tell who the true owner is. She
even left a vague list of abilities the dagger has, but she says that only the true owner will be able to
reveal all of the powers.”
“Great,” Adrian said. “I’m stuck with a curse over my head and no way of telling who this dagger belongs
to.” He laid his head in his hands. “I don’t know how much longer I have before the curse kicks in. This….
this bites.”
Elayne wrapped her arms around Adrian. “Don’t worry, Adrian. Things will work out right. Besides, I’m
here with you and will fight next to you no matter what.” She lifted his head and looked into his eyes.
“Together we are strong and can accomplish anything.”
Adrian smiled. “Then why did we come here instead of overthrowing Shi?”
Elayne rolled her eyes. “Well, there is a limit to what two people can do, not to mention you just got
your memory back and we both need a vacation.” She smiled. “Even the strong know when to seek help
from others.”
Adrian nodded. “Yes, I know. That’s one of the things I love about you. Always planning ahead.”
“Is that all?” Elayne asked as she stood and walked to a window. She lit a lantern that sat on the window
sill.
“No, there’s your intelligence, your body, your kindness, your body, your smile, oh did I mention your
body?” Adrian asked. “And what’s with the lantern?”
“You’ve mentioned my body multiple times,” Elayne replied with a chuckle. She walked back to where
Adrian was and sat down. “The lantern is to notify my contact that I am here.”
“I see. So what do we do now?” Adrian began to play with Elayne’s hair.
“We sit and wait. There’s no telling how long it will take for him to get here.” Elayne rested her head on
Adrian’s shoulder.
Adrian yawned. “Well, I guess we could rest until he gets here.”
Elayne yawned and closed her eyes. “Okay... Adrian… love you…”
“Love you too, Elayne,” Adrian replied closing his eyes. It wasn't long before they were both asleep.
********
Kyo sat in the waiting room with everyone else while Aicerno and other members of the 4th worked on
healing Alanna. He sat next to Ogihci, who was staring at the floor. Kyo knew his sister was in good
hands, yet he couldn’t help but worry. She was the one who found him and took care of him when no
one else would.

“Is this seat taken?” a female voice asked.

Kyo looked up and into Rin’s eyes. “Ummm... no, it’s empty.”
Rin smiled and sat down. “I wonder how Lolo’s doing.”
Kyo sighed. “Same here. Oneechan got hurt pretty badly. It’s a good thing Aicerno came along when he
did.”
Rin sighed. “Yeah, I felt useless, not being able to help. I wanted to do something, anything, but...” She
trailed off.
“I understand how you feel. That’s why I resolved to get stronger, to train harder. I don’t want to be
useless if I can do anything about it,” Kyo replied.
Rin placed a hand on Kyo’s arm. “We all feel that way. This incident has affected everyone here. I have a
feeling that when Lolo wakes up, she’ll be feeling the same.”
Kyo blushed at Rin’s hand touching him. She was so beautiful, yet he didn’t know how to tell her how he
felt. He swallowed before speaking. “I... I know. Oneechan has to deal with a lot, and she has an
important decision to make. From what Aicerno said, if she decides to have to hollow removed, she’ll be
in the infirmary even longer.”
“Well, before she decides, she’s going to get all of the information needed to make it,” Rin stated,
blushing at the slight tremor she felt from Kyo. “Right now, I... I think she needs to heal and rest before
being bombarded with everything.”
“Yeah, you’re right, Rin,” Kyo replied. “Umm... I know that this may not be the best time to ask, but
would you like to grab an ice cream cone once we know oneechan is okay?”
Rin blushed deeper. “I would love to, Kyo.”
At that moment, Aicerno came into the waiting room and made his way to Ogihci. Ogihci was standing
by the time Aicerno stopped before him. “Lolo has been healed and is resting. I started her on some IV
fluids to help restore her reiatsu. She’ll be in the infirmary for two days.”
“Can I see her now?” Ogihci asked worry etched on his face.
“Of course. Follow me,” Aicerno stated as he turned and walked out of the waiting room. Ogihci was
close behind.
No one else moved. As bad as they wanted to see Alanna, they knew that Ogihci needed alone time with
his future wife. Kyo stood finally and looked at Rin. “Wanna get that ice cream now?”
Rin stood smiling. “Sure. Let's go.” With that, they left the infirmary blushing.
********
Alanna lay on something hard. She wasn't sure where she was or how she got there. She opened her
eyes to see herself at the bottom of a very deep canyon. Sitting up, she looked around.
“Where am I? How did I get here?” Alanna asked.
“You are in your spirit world. I brought you here to rest,” a soothing, motherly voice replied.
Alanna glanced around to find the source but found herself alone. “My spirit realm? Who are you?
Where are you?”
“Though I have brought you here and speak to you, you have yet to prove yourself to me to earn
knowledge of my name or my powers,” the female voice replied.
Alanna thought a moment. “You're my zanpakuto spirit.”
The feeling of love and joy surrounded Alanna. “You are correct. You have taken the first steps in
proving yourself to me. Continue on this path, and before long you will know my name.”
Alanna smiled. “I don't know what I have to do to prove myself to you, but I won't let you down. I will do
whatever it takes.”
“Good. Before you go, there is something you must not allow happen.”
“What is that?” Alanna looked confused.
“No matter what others may want, do not allow them to remove the hollow that now resides within
you.”
Alanna looked even more confused. “But I don't understand. Why do you say that I shouldn't get rid of
the hollow if there's a chance?”
“The truth will be revealed to you soon, Alanna. Do not make your choice known until you have received
all of the information. And heed my warning. To lose your inner hollow would equal your death as well
as death for all you cherish.”
Alanna was silent as the last words filled her with dread. It seemed that she had no choice. To save
everyone, she needed the hollow. Sighing, Alanna nodded. “I understand. This is another test that I will
have to deal with.”
“I have no doubt that you will pass it with flying colors as they say. It is time for you to go now, Alanna.
Your future husband is at your bedside worried.”
The thought of Ogihci being near filled her with joy. “Thank you. I hope to be talking to you again.”
“You're welcome, and you will, Alanna.”
********
Ogihci sat next to Alanna's bed, holding her hand. He had an inner battle going on between the part that
wanted Alanna free of the hollow and the part that wanted her to be like him so he wouldn't be alone.
He knew it was still Alanna's choice to make, but he also knew that she would ask for his opinion.
Choosing the right one was hard.
“Lolo, I never wanted you to go through the pain and torment that I went through,” Ogihci said softly as
he brushed some stray hair away from her face. “I know what you have to go through. Yet at the same
time I yearn to have someone like me, who knows what I go through so I won't feel alone. It sounds
selfish of me I know. Right now, I'm conflicted over this. Yet I know you will make the right decision for
you.”
Alanna slowly opened her eyes and smiled weakly. “Hello, Ogi. How are you?”
Ogihci smiled. “Better now that you're awake, Lolo. Did... did you hear what I said?”
Alanna nodded slightly. “I did, and I understand how you feel. Right now, I just want to rest and recover.
I'm sure that everyone wants to see me though.”
“They do, but they can wait,” Ogihci replied. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Why don't you go
back to sleep and rest? You've been through a lot for one day.”
Alanna smiled and began to close her eyes. “I guess a little sleep won't hurt.” Within moments, she was
asleep.
Ogihci smiled and caressed her face. “Thank you, Lolo, for understanding.” He leaned back in his chair
and watched Alanna sleep.
********
On Heru, Shi sat waiting for the return of the demons with Zouo and Abaddon. The demoness needs
them to make her plans run smoothly. Without them to help control her vast army, it would be difficult
to keep the pathetic humans in line. Shi also needed them to help grow the demon population.
Shi drummed her fingers impatiently on the arm rest. “What is taking them so long?”
A knock on the door caused Shi to sit up straight and get a little excited. A few moments later, a single
spy demon entered the room and bowed. “Empress, I have some disturbing news to report.”
Shi's face grew serious. “Go on. Tell me the news.”
“Four hours ago in the far east, an explosion took place. I and two of my top spies went to the area on
surveyed the damage. A large spell had been activated completely wiping out the side of the mountain
there.” The spy demon paused briefly before taking a breath and continuing the report. “Investigation
turned up 4 distinct trail patterns. Two belonged to the two demons you sent out earlier. The other two
belonged to Zouo and Abaddon.”
“Where are they?” Shi asked, though she had a feeling she knew what the spy would say.
“We have retrieved the remains of the two demons. There is no trace of Zouo or Abaddon, Empress.”
Shi growled. This wasn't good at all. This could only mean that Zouo and Abaddon regained their true
memories. “Tell the demon commanders to tighten their control on the army. Post wanted posters for
Zouo and Abaddon everywhere. Make it known that they are the traitors.” Shi stood and walked to a
window.
“Is there anything else you wish for me to do, Empress?”
Shi stared out the window. “That will be all for now. Leave me.”
“As you wish, Empress.” The spy demon bowed and left.
Shi continued to stare out the window. This was a major setback for her. Now she had to rethink a few
of her plans. Shi was going to use Zouo and Abaddon for so many reasons. Now that was up in smoke.
Shi turned away from the window and went to her throne and sat down. She needed a plan to take
place of the one she had. Leaning back, Shi closed her eyes and thought. She wasn't going to stop her
quest for domination.

Chapter 19
It was a cloudy day following the attack at the cafe. Most shinigami still didn't know the events that lead
to the closure of the cafe. Many would walk by and stare at the destroyed building and wonder when it
would be fixed. Little did they know that one of the injured was one that seemed to touch everyone's
lives and was laying in the infirmary recovering.
Over the course of the night in the cabin in the park, Elayne and Adrian had a visit from Aicerno. After
filling him in on the current situation on Heru, Elayne introduced Aicerno properly to Adrian. At first,
Aicerno was concerned about the new addition to the group but quickly warmed up to Adrian after
Elayne explained the two refugees' past. Adrian was also happy to learn about the plans Elayne and
Aicerno had forged together with other shinigami captains. The only things that seem to dampen their
moods were Shi's impending invasion and the cursed dagger.
Now after the long night and the lightening of the sky, Aicerno stood. “Well, the night has been
productive, but I must take my leave. I have patients to check on, one who was found to have an inner
hollow.”
Elayne looked at Aicerno with an apologetic look. “It's Alanna, right?”
Aicerno paused with his hand on the door. “How did you know that?”
Elayne walked to the window. “Because I'm the one who helped place the hollow within her,” she
replied.
Aicerno felt the anger start to rise. “Why...” was the one word that he could get out.
Elayne interrupted him. “For two reasons. 1. To keep Shi thinking I was still her Zouo and working with
her. 2. Because it had to be done to ensure that Shi would be defeated.”
Anger lessened as reason took over his thinking. “I see. Still wasn't there a better way to accomplish
those tasks?”
Elayne spun around and face not only Aicerno but also Adrian who was staring at her in confusion. “No.
It had to be done. The prophecy is clear on this. 'Two with an internal foe must work together as one to
defeat the approaching darkness.' If I didn't do it, we would be as good as dead.”
Adrian stood thinking, taking this information in. “When did this happen? I don't remember any plan like
this.”
“That's simple. The plan was set in motion when the former demon general Zetsubou was in charge. Shi
was sure that his plans would fail,” Elayne stated calmly. “She told me what to do, and I followed the
plans knowing that for her it would backfire.”
“So you basically were helping her to create her own downfall,” Aicerno said. It wasn't a question but a
statement of fact. “Using the prophecy against her, very brilliant.”
“Not brilliant, just careful planning,” Elayne replied. “And extensive knowledge of the prophecy relating
to Shi and this time. If we don't stop her, all life is at risk for her ruthless domination.”
By now all traces of anger within the new 4th Division Captain disappeared. Aicerno knew that Elayne
spoke the truth. She held knowledge of things that all of the captains longed to hear. Elayne was the
bearer of many items and books that were changing the tide hopefully in their favor. How could he be
angry for all of the help she had given them?
Aicerno sighed. “I need to relay the information to the others involved. I think I should introduce you
two to the group and finally speak about what is going on. I think Ogi and Lolo have the right to know
since much of our fate rests on their shoulders.”
Elayne nodded in agreement. “In two days time, we will be ready. There is much Adrian and I must
discuss as well as the need for both of us to rest.”
“In two days then,” Aicerno replied. He bowed and then left, closing the door behind him.
Adrian walked up to Elayne and wrapped his arms around her. “What do we have to discuss, dearest?”
Elayne rested her head on his shoulder. “Many things like how to explain to them how you are involved
in the murder of two people yet not responsible.”
Adrian swallowed. “Do they have to know? I feel bad enough about what I have done. I'm sure they will
demand my life in return.”
“They have the right to know, Adrian. That was your former self under Shi's control, not who you truly
are.” Elayne kissed his cheek. “I'm sure they will understand and not take it out on you.”
Adrian brushed Elayne's hair gently with a hand. “I hope so. It's bad enough that I have to worry about
the curse.”
Elayne didn't reply. She gently took his hand and led him to the bed in the next room. She sat down and
pulled Adrian down to sit next to her. As soon as he had taken his seat, Elayne pulled him into a deep,
passionate kiss.
********
Despite enjoying an ice cream cone with Rin yesterday, Kyo was upset. His oneechan Alanna lay in the
infirmary recovering from the attack. Her wounds had been worse than anyone else had received during
the fight. It pained him greatly to see her in this state. And then there was the fact of the inner hollow.
A part of Kyo was thankful for the inner hollow. If it hadn't been for that evil being, Alanna would have
been killed. The sudden appearance of the thing not only saved Alanna's life but the lives of everyone
there. Still, Kyo hated that his sister would have to deal with the new leech.
Yet something else stirred within Kyo. It was a strange feeling that he couldn't quite place. It was almost
like a longing for completion, like something was calling to him. At first he thought it may be because of
Rin, but soon it was clear that this was different. This was not the feeling of love or companionship.
So here he was sitting in the sakura tree and watching the gray clouds above. Kyo seemed to be at a
loss, not knowing what was going to happen. Things were confusing and not all of the information was
being given to them. All he knew was the fact that Ogihci and Alanna seemed to be the focus of many
people and events.
“Kyo, why are you up in that tree?”
Kyo blinked a few times and slowly came out of his inner thoughts to look down toward the voice that
called to him. A smile covered his face as he looked into Rin's curious eyes. “Oh, just thinking about
things. How are you, Rin?”
Rin smiled and shook her head. “I think it must be a boy thing, climbing into trees to think.” She giggled
a little. “I'm good. I'm heading to the infirmary to see how Lolo's doing. Want to come with me?”
“Sure. I have a few things I need to ask oneechan if she is awake,” Kyo replied as he jumped out of the
tree.
“Oh, what do you have to ask her?” Rin questioned with a smile.
Kyo blushed. “Well... ummm...”
Suddenly a blinding pain hit Kyo. His head felt like it was about to explode. Screaming, he collapsed to
the ground. He couldn't move a muscle. There was only one thought for him. Why was he in so much
pain?
“Kyo, what's wrong?” Rin asked.
Rin's words seemed distant, mumbled as if flowing through water before reaching Kyo's ears. Yet, he
couldn't answer. The pain clinched his throat tight now after the initial scream as the pain began to
radiate out through his body. He wanted to shout for help, to beg for death, for Rin to save him from
this agony.
As his vision began to fade, Kyo saw a shadow standing about 50 feet away under another tree. He
couldn't make out the features of the person, only a rough body shape. He lifted his right hand weakly
and pointed at the figure in hopes that Rin would see who it was. It was the last thing he saw before the
darkness of unconsciousness surrounded him.
********
Nikki and Janos sat in his citadel, a safe haven for the nosferatu of Soul Society. They were making plans
for their wedding, a dark and gothic one of course. It was the only way that they could keep their
thoughts off of the wounded Alanna in the infirmary. In truth, they were worried about the inner hollow
she now possessed.
Anna walked into the room, stretching. “Good morning, Janos and Nikki. How are you two?”
Nikki looked up from the latest issue of 'Gothic Bride' and smiled. “Morning, Anna. We're doing okay.
Just working on our wedding plans. How are you?”
“I am well despite this strange feeling that something important is about to happen,” Anna answered.
“Oh,” Janos said, looking at Anna with a raised eyebrow. “Is this a good feeling or a bad one?”
Anna sat down across from the couple. “I'm not sure. It's just a strange feeling.” She sighed. “I've been
having it since late last night.”
Nikki put the magazine down. “Maybe it has to do with Lolo's inner hollow?” She sighed. “I'm still
dealing with that myself.”
“No, it's something else. It's like there's going to a curve ball thrown at us,” Anna replied.
“Well, let's hope this curve ball is one in our favor,” Janos stated in a cool tone. “It's bad enough that Ogi
and Lolo are now having to deal with the hollow not to mention her injuries.”
They all sat quietly for a moment. They all knew the different views they had in regards to Alanna's new
permanent sleepover guest. Anna insisted that they could not remove it because of the prophecy. Nikki
and Janos didn't want Alanna to have to face the pain of having to deal with it. It caused some tension
between the three.
Anna sighed. “Anyway, I feel like whatever is going to happen is an unseen variable of the prophecy.”
She looked at Janos and Nikki. “And it could have drastic effects on all.”
Nikki stood and walked to the window. “I feel it too. There's a sense of imbalance in the air.”
Janos watched his future wife. “I'm afraid that until this Shi is taken care of that the balance will be as it
is, teetering back and forth wildly.”
Suddenly a scream could be heard in the direction of the park in the 4th Division. Janos and Anna were
on their feet and soon behind Nikki who was already heading for the door. Their faces were identical, a
wave of emotions flowing over each surface. All they knew was that they had to get to the park and fast.
********
Romi walked into the waiting room and noticed Lori sitting there holding a small book. She could tell
that her sister wasn't concentrating at all on the book. Romi understood how Lori felt. She sat down
next to her.
“Hey, Lori. What are you reading?” Romi asked.
Lori looked up and shrugged. “I have no clue. I can't focus on it truthfully.” She put the book on the
table. “How are you, Romi?”
“Wishing that this was all a dream,” Romi answered. She sighed. “It doesn't seem right that Lolo is the
one in the bed.”
Lori looked at her hands. “Yes, it should be one of us there, and she should be healing us while smiling
and teasing us.”
Romi nodded with giggle. “She always had the knack to make the situation lighter than it was.” Romi
sighed again. “Now she's the hurt one again, but this time....” She trailed off.
Lori hugged Romi. “Don't worry. Lolo's strong and will make the right decision for herself. I hate that she
has the inner hollow to deal with, but as Ogi said, she should be the one to decide if she should keep it
or not.”
Romi nodded as she hugged Lori back. “You're right, Lori. We just have to wait on her decision and
support her through it all.”
It was then that Aicerno walked into the waiting room after hearing two voices there. He saw Lori and
blushed slightly before walking over to the two women. “Hello, ladies. How are you both today?”
Lori looked up and blushed a little when she looked into Aicerno's eyes. “Hi, Aicerno. We're okay, just
worried about our sister.”
Romi saw the two blush and smiled. “Hi, Aicerno. Yep, we're fine for the most part. How are you?”
“I am a little tired. I had a long night with little sleep, well no sleep.” Aicerno replied. “As to Lolo's status,
I was on my way to see how she was.”
“Oh, okay,” Lori said, blushing a little more as she looked briefly at Aicerno and then away.
“What's good?” a voice called out behind Aicerno. They looked to find Jessy standing in the doorway.
“And Lori, you’re blushing so much it can be seen from space.”
“Jessy!” was all that Lori could say as she blushed even more, looking away from them all.
Aicerno glanced at Lori and then to Jessy. “We could make you blush too, Jessy.”
“Now wait a minute...” Romi began.
Before she could finish, a scream from the park penetrated the infirmary walls. Soon the four were
making their way out of the building, the discussion already forgot. Secretly each feared that another
attack was taking place. They were also hoping that they were wrong.
*******
Alanna opened her eyes to see Ogihci watching her carefully with concern on his face. “Hi, Ogi. How are
you?”
Ogihci smiled. “I'm good, Lolo. How are you feeling?”
“Tired and sore, but okay,” Alanna replied, squeezing his hand gently.
Ogihci smiled more, brushing a few stray hairs out of her face. “I've been worried about you, wishing
you didn't have to go through this.” He sighed. “Have you thought about it more?”
Alanna nodded. “I have, but I still want to hear all of the information before I make my decision known.”
“I understand,” Ogihci kissed Alanna on the cheek. “You deserve to know. We both do.”
“Ogi, where's Kyo?” Alanna asked out of the blue.
Ogihci had a confused look on his face. “He was in the park earlier. He said he would come to talk to you
after he thought about some stuff.” He was watching her closely. “Why?”
Alanna sighed. “I just have a feeling that he's going to need me. I had this weird dream.”
Before Ogihci could ask her about the dream, a scream filled the room from outside. Alanna's eyes went
wide. “Kyo! Ogi, please, go and help him.”
“But I can't leave you...”
“Please, Ogi. You have to. I can't explain it, but he's hurting and needs help. He needs me.”
Ogihci could see the stress and fear in Alanna's face. He bent over and kissed her. “Okay, Lolo. Is there
anything else I need to know?”
“Bring him to me. Please don't let anyone keep him from me,” Alanna replied. She seemed distant a
moment. “And tell Aicerno to bring the bearer of the dagger. Please hurry.”
Ogihci looked at Alanna a moment before nodding. He turned and left the infirmary.
********
Yondy followed Ambivalence and Syira as they headed toward the infirmary to visit Alanna. Daelen was
walking happily next to him, humming some strange tune. Yondy sighed. For some reason, the humming
was annoying him greatly. Maybe it was the fact that it was a cloudy day, and they were on the way to
visit an injured friend.
“Daelen, could you explain why your kind is so interested in Lolo?” Ambivalence asked rubbing his right
temple a little. Apparently the humming was getting to him as well.
“Oh, I've already told you all that I can. The rest has to remain secret,” Daelen replied.
The way Daelen said the word 'secret' made Yondy think of a cartoon he saw in the living world one
time. It was geared to pre-schoolers and featured dragons, one of which had the tendency to sing her
words from time to time. Daelen's sing-song voice reminded him of that and how much Yondy wanted
to punch the guy in the face. He seemed too happy, like this was all a joke to him. Yondy started to think
of ways to silence the guy. One picture that came to mind was Daelen tied up like Christmas pig and his
mouth stuffed with an apple.
“There has to be something more you can tell us, Daelen,” Syira said, bringing Yondy of his torturing
daydreams. “We need everything we can get.”
“I already told you what I'm allowed. Any more could tip the scales too much or change things too
drastically,” Daelen replied.
The sing-song voice was like nails scratching down a chalkboard. It was all Yondy could do to keep
himself from punching the guy in the stomach or face. Yondy was impressed with how Ambivalence and
Syira were bearing with the irritation so well. He could tell that their patience was close to an end
though.
“But what you know could save hundreds if not thousands,” Ambivalence stated. “How can you
withhold information like that if it could save lives?”
“And what if those people are meant to die? Preventing their deaths would change everything,” Daelen
answered with that maddening smile on his face.
It was also the last straw. Yondy grabbed the irritating man and lifted him off the ground. “Now look
here. How can you live with yourself if you allow people to die when you have the information that
could save them?” Yondy glared at Daelen. “You claim to want to keep balance, but the way I see it,
you're preventing it.”
“Yondy, put him down,” Ambivalence stated plainly.
Yondy continued to glare at the smiling Daelen. “I'm tired of this guy acting like a...”
“I know how you feel, Yondy, but you have to put him down,” Syira said softly.
Yondy sighed and lowered Daelen to the ground. “I don't like you. Stay away from me.” He turned and
walked a few feet away.
Daelen chuckled. “He's a little hot-headed, don't you think?”
Syira and Ambivalence glared at the man. “I have to agree with him right now,” Ambivalence said in a
cold tone. “Right now you are sentencing innocent people to their death with your refusal to help.”
“You don't understand...” Daelen began.
“No, it's you who doesn't understand,” Syira growled. “You are risking everyone for your misplaced
ideals of balance. I have to agree with Yondy. I don't like you either.”
“I think you should keep your distance from everyone including Lolo until you are ready to help us,”
Ambivalence added. With that, the two turned and walked toward Yondy, leaving a stunned Daelen to
stand alone.
Yondy was watching the other two shinigami walk toward him when the scream filled the air.
Immediately, the three took off in the direction of the park. Daelen on the other hand turned and
headed toward the infirmary, running like the wind.
********
Shi gazed out of her window. The day seemed to be moving slowly. With the loss of two valuable assets,
it seemed as her plans would need to be put on the back burner until new help could be obtained. Yet
the driving need for domination forced her ever forward.
A knock came to the throne room door. Shi turned from the window and glided to her throne, sitting.
“Enter.”
A plump man came into the room bowing frequently. He was bald and wore clothes that looked to have
been lived in for years. What little hair he had on the sides of his head was matted and seemingly
plastered in place with red clay. When he wasn't bowing, his dirty face and toothless smile made Shi
want to vomit in response to his hideous appearance.
“Empress Shi, I'm sorry to disturb you...” the man began.
“Oh, do get on with it, Chauney. Looking at and smelling you is making me sick,” Shi said, holding her
nose.
“Yes... ummmm... forgive me,” Chauney replied. “I have some news that you may find delightful.”
Shi rolled her eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you to spit it out?”
Chauney swallowed hard. “Well... Empress Shi... they have agreed to your deal,” he said. “They want to
make sure that you would hold up your end of the bargain.”
Shi smiled. “Excellent. Tell them that once the deed has been done and proof of it provided, I will honor
my part of the deal.”
“Yes, Empress. Anything else?” Chauney said with another bow.
“Yes. Do not come to see me again without cleaning up first,” Shi stated. “You do, and I will send you to
the abyss.”
Chauney swallowed hard again. “Yes, Empress Shi.” With that, he left the room.
Shi smile and snapped her fingers. Two figures wrapped head to toe in black appeared before her
kneeling. “You know what to do.” The two ninja's nodded and disappeared. She smiled even more.
“Soon, I will have the advantage once more.”
********
Joe was locking up the pizza parlor when Xemo walked up. He smiled. “Hi, Xemo. How are you? What
brings you here?”
“Hi, Joe. I'm well. I thought I would grab something to eat, but I see I'm too late,” Xemo replied. “Why
are you locking up so early?”
Joe picked up a basket that was at his feet. “I'm taking some goodies to the infirmary for Lolo.” He
reached into the basket and pulled out a sandwich. “Here you go, Xemo.”
Xemo smiled in appreciation as he took the offering. “Thanks, Joe. Care if I walk with you?”
“Of course not. I'm sure Lolo will enjoy seeing you.” Joe turned and walked in the direction of the 4th
Division. “I'm still shocked over the hollow thing. Who would have thought Lolo would end up with
one?”
Xemo took a bite out of the sandwich. “Yeah, it was strange, but I know she's strong enough to handle it.
Plus, she has all of us to support her.” He took another bite. “She's lucky that times have changed.”
Joe was silent for a few moments as he nodded. He knew that at another time Alanna would have be
exiled or killed for possessing an inner hollow. He sighed. “I hope she will make the right decision for
herself and not for others.”
“She will,” Xemo replied with a full mouth. “Let's hope that the truth will be revealed finally about all of
this. We need to be prepared.”
Joe looked at the ground. “Maybe this can provide some closure to my sister's death.”
Xemo placed a hand on Joe's shoulder. “I hope so too. I know you've been through a lot and have done a
lot to make your sister proud.”
Joe nodded. “I've tried to do what I can to honor her memory.”
Before Xemo could answer, a scream filled the air. Joe and Xemo looked briefly at each other before
they dropped the food they held and took off in the direction of the park. Their hands were on their
zanpakuto, ready to fight if need be.
********
Rin knelt next to Kyo with worry etched on her face. “Kyo! Kyo, what's wrong?” She watched him lift a
hand and point toward the tree line. She looked but saw nothing. Her attention returned to Kyo to find
him unconscious. “Kyo!”
Rin placed her fingers on his neck. Thankfully, Kyo still had a pulse. She noticed the pain that marred his
normal calm face. With a surpisingly steady hand, Rin brushed a few loose strands of hair out of his face.
She wasn't in a rush to take Kyo to the infirmary as she already felt multiple reiatsu heading toward
them.
As if on cue, Aicerno, Jessy, Rose, and Lori came into the area. Aicerno moved quickly to Kyo's side and
began a reiatsu scan as the others began to form a perimeter. Next to arrive was Nikki, Anna, and Janos.
They noted what was going on and took position like the others. Ambivalence, Syira, Yondy, Joe and MB
came last following suit and joining the perimeter watch.
“Rin, what happened to Kyo?” Aicerno asked calmly.
“I don't know. He got out of the tree here and then suddenly grabbed his head screaming,” Rin replied,
worry dripping from every word. “Then he collapsed.”
Suddenly, Ogihci appeared in the park and made his way quickly to where Rin and Aicerno were. He
didn't wait for them to question him. “We need to get Kyo to Lolo now.”
“Why?” came twin replies from Aicerno and Rin.
“She knows he's in trouble... somehow. She said to bring him to here and not allow anyone to keep me
from doing it.” Ogihci looked at Aicerno. “She also told me to tell you to bring the bearer of the dagger.”
He took a deep breath. “I don't understand it myself, but she looked frightened when she was telling me
this.”
Aicerno's eyes went wide. “Who told her about the dagger?”
Rin looked confused. “Dagger? What are you talking about?”
Ogihci shrugged. “I don't know. It's what she told me, and I'm just relaying it now.” He knelt down and
touched Kyo.
“Betrayal...” Kyo shouted suddenly in his sleep. “Protect... oneechan...”
The words caused everyone in the park to look at Kyo. It was like an answer to their silent dread. They
looked at one another. Then Yondy spoke.
“Hey, where's that Daelen fellow?”
The group looked around the area. As their eyes found each other again, they realized that they were all
thinking the same thing. Ogihci picked up Kyo in a rush as the others began to head toward the
infirmary. Everyone that is save Aicerno.
Aicerno watched the group leave, deep in thought. “How could Lolo know about the dagger?” he asked
to no one in particular. Without further hesitation, he took off toward the small cabin in the park where
Elayne and Adrian were staying.
********
Daelen made his way silently into the infirmary. The earlier scream seemed to draw the others away
from Alanna. He had to move quickly or things would fail. He couldn't let that happen. He had his orders.
He came to an intersection in the halls. Pausing, Daelen waited in the shadows as a recruit walked by
carrying bed linens. The Draconic Watchers member smiled, thankful that he could hide his spiritual
power extremely well. After all, that's why he was chosen to come here. Things were working well for
him.
He counted to 10 before turning down the hallway that led to Alanna's room. Daelen knew that the time
was coming quickly. He knew that she would be the most vulnerable now. After all, he saw it before. He
couldn't tell the others what he saw because it would ruin his plans. Daelen smiled and crept along the
hallway toward the open door that led into Alanna's room.
Just outside the room, Daelen paused, sending his powers outward to test the room. Things had to go
exactly as it was seen. He couldn't move until the right moment. His vision and his orders demanded it.
With his gift, Daelen saw Alanna in bed, her eyes closed as she rested. He knew she wasn't asleep but
waiting. He smiled. So far so good. He knew that shortly the group would realize he was missing and
come running. Still he didn't act. It had to be the exact time, no sooner.
And then the time appeared. Daelen saw it clearly as he had so many nights ago. Without hesitation, he
launched himself into the room, weapon drawn.

Chapter 20
As Daelen came into the room with his weapon now drawn, a figure that stood at the bedside with its
bony hand stretched toward Alanna turned slightly toward him. The creature was clothed in a gray robe
with what looked like strings of moss hanging from the sleeves, hand, and old of the hood. In the hood
was nothing but darkness. Projecting from its back were four, short, black spikes.
The creature hissed and cursed in a tongue that very few knew. It turned toward Daelen as the Draconic
Watcher came toward it. Somehow, the room seemed to grow darker and colder, as if life and heat was
being drawn from the place. A light fog began to flow from under the bottom of the creature's robe.
“Foul creature! I will not allow you to claim her life as long as I live!” Daelen shouted swinging his sword
at the creature's neck.
There was an angry growl as the creature blocked the attack with its arm. Putrid smoke began to flow
from the arm, and the creature roared in anger and defiance. Its other hand came up in a fist and
punched Daelen in the face. For a moment, the smoke stopped though the smell lingered.
Daelen took a few steps backward from the punch. “You think I'm that easily defeated, fiend. This
weapon will end your miserable existence.”
Suddenly a throaty laughter came from the hood of the robed creature. Then a voice that sounded like
bones being crushed under steel boots filled the room. “Draconic idiot, you think that pitiful blade can
take me on. Do you know who I am?”
Daelen looked shocked a moment but quickly recovered. “I don't need to know who you are as long as I
know what you are. You are evil and seek to upset the balance of things. You are a servant of Shi, a
pawn in this game of hers.”
The laughter grew louder, sounding like metal being ground. “You are a fool. I'm no pawn of that lowly
demon. As to seeking chaos and unbalance, these things belong to me.” The robed figure seemed to
stand up taller, nearly reaching the ceiling. “Draconic fool, do you not study your history? Do you not
know who you truly face now?” The room grew darker as if light was being sucked into a black hole. “Do
you not know who I AM?”
Daelen stared at the figure as realization finally came to him. “No.... It can't be.”
********
The group of shinigami shunpo'd toward the infirmary as fast as they could, yet for some reason, they
felt like it wasn't fast enough. The closer they got, the more they felt a sense of despair settle into their
hearts and souls, all save two. Kyo was unconscious and oblivious to the feeling that seemed to claim
the others. Ogihci seemed focused on getting back to Alanna no matter the cost.
As they approached the infirmary, the group came to a halt. Jessy moved closer by just a few steps.
“What the hell is going on? Is this Shi or what?”
Before them stood the infirmary surrounded by a dark energy. It was almost like a fog, moving and see-
through. The ground where it touched was dead blackened as if a fire had touched each inch. A sickly
aroma came from the energy, making all sick to their stomach.
“I have no clue,” Ambivalence said, remaining calm even though the urge to run sought to gain control.
“I've never encountered anything like this. Anna, could this be Shi's work?”
Anna took a step forward and then immediately moved back three steps. “I don't know. It makes me...
sick and frightened.”
“It could be that creepy Daelen,” Yondy stated, his face tinged green as the smell assaulted his nose.
“He's the only one who could be in there.”
Ogihci looked up to where Alanna's room was and grew worried. “I don't know who or what it is. I'm just
worried about Lolo. She's the one in the middle of it all.”
The group looked up to where Ogihci's eyes rested. They knew what he said was true. Alanna was the
one in danger. She was too weak, fresh from a fight, to be dealing with this. Despite the feelings of fear
they all felt, they stood and looked for an opening into the infirmary.
********
Aicerno stopped at the cabin door and knocked. He didn't have much time for formalities, but at least he
would give them some warning. Without waiting too long, he entered the building. “Elayne. Adrian. We
have a situation that requires you both now and the dagger as well.”
Elayne and Adrian turned toward Aicerno from where they sat on the couch. Their faces became grave
instantly. Slowly they stood. “What do you mean?” Elayne asked. “There should be no need to take the
dagger out of its resting...”
“Lolo knows about the dagger,” Aicerno said, interrupting her. “She told Ogi to bring her little brother to
her and for me to bring the bearer of the dagger to her. That means the dagger comes too.”
Adrian's face seemed to pale slightly. “How could she know? We've told no one.”
Aicerno sighed. “I don't know either. I have yet to see her today. All I know is that we need to get to the
infirmary immediately.”
Elayne closed her eyes a moment and then nodded. “Very well. Let me grab my bag, and then we can
head out.”
Adrian moved to the wall where his bag rested. He picked it up and slung it over his left shoulder. He
sighed and then turned toward the other two who were waiting. “I guess my time has come. Let's get
this over with.”
Aicerno looked at Elayne and saw the sadness in her eyes. He knew the story too and felt a pang of
regret for them both. “Who knows what will happen. Let's just get to Lolo and see.”
Elayne looked toward Aicerno and gave him a small smile in thanks. “He's right. Let's just see where this
leads.”
Adrian nodded once and then headed toward the door. Inwardly he resigned himself not to get his
hopes up too high. It would be easier for him to just accept the truth. His life was already forfeited when
he claimed the dagger in murder and blood so many years ago.
Elayne followed Adrian out the door, followed by Aicerno. Her attention was completely on the back of
her love, her husband to be. It didn't seem fair that he would be taken from her when they just
reclaimed each other after years under Shi's yoke. Inwardly she sighed and followed silently along.
********
Shi was sitting on her throne when Chauney came running into the room. Thankful for both of them he
had listened to her orders and cleaned up. He still looked disgusting but at least he didn't smell, and he
was a little bit better. Not much though.
“Empress Shi, I have disturbing news!” Chauney said as he slid to a stop and bowed.
Shi looked at the demon like he was a piece of trash to be thrown out. “What is it, Chauney? Be grateful
that I am in a good mood, or you would already be in the abyss for disturbing me.”
Chauney swallowed loudly. “Empress, I tried to get in touch with the traitors of the Draconic Watchers.
They're no longer there.” He swallowed again. “I sent one of my trusted men to see what was going on
and to get a status of the situation.” He fell silent, fear in his eyes.
Shi growled in displeasure. “Spit it out, you sniveling coward. What is wrong?”
Chauney looked to have paled considerably. “They're dead, Empress. Every member of the Draconic
Watchers traitors is dead. Their bodies.... They were ripped apart. On the wall... there was a message in
blood.”
Shi shrugged. Death was nothing to her. She couldn't understand why Chauney was acting like the world
was about to end. “Oh, get it over with. What did the message say?”
Chauney swallowed. “Death comes to those who betray me. Prisons cannot contain me for long. Be lucky
your fate has been sealed already or I would come after you personally, Deumos.” He looked at Shi and
looked like he was about to faint. “Empress Shi, who is Deumos?”
Shi looked at Chauney, her expression unchanging. “How would I know and why would you be so
frightened over a mere message on the wall?” She raised her right hand. “I have no use for cowards in
my army. Give me one reason why I should allow you to live.”
Chauney swallowed hard and began to shake. “I am good at making new connections and converting
people to our side, Empress. I also have more spies that you are unaware of in the world that you seek
to gain control over. They are still watching over things there.”
Shi thought a few moments and then lowered her hand. “I will allow you to live a little longer, but the
next time you show such cowardly ways, I will slaughter you before all of the army and your spies.” Her
eyes flashed. “Keep what you have learned to yourself. Kill the one you sent to check on the traitors.”
Chauney bowed again, his color returning a little. “As you wish, Empress.” Without another word, he
turned and left the throne room.
Shi sat on her throne, her fingers drumming on the arm rest. She should have known that her new allies
would screw things up for themselves. Well, at least it saved herself the time for having to kill them
herself. A small smirk graced her face. Things were still going her way.
********
Daelen took a step backward. “It can't be. You were imprisoned, never to return to this world.”
The robed figure laughed. “You are a fool. Did you not see the traitors within your little coven of
Watchers? Your brothers and sisters broke me free from that prison, seeking my aid to do the bidding of
that lowly demon. They didn't realize that Shi never planned to honor the agreement they made.” The
laughter grew. “So I did the one thing that would settle things for those traitors.”
Daelen swallowed. “What did you do to them?” He held the blade before him, shaking slightly.
The figure laughed more and then lowered its self some. “Why... I tore them apart,” it said. “Just like I'm
about to do to you and this worthless woman in the bed.” The cloaked figure put its bony hands on the
floor. “Now, who should I take a bite out of first? I'm still so hungry and thirsty after all those years in
prison.”
Daelen got into his stance and held his blade at ready. “I'll not let you get to either of us. I'll defeat you
and then call my brothers and sisters to imprison you once more.”
The laughter filled the room, shaking the walls. “You don't understand at all, draconic fool. You think I
would allow the others to live? I hunted them down as well and ripped them to shreds. There's no way
you can imprison me anymore.”
Daelen stared at the cloaked figure. “No.... You're lying. There's no way....”
“That I could go and find them all and rip off their head?” The cloaked figure shook its robed head as it
laughed. “You are naive beyond belief. One such as I can find anyone I set my mind to. Now, die, fool.”
Daelen watched as the cloaked figure launched itself toward him, its bony hands outstretched. Then the
figure stopped moving forward. Daelen blinked a few times and then watched the creature as it was
thrown through the wall and outside. He looked back and stared. “You...”
 ********
Aicerno, Elayne and Adrian arrived to find the others staring at the infirmary that was now encased in a
black fog that blocked out the building from view. The trio walked forward and stopped next to Ogihci
who was still holding Kyo. They looked at the husband to be and then at the black wall before them.
They knew, like the rest of the group, what was going through Ogihci's head.
“I have to say it's Shi's doing,” Anna stated. “It's the only way to explain it.”
“No, it's not Shi,” Elayne said in response. “This is in a different realm of what the demon can do.”
The group looked at Elayne and Adrian next to Aicerno. They were curious as to who the new comers
were. Syira walked toward them. “And who are you that you would know this?”
Before Elayne could speak, Aicerno stepped forward. “It's a long story, but this is Princess Elayne and
Prince Adrian. They are refugees of Heru. We can go into more details later. Right now, we need a way
to get into the infirmary. Lolo needs to be brought out of there and to safety.”
Before anyone could argue with the 4th Captain, a large crash was heard. They turned to see a figure
coming from the wall where Alanna's room was. It was clothed in a gray robe. It fell to the ground in a
heap, unmoving for a moment. Then slowly it stood. The group could see that the hood was a black as
night and bony hands projected from the sleeves.
The figure turned from the group and looked up at the hole. “Who dares to attack me in such a
manner?” it asked, anger dripping from each word. “You will pay.”
The dust was still in the air at the hole as a shadow walked forward with another slightly behind.
Without hesitation, the shadow leaped out of the hole in the wall and landed on the ground facing the
cloaked figure. Daelen landed behind the first and then moved to the side, looking for a way to get out
of the battle area. He knew that this wasn't going to end well.
The group stared at the one who now faced the cloaked figure. Their faces were full of emotions, one of
the predominate ones was shock. Ogihci took a step forward.
“Lolo?”

Chapter 21
Alanna didn’t acknowledge Ogihci’s voice when he called to her. Her eyes were focused on the cloaked
figure before her as the air began to blow her hair to the side. Daelen walked closer to the nearest
shinigami who happened to be Nikki.
“Daelen, what’s going on? Who is this and why is Alanna attacking it?” Nikki asked, placing a hand on
her zanpakuto.
Daelen spared a moment’s glance at Alanna’s sister. “That is an evil that the Draconic Watchers have
kept imprisoned for nearly 10,000 years. The name is…”
“Hush your mouth, draconic fool. Why tell them everything so freely,” the cloaked figure said as it
lowered itself into a crouch. “They will find out soon enough when I take this fool’s life.” With that, it
leapt for Alanna.
Numerous voices called out for Alanna to move and some tried to get into the path of the attack but
found that they couldn’t move. The cloaked figure started to descend from its leap when suddenly
Alanna moved. She leapt up and grabbed the figure’s cloak. Spinning around quickly, she brought the
figure around in a full circle before throwing it into the ground with great force.
Everyone stared in confusion as they watched Alanna descend with speed and land on the back of the
cloaked figure. Bones could be heard to break it when she landed. Without missing a step, Alanna
flipped off the figure and then stood waiting.
A growl filled the air as the cloaked figure slowly stood. “How… how DARE YOU!” It stood up fully,
seeming to gain height even more. “Who are you?” It made a move to attack Alanna and then stopped.
The group stared in confusion as Alanna and the cloaked figure stared at one another. They felt a large
amount of power radiate from both of them. What surprised them more than anything was Alanna. She
looked fully healed and took on this new person with ease.
The cloaked figure relaxed and seemed to shrink in size. “I see. So that is why the draconic fool was in
the room. To think I would face you in such a form.” It growled again. “Because of you and your
brethren, I was imprisoned for so long. I should kill you now.”
“You were imprisoned because of the evil thing you did, kuroiryuu,” Alanna replied. When she spoke,
the voice was not her own. “Did you expect us to stand by and do nothing?”
“You never saw the big picture, usuiryuu. I was doing what I was in order to subdue those pathetic
humans,” the cloaked figure replied. “They were nothing but a source of food for us, yet you treated
them like one of your own.”
“They were living beings and deserved a chance at life. You had no right to take it from them,” Alanna
replied, anger flashing in her eyes. “You killed the village that was under my protection even when they
begged you for mercy.”
The cloaked figure began the laugh. “And they were a tasty treat after the long travels I made from the
last village I ate. I must say your village tasted so much sweeter than the rest I ate.”
Alanna clenched her fists. “You fiend. I will send you back to your prison.”
The cloaked figure laughed harder. “Too bad for you. The traitors of the Draconic Watchers destroyed
the item that held me. I am free to do as I wish.” It started to vanish from the area. “Yet, now is not the
time of my vengeance. It seems like the demon they call Shi wishes to gain dominance over all. I think I
will watch from the shadows to see how the events unfold.”
Alanna leapt toward the cloaked figure. “No…” She tried to grasp the robe but met nothing. Growling,
she pounded the ground with her fist in anger. “I will have to deal with that later, though it pains me to
say it.”
The shinigami that surrounded Alanna stared in shock. They didn’t know what to make of it all. It was
Ogihci that moved forward, carrying Kyo. “Lolo?” he asked softly.
Alanna looked up and then stood facing Ogihci. “I’m sorry, but Alanna is still asleep. I had to take control
for now.”
“Who are you? A hollow?” Rin asked moving up to Ogihci’s side.
“No, I’m not a hollow. As to whom I am, I cannot reveal that yet as she hasn’t earned that privilege yet.”
Alanna looked at Kyo and moved closer. “So, he has felt the dagger calling. Is the carrier of the dagger
here?”
Adrian stepped forward. “I’m here.
**********

In her throne room, Shi watched the events that were taking place through her orb. Softly she growled
in anger as the cloaked figure left the area without killing Alanna. She fought to restrain the burning
desire to kill something. Yet, the door opened, and a servant walked in. Shi raised her right hand and
sent the dark sphere at the servant without a second glance, killing the young woman instantly.
“My, my. Who would have thought that you would kill so recklessly, Shi?” came a voice from the left
side of the room.
Shi turned and saw a cloaked figure standing in the shadows. “How dare you come here. You failed to do
what you were released to do.”
The cloaked figure laughed. “Do you think I’m one to follow your orders, Shi?” It laughed harder. “Shi…
what a name. We both know that your real name is…”
“You will silence your tongue, dark one, or I will have it removed,” Shi replied in anger, standing.
The cloaked figure roared in laughter. “And you know that you have no power over me and would fail in
removing my tongue, young one. Compared to me, you are nothing but a babe.”
Shi seethed as she sat back down. “You think you have more powers than I. I haven’t been imprisoned
for 3000 years like you.”
“That may be, but my powers haven’t waned during my imprisonment,” the cloaked figure stated as it
moved a few steps forward. “And I haven’t forgotten your betrayal, young one. You played a part in my
imprisonment as much as those goodie goodies did.”
Shi shrugged. “I tried, but I just didn’t make it in time.”
“Make it in time?” the cloaked figure roared in anger. “You deliberately took your time and withheld
your aid so that I would be trapped.” Darkness seemed to fill the room. “After everything I gave you, you
turned your back to me.”
“Oh, calm down. You are free now and free to resume your torture of lesser creatures once more,” Shi
replied, waving a hand as if dismissing the one before her. “Now if we take out that girl…”
The cloaked figure shook its head. “No, I will not help you. Your fate has been sealed already. Besides,
it’s only fair that I leave you face this… alone. After all, that’s what you did to me.”
Shi glared at the cloaked figure. “If you are not going to help me, then why are you here?”
“Oh, I just thought I would visit the soon to be dead demon who dared to think she could take over the
realms so easily,” the cloaked figure replied. “After all, I have the best seat in the house.” It moved back
into the shadows and disappeared.
Shi growled and sent a dark energy sphere after the cloaked figure. “Damn you. I’ll make you regret
denying me.” Shi stared at the shadows seething.

**********

Alanna looked at Adrian and smiled softly. “Do not fret, worried one. The true heir of the dagger is here
to take back what is rightfully his. Please hand me the dagger.”
Adrian took a deep breath and felt his body relax. He was relieved to be giving up the dagger without
losing his life. He removed it from the belt where it hung and handed it to Alanna. “Here you go.”
Alanna took the dagger, sheath and all, from Adrian and bowed. “Thank you.” She turned back to Ogihci.
“Please place the heir on the ground.”
Ogihci looked at Alanna confused. “The heir? What do you mean?”
“I think she’s referring to Kyo,” Rin said. “Put Kyo on the ground.”
Ogihci nodded and knelt down. Carefully, he placed his soon-to-be brother-in-law on the ground. “But
how is Kyo an heir of anything?”
Alanna knelt down next to Kyo and smiled. “Though no one knows it, he is the last heir of the Toshi
family, a royal family that lived many centuries ago.”
Elayne stepped forward at that time. “This shinigami is that last heir? How can that be?”
Alanna nodded and took a breath. “The Toshi family was at one time a noble family of Soul Society. They
were the one that were reborn into the ruling families of China and Japan. Unfortunately, the family
believed that they should be the rulers of Soul Society and planned a coup to take over.”
Aicerno looked at Alanna who was still speaking in the strange yet motherly voice. “I remember reading
about that battle. The family was destroyed and all records save the ones in the 12th Division were
destroyed. There was no one that survived that battle.”
“That is where you and the records are wrong,” Alanna replied as she placed a hand on Kyo’s forehead.
“One member did survive, hidden away from all, including his family.”
“Kyo?” Jessy asked as she moved closer to the group. “Was he the one?”
“No, though it was a young boy,” Alanna answered without looking up. “The boy had actually run away
from the Toshi family about 2 months prior because he disapproved of their plans. It was because of
that he was saved from the death that claimed the rest of the Toshi family.”
Rin sat down on the ground and looked at Alanna and then at Kyo. “What are you doing?”
“I am preparing Kyo for the dagger. I must quiet the mind in order to transfer the dagger without
complications,” Alanna replied.
Everyone fell quiet when they heard this. They didn’t know how giving someone a dagger could be
dangerous save the possible cut. They didn’t question it either as Alanna, or rather the one speaking
through her, knew what was needed. They watched her as she worked.
Alanna kept her hand on Kyo’s forehead for a few minutes and then moved it to his chest over his heart.
Again she kept it there for a few moments before removing it. Carefully, she lifted the dagger and placed
it on his chest over Kyo’s heart. The moment she let go of the dagger, it began to glow.
Alanna moved back a little bit. “Now we wait.”
“For what?” Ogi asked.
“For the dagger and Kyo to accept each other.”

Chapter 22
Kyo opened his eyes to find him in a place he did not recognize. He lay in the middle of a lush green
forest. The light seemed to filter through the canopy of dark green leaves above his head. Around him
the sounds of nature followed, reaching his ears in a soft lullaby. Resisting the urge to return once more
to the peaceful slumber he had been in, Kyo sat up slowly, looking around.
“Where am I? How did I get here?” Kyo asked, not sure if it was real or simply another dream.
“Welcome, heir of the Toshi family. You are in my realm, the realm of the dagger,” a kind, motherly
voice spoke. It seemed to come from all directions and yet from nowhere at the same time.
“Toshi? Realm of the dagger?” Kyo asked as he stood finally. He began to search the area around him in
search of the voice’s source. “What do you mean? I’m Kyo Emiya, not Kyo Toshi.”
A soft laughter almost musical in nature came from the trees around him. “Emiya is your adoptive name.
Toshi is your true family name, former noble family of Soul Society. Your great, great, great, great-
grandfather ran away from the family, denouncing the family and the name because of their greed.”
“How do I know this is true? What proof do you have of this?” Kyo continued to search the forest for the
one talking. “Why won’t you show yourself?”
“Show myself? Very well, young one,” the voice replied. From the forest before Kyo came a woman
dressed in simple clothes. Her long black hair flowed down her back and out behind her a little as the
wind blew. Her blue eyes shown with a kindness and a love that was similar to that of a mother. She
stopped before Kyo a few feet and smiled. “Do you wish to know everything I know, Kyo?”
Kyo was shocked to see the woman and yet felt like she knew her somehow. “Who are you?”
The woman smiled. “I will tell you everything you need to know if you are ready for the truth.” She
raised her hand out toward Kyo as if reaching for him. “If you are truly ready, take my hand, Kyo.”
********
The group gathered around Kyo and Alanna, watching as the dagger’s glow began to surround the
younger Emiya brother. It was a soft golden glow that seemed to calm the souls of those watching. No
one questioned what was going on or the truthfulness of the one controlling Alanna at the moment. It
seemed as if second nature to them all.
Rin was quiet for a few moments as she watched the strange light move around Kyo’s body. Despite
feeling calm about it, she had a question that would not cease its desire to be asked. Slowly she tore her
eyes off of Kyo and looked at Alanna. “What would happen if they don’t accept each other?”
Alanna placed a hand on Kyo’s head for a moment. “It is unclear as to the outcome should that happen.
It could be that nothing would happen. It could be that he will lose his powers. It could be that he would
die.” She smiled and removed her hand. “No one knows what would happen. Only guesses can be made.
Yet, you don’t need to worry.”
“Don’t need to worry?” Rin asked with a slight catch to her voice. “You said there is a chance he could
die. How can I not worry with that knowledge?”
Alanna looked at Rin and continued to smile. “The first steps of bonding have begun. The dagger accepts
him as the true heir of the Toshi family. Now it is Kyo’s turn to decide.”
Jessy sat down on the ground. “Decide what? To change his underwear or maybe his shirt?”
Nikki slapped Jessy on the top of her head. “How can you joke in a time like this?”
Jessy reached back and grabbed Nikki’s leg. “It’s easy. Like this.” She pulled her sister’s leg forward,
causing Nikki to fall onto the ground. “Have a nice trip. See ya next fall.”
Nikki growled and smacked Jessy’s arm. “Very funny, Jessy. You know that’s not what I meant.”
Alanna laughed. “Don’t worry, Nikki. Laughter is a means of dealing with things one doesn’t understand.
It is a natural mechanism to help with stress.” She returned her attention to Kyo. “Kyo must decide if he
wants to know the truth or not.”
“And what is the truth you are talking about?” Aicerno asked as he too sat down. “The truth is a relative
thing and can be altered to satisfy one’s perception.”
Alanna smiled. “While that is true, the truth I speak of is the truth of Kyo’s family history, of who he is.”
She looked up at the sky. “And the one who is going to speak the truth is the one who knows it better
than any other person alive, including the record keepers of the 12th.”
Elayne took a step forward. “Are you speaking of who I think you are?”
Alanna turned her gaze to Elayne with a smile. “And who is it that you think I am talking about?”
Elayne took a deep breath. “The oracle.”

********
Servants moved quickly out of the way as the new general of Shi’s army walked down the hallway. He
was not in human form nor did he believe in hiding behind a weak form. He showed his demon form
with pride knowing the fear it would cause. Seeing the unabated fright upon the faces of the human
servants gave him a rush that was only outdone but the lust and joy of the battle. He didn’t care if
someone could die from fright. It would be one less human scum to kill in his opinion.
The demon general stood 8 foot tall and was very muscular. His skin was a mixture of red and green
scales. On top of his head were two horns that looked like those of a ram. His mouth was thin and in a
constant snarl that revealed a set of jagged teeth that seemed stained with blood. His upper body
remained bare of any clothing while his lower body was clothed in what looked like various hides pieced
together for pants and shoes. His eyes were fire red and held a stare that seemed like he could steal
your soul and eat it for breakfast. A dark, sinister aura surrounded him and followed him wherever he
went.
The demon general continued his march down the hallway toward the throne room and barged in
without knocking. “Empress, you wished to see me?” his voice boomed.
Shi looked up from her gazing into her orb and stared at the new general. “Why are you not in human
form, Diablo?”
Diablo growled with clear distaste. “You know how I feel about that. I will not allow myself to look like
one of those who are nothing more than food to us.”
Shi rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You were always the one who loved to scare your prey before eating
them.” She looked into her orb. “How are the preparations going?”
Diablo snorted that was almost close to laughter. “Fear makes them taste better. As for preparations,
the army has been rebuilding at a slow pace. Finding the necessary resources to construct our various
vehicles of assault has been a task unfit for the pitiful humans. I have sent several teams of my best
demon warriors out to procure the needed items.”
Shi smiled. “Good. I take it that you are sending them into the areas only demons can survive.”
“Of course. Otherwise, we would have to wait three human lifetimes in order to get the resources here.”
Diablo looked around the room. “How can you stand living in such a place? It reeks of their stench.”
“Sometimes one must deal with the unpleasant things in order to gain true power over all,” Shi replied
glancing up from her orb for a moment. “While your gift is pure terror, mine is deceit. I’ve lived with
these humans for many years that now their smell does not bother me like it obviously does you.”
Diablo growled and turned away from Shi. “Your power is more than deceit. Too bad you have chosen to
hide behind that disgusting appearance and false name. If you would reveal that, these humans would
tremble in fear.” He began to walk away.
Shi laughed. “True, but sometimes it is better to use falsehoods. It makes using these humans much
easier to allow them to believe the lie.” She looked back into her orb. “Keep me informed of the
progress you are making.”
“As you wish, Empress.” Diablo continued to walk without pause out of the throne room.

*******

Kyo took a step toward the woman. “Why won’t you tell me your name? What do you have to hide with
the withholding of your name?”
The woman smiled. “I will give you that to soothe your concern. My name is Unmei.” She held her hand
out still. “Now, Kyo, it is your turn to decide. Are you ready for the truth?”
Kyo stared at Unmei for a few moments and then took her hand. “I need to get back to everyone. I’m
ready to learn about my past… or rather my family’s past.”
Unmei searched Kyo’s eyes. “You are not ready. You doubt what I say.” She pulled her hand away from
Kyo. “I guess I came too soon.”
Kyo reached for the woman. “Hey, I told you I’m ready. I have to learn this. I have to get back. Oneechan
needs me. She’s hurt.”
“She is of little consequence to me. Only you and the truth I hold matters,” Unmei replied, turning and
heading toward the forest. “Perhaps time alone will reveal the true desire you must hold.”
Kyo shunpo’d in front of Unmei. “You listen to me. Your so-called truth is nothing to me, especially if I
lose my sister, my family. What good can it do me if she dies? Nothing. So if you are so concerned only
for yourself and your stupid knowledge, well, then keep it. I don’t want it if it means oneechan has to
suffer.”
Unmei looked into Kyo’s eyes once more and then smiled. “Good. You are ready. If you were to throw
your adoptive sister away so easily just for the knowledge I have for you, then you would not be ready
or deserving of it. I would have sent you on your way forever.”
Kyo felt his face turn red. “This was… a test?”
Unmei nodded. “Of course. I had to be sure. After the way your family treated me and my warnings, I
had to be sure that you were not following the same path.”
Kyo took a deep breath and then let it out, feeling the anger leave as well. “I guess I can understand. I….
I just want to get back. I’m worried about oneechan.”
Unmei took his hand. “Come. Let us walk to my home here. There we will eat, and then you will learn all
that I know.” She began to walk once more, tugging Kyo into motion as she went.
Kyo sighed. “I just hope it won’t be too long.”

********

Alanna nodded. “You are correct. The oracle will be revealing all of her knowledge to Kyo. That is… if he
passes her test.”
Ogi sat next to Alanna, holding himself back from grabbing the woman he loved and holding her close.
“So, he has to pass a test in order to gain the truth. Any idea of what the test will be?”
Alanna shook her head. “Unfortunately, I do not know. That is up to the oracle to decide. If he should
pass, Kyo will then receive everything she knows.”
Adrian looked from Alanna to Kyo and then to the rest of the group. He felt relieved that he was free
from the dagger, but one thought haunted him. “Umm… excuse me… Can you tell me… if the curse… has
been lifted?”
Alanna turned her gaze to the refugee and nodded. “It has, worried one. The moment you gave the
dagger to the rightful heir, the curse was removed. You do not have to worry any longer.”
Elayne hugged Adrian. “See. Everything worked out. You are free of the curse as we are free from Shi’s
control.”
Anna looked at the two hugging and then took a step closer. Her eyes were focused on Adrian’s face. For
a reason she couldn’t understand, he looked familiar, though she couldn’t put her finger on it. Then the
light hit Adrian’s face in a different way, and rage filled her body. Anna drew her blade. “YOU! YOU
KILLED CHRISTOPH!”

Chapter 23

Adrian was shocked at the words that Anna shouted it and barely had time to push Elayne out of the
way of the vampire’s attack before the blade imbedded itself into his left shoulder. “I… I am sorry for
what I did under Shi’s spell. I will gladly accept the punishment you seem fit for Christoph’s death.”
Anna seethed and tried to put the blade out of Adrian’s shoulder. “I’ll make you suffer for what you did.
You don’t deserve to live.”
“I know. I will not fight you, Anna,” Adrian replied, hanging his head.
“No, Adrian, you can’t just give up like this,” Elayne replied. “You cannot control what Shi made you do.”
She looked at Anna, her eyes pleading. “Please, Anna. There was nothing he could do.”
“He could have fought the spell. He could have refused to come!” Anna shouted finally pulling the blade
free. She glared at the man. “I’ll make you feel the pain I’ve held since the day you took Christoph from
me.” Anna moved to thrust her sword into Adrian at his stomach. Before it made contact, the blade
stopped. “What the…”
Anna looked up and over to see Alanna standing next to her, holding Anna’s arm. “I cannot allow you to
do that, Anna. Though your heart holds much pain and desire for revenge, Adrian is not the one you
should take it out upon.”
“And why not? He killed my husband without a second thought,” Anna replied with a slight growl.
“At that time, he was not known as Adrian, correct?” Alanna asked, not releasing Anna’s arm. Her voice
and eyes seemed to be those of a mother seeking to not only ease the suffering of her child but also
impart knowledge and wisdom.
Anna thought a moment and then nodded. “Yes, he called himself something else…. Abaddon… but
what does this have to do with anything now?”
“Ask yourself this. Would you place blame upon Christoph for harming another while he was under the
control of another?” Alanna had a small, motherly smile on her face.
Anna thought a moment and realized that Alanna, or rather the one speaking through her, was right. If
the roles were reverse and Christoph had been doing evil things while under the control of another, she
would not hold anything against him. She would place all of the blame upon the one controlling the one
she loved. The anger lessened, and Anna lowered her blade without resistance. “I… I understand.”
Alanna pulled Anna into a hug. “Though Adrian is easier to reach now, he is not the one you should
blame. That rests upon the shoulders of the one who gave him orders to do it, the one who controlled
Adrian. You know who is to blame now, correct?”
Anna nodded. “Shi. She is the one who has brought so much pain to all of us.”
Adrian looked from Anna to Alanna and back. “But I’ve taken a man’s life. Why do you stop her?”
Alanna looked at Adrian as she held the now crying Anna. “Though you feel that you are to blame, you
too must place the true blame upon the one who cast you into servitude. Though it will not take away all
of the guilt, Adrian, you must move on and start your true life over.”
Elayne hugged Adrian. “Alanna is right. You can’t blame yourself for that former life. You gave it up. You
claimed your true life back once more. Adrian, don’t give up when we still have to help defeat Shi.”
Adrian felt himself cry as he returned the hug. “Thank you. I won’t give up, not yet.”
A soft cough brought their attention to Aicerno who had walked up to them after Alanna got Anna to
calm down. “I think I should take care of that wound, Adrian. Follow me. Elayne, you are welcome to
come as well.” Without waiting, he turned and walked into the infirmary.
Adrian and Elayne turned and began to follow Aicerno when Adrian paused and called over his shoulder.
“Anna, I am sorry more than you can know. I would gladly give my life so that you can have closure, but I
must ask that you wait until after Shi is defeated.” With that, he continued his walk with Elayne into the
infirmary without waiting for a reply.
Anna stood up straight, releasing herself from Alanna’s hug. “Why would he say that?”
“Because he knows the pain he’s caused you as he feels it as well. He remembers everything he did as
Abaddon, and it pains him greatly to know that he caused so much pain and suffering to those around
him.” Alanna knelt back down next to Kyo, placing a hand upon his head. “You can call it his way to
repent for the evil he did under Shi.”
Anna sighed softly and turned away from the group. “I need… I need time alone, to think.” She walked
off without another word.
The shinigami had watched the exchange in relative quiet. They didn’t know what to say as it was a
touchy subject. To them, this Shi was the source of a lot of pain and misery. It seemed to them that a lot
of their problems stemmed from this empress they keep hearing about.
Rin sighed and then looked at Alanna. “How’s Kyo doing?”
Alanna smiled. “He has passed the oracle’s test. Now he will learn everything the oracle wishes to tell
him and that will include his family history.”
**********

The oracle led Kyo into the forest and up to her little cabin. She opened the door and walked in, moving
to the fireplace. “Come and sit down, Kyo. Would you like some tea?”
Kyo moved slowly into the building, looking at everything in awe. “Yeah, tea would be okay. I prefer
coke though.”
Unmei laughed and lifted a kettle. She moved to the coffee table where two cups waited. “Though I
know you would rather have that, I have to say that I am unable to get it here.” She poured the tea into
the cups and then replaced the kettle over the fire. “Would you like sugar or honey, Kyo?”
“Sugar would be fine,” Kyo replied. He continued to look around the house. “You have a lot of antiques
here. How did you get them?”
Unmei put two teaspoons of sugar into Kyo’s tea and stirred it before handing the cup to him. “These
are the things that were in my home on the day that I died. My thoughts transferred the vision of these
items into this realm so that I would have something of my former life here.” She put some honey into
her tea and sat down as she stirred.
Kyo took a sip of his tea. “Are you trapped here? How did you get here?”
Unmei smiled. “Already asking those questions, eh? Why don’t we begin at the beginning and start off
with your family’s history?” She took a sip of her tea.
Kyo shrugged. “Okay. That’s fine with me. So, where does this history lesson begin?”
“The history lesson begins in Soul Society thousands of years in the past. The first noble families of Soul
Society were beginning to take shape. Among them was the Toshi family. The Toshi family was the
oldest noble family, the first to be exact. They were the souls that, when reborn, would rule over China,
Japan, and other Asian kingdoms.” Unmei took a sip of her tea. “That family was also instrumental in the
creation of the other noble families. Because of that, the Toshi family was given a lot of respect from all,
including the commander of the Gotei 13.”
“Wait. That’s not what was taught in the Academy. How could this Toshi family be the oldest when….”
Kyo began, confused at the knowledge.
Unmei raised her hand. “Please allow me to tell the history and then you will understand.” She smiled
and then took a sip of tea. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes. The Toshi family was well respected throughout
Soul Society. They were known for their wisdom and their kindness. When someone was in need, they
would be there offering assistance in any way.”
Unmei’s gaze turned toward the fire. “After hundreds of years, the Toshi family was one of such power
and influence that often the commander of the Gotei 13 would come to sit with the elders and discuss
important matters of the Divisions. Yet, beneath the surface, several members of the family sought
more. They wanted dominion over all of Soul Society.”
Unmei closed her eyes. “About this time, I was brought into the family as their oracle, their eyes into the
future. The elders did not know the hearts of the younger Toshi members. They were blind to the lust
for power in their children’s eyes. Yet, that could not be hidden from one such as I.
“One night, I had a terrible vision, the downfall of the Toshi family. I summoned the elders immediately
to explain the situation and that only one would be left. None of the elders listened to me. None
believed that such devastation could come to the great, powerful Toshi family.
“Returning to my chambers, I performed a spell upon a dagger, one that would contain power that the
last heir would need in the darkest hour and would hold the knowledge of his past. I added my blood to
the spell, sealing my soul to the dagger. After all was said and done, I collapsed in exhaustion.
“The next thing I remember of that day was the beating I received from the guard of the elders.
Apparently, no one could sleep while I was performing the ritual, and the elders demanded to know
what the reason for the disturbance was. I explained my vision again and told them that I was ensuring
that the heir would have what was needed. Upon hearing of the dagger, the head of the family
demanded it to be given to him. I denied him his request and was banished from the household.
“I went back to my room and gather the basic items that I would need. Afterward, I fled into the forest,
away from the family. There I built this cottage and lived in happiness and peace for several years.
“Then about two or three years later, minions of the younger Toshi family came to claim the dagger. I
knew what was going to happen and did not run. The thugs demanded the dagger, but I refused. They
tortured me, seeking its whereabouts. Finally, they found it. With my last breath, I uttered a curse.
Those who took the blade out of violence would have it taken from them in violence as well.
“With my death, my soul completed the transfer into the dagger. I’ve lived in this realm since that day
and have seen much. One of those things was the fall of the Toshi family. The Gotei 13 had learned of
the new elders’ plans to take over Soul Society and arrested every one of the members. The family was
tried and convicted of treason, and all were sentenced to death. The bonds that allowed them to be
reborn leaders of nations in the living world were severed and given to another family. The records of
the family were destroyed save those in the 12th Division. Those were put under lock and key, never to
be opened under the penalty of death.
“And so Soul Society moved on, forgetting the Toshi family and believing that not one member lived.
Yet, one member did. Prior to the families arrest and conviction, one member of the Toshi family pled
with his brothers and sisters to stop their foolish plans. He knew that it would not work out the way that
they wanted. When they refused to heed his words of wisdom, he denounced the family and left. He
journeyed far away from the Toshi family, taking up another name and giving up all of his possessions to
start anew. Because of him, the Toshi family was able to survive, though not under that name.
“As time passed, the man found a wife and they had a child, living in the forest for many years. As he
and his wife grew older and eventually passed, his child followed in his father’s footsteps, finding a wife
and having a child. For many generations, the new Toshi family lived in the forest in a series of small
huts.
“And then you were born. Your parents were very happy for your arrival. Yet, their joy would be short
lived. It was around your 10th birthday when bandits came to where you lived. They attacked without
mercy, killing your parents before your eyes and would have killed you as well, but something stopped
them. Your sleeping powers knocked them out, allowing you to escape.”
Unmei stared at Kyo. “You know the rest of the story from there, don’t you?”
Kyo nodded slowly. “I wandered the forest for days. Then oneechan found me.”
Unmei smiled. “That she did. Alanna saved your life. If you had been alone for much longer, you would
have died powers or no. She nursed you back to health and helped you in other ways too.”
Kyo looked into his cup of tea, seeing that it was still half full. “I don’t remember my family before
oneechan. I just have glimpses of faces.”
Unmei stood and walked over to Kyo, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Witnessing their death was
traumatic. Your mind placed that knowledge behind a wall so that you could move on and live. And you
are better off not remembering it. Yet, you needed to know some in order to know your past and that of
the Toshi family.”
“I understand.” Kyo downed the rest of the tea. “So, what now? What do I do now?”
Unmei stood and walked to a cot. “You will sleep. When you awake, you will have all of my knowledge
and the dagger’s powers. When you awake, you will no longer be here in the dagger’s realm.”
Kyo slowly got up out of the chair and moved to the cot. “What will happen to you, Unmei?”
“My job will be complete, and my bond to the dagger will be severed. My soul will be allowed rest at
last,” Unmei replied with a smile on her face.
Kyo lowered his body onto the cot and lay down. “Well… Unmei, it was nice to have met you at least. I
hope you are happy.” He felt his eyes close.
“I am happy beyond belief, Kyo. Thank you.” The last thing that Kyo saw was Unmei’s smiling face and
two tears coming from each of her eyes.

********

Shi paced in her throne room, thinking of a way to cause confusion in the ranks of her opponents. She
wanted to cause them pain beyond belief, misery that would have their hearts wishing to stop beating.
It irked her to no end that her opponents in Soul Society and the living world connected to it were
seemingly enjoying a happy, sunny day where they could lounge around and do nothing.
The scene that was in her orb was the group sitting around one person lying on the ground. They looked
to be happy and relaxed, as if they had nothing to worry about. Shi growled in frustration. How dare
they act in such fashion? She would make them wish they never heard of her.
“Em.m.mpress Shi…” a timid voice called from behind her.
Shi turned to see a small human, female child looking up at her with fear in her eyes. “What do you
want, child?”
The girl swallowed. “I…I…I…was told to… to… come to see you, Empress.”
Shi walked toward the child in anger. “And who told you to come here? I did not summon for you nor
did I ask for some pathetic child to barge into my throne room unannounced.”
“I… I… don’t know who… it was…. Just someone... in...n.n...a black robe,” the girl replied trembling and
cowering.
Shi stopped before the girl and growled. “Why did you send me this pitiful child, dark one?”
An evil laughter filled the room, causing the terrified girl to scream out in fear. Beside the girl, the
cloaked figure appeared. “What you don’t like my little gift, young one?”
Shi rolled her eyes. “And what is this for? To annoy me to the point where I take your head?”
The cloaked figured laughed again. “As if you could do that, young one. I know of your desires, Shi. You
want to torture those fools, make them suffer in ways that will fill their dreams with nightmare.”
Shi growled. “How many times have I told you to stay out of my thoughts? I don’t care who you think
you are. The next time you do it, I’ll make you suffer.”
The cloaked figured shook its head as it laughed again. “You are no match for me, young one. Now, tell
me, is that not your wishes?”
Shi sat down in her throne. “Yes, it is. That doesn’t explain as to why this little girl is here.”
“Do I have to explain everything to you?” The cloaked figure walked toward a wall. “Think about it a few
moments.”
Shi looked at the terrified girl that was sitting on the floor before her. At first, she didn’t understand
what was being offered her. And then it dawned on her. A wicked smile began to spread across her face.
“Ahh. I see now. So what is the catch?”
“Catch?” the cloaked figure asked. “What do you mean?”
“You are helping me not out of the goodness of your heart, dark one. What is in it for you?” Shi asked.
The cloaked figure chuckled. “Why, the same as you. To see pain, despair, misery in the faces of those
fools.”
Shi tapped her armrest. “And what else will you get in return?”
“Oh, young one, you just don’t understand, do you? There is nothing that you can offer me. I don’t need
anything from you.” The cloaked figured disappeared. “As I have said, your fate has been sealed. I just
want you to have as much fun as you can before you meet your end.” The voice faded from the room.
Shi growled. “Damn fool. So be it. At least you have provided me the means to accomplish my plans.”
She stood and walked to the girl. “You, little one, will help me a great deal.” The evil smirk on Shi’s face
made the little girl tremble.

********

Joe was playing with some grass when he looked up. “So, how long will this take? How long before Kyo
has gotten what he needs and all?”
Alanna put her hand on Kyo’s head and then smiled. “When Kyo awakes, he will have everything he
needs. As to how long that will be, I have no idea.”
Rin sighed in relief. “At least he did it. I was worried that something bad was going to happen.”
Nikki looked at Rin with a knowing grin on her face. “Why are you so worried, Rin? Do you… like him?”
Rin blushed as several of those around her began to giggle. “I… I…”
Jessy elbowed Nikki. “She does. Rin likes Kyo.”
“Rin and Kyo sitting in a tree,” Nikki began to sing.
“K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” Jessy added.
Rin blushed a deeper red and looked away. Ogi looked confused. “Wait. If Kyo is Lolo’s brother and Rin is
her niece, then can they even date?”
Jessy and Nikki looked at each other and then shrugged. “Well, that depends if Kyo is blood-related or
not,” Nikki replied.
Everyone looked at Alanna waiting for an answer. Her head was hung down with her hair covering her
face. They waited until they heard a soft snore. Ogi reached over and pulled back the hair from her face.
“Well, we’ll have to wait for that answer when she wakes up again. Hopefully, this time it will be Lolo
and not someone else.”
Janos stood. “Well, I guess we don’t have to keep on sitting here. Let’s get Kyo and Lolo into the
infirmary to rest.”
Ogi picked up Alanna gently. “I hope this hasn’t caused more damage to Lolo. She’s still healing.”
Joe had moved to Kyo’s side and picked him up. “Same here. I’m sure she’s fine though.”
“I just hope nothing else happens,” Lori stated looking at the sky. “We need a break from the drama.”
The group nodded in agreement. They broke up into smaller groups, one following Ogi and Joe into the
infirmary, the others going off in different directions. For the moment, things seemed to have calmed
down. Little did they know that soon, heartbreak would test their wills to fight.

Chapter 24

Night had fallen over Soul Society when Kyo finally opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling, thinking
about what had happened in the dagger’s realm and the new knowledge he possessed. He was also
surprised at how energetic he felt right then. He felt like could go and run 100 miles. At the thought, Kyo
chuckled.
“Kyo, you’re awake at last,” came Rin’s voice to his right.
Kyo turned his head and saw Rin turning on the bedside lamp. He noticed the worry that was etched in
her face and clear in her eyes. Trails of dried tears seemed to make the worry even more evident. “Rin,
why were you crying?”
Rin stared at him in silence for a few moments. “I was beginning to worry that Lolo’s zanpakuto spirit
was wrong about what had happened to you. It’s been 3 days since you collapsed.”
Kyo was shocked at the information and looked around. He found that someone had started an IV on
him and flowers seemed to surround the room. He looked back at Rin and took her hand. “3 days, eh?
I’m sorry to have worried you, Rin.” He smiled softly as he squeezed her hand. “I’m ready to leave now.”
Rin shook her head and pushed the call light. “No, you can’t leave yet. Aicerno asked me to call him
when you awaken. Besides you haven’t eaten in 3 days.”
“But I feel fine,” Kyo began as he tried to get out of bed.
“Young man, allow me to decide if you are fine or not,” came Aicerno’s voice from the door. He walked
into the room and turned off the call light. “It’s good to see you awake once more. Like Rin said, you
need to eat. I have one of my recruits fixing you something to eat now.”
Kyo sighed. “When can I leave then? I want to go and see oneechan. I’m sure she’s home by now.”
Aicerno placed his hands on Kyo to perform a reiatsu scan on the younger man and looked at Rin. “You
haven’t told him yet?”
Rin shook her head. “This is the first time he mentioned Lolo.”
Worry seemed to slam into Kyo like a freight train. He looked from Rin to Aicerno and back to the young
woman. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to oneechan?”
Rin looked at Aicerno. He gave her a nod as he continued to perform the scan. She took a deep breath.
“Lolo still hasn’t awaken yet either. Aicerno thinks that the strain of her inner hollow, her wounds and
her zanpakuto taking control has put her into a coma.”
Kyo sat up suddenly, causing Aicerno to pause in his reiatsu scan. “I have to go to her now. I have to see
oneechan.”
“You need to relax and eat first,” Aicerno stated in a tone that did not leave room for arguing. “I’m not
going to have you collapse on your way to see Lolo.” He removed his hands and looked Kyo in the eyes.
“After you have eaten, you are free to go and see Lolo but not before, understand.”
With a sigh, Kyo nodded. “Fine.”
Rin looked up to see a man walk in with a tray heavily laden with food. She couldn’t help but smile.
“Look, Kyo. There’s the food you have to eat.”
Kyo gulped loudly. “I have to eat all of that?”
Aicerno chuckled as he turned and walked from the room. “Yes, all of it. I want that tray cleared of all
food before you leave that bed. Rin, make sure he follows orders.” He vanished down the hall before
anyone could reply.
The man placed the tray on Kyo’s lap and gave him a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, man, but Taichou
ordered me to make all of this. I hope you enjoy it.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked in
a rush out of the room.
Kyo stared at the food. Though his stomach growled as the smells entered his nose, he didn’t want to
eat. He was more concerned about Alanna and why she was still unconscious. Yet he knew that in order
to see her, he had to eat. He picked up the fork and started toward an egg. “Rin, has Ogi been with
oneechan?”
Rin nodded. “Yes, he has. His taichou gave him a leave of absence from duties while Lolo is in the coma.
Ogi… he hasn’t been handling it very well. He hardly gets any rest. He just sits at her bedside, holding her
hand.”
“Like you?” Kyo asked without a second thought as he placed the piece of fried egg in his mouth. As he
began to chew, hunger took over, and he started to shovel the food as fast as he could.
Rin couldn’t help but giggle at the sight though she was a little caught off-guard with his question. She
looked at her hands. “Yeah, like me. How… how did you know?”
Kyo paused in his devouring of the food long enough to look at her. “You look extremely tired, like you
haven’t slept in a few days. Your robes are wrinkled too.”
Rin dared a glance up and found her eyes locking with Kyo’s. “I was too worried to sleep. I wanted to be
awake when you came to finally. I….” She trailed off, looking away.
Kyo blushed. He never had someone worry so much for him other than Alanna. It made him feel like he
was floating. He reached and took Rin’s hand in his own and gave it a squeeze. “Rin, when I’m out of the
infirmary, I want to talk to you about something. You have to get plenty of rest first.”
Kyo watched a red tint grow on Rin’s cheeks. She looked up at him and nodded. “You need to finish
eating, and then we can go visit Lolo.”
Kyo nodded and dug into the food once more.

********
Yondy sat near the pond in the park staring at the black surface. He had spent that last 3 days thinking
about things. He was worried about his friends in the infirmary, but more than that, he was thinking
about how his misconception of the Draconic Watcher Daelen. He had believed that the guy was
nothing but trouble and at one point, a traitor. After what had happened though, his view of Daelen
changed.
“Hey, Yondy. What are you doing here this late?” came Joe’s voice from behind him.
Yondy turned and looked at Joe with a sad expression. “Yo, Joe. I’ve been thinking about things.” He
sighed. “What brings you out here this time of night?”
Joe walked over and sat down on a boulder next to Yondy. “I couldn’t sleep or even relax. I thought a
walk through the park would help.” He looked out over the black waters of the pond. “I don’t know why,
but I feel like something is going to happen. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad.”
Yondy nodded and looked up at the sky. “Joe, I think I have to apologize to someone, but I don’t know
how to go about it. How would you handle it?”
Joe closed his eyes as if in thought and then opened them as he looked at Yondy. “I would just go up to
the person and tell them how sorry I am for whatever it was I did. It’s better than keeping it bottled up,
especially if you are the one in fault.”
Yondy nodded as he stared at the stars above. “You’re right. I have to tell him how sorry I am. I had the
wrong impression of him.”
Joe looked a little confused. “Who are you talking about?”
Yondy turned his gaze to Joe. “Daelen, the Draconic Watcher. I thought he was some uptight, rule
keeper and then thought he was capable of killing Lolo. Yet, after what has happened, I realize that he
has his reasons for the things he does.”
Joe nodded. “That he does. But you are not the only one who thought he could hurt Lolo. We all thought
that at the time until we saw what was going on.” He smiled. “I’ve already told him that I was sorry. You
want to know what he said?”
Yondy raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Joe laughed. “He said that it was okay and that he wanted us to think that and come running. That guy
knew what we would think and set it up so that we would come at the right time.”
Yondy started laughing. “That stuck up…” He continued to laugh so hard until he fell forward and into
the pond.
Joe laughed hard and walked over to Yondy. He helped the 13th member up out of the water. “Well, I
guess we should head to our quarters. We both need rest, and you need dry clothes.”
Yondy smiled. “Yeah, you got that right.” He sighed. “Thanks, Joe. Tomorrow I’ll go and talk with Daelen.
Have a good night.”
“You too, Yondy,” Joe replied before they went their separate ways.
Unseen to them from the center of the pond, a set of eyes watched them leave. For a brief moment,
they flashed red before vanishing.
********

“Nikki, come dance with me,” Jessy yelled from the ball room in the Nosferatu Citadel.
“For the last time, I’m not dancing with you, Jessy. You keep stepping on my feet,” Nikki yelled back as
she sat in the living room, her feet in a tub of warm water.
“I can’t help it that you have two left feet,” Jessy retorted. Suddenly the sound of a large crash and
multiple things hitting the floor came from the ballroom. “Umm… I meant to do that.”
Nikki began to laugh. “Oh yeah, sure you did, sis.”
Jessy walked into the living room with her butt stuck in a tuba. “Yeah, I did. Didn’t you know that it’s the
latest fashion to have a tuba on your rump?”
Nikki fell back into her chair laughing. “At least when you fart you can try to play music at the same
time.”
Jessy picked up a pillow from one of the couches and threw it at Nikki. “You know that I’m very musically
inclined.”
It was at that time that Janos and Anna walked into the living room. They stopped and stared at the
scene for a few moments before falling to the floor laughing. “What in the world is that tuba doing on
your butt, Jessy?” Janos asked.
Jessy turned and glared at the new arrivals. “It’s a new attack I’m trying out. It’s called… ‘Help me get
this off my backside or I’ll bankai you until next century’. Like the name?”
Janos got up and shook his head, a large grin on his face. “Okay, okay. No need to get violent.”
Anna stood and walked over to Nikki. She sat down next to her. “What’s wrong with your feet, Nikki?”
Nikki pointed at Jessy. “She has two left feet and kept stepping on me.”
Jessy growled at Nikki. “I’m not the one with two left feet, Nikki. Besides, I told you not to go in the
opposite direction of me.”
Nikki threw a pillow at Jessy. “You never said that. You said, ‘Let’s tango’ and proceeded to stomp on my
feet in time to the music.”
Janos was trying his best to keep from laughing to the point of collapse. He took a hold of the tuba and
then looked at Jessy. “Okay, hang on to that column there, and I’ll pull this off.”
Jessy rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around the column. “If you rip my robe, I’m going to kick
your butt.”
Janos didn’t say a word and yanked the tuba hard. Of course, he yanked a little too hard. The tuba came
off its temporary perch and continued to move over Janos’ head. This caused him to stumble backward
and trip over a stool. He then let go of the tuba and landed hard on his rear as the instrument continued
through the air. It landed on the edge of a table that held a platter of various desserts, including banana
cream pie. When the tuba hit the edge, the table tilted and sent the desserts flying. The pie seemed to
have a honing mechanism inside as it flew straight at Jessy. It was then that Jessy turned around and got
hit in the face with the pie.
Everyone stared at Jessy for a few moments before they began to laugh hard. Jessy slowly wiped the pie
from her eyes and glared at Janos. “Janos, come and give me a hug.”
Janos stood up and started to back away. “I rather not, Jessy.” He took a step back and slipped on a
glazed donut, falling to the floor and getting various desserts plastered to the back of his robes.
Nikki and Anna began to laugh harder at the sight. “Oh, god. I didn’t know you two were part of a
slapstick duo,” Anna managed to say in between her fits of laughter.
Janos and Jessy turned and smirked evilly at Anna. “We can make it a trio, Anna,” Janos stated as he
slow stood, a cupcake in his hand.
“Yes, Anna, we want to share this fun with you,” Jessy added, collecting some of the pie in her hand.
Anna gulped and stood. “I just remembered that I have a special thing to do elsewhere.” She took off
running out the living room archway. Behind her Janos and Jessy chased with desserts in their hands.
Nikki continued to laugh for a few moments more before she calmed down. It had been quite some time
since she had laughed this hard. With all of the plans being made for the upcoming battle and Alanna
still unconscious, no one had much time to relax. It was good to be able to laugh like this.
A crash in the kitchen brought Nikki out of her thoughts. Soon laughter came out of the room. Nikki
thought about going to see what happen when something caught her attention out of the corner of her
eye. She turned toward the large window that overlooked the garden and saw a pair of red eyes. She
blinked and then noticed that they were gone.

********

Elayne and Adrian sat in the little cabin that was their temporary home, holding hands. They stared at
the fireplace, unable to speak what they were thinking. Neither knew if it was just an illusion, their fears
playing tricks on them. So they kept it to themselves and from the other person.
The tension in the tiny living area seemed to make the brightly lit room gloomy. For the past 3 days,
neither spoke more than a few words to the other, too afraid to admit what they had saw. It seemed
that the only thing holding them together was their love and their hands.
Elayne was at her wits end. She had very little sleep, worrying and contemplating telling Adrian what she
had seen. What if she was wrong? What if it was just her mind coming to torture her? She wanted to tell
him, but she was afraid of what he would say.
Suddenly Adrian stood. “I can’t take it anymore. Elayne, I have to tell you something. I… I think I saw a
grilon two nights ago.”
Elayne looked up at Adrian, a shocked look on her face. “You too?”
It was Adrian’s turn to be surprised. “You saw one too?”
Elayne nodded. “The night I went to Aicerno’s residence to get some milk, I saw it on the way back, well
its eyes at least.”
Adrian swallowed. “I saw the eyes as I was chopping wood a few moments before you got home.”
Elayne shook. “Then there are two of them. This is not good.”
Adrian sat down and pulled her into his arms. “We have to keep a leveled head about this, Elayne. We
need to prepare for them.”
Elayne nodded. “And we have to let the others know. We’ll have to go first thing in the morning to the
infirmary.”
Adrian stroked her hair. “Of course, Elayne. I just hope there are only two. You know what it means if
there are more than that.”
Elayne closed her eyes. “Yes, I do, and I don’t like that thought at all.”

********

Shi smiled at the little girl in the center of the room. Preparations were nearly complete. The girl was
dressed accordingly and held a fear in her eyes that made Shi hunger for blood and flesh. Shi kept that in
check though, not wanting to have the show over before it began.
“Now, little one, tell me what your purpose is?” Shi asked the little girl.
The girl swallowed hard and shook visibly. “My p-p-p-purpose is to d-d-d-d-die before the sh-sh—
shinigami.”
Shi smirked. “Very good. And how are you going to die?”
Again the girl shook. “I-I-I will be r-r-r-r-ripped to p-p-p-p-pieces.”
A burning desire flared in Shi’s heart and in her eyes. “And who will do that?”
The girl looked a little confused. “I-I-I-I don’t k-k-k-know, Empress.”
Shi licked her lips. “That’s right. You don’t know. I haven’t decided who I will allow to rip you into tiny
bits and pieces.” Shi stood and walked over to the window. “I mean there are so many who can do it
with easy. Yet, there are those that can do it where your pain and suffering will last for a very long time.
Your screams will fill the air and the minds of those that I want to suffer.”
The girl took a step back. “P-p-p-please, Empress Shi. N-n-n-n-not them.”
Shi turned and looked at the girl. “Who gave you permission to move, brat?” An evil grin crossed her
face. “I think that I will use them since you dared to move without my permission.”
The girl began to cry, shaking hard. “P-p-p-please, Empress….”
“Shut up!” Shi yelled as she stormed to the girl. She slapped the slave hard across the face, sending the
girl sliding across the floor. “You have no say in the matter. You have only one purpose. Now stand and
tell me your purpose.”
Slowly the girl stood, blood trailing from a small cut under her right eye. “My p-p-p-purpose is to d-d-d-
die before the sh-sh-shinigami.”

********

Ogihci sat next to Alanna’s bed, exhaustion and worry clear on his face. It had been 3 days since she fell
back into unconsciousness. It pained him greatly to see her in this state. He wanted to hear her voice, to
see her eyes looking into his. He seldom left her side, too afraid that she would wake up and need him.
A knock came to the door, jarring Ogihci from his thoughts. “Come in.”
The door opened letting Kyo and Rin enter the softly lit room. “Hi, Ogi. How’s Lolo?” Rin asked, moving
over to give him a hug.
Ogihci returned the hug with a sigh. “She’s still not waking up. I don’t know what to do. I’m worried.”
Kyo moved to the other side of the bed and sat down, taking Alanna’s hand. “I know, Ogi. So am I. I
don’t like seeing oneechan like this.”
Ogihci closed his eyes. “I wish I could do something to wake her up. I wish I knew that she was okay.”
Rin hugged Ogihci again. “I’m sure Lolo’s fine. She’s been through a lot in a short amount of time.”
Kyo reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair from Alanna’s face. “She’s been the one to take care
of everyone, and now…” He trailed off and looked out the window.
They sat in silence, unsure what to say next. They all wanted the same thing, for Alanna to wake up. Yet,
nothing seemed to bring her out of this deep sleep she was in. It was a struggle for them not to do
something to wake her up.
“Excuse me. Can I come in?” came a new voice.
The three looked up and toward the door to see Daelen standing. “Come in, Daelen,” Ogihci replied.
Daelen nodded and walked in and to the foot of Alanna’s bed. “I wanted to see if she might have… well
come out of the coma.”
“No, not yet,” Rin replied. “Do you know something, Daelen?”
Daelen sighed. “This is one time that I don’t. I wish I did though. I would gladly break the rules to see her
awake once more.”
Kyo was about to say something when a pair of red eyes at the window caught his attention. “What is
that?”
The others turned and were able to catch a glimpse of the eyes before they vanished. Daelen shook his
head. “I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”
“You don’t like what?” a soft voice called out.
The group turned and looked at Alanna, seeing her eyes opened somewhat. Ogihci couldn’t contain
himself and quickly pulled her into a hug. “Lolo! Oh god, Lolo, you’re awake.”
Rin was crying in joy as Kyo pushed the call light, relief clear on his face. “About time you woke up,
oneechan.”
Alanna managed a weak giggle as she tried to hug Ogihci. “Funny, ototochan. Hi, Ogi. Hi, Rin and Daelen.
What’s going on?”
Before anyone could answer, Aicerno and several other 4th members came into the room and asked
them to leave. They reluctantly left the room. Daelen couldn’t shake the eyes from his thoughts. The
fact that they were at the window on the second floor filled him with a fear that he hadn’t felt since
knowing that the Dark One had been released. Something was about to happen.
 Chapter 25

The next morning Alanna stood on top of the infirmary watching the sun rise. After she had awakened,
the rest of her evening had been filled with tests, questions, food, and more questions. She got to sleep
for 3 hours before a recruit came in to take vital signs. After the recruit left, Alanna crept out of her
room and up to the room to get some time alone. It was nice to be away from the worried faces and out
of the stale air.
The first rays of orange and red wove their way over the horizon and the tops of the sakura trees,
casting an eerie glow on the land below her. Alanna took a deep breath in, smiling as the soft scent of
cherry blossoms filled her nose. The slight chill on the air was the last remains of winter trying so
desperately to hang on. It reminded Alanna of herself, the new and constant change that seemed to be
happening within her.
A soft, distant bird called to its mate, causing a soft sigh to escape Alanna’s mouth. It was a truly
peaceful morning, yet she knew it would end soon. Below, she felt the reiatsu of her roommates stirring.
Ogihci was moving first, then Kyo and Rin. A sense of panic seemed to flow upward from the infirmary
room to her on the cool, dimly lit roof. It would be just a matter of time before the three would come up
and begin to question her once more.
Preparing for the inevitable, Alanna decided to look around the area, to take in the quiet beauty that
surrounded the 4th Division. As her eyes flowed slowly over the area, they fell upon a strange sight under
one of the sakura tree. For a moment, she thought it was a trick of the light, but then it moved. She
focused her entire attention on the thing below.
It seemed to be a mass of different components. The variations of color upon the surface were greater
than that of the light coming from the still rising sun. Red, orange, yellow, brown, and green were a few
of the colors that graced the weird thing that moved as if on a puppeteer wire. On the top, twin grey
horns curved up and back from what looked like a tuft of black knotted hair. The thing that Alanna
would call a head was solid black save two red eyes. No arms or legs could be seen though a black hole
could be seen on the side of the creature facing her.
Uneasiness seemed to settle into Alanna as she watched the creature move slowly from one tree to the
next. She was sure that it was something not of this world, not a hollow or any known enemy. As the sun
rose higher, more detail of the skin seemed to make itself know. She noticed wide variations in the
texture. Some of it looked as smooth a glass while other parts looked dry and cracked as if from age.
Alanna also noticed that its path was taking it away from the light that was spreading over the area and
into the still dark areas of the forest.
Before she had a chance to move after the creature, the roof door behind her opened with a crash.
“Lolo, there you are. We’ve been looking for you all over,” came Ogihci’s voice.
In the instant it took her to glance at the new arrivals and back to where the creature was, it had
vanished. Alanna searched the area where she had last seen the being before realizing it was gone.
Sighing softly, she turned to face the three who were looking at her as if she was a bad girl. “I’m sorry,
Ogi. I wanted some fresh air and didn’t want to wake you.”
Kyo rolled his eyes. “Oneechan, you know what Aicerno said. No leaving your room. There is a lot you
have to decide on today.”
Rin elbowed Kyo. “God, leave her alone a few moments. She just wanted time away from the busy day
ahead.” She smiled at Alanna. “Come on, Lolo. Let’s head back to your room.”
Ogihci walked up to Alanna and wrapped his arms around her. “I know why you came up here, Lolo,
but… you had me worried. With everything that has been going on lately, you shouldn’t just leave like
that.”
Alanna looked Ogihci in the eyes for a few moments and then to Kyo and Rin. “I understand. I’m to be
keep locked up in an infirmary room until everything just blows over.” She broke away from Ogihci’s
arms. “You all think I’m some sort of weakling that needs protection.”
“Lolo, we don’t think…” Rin started as she took a step forward.
“Oh, you don’t? I can see it in your eyes as plain as the sun in the sky,” Alanna growled, interrupting her
niece. She moved away from them, unsure as to why she was angry with them and yet at the same time
knowing she had every right to be. “To each of you, I’m just some 4th Division member unable to tie her
own sandals.”
Kyo moved forward a step to stand near Ogihci. “That is not true, oneechan. We don’t think that.”
The confusion was clear on Ogihci’s face. “Lolo, we know you are strong. You’ve helped me with my
inner hollow. Lolo, what’s wrong?”
Alanna suddenly jumped up on the edge of the roof. Since seeing that creature, she felt on edge. Now,
they were trying to get her back inside. “What’s wrong is that I’m tired of being treated like a weakling
by everyone. I’m not weak, and I’m going to prove it.” Without warning, she did a back flip of the roof.
She heard her name being yelled through the morning air by three people, three people she cared a lot
for. She could hear the concern and fear on their voice. She saw their confused faces twisted in anguish
before she turned away and landed on her feet on the ground. Without pausing, Alanna began to run in
the direction she last saw the creature, hiding her reiatsu completely. She didn’t stop until their voices
were a distant murmur.

********

Elayne slowly opened her eyes and began to silently curse as pain traveled through her stiff body. She
looked to her right and saw Adrian asleep on the couch with her. They had spent a good portion of the
night discussing the appearance of grilon in Soul Society. Somehow, exhaustion crept up on them and
stole them into the land of dreams. Now she was paying for it with the stiff, aching body.
With small deliberate movements, Elayne stood and moved to the bathroom, pausing briefly to shake
Adrian. “Love, wake up. We need to get ready and head to the infirmary.” Without waiting for a
response, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
Adrian grumbled as he opened his eyes and moved off the couch. He too was sore, but it didn’t bother
him as bad. After all, he spent many nights sleeping on the cold, hard ground as Abaddon. He walked
into the small kitchen and put on a pot of water for tea. Yawning, he looked out the window as the light
began to creep into the forest.
It was then that a blur went by the window. Adrian blinked thinking he had saw Alanna run by but just
shook his head. It was impossible for the 4th Division to be up and running past their cabin. She was still
in a coma as far as he knew. Shrugging and chalking it up to early morning dementia, Adrian turned to
the now whistling pot of water and made two cups of tea.
Elayne came out of the bathroom drying her hair. She noticed the cup of tea Adrian had made for her
and picked it up, sipping on it carefully. “Thanks, Adrian dear. You should go take a shower after
finishing your tea.”
Adrian nodded. “I will. It will be a quick one though. We need to get to the infirmary and tell them about
the grilons.” He took a large gulp of the tea.
Elayne shook her head at the sight. “I guess being Abaddon for so long has its advantages.”
Adrian finished the tea and laughed. “Of course. It’s helped me toughen up. I’m not just a pretty face,
you know.”
Elayne rolled her eyes as she lifted her cup. “Get in the shower before I spank you, pretty boy.”
Adrian kissed Elayne’s cheek and then walked into the bathroom. “You know, teasing is not permitted at
this time.” He closed the bathroom door.
Elayne blushed, knowing what Adrian was hinting at. Shaking her head again, she moved to the window
that Adrian had been looking out earlier and watched the forest lighten as the sun moved higher in the
sky. The conversation from the night before came back to her, sending a chill through her body. In the
light of day, the powers of the grilon were weak, but still enough to cause her to worry. If there were
two here, more would follow and that would not be very good for anyone, shinigami or not.

********

Shi stared out the window, cursing the rising sun. It was something she detested, light covering the lands
that she controlled. It gave her human subjects a false sense of hope that irritated her to no end. She
wanted the skies to be painted in an eternal night, bringing despair to all.
Turning away, the demon empress closed the curtain and stormed to her throne. Shi looked at the
human girl that stood perfectly still, staring straight ahead. The light in the child’s eyes was dimmed to
the point that hopelessness shown like a deep, dark pool of muck. Shi smiled evilly.
“What is your purpose, child?”
The girl stared ahead. “To die for the cause of the great Empress Shi.” Her voice was dull and lifeless.
“Good. And how are you to die?”
“Ripped apart by the grilons before those that oppose you.”
Shi chuckled softly. She had spent many long hours torturing and beating this young girl to this point. It
was delicious to hear the broken spirit replying in such a depressing way. “And why are you to die in
such a fashion?”
The young girl didn’t flinch or hesitate. “To bring pain and misery to those who dare to challenge you. To
break their will to fight you, Empress Shi.”
Diablo stepped forward from the shadows. “It seems as if she is ready, Empress.”
Shi turned her gaze to her demonic general. “Of course she is. Are the grilons in place?”
An evil smirk came to Diablo’s face, revealing a set of sharp, blood-stained teeth. “The last one has
crossed the barrier and should be arriving to the designated area within moments.”
Shi looked into her orb and saw what was going on in Soul Society. “Excellent. It seems our plan is
working better than we could have hoped for.”
“How so, Empress?” Diablo asked with mild curiosity.
“The one called Alanna is going after one of the grilons… alone,” Shi replied, a wicked glint in her eyes.
Diablo couldn’t help but laugh. “How foolish. It will be her death.”
Shi smirked. “That will be added fuel to the fire. Her friends will come along and find her too late. They
will watch this girl and Alanna being ripped to shreds by the grilons and will know true pain at defying
me at last.”

********
Aicerno was sitting in his office, going over another supply order form and silently cursing his ‘dumb
luck’ for not having a vice captain yet. He knew who he wanted for the spot. There were a few problems
though. One, she didn’t know the name of her zanpakuto let alone shikai. Two, she had an inner hollow.
In truth though, he knew that Alanna was the perfect choice for vice captain. Because of that, he
submitted his request two days ago. He was still waiting for an answer.
Shaking his head, he turned his gaze once more to the order form in his hand. He had been trying to
finish it for about two hours now. It was unlike Aicerno to allow his thoughts to stray so much, and he
gave himself a verbally thrashing for it for the 20th time that morning. Sighing, he picked up his pen and
began to fill in the needed spots.
A soft knock came to the door. “Enter,” Aicerno called out without looking up.
The office door opened, and Lori walked into the room, carrying an envelope. “Good morning, Aicerno.
I’m sorry if I’m disturbing you, but I was asked to deliver this to you.”
Aicerno looked up and noticed a slight blush to Lori’s cheeks. He felt his own face turn a slight shade of
red as he swallowed nervously. He didn’t know why he found himself unable to keep his composure
around the 8th Vice Captain, but in a way, it felt nice. “Good morning, Lori. You are not disturbing me.”
He quickly put the order form on the desk. “You have something for me?”
Lori giggled softly as she handed him a sealed letter. “Yes, it is from Central.”
At the mention of Central, Aicerno became serious and took the letter. Carefully, he opened the
envelope not wanting to damage the contents. With it opened, he pulled out the embossed paper. He
read the letter three times, the smile on his face growing each time. Suddenly the 4th Captain stood,
knocking his chair over.
Lori raised an eyebrow. “Exciting news, Aicerno?”
Aicerno looked at Lori and suddenly pulled her into a soft kiss before releasing her. “It’s excellent
news….” It was then that he realized what he just did, and he felt his face turn a bright red, much like
the one Lori had at that moment.
The awkward silence between the two was broken as Kyo opened the door. “Pardon me, Taichou. Fuku-
taichou. Oneechan left suddenly. She ran into the forest, hiding her reiatsu. Rin is trying to locate her,
but….” He sighed. “It’s like she vanished.”
This brought Aicerno and Lori out of their daydreams. Concern was clear on both of their faces. “Lori, I
think you should gather a search party together. I’ll head into the forest and begin the search.”
“Okay, Aicerno,” Lori said with a nod. She moved out of the office at a fast pace.
Ogihci walked up to Kyo’s side. “I’m going with you. Something’s not right with Lolo. I need to be there
when she’s found.”
“I’m going as well.” Kyo had a look that dared Aicerno to tell him no.
Aicerno simply nodded. “Rin will as well. We’ll need to spread out. Which direction was she headed
when you last saw her?”
“West, toward the cabin that Elayne and Adrian are staying it,” Ogihci replied.
“Good. Maybe they have seen her and stopped her from going too far,” Aicerno stated as he moved out
of the office. “Let’s go.”

********

Alanna paused at a stream and knelt down. She lowered her hand into the cold water and brought some
to her lips to drink. She didn’t know exactly where she was, but that didn’t matter. All she needed to
know was that creature was up the path she was on. She was going to prove to them that she wasn’t
weak.
Of course you’re weak, Lolo. You’re so weak that they have to protect you.
“I’m not weak, you lowly hollow. I’ll show you. I’ll show everyone!” Alanna shouted.
That’s funny. I could have sworn that they wanted to put you back in that infirmary room for your own
safety.
“SHUT UP, YOU COW!” Alanna looked down and saw a reflection that was her, yet not. Her eyes were
glowing yellow and her hair and skin were snow white. Alanna unsheathed her zanpakuto. “I’M NOT
WEAK!”
You’re too weak. No one loves you. It’s all fake. Ogi hates you now.
Suddenly, Alanna thrust her zanpakuto into the water and the stream bed. “I’M NOT WEAK! I’LL PROVE
IT TO YOU AND EVERYONE! YOU FAT COW!” She stabbed the stream several more times before
collapsing to the ground crying. “I’m... not weak….”
Of course you’re not weak, Alanna. I have great faith in you.
Alanna looked around, drying her eyes. “Who are you?”
All in good time, Alanna. Now, stand up and continue forward on the path you’re on. Today is the day
you prove yourself.
Alanna stood, wiping the last few tears from her eyes before sheathing her zanpakuto. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Alanna took a few deep breaths and then continued down the path, ready to prove herself. She didn’t
know how she would do that. All that she knew was that the creature she saw had something to do with
it. With her determination set, she set off once more at a run.

Chapter 26

Ogihci ran through the forest with the others of the small group. His thoughts were focused on finding
Alanna and fast. The trees blurred by without a second noticed by him or the others. They had only one
thing on their mind, to get to the cabin where Elayne and Adrian were staying.
As soon as the first hint of the cabin came into view, Ogihci noticed Aicerno, the one in the lead, slowing
down. As the others began to match pace, Ogihci did as well. He hated having to take time away from
the search, but it was critical to stop and see what the two refugees knew.
Within a few moments, they stood before the cabin’s door. Aicerno knocked and then waited. Ogihci felt
the need to continue on without them, but something told him that being in a group was better. It
seemed like an eternity as he waited with the group before the door opened.
Elayne stood in the doorway, looking a little shocked. “Aicerno, what brings you here so early? Adrian
and I were going to come and see you once he got out of the shower.”
“Elayne, may we come in? We have a situation,” Aicerno replied. “We’ll discuss what’s going on once
Adrian is out of the shower.”
Elayne stood away from the door, giving them room to enter. “Come in, please. I think Adrian shouldn’t
be too much longer.”
Aicerno bowed and entered the cabin followed by Rin and Kyo. Ogihci hesitated, looking around the
area before he too went inside. He wanted to look for the one he loved. He wanted to make her
understand that no one thought she was weak, that he was worried about her and loved her. Yet, he
knew that going off on his own could cause more problems.
As Ogihci walked to small living room, Adrian came out of the bathroom, drying his hair. He looked a
little confused at the new arrivals and felt a knot of worry begin to form in his stomach. “Good morning,
everyone. What brings you here?”
“There was an incident at the infirmary this morning,” Aicerno began. “We came here in hopes that you
could assist us.”
“Oneechan ran off in this direction, but we can’t find her by her reiatsu,” Kyo said staring out the
window. “She wasn’t acting normal.”
Rin nodded. “It was like she was paranoid; thinking we all saw her as weak. I’m worried about her.”
“We all are,” Ogihci said. “I’m very worried about Lolo. This is not like her at all.”
Elayne looked at the group and sighed. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen her.”
“I think I did earlier,” Adrian replied, looking at the floor. “I thought I was just seeing things, but now I
see that if wasn’t my mind playing tricks on me.”
Ogihci looked at Adrian. “Where was she heading when you saw her?” He was fighting the urge to run
out the door and continue the search on his own.
“She was on the same path you are on. She ran past the window without slowing down,” Adrian replied.
“If she’s alone, she’s in danger.”
Aicerno glanced at Adrian with a raised eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Adrian and I were going to head to the infirmary to talk to you about something we discovered,” Elayne
said before Adrian had a chance to speak. “We believe that there are grilons in Soul Society.”
“Grilons? What are those things?” Rin asked.
“They are horrible creatures created by Shi for many things, one of which is torture,” Adrian replied.
“They are sometimes referred to as patchwork demons because they are composed of various demons
that have been sacrificed for the ceremony.”
“Their skin is different colors and textures. They have no visible arms or legs when you first see them.
Their heads have horns, black matted hair and black skin. Their eyes are red.” Elayne shuddered. “We
believe that there are at least two grilons in the area.”
“Red eyes?” Kyo asked. “We saw a pair of red eyes outside oneechan’s window last night.”
Aicerno stood. “This is not good. What can these grilons do?”
Elayne closed her eyes. “They are used mostly for torturing and spying. They do have other abilities.
Some can make people fear their own shadow. Some can make people irrational and paranoid. All it
takes is for the person to see them fully. Grilons are stronger at night though are difficult to fight in the
daylight.”
Ogihci was silent as Elayne explained. When she was finished, he turned and walked towards the door.
“Lolo must have seen a grilon. She’s not acting like herself. We need to find her and fast.”
Aicerno stood. “Wait, we can’t just go rushing off like this. We need to know their weakness.”
Ogihci stopped and spun around. “I don’t care if you are a captain or not. I’m not going to sit here while
Lolo is in danger. Stay here for all I care, but I’m leaving now.”
Adrian placed a hand on Ogihci’s shoulder. “We’ll go with you. We can talk more about the grilons as we
go.”
Aicerno walked over to Ogihci. “I know you are worried, Ogi. We all are.” He looked at everyone and
then back to Ogihci. “Let’s go, but I want to know everything about what we’re facing.”
Elayne moved to the door and opened it. “We’ll fill you in on the way. Let’s just hope that their numbers
are small.”
“Why is that?” Kyo asked as he and Rin walked out first.
“Right now, if there are only two grilons, we have the upper hand,” Adrian began. “If more gather
together, their combined power will be difficult to overcome and could kill us all.”

********

It was quiet in the throne room. Shi closed her eyes and relaxed. The girl had been taken by Diablo to
where the grilons were gathering. It was sweet to know that soon the girl and Alanna would be out of
her hair. And if any other person arrive during the torture, then they would find their hearts broken and
at the mercy of the grilons.
“So you think your plan will succeed, young one?” came a voice from the shadows.
Shi growled. Leave it to that old bat to ruin a good mood. “Of course it will, dark one. These shinigami
will fall prey to the grilons, and a large obstacle will be removed.”
A soft chuckle filled the room. “You are so naive for one who thinks they know everything. You are
doomed to fail; such has been your fate from start.”
Shi stood, anger radiating off of her. “I will not fail. I will rule all under an iron fist and a darkened sky.
They will bow down before me and tremble in my wake.”
The chuckle grew into full blown laughter. “Oh, boy. You are a great comedian, Shi. Who would have
thought you had it in you?”
Shi growled and threw a dark energy ball into various dark areas in the room. “How dare you! I am the
empress. I shall kill you.”
The laughter died down as a sinister aura filled the room. “Many stronger than you have tried, young
one. They all have failed. I would watch your tongue, or I’ll destroy you before they had a chance to get
their hands on you.”
Shi seethed. “You don’t have the power to stop me. I control this realm and everything in it, including
the powers.”
“Pitiful, young demon. You are deluding yourself.” The room darkened. “All it would take is a simple
thought on my behalf, and you will fall to the floor dead. Be grateful that I have allowed you to live.”
Shi growled. “If you are going to treat me in such a fashion, then leave. I have no use of someone who
thinks that darkening the room will frighten me.”
Suddenly, a robed figure appeared before Shi and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up. “If you were
smart, you would be very frighten, doomed one.” The figure then threw Shi towards the fall way like she
was a rag doll.
Shi slammed hard into the stone wall and slid to the floor. She felt the back of her head where she hit
and felt something wet. Moving her hand before her, Shi noticed blood on her fingers. Growling she
stood and created a large dark orb. “You insignificant has been. I’ll kill you.” She threw the orb, sending
it flying at high speed toward the robed figure.
The figure vanished before the orb could reach it and appeared behind Shi. “How can you kill something
that is stronger than you in every way?” It punched Shi in the back and then grabbed her arm. It spun
and threw Shi back into the same wall she hit before with such a force that the wall cracked up to the
ceiling.
Shi yelled out in pain and crumbled to the floor. “You... wench… I’ll…”
The figure backhanded Shi and sent her flying across the floor, scraping the wall as she went. “You’ll
what? Bleed over my robe? You still think you can beat me?”
Shi weakly raised her right hand and fired her dark energy at the robed figure. “Insufferable….”
The figure knocked the attack away with ease. “Fool.” It appeared before Shi in a blink of an eye and
kicked her hard in the stomach and ribs. “You are no match to me. Weak… pathetic… idiot.” With each
word, it kicked again as if to emphasize the point. It then grabbed Shi by the hair and threw her across
the room and into the throne, destroying it.
Shi lay in mass of broken stone, bleeding. She tried to get up but fell back down. In her mind, she
refused to believe what was happening to her. How could she be so easily defeated?
The robed figure appeared once more before Shi, kneeling down. “I hope that this lesson has made its
way into your mind. Be grateful that I’ll let you live. Your fate has been sealed. Your plans will fail, and
you will die while I will live. Carry that knowledge to the grave, naive one.” With that, it vanished.
Shi tried once more to stand before her world went dark.

********

Diablo arrived in the clearing with the young girl that would soon be torn to pieces and looked around.
Being here in the daylight was a weird sensation. It made him feel as if he were weaker than he truly
was. It didn’t matter though. He was here just to drop off the girl and then watch from a distance.
The bushes to his right began to move before a grilon appeared, floating. It moved until it was before
Diablo and then bowed low. There were no words spoken by the strange creature.
“You are to wait for a woman in shinigami clothes to arrive and then with the others tear this girl apart,”
Diablo said.
The grilon moved its head a little and then was still. It seemed to be waiting for an answer to an unheard
question.
“After you finish with the girl, do what you want with the woman. I’m sure she’ll be unable to do
anything after seeing what you and your brothers will do.”
The grilon moved its head again before becoming still once more. From the surrounding bushes, more
grilon came forward and stopped before Diablo. They bowed and waited.
“It doesn’t matter who shows up after the woman. They will become unable to fight you and your
brothers. Destroy them if you wish. Torture them to your pleasure.”
The group moved up and down a few times before stopping. A feeling of excitement and a thirst for
blood filled the air. Diablo smiled and looked over the grilons. He didn’t see how anyone could survive a
group of 20 grilons, but he didn’t care either. If the grilons took out those who wish to fight Shi, then so
much the better.
“Don’t go easy on them. Don’t give them any leeway. Destroy the enemies of Empress Shi.”
Suddenly the grilons began to move up and down rapidly. The bloodlust in the air delighted Diablo. This
would turn out to be a good day after all.

********
As the group left Adrian and Elayne’s cabin, they were joined by Jessy, Nikki, Romi, and Lori. The four
sisters explained how the others were fanning out and heading in various directions in their search for
Alanna. They had thought that it would be better to expand the search in case Alanna changed
directions.
Now they were running down the path that Alanna took previously. They didn’t want to shunpo in case
they missed a clue. On their faces were looks of concern and worry. From what Adrian and Elayne told
them, they would be in trouble if a large group of grilons were there.
Ogihci scanned the area as they moved. “So, these grilons are like an assassin group of sorts?”
“You can put it that way,” Elayne replied. “Once they have their orders, they won’t stop until they have
completed their goal. Groups of 2 are sent out normally to spy. Groups of 10 are to torture small
villages. Groups larger than that can take on small armies during the night.”
“What about during the day?” Lori asked as she ran next to Aicerno.
“They can do considerable damage to groups our size,” Adrian replied. “Each has a unique power. They
can cause paranoia, confusion, and even turn people against their own friends. Often times, Shi would
send a large group of grilons into villages just to cause confusion and then send in her troops to
slaughter the innocent.”
“There is a leader to each group of grilons. He’s usually bigger and possesses multiple abilities,” Elayne
added. “If you can take out the leader, you can cause temporary confusion in the group.”
“Temporary confusion? What do you mean?” Romi asked.
“Is it anything like slapping Nikki upside the head with a frying pan?” Jessy asked with a grin.
“Bite me, Jessy,” Nikki said glaring at Jessy.
Rin coughed. “Why only temporary confusion?”
“Because the grilons will start to eat one another until one gains enough powers to control the group.
Normally this happens after about 5 grilon have been eaten,” Adrian stated.
“How long will that take?” Aicerno asked as he searched the area as he ran.
“That varies from group to group. Time ranges from 5 minutes to 30 minutes,” Elayne answered. “I
believe there was a report of one group able to do it in less than 5 minutes.”
Kyo sighed. “I hope that we have only 2 to face. To be honest, I hope we find oneechan before we meet
any grilon.”
“You and I both, Kyo,” Ogihci replied. “I don’t want anything to happen to Lolo.” The worry was clear on
his voice.
“Don’t worry, Ogi,” Rin said. “We’ll find her.”
The group fell silent as they continued to run and search for Alanna. They were hoping that Alanna
would come to her senses and turn around. Yet with every passing moment, they realized that it wasn’t
going to happen. As they ran, uneasiness began to settle in their stomachs.

********
Alanna had been walking for the last mile, saving her energy for the possible confrontation that she
hoped would happen. So far, her inner hollow was silent, no longer taunting her with words. She was
thankful for that, knowing that she would need all of her focus for the task at hand. As she walked, she
kept a hand on her zanpakuto and a careful eye on her surroundings.
As she walked, the smells of the forest filled her nose. It was a pleasant, earthy scent that seemed to
give her strength to continue forward. Alanna felt a little calmer than she did earlier when she first saw
the creature. In truth, she began to think that may she had overreacted to Ogihci, Rin, and Kyo on the
roof of the infirmary. Still, she had an overwhelm urge to keep going forward.
Up ahead, she saw the path widen and open into what looked like a clearing. Alanna paused a moment
and tried to see what was up ahead. She looked but couldn’t see much at the moment. The sun seemed
to shine so brightly that it was hurting her eyes after being under the dark canopy for so long. She
decided to allow her eyes to slowly adjust.
Walking forward again, Alanna kept her eyes on the clearing ahead. Somehow she knew that what she
was seeking was in that bright area, waiting for her to come forth from the trees. What seemed strange
to Alanna was the fact that she wasn’t afraid or nervous. Normally in similar situations, she would be
wishing she had someone with her. That wasn’t the case now.
The closer she got to the clearing, the more she could see. Alanna realized that someone was standing in
the field as if waiting for her. As she moved closer, she saw that it was not the same creature as before
but something completely different. Finally, she stepped into the clearing herself and notice that the
one standing in the field was a young girl.
“Excuse me, little one, but why are you here?” Alanna asked. She didn’t move as she waited for an
answer.
The young girl didn’t say a word but stared at Alanna. Her eyes seemed distant to Alanna, as if she had
been through so much that she shut down to deal with the pain. Alanna wanted to take the girl in her
arms and hug her, to tell her that everything will be okay. But for some reason, she couldn’t move.
Around the clearing, shadows moved from the trees. Alanna watched as creatures all like the one she
saw before came out of the tree line and moved toward the girl. Unlike before though, she noticed
deformed arms and claws that seemed to be covered with dried blood. The eyes were glowing a bright
red, and Alanna could feel the bloodlust in the air.
It then dawned on her that the creatures were going to kill the girl. Without hesitation, Alanna shunpo’d
into the clearing, drawing her katana. “Hey, you need to run. I’ll protect you.”
The girl didn’t respond as the creatures moved closer. Alanna sliced the arms off the first creature that
got too close to the young girl causing a horrible smell to fill the air along with an ear piercing scream.
Alanna noticed others still moving toward the girl. Without pause, she continued to slice the arms off.
Alanna had managed to stop 4 of the creatures before a different sound caused her to pause. The girl
that she was trying to protect screamed in pain. Turning, Alanna felt as if she was in a nightmare. She
felt her stomach began to churn, threatening to bring up what little she had to eat.
The creatures had managed to get past her and dragged the girl a little ways off. Now they were
completely surrounding the girl, their claws sinking deeply into her skin. The girl screamed louder as the
creatures began to pull in various directions. The sound of skin, bone, and muscle being ripped apart
reached Alanna’s ears shortly before the pain-filled screeches of the little girl. As the creatures ripped
the girl apart, blood managed to splatter Alanna in the face.
In a matter of minutes, the creatures had the girl lying in various parts, blood covering the ground.
Alanna stared blankly at the sight, replaying what she saw over and over in her mind. She had tried to
save the girl but somehow they still managed to get her and do this. Now the girl was dead and beyond
saving.
The creatures slowly turned toward Alanna. The bloodlust did not lessen as they moved toward her. In
fact, it seemed to grow greatly. After all, she had injured 4 of them.
Alanna felt anger build inside her, one that she could not contain. These abominations destroyed the
girl’s chance at life, at finding someone to love, at being a girl. They took away a brilliant flame of life
that could have brought about joy to the world. It wasn’t right.
It was too much for Alanna to take. Her reiatsu began to rise sharply, and she screamed with pure primal
rage.

Chapter 27
It would have been a lovely day to spend exploring the ancient forest, if only things had been different.
As the shinigami moved through the woods, Ogihci caught glimpses of various trees, flowers, and other
plants he was sure Alanna would love. Yet now wasn’t the time for what if’s. They had to find Alanna
and fast.
It wasn’t too long after the group left the small cabin that Adrian and Elayne resided in that the group
heard the screams of pain. While the screams didn’t sound like Alanna’s, the group, especially Ogihci,
didn’t want to delay the search any longer looking for possible clues. Instantly they took off at full speed.
They all hoped that they wouldn’t be too late.
Ogihci felt like kicking himself. He had fallen asleep when he should have been on guard. Yet, he did fall
asleep last night which lead to Alanna leaving the room and heading up to the roof. It was from that
moment that things seem to have taken a turn for the worse. Mentally, he continued the verbal assault
going over the what if’s again. Though he knew that there was no time for the mental beating he was
giving himself, Ogihci couldn’t help it. He truthfully felt like he let the love of his life down.
Sparing a moment’s glance, Ogihci looked toward Kyo and Rin. Worry was clearly etched on their faces
and shown in their eyes. The screams seemed to be taking a big toll on the two as if they were picturing
what was going on. Ogihci understood their thoughts. He had to forcefully block the images that were
knocking at the back of his mind.
From the moment the screams started, the conversation in the group ceased. They seemed to be feeling
what Ogihci was. To speak of the possibilities would bring them to life, make them real. No one wanted
to think that they may not make it in time.
Ogihci sighed softly. Things lately seemed to be heading down the wrong path. His life with Alanna was
supposed to be one where she remained safe while he was out taking care of hollows. He didn’t want
her to get hurt or have to kill hollows. So much for that fairy tale life.
As suddenly as the screams began, they came to a halt, leaving an awkward silence in its wake. Ogihci
didn’t slow his pace any as he glanced at the other members of the search party. Each member had the
look of contained panic on their faces. They didn’t want to think the worse, but it was hard not to deny
what this could mean.
Ogihci returned his focus to the path before him and his task. If he continued to look at the others, he
knew his resolve not to believe or think the worse would vanish. He forced himself to see Alanna as
healthy and unharmed, smiling and waiting for him to arrive. He wouldn’t allow anything to change that
image.
Then something happened to change everything. It started softly and built into a sound so loud it
seemed to echo off everything, shaking Ogihci to his core. It was a scream, different from the ones
before. It belonged to Alanna and was accompanied by a sharp and steady rise in her reiatsu. It wasn’t a
scream of pain. It was one of pure, primal rage that sent chills down his spine. Whatever happened to
the one who was screaming first had now caused his future wife to go into a fit of rage.
“That’s oneechan without a doubt,” Kyo stated as the scream faded. “I’ve never heard her scream like
that or felt her reiatsu like this.”
Elayne glanced at Adrian who nodded as if in agreement. “Something must have happened to cause it,”
she began. “Either the grilons are using an ability, or they have tortured someone before her. If it’s the
former, we may have to fight her. If it’s the latter, then she was supposed to see something tragic in
order to break her will to fight.”
“Well, that scream doesn’t sound like she’s given up,” Nikki replied. “In fact, it sounds like she’s getting
ready to open a large can of whoop ass on these creatures.”
Jessy rolled her eyes. “You were just waiting to use that phrase, weren’t you?”
As Nikki stuck her tongue at Jessy, Adrian continued. “That’s right, which brings us to a rare third option,
one that’s not good either.”
Ogihci didn’t think he would like the answer, but he has to know. “What is this third option, and why is it
bad?”
Elayne sighed, not wanting to reveal the worse. “Whatever the grilons have done has triggered such an
intense and opposite reaction that Lolo will attack them without a second thought. That would mean
that there is a grilon present who has an ability for controlling emotion and that it is so strong that it
removes all rational thought.”
“And for that to be the case,” Adrian continued. “The grilon would have to be a leader. This means that
there could be a group of 20 or more grilons present.”
“Didn’t you say that a large group could wipe out a city?” Lori asked.
“Yes,” Elayne answered. “This means that if there’s a group of that size here, the chances for our
survival are extremely slim.”
Aicerno had been silent as he not only listened to the conversation but also paying close attention to
Alanna’s reiatsu. A small smile graced his lips. “You shouldn’t give up on our chances just yet.”
Adrian glanced at Aicerno. “We’re only speaking from experience, Aicerno. Why would this time be
different?”
Aicerno’s smile grew a little bigger. “Because it looks like Alanna may be close to gaining her zanpakuto’s
name.”

********
Shi opened her eyes to find herself in bed. Slowly allowing her eyes to adjust, she looked around her
bedroom in a half daze. Without prompting, memories of the one-sided battle returned as if to taunt
her. The taste of bile in her mouth came from the memories. Shi was ready to erase them and move on.
Carefully, Shi sat up in her bed and looked around the room. As she expected, no one was around to
assist her or explain how she got there. Growling softly in frustration, Shi sat up more and waited for the
slight dizziness pass. Once she felt steady, she moved to get out of bed.
“I wouldn’t do that, Empress. You are still recovering from the fight,” came a deep, husky voice from the
doorway.
Shi looked up and saw Lathos leaning against the door frame. “I was going to find someone to explain
how I got here. You have good timing as always, Lathos.”
Lathos smiled. Though he was a demon of high rank, he was in human form today. If there had been any
female humans in the room, they would have stared like love-sick puppies at him. He was the picture of
every human woman’s dream. Tall, dark and handsome, Lathos was muscular, chiseled in appear similar
to the pictures of the ancient Greek gods. His long, jet-black hair was pulled back from his face in a low
ponytail. A trimmed, well kept beard and mustache graced his lower face, making him appear a little
rugged.
“Well, as your appointed physician, I have to keep on top of things, Empress,” Lathos replied as he
walked to her bed. “I must apologize for being away for so long. Three years is a long time to be
separated from one’s inspiration.”
Shi rolled her eyes. “You are still trying to attain what you can never have, Lathos.”
“I will try until the day one of us has been taken away into the eternal sleep, Empress,” Lathos replied as
he sat down on the bed. “Now, let’s get down to the serious business. Empress, have you realized how
weak you have become?”
Shi growled. “Weak? Why you…. I should send you to the pits now.”
Lathos raised a hand. “Empress, a moment of your time to explain. I found you in a pile of rubble,
hanging on by a thread. Normally, you would be able to recover from that quickly and not resting in bed,
that is if you have been following my regimen. I believe that you haven’t though.”
Shi pushed herself back in bed until her back rested against the padded headboard. “Where are you
going with this, Lathos?”
The demon sighed. “I explained this to you when you first decided you wanted to conquer Heru. Every
day that you are here and away from our home realm diminishes your power. You need to perform the
ritual at a minimum of once a year to retain your full powers.” Lathos gazed into Shi’s eyes. “When was
the last time you had a ritual?”
Shi felt the anger fade. Lathos had a knack of nailing the problem right on the head. “Three years. It’s
been three years, Lathos,” she replied softly.
Lathos’ mouth fell open. “Three years? Are you an idiot? No wonder I had such a difficult time healing
you. Yeah, I’m the best healer for you and your forces, but I nearly lost you.” He glared at her. “Why did
you skip the ritual for so long?”
Shi return the glare. “Well, let me see. My physician vanished. The priest in charge of the ritual
mysteriously vanished. Someone destroyed the altar. Oh, and I have been creating an army to take over
other realms. Does that answer your question?”
Lathos stared a few moments longer and then sighed. “I see. Well, until we can have a ritual, you need
to stay in bed. I will have the acolytes to rebuild the altar and begin the preparations. Luckily, a new
priest has arrived to assist us.” He took her hand. “Promise me that you will rest and not use any of your
powers.”
Shi sighed. “Fine. I promise. When is the next blood moon?”
“In seven days. Why?” Lathos looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
Shi smirked. “I want the ritual performed then. In seven days under the blood moon, I will regain my full
power.”
Lathos knew better than to argue with Shi. “As you wish, Empress.” He stood and began to walk out of
the room. He paused at the doorway. “You do know what that will require, right?”
Shi’s evil smile grew. “Of course. I tire of this realm and these pathetic humans. Besides, I am growing
tired of waiting.”
Lathos turned and looked at Shi confused. “Waiting? What do you mean?”
“I’m tired of waiting for these humans to train and become stronger. I’m tired of waiting for these
humans to bring me what I want and need. But most importantly, I’m tired of waiting for the fight to
start.” Shi closed her eyes. “Soon, I will lose this false shell and reveal to those that dare oppose me my
true power.”

********
Daelen sat in the park watching the clouds pass above. He held a soft smile on his face as he relaxed.
Today was a good day, despite what he had seen the night before. If things went as he had seen, there
would be a lot of celebrating tonight.
“Yo, Daelen,” came Yondy’s voice behind him. “It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one left behind.”
Daelen looked behind him briefly before returning his attention to the sky. “Oh, I wasn’t left behind. I
decided that it would be best if I stayed here. How are you, Yondy?”
Yondy sat down next to Daelen. “Well, I guess I’m alright. I wish I could have gone with the others in
search for Lolo, but I’ll live.”
Daelen smiled. “Yes, you will. Who knows what will happen today.”
Yondy glanced at the Draconic Watcher. “I have a feeling you do, but I won’t push the matter.” He
turned his gaze to the sky. “Look, Daelen, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry. I misjudged you greatly.”
Daelen chuckled. “It’s alright. I’ve gotten use to the accusations over the years.” He smiled. “You should
be glad you don’t have to bear the burden I do, Yondy.”
There was a moment of silence between the two before Yondy spoke. “I guess I have to agree with you
on that. If I knew things like you do, I would be tempted to act and probably cause more trouble than
help.”
“I was like that at first,” Daelen replied. “When I first joined the Draconic Watchers and began to
experience these visions, I would go out and try to help. The first few times nothing happened. The last
time though….” He trailed off.
Yondy looked at Daelen. “What happened? I mean... if you want to tell me, I’ll listen.”
Daelen closed his eyes. “There was a little girl that was to be the queen of this little country. She was to
rule the land with calm, loving approach, one that would usher in a time of peace for the country and
those surrounding it. One night, I had a vision of a man in black who would attempt to take the young
girl’s life. I decided that I had to stop him or the girl would die and not fulfill her duties.”
Yondy watched the emotions cross the face of Daelen as the man recounted a life changing incident.
“What happened?”
“I killed the man in his sleep. His body was found the next day in his rented room along with the items
he had to make the attempt. The girl went on to live and become the queen of the country, but not the
one that was foretold.” Daelen took a deep breath. “The girl became a vengeful, spoiled queen desiring
nothing but everything. She tortured people for speaking ill of her. She started many wars with
neighbors, causing huge death tolls on both sides.”
Yondy looked confused and shocked. “How could that be?”
Daelen opened his eyes and looked at Yondy. “I didn’t know it at the time, but the girl was extremely
spoiled and hateful to her subjects before she was made queen. The man in black was going to attempt
the assassination in hopes that it would change the way she acted to those in her kingdom. If I hadn’t
have interfered, it would have happened that way and thousands of lives would have been saved.”
Yondy turned his gaze to the grass. “What happened to the queen?”
“She was eventually assassinated by one of her own court. They could stand the way things were going.
Once they took control of the throne, the peace that was seen before began to take shape.” Daelen
looked up at the sky. “And I learned a hard lesson from all of that. From that moment on, I have refused
to do anything that would interfere in the visions I have seen.”
Yondy was silent as he took it all in. “But you helped Lolo in the infirmary when the robed figure
appeared.”
“Only because I saw in my vision that I was there,” Daelen replied. “If I hadn’t seen that, I wouldn’t have
been there.”
Yondy nodded. “I see. I understand why you don’t want to help now. I’m sorry for being so rude to you.
Thanks for helping me to understand.”
Daelen smiled. “You’re welcome, Yondy. Now, I think you should just rest and save your energy.”
Yondy raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Because I have a feeling there will be a party tonight.”

********
As the group sped up the path, everyone was curious as to what Aicerno said. Romi was the one to voice
their question though. “Aicerno, how can you tell that? How can you be sure that Lolo will learn her
zanpakuto’s name?”
Aicerno smiled. “Just feel her reiatsu. Have you ever felt it this high before? I haven’t.”
Ogihci took a few moments to let Alanna’s reiatsu fully. “You’re right. It is definitely stronger than
before.”
“But that doesn’t mean she’s gain shikai,” Kyo stated. “It just shows that she can let it loose when
needed.”
Aicerno chuckled. “That is true, Kyo. Yet, if I’m correct, then Lolo is under a lot a stress right now and is
going to go all out against these creatures.”
“But that doesn’t explain how she will get shikai,” Lori stated.
“Remember what the zanpakuto spirit said when she was in control of Lolo?” Aicerno asked.
They were silent as they thought back to the day. Rin was the first one to speak. “She said that Lolo
hadn’t earned the privilege to know her name yet.”
“Exactly,” Aicerno said with a smile. “But right now, I am betting that Lolo is fighting with everything she
has. If she is, then I’m sure she will prove to her zanpakuto that she is worthy of her name.”
“And Lolo will gain shikai,” Ogihci finished. “I see now.”
Elayne and Adrian looked at one another and shrugged. “I don’t know much about what you guys are
talking about, but the clearing seems to be right ahead,” Elayne stated.
As if a curtain was raised and revealed a brightly lit sun, the group found themselves in the clearing,
slowing to a stop as their eyes adjusted to the light. Their ears were filled with the sounds of battle
though. Once they could see clearly, they looked around the clearing. What they saw filled them with
many emotions.
To the left of them and only 20 feet away were the torn pieces of the girl. Her head was left to look
toward them with dead eyes. Her mouth was frozen in a perpetual scream. Around the head were
various pieces of her body, left in tattered piece. Blood and organs covered the ground in a sick painting
of death.
Many of the group fought the rising nausea that began to stir in their stomach. It was something that
they wished they never had seen. Then it dawned on them. Alanna was here to watch it happen. They
felt a wide range of emotions flood through them.
The sound of an unreal scream turned their attention away from the remains to the battle that was
waging between Alanna and the grilons. The group was stunned at what they saw. They remained
frozen in the spot.
About 100 feet away Alanna was slicing through a grilon while using her sheath to block another from
attacking. Her body was covered in wounds, blood soaking her robes. Yet, she didn’t seem to notice as
she continued her assault. The moment her blade was through the grilon, she brought the katana
around to slice off a limb of a grilon. Her movements seemed fluid and not wasting a chance at dealing
damage.
Ogihci watched in awe as Alanna seemed to dance in her battle. He was shocked to see how angry she
looked, her eyes locked in determination. Never had he witnessed Alanna fight like this. It was both
frightening and beautiful.
A scream of pain brought the group out of their daze. One of the grilons had managed to slice into
Alanna’s left arm and break the bone. Unable to hold the sheath, Alanna dropped the item but didn’t
stop fighting. She brought the katana around and sliced across the grilon’s throat, almost cutting its
head off.
Elayne pulled out her weapon. “We can’t let her fight alone. It’s only a matter of time before she’ll be
overwhelmed.”
Aicerno looked at Elayne. “Wait. She’s handling this pretty well on her own.”
Adrian grabbed his axe. “And you are a fool. There’s at least 15 grilons out there. Lolo is injured and
needs our help.”
Ogihci watched a few moments. “No, Aicerno is right. If we go charging in there now, she won’t gain
shikai. When it’s time, you’ll know it.”
Elayne looked at Adrian and sighed. “You’re risking her life, you know.”
Ogihci smiled. “I have faith in Lolo. I know she won’t die so easily.”

********
Alanna knew her left arm was broken. It didn’t matter though. She wouldn’t stop until every last one
was destroyed. She brought her katana around and sliced a creature’s arms off again. It didn’t stop there
as her blade swung around and cut into another being.
One of the creatures managed to hit her hard in the back and caused her for fall to ground. She landed
on her left arm and screamed in pain. Before she could get up, she felt claws slice her legs. Alanna
kicked and rolled away before standing up, facing the grilons with her zanpakuto ready.
Her breathing was a little ragged, but Alanna didn’t care. She growled at the creatures. “I’m not giving
up. I’ll fight you with everything I have even if I die. I’m going to take you with me.”
Why would you continue to fight like this? You are severely injured.
“Because they killed a girl, took away her chance at life. I can’t forgive them for that. I can’t allow them
to claim another victim,” Alanna shouted as she sliced into another creature.
You would die in order to save others?
“Of course I would. If I die here destroying these creatures, then who knows how many would be
saved,” Alanna answer as her katana cut off a few arms.
I see. You have come a long way in a short time, Alanna. I have waited for this moment. Do you wish to
know my name?
“Yes, I do.” Alanna kicked a grilon away. “Please lend me your strength.”
Then listen, Alanna, for you have earned my companionship, my name. Shout it out to the world. Repeat
after me….
Alanna was silent for a moment. “Watashi no kanawo koora sete , sorerano kesshin wo toka shimasu,
Shiroi Doragon.”
Her reiatsu spiked again, causing the dirt around her to swirl. The creatures backed away, unsure of
what was going on. As the dust began to settle, Alanna could be seen holding two wakizashi of two
colors. One was ice blue while the other was fire red.
Alanna looked at the new weapons before her, holding the one in her left hand the best that she could.
“This… this is my shikai,” she said softly.
Yes, it is. Now, show these creatures what we can do together.
Alanna smiled and glared at the creatures. “I think it’s time for round 2.” She swung her right wakizashi
at the nearest group. “Koori no taken.”
Out of the blade shot 60 ice daggers. They flew right into and through the group that Alanna aimed for.
In an instant, three creatures fell to the ground. Alanna noticed that one of them had been larger than
the others.
It didn’t matter though. She got ready for another attack from the creatures. Yet it didn’t come. Alanna
stared at them, curious. Instead of coming for her, the creatures seemed to be fighting each other.
“What in the world is going on?” she asked.
“Hurry, while they are confused,” Elayne said as she ran past Alanna.
Alanna blinked a few times as she watched the group suddenly appear and begin to attack the
creatures. “What is going on?”
Ogihci appeared next to Alanna. “They’re finishing off the grilons while they are confused, Lolo. It’s to
prevent them from gaining a new leader.”
“Grilons? Leader?” Alanna looked at the fighting and then toward the larger grilon she had taken out
earlier. “So the bigger one was the leader.”
“Yes, it was,” Ogihci stated as he pulled her into a hug. “You were awesome, Lolo. You gained shikai and
took out 8 grilons by yourself.”
Alanna blinked a few times and looked up at Ogihci. “You were watching?”
Ogihci pulled back. “Yes, we were. I’m sorry we didn’t interfere sooner, but….”
Alanna suddenly pulled him into a hug the best she could. “Thank you.”
Ogihci smiled and hugged her back. “You’re welcome.” He stroked her hair. “I’m sorry if we made you
feel weak, Lolo. It was never our intention.”
Alanna looked up and smiled weakly. “I know….” It was then that the true extent of the wounds she had
and the amount of reiatsu she used took its toll. She felt her body slide and her eyes close. The last thing
she saw was Ogihci’s smile.
 ********
As the last grilon was destroyed, Diablo growled from where he watched. He had not expected the
woman to possess the ability to withstand the powers of the grilon or to hold such power. Everything
that Shi had planned was a failure this day.
The demon watched a few moments as he thought. He would have to return and let Shi know what
happened. He knew that the demon empress would not be happy.
Suddenly, a smile appeared on his face. At least he could send them a nice present of his own. Diablo
lifted his hands and gathered his energy. Soon, a large ball of fire rested in his palms.
“Hope your clothes are flame resistant, fools,” he said as he launched the fireball toward the clearing. “If
not, you’re dead.”

Chapter 28

It wasn’t something that any of the members of the group expected to see after the battle that they had
witnessed and took part in. They thought that maybe now was their shot at a break, a time to relax and
recover. Unfortunately, it seemed that fate had other plans for them. They turned as one toward the
change in the air and saw the enormous fireball heading toward them.
“What in the world?” Kyo asked, unsheathing his sword once more. “You mean this battle isn’t over with
yet?”
Elayne and Adrian stared a few moments at the attack heading toward them. Adrian wasn’t sure who
could produce such a large fireball. He never encountered anyone with that kind of power.
Unfortunately, Elayne had.
“No, run! Diablo is behind this attack. If the fire touches you, it will not die until you have been
consumed completely,” Elayne shouted as she turned to run. “Don’t try to fight it or put it out. Run!”
It seemed like no one had the strength to doubt or question Elayne. They turned and began to shunpo
away from the area as fast as they could. Adrian was running next to Elayne as they entered the forest.
Within seconds, the field behind them was engulfed with hellfire.
Ogihci carried Alanna, holding her close to keep her from falling from his arms. “What are we going to
do? If that fire won’t stop until everything’s consumed, it will continue through the forest and to the
Gotei 13, killing everything in its path.”
Elayne sighed. “I’m not sure what to do. The fire seeks out flesh. It will continue to burn until it has
consumed what it yearns for. It may stop with an animal or two. Then again it may not be satisfied until
it has a person or several people.”
“You mean this fire has a mind of its own?” Jessy asked as she shunpo’d. “How can fire think?”
“This isn’t a normal, everyday fire,” Elayne began. “This is hellfire created by one of the lead demons
Diablo. While Shi is the Empress, he ranks like Prince, second only to one other demon.” She dodged a
tree. “He created the fire to take out people that he finds are troublemakers. Sometimes he can control
it, put into it the intent to kill only a certain person or group of people. Sometimes, he forgets, giving it
only the intent to kill.”
Aicerno spared a moments glance at Elayne and then at the distant field behind him. “I take it that it is
the latter in this case?”
Elayne shrugged. “I can’t tell. The only way that I can is to watch it as it progresses. At the moment, I’m
not too keen on standing still and waiting.”
“Then how are we going to stop this in either case? We can’t let it continue on its course regardless of
its design,” Adrian stated in an emotionless tone. “We have to stop it before someone dies.”
Elayne spared a moment’s glance at Adrian. “I’ve seen many people try to stop the hellfire. Every time,
they died. As far as I am aware of, there is no means in our grasp to stop the fire. Right now, our only
option is to run.”
For some reason, Kyo stopped. He turned and faced the hellfire and watched it carefully. “I think we
have the means to stop it, actually.”
Everyone stopped in their tracks and turned toward Kyo. Elayne took a few steps forward. “What do you
mean? How can you know how to stop it or that we have what is needed to stop it when you’ve never
seen it before?”
“I may have never seen it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t possess knowledge that could help us,” Kyo
replied, pulling out the dagger from its sheath at his right hip. “Right now, I see what we need to do
though I don’t think any of you will like the idea.”
Nikki watched the fire slowly make its way toward them. “Well, don’t keep us hanging. What do we
need to do?”
Kyo knelt down and grabbed a large leaf. He placed it under his left forearm and rolled up the sleeve.
With a quick movement, he sliced his forearm open, allowing the blood to flow onto the leaf. “Well, you
all need to cut yourselves and donate some blood here. That includes oneechan.”

********
Diablo smiled as he watched the group run. It was pointless to try and escape the hellfire once it was
released. After all, it was designed to continue burning until it achieved its goals. Too bad that they
didn’t have a chance.
The demon turned and opened the portal back to Hera. He knew that the empress would not be happy
that her original plan failed, but Diablo was certain that she would be happy that he released his special
attack. She enjoyed the knowledge that someone couldn’t run from death regardless of where they
went.
As he was about to step through the portal, Diablo stopped. Something told him that he should make
sure that this worked. It never failed before, but that didn’t mean that it was fool-proof. Diablo had
learned over the years that his prey could come up with ways to survive a little longer.
As the fire continued into the forest, Diablo decided to prepare to follow at a safe distance. That meant
that when it was entirely in the forest and none of the hellfire was in the clearing, then he was safe to
move. The thing about his attack was that it didn’t discriminate between friend or foe. It wanted blood
in its simplest form and flesh, blood, and bone in its most advanced.
Normally the demon could tell which form he created before and after he released the hellfire on his
victims. This time though, Diablo couldn’t. It was a strange feeling to have, being in the dark about what
the fire wanted. It was also the first time it happened. In truth, he created the attack out of pure hatred
for the group that defeated the grilons. It was almost instinctual in nature instead of cold and calculated.
Now, he found himself unable to just leave the area and know that the hellfire would consume until his
enemies were destroyed. Diablo mentally kicked himself and waited for the fire to leave the clearing.
When that happened, he would be able to see how the fire progressed and maybe even hear the
screams of the fools that dared to cross his empress.
********
Lathos watched the women slaves stare at him longingly as he made his way toward Shi’s private
chambers. He loved the fact that his façade made the human females drool in false anticipation of sultry
dreams. It made their flesh taste all the sweeter when he fed. Today though his attention was focused
on his empress.
In a way, he could understand what the women were feeling. He too felt a pain deep inside, a longing
for something that he could never have even though he tried for many years. Lathos was still trying, but
he wasn’t a fool to think that after the recent events Shi would change her mind. In fact, he found that
the invisible barrier was even harder to break through than before.
As he approached the door, Lathos stopped. He wanted to rush in and sweep her out of bed, to confess
his true feelings for her and kiss her. Yet, he knew that the moment he attempted to do that, Shi would
send him on a one way trip to the Abyss. Wanting to remain alive a little longer, Lathos pushed the
feeling and desires back into his mental lockbox before opening the door.
“I told you I wanted red wine. This is white,” came Shi’s unmistakable voice. “You stupid slave. I would
kill you myself, but I need to save my strength.”
“I…. I’m s-s-sorry, Empress. Please forgive me,” a female replied.
As Lathos moved out of the sitting room that was adjacent to the bedroom, he saw Shi raising her hand
to slap the slave. “I’ve forgiven you too much lately.” The sound of the slap reverberated through the
room as the young woman went flying. “This is your last chance. Bring me the finest red wine or next
time I will kill you.”
“Y-y-yes, Empress,” the woman finally said as she slowly stood. Hobbling and moving slowly, the slave
left the room.
“I see you haven’t lost your touch when it comes to knocking someone off their feet,” Lathos said in his
husky voice. “I am surprised that you let her live.”
Shi looked at her physician and rolled her eyes. “She’s the last slave I have that knows about wine. The
others are far too young.” She leaned back against the pillows. “What brings you here, Lathos? I don’t
think it is to watch me hit slaves.”
Lathos smiled slightly. “You are correct in that notion, Empress. I have come to update you on the
progress of the ritual.”
Shi fought the urge to lean forward. Her back was stiff and aching from having to remain in bed. “Oh?
How goes the preparations?”
“The acolytes are nearly halfway finished with the new alter. The priest has begun the ritual to prepare
the area for the main ritual to return you to your full strength,” Lathos began as he sat down on the bed.
“The demon troops are beginning to gather the humans together in the holding pens. That includes the
human soldiers that you had trained.”
Shi smiled. “Good. Take all of the slaves in the castle as well, all save the woman that was in here. I’ll use
her until the last moment.”
Lathos nodded as he began to examine the demon empress. “As you wish, Empress. Have you heard
from Diablo recently?”
Shi’s face darkened slightly. “No, I haven’t. I should call upon him and see what the status of his mission
is.”
“No, you can’t,” Lathos replied in an even tone. “Remember you can’t use any power until the ritual has
been completed. You are still not out of the woods from the attack yet.”
A growl escaped Shi’s throat. “Fine. I’ll just have to wait until Diablo returns.”
“Why wait when I can tell you right now what has happened?” a voice replied filling the room.
The growl from Shi increased, forcing Lathos to have to restrain her some. He looked around the room.
“Who are you and how do you know what has happened?”
Laughter filled the room. “Oh, I’m the one who put your precious leader in the bed. As to how I know,
well first I’ve seen it before. Second, I witnessed it first-hand. Last, I told the fool that you call Empress
that it would happen.”
Lathos growled as the words filled his ears. He could tell that the one hiding in the shadows was an
ancient one and too strong for him to handle alone. “So, what has happened, foul one?” he asked
through gritted teeth.
A cloaked figure appeared at the far wall. “Her plan failed, like I said it would. The one called Alanna not
only took out eight of your precious creatures, she also gained more power. The rest of your opponents
took out the rest of the grilons without a huge effort thanks to Alanna.”
Shi growled. “You lie. Why should we believe you?”
“Oh, but dear Shi, naïve one, I’m telling you the truth,” the hooded figure replied. “If you don’t believe
me, recall your general and ask him what happened. I think you may be quite surprised at his response.”
Lathos stood. “If you are here to taunt the Empress, then leave. She doesn’t need you here.”
The cloaked figure laughed. “Oh, but taunting is so much fun, lover boy. But seeing as you both are… a
little uptight in the matter, I’ll leave you to stew in the message I brought. Enjoy the coming doom,
young ones.” With that, it vanished once more.
Shi punched the bed a few times, swearing. “Lathos, recall Diablo. Tell him to return at once.”
Lathos looked at Shi and nodded. He knew better than to argue. “As you command, Empress. Anything
else?”
“Yes,” Shi replied. “Tell that slave girl to hurry up with my wine. I’m not in the mood to wait any longer.”
********
“What? Are you mad?” Romi asked as she watched the blood flow from Kyo’s wound. “We can’t cut Lolo
any more. She has too many wounds and lost too much blood as it is.”
“We don’t need a lot of blood,” Kyo replied. “It has to be done.”
“I say you’re crazy,” Elayne said. “The longer we just stand here, the greater the chance that we’re going
to get caught by the fire.”
Rin looked at Kyo and knew that he was right. It was a strange feeling, one that she didn’t understand,
but she trusted it much like she trusted Kyo with her life. She knelt down next to Kyo and offered her
forearm. “I believe Kyo. This is the only way.”
Kyo looked at Rin and stared a few moments before he smiled. “Thanks, Rin.” He drew the dagger’s
blade across Rin’s forearm and then let her blood fall into the pool of his.
Ogihci sighed and knelt down with Alanna in his arms. He positioned her so that he could offer his
forearm too. “Do it. I’m sure Lolo would agree too if she was awake.”
One by one, the group followed suit, most of them unsure if this would work. Yet they were willing to
take a chance at stopping the hellfire now before it could get into any of the outlying villages. Aicerno
healed the minor cuts after it was finished as the group watched Kyo continue his work.
Kyo wrapped the leaf up into a ball. Fortunately, the blood didn’t spill out at all. Once he was satisfied
with it, he stood and watched the fire a few moments. Then suddenly, he threw the ball toward the fire.
Everyone except for Alanna watched the leaf ball fly toward the hellfire. In it rested their hopes that the
hellfire would be stopped. For a few moments, it seemed as nothing would happen. Then suddenly it
reacted.
The hellfire seemed to leap forward and surround the leaf ball that held their blood. The smell of burnt
plant and blood filled the area, nearly making a few members of the group sick from the odor. The fire
began to fold inward on itself, as if trying to get to the bounty offered to it. Then it began to shrink in
size.
Elayne watched as the fire slowly moved away from them. “I… I don’t believe it. It worked.”
Adrian faced Kyo. “How did you know that this would work?”
“It was part of what I learned from the oracle in the dagger,” Kyo began. “She told me about the hellfire
and about one thing that could help.”
Rin smiled. “Thank you, Oracle.”
Kyo laughed. “Yeah, thanks.”
The group watched as the hellfire continued to shrink in size. It seemed as if things were finally turning
in their favor.
********
Diablo was about to jump down into the clearing when a portal opened. He growled under his breath as
he turned toward it, wishing that whoever it was would have waited. He didn’t need this interruption.
He needed to watch the hellfire and see its final results.
From the portal Lathos exited. He bowed slightly, his face unreadable. “Hello, Diablo. I’m sorry to disturb
you, but Empress Shi told me to bring you back immediately.”
Diablo sighed. “Lathos, why is it you seem to appear when it is least expected and wanted?”
Lathos chuckled slightly. “I understand your feelings, old friend, but something came up that has the
Empress in a very foul mood.”
“I see,” Diablo replied. “I guess I better come with you, or Empress Shi will become harder to handle for
anyone.” He spared a moment to glance at the hellfire. “Could you give me a hint at what this is about?”
“Let’s say it has something to do with why you are here in the first place and leave it at that,” Lathos
stated. “I think I’ll leave it to Shi to ask questions and what not.”
Diablo sighed. He knew what it was about and knew what Shi was going to ask. He just wished that he
had time to make sure his hellfire finished off the enemies. “Very well. Let’s go.”
Without another word, the two demons entered the portal and vanished. The portal itself closed a few
seconds later. What they didn’t get to witness was the hellfire finally vanishing after the blood donation
it received from the group. Nor did they get to see the cloaked figure hanging in the shadows chuckling
softly.

Chapter 29
As the last traces of the hellfire vanished, Aicerno finished the minor healing. “Well, that’s done. I think
it’s time to get Lolo to the infirmary. It would be easier to heal her wounds there.”
Ogihci looked down at the unconscious Alanna and nodded. “Yeah, and I think that this time we won’t
have the running away incident.”
Kyo raised an eyebrow. “What? You are going to tie her to the bed?”
Ogihci laughed as he turned and started walking toward the infirmary through the forest. “No. I think we
should just let her do her own thing and trust her. With us crowding her so soon after she woke, I’m
surprised Lolo didn’t give us wedgies and kick us out.”
The group laughed as they started back. Rin smiled. “Yeah, I can see how we were part of the problem. If
we just allowed her time to breath, then she wouldn’t have gone onto the roof.”
“But then she wouldn’t have gained her shikai,” Lori stated in a matter of fact voice. “Things worked out
for the best.”
Kyo walked next to Rin. “That’s true, but there are so many ways events could have played out. The only
one who could know for sure would be Daelen, and he’s not going to tell us.”
The group murmured in agreement and then fell silent. The day had been a long one. In fact, it seemed
as if they had lived through a week of events in not even 24 hour period. Yet, they all got to witness
something spectacular. They witness Alanna finally obtaining her shikai.
As Aicerno sent messages to the other search parties, the group walked in relative quiet. The overall
effect of the day seemed to slowly weigh upon their shoulders, slowing their walk a little at a time. Even
Ogihci found it difficult to move much faster as the emotions he felt throughout the day came crashing
down. As they got closer to the infirmary, the feelings seemed to intensify instead of lessen.
As the group finally made it back to the infirmary, Jessy found the closet bench and sat down. “Does
everyone feel exhausted or am I the only one?”
Everyone agreed with Jessy. They began to sit down on benches. Only two people remained standing
and moving. Ogihci followed Aicerno as he carried Alanna. They finally made it back to her room. Ogihci
placed his future wife on the bed and then collapsed into a chair nearby. “I’m exhausted.”
“I am as well, but I need to make sure Lolo is healed,” Aicerno replied. “Go ahead and rest. I’ll wake you
when I’m done.”
“Thanks, Aicerno,” Ogihci said through a yawn. Slowly his eyes closed. The last thing he saw was Alanna
looking peaceful in her sleep.

********
Diablo followed Lathos down the hall and into Shi’s bedchamber. What he saw shocked him greatly. He
could not believe that his Empress could have been beaten so badly, yet here Shi was black and blue all
over. “Empress Shi, what happened?”
Shi growled softly. “Let’s just say I’ve been taught a lesson and leave it at that.” Shi took a drink of
water. “Tell me how the plans went, Diablo.”
Lathos moved off to the side and sat down. “Shi, don’t you think you should rest now?”
“No, Lathos, I don’t want to rest,” Shi replied through clenched teeth. “I want to know how the plan
worked, and I want to know now.”
Diablo bowed. “I’m sorry, Empress. The woman proved to be more resilient than expected. She was able
to take out a large portion of the grilon group on her own before gaining a new power. After that, her
friends appeared and took out the rest of the grilon.”
Shi growled. “You mean she’s still alive, that they are all still alive?”
“I’m not sure, Empress,” Diablo stated. “I released hellfire on them, but I was called back before I could
make sure that they were destroyed.”
“I see,” Shi said in a level tone. “What kind of hellfire did you release?”
Diablo sighed. “I hate to admit it, but I’m not sure, Empress. I was extremely angry at the time and
desired to see their blood cover the ground. I released the hellfire without having a complete focus.”
Shi glared at Diablo. “So there’s a chance that they are uninjured and alive?”
“Unfortunately, yes, though the woman was injured severely during her battle with the grilon,” Diablo
stated.
Lathos looked at his nails. “If they have healers like we do, I’m sure they are working on her now.” He
looked up at Shi. “That is if they survived the hellfire.”
Shi closed her eyes. “I want to find out if they survived. Send out the…”
“There’s no need for your spies, young one,” a voice came from the shadows.
Shi growled as she opened her eyes. “What do you want, old one?”
The cloaked figure appeared in a far corner. “Oh, I wanted to pass on some information. I see you
brought the incompetent fool back.”
Diablo growled. “I’ll rip you to pieces.”
The cloaked figure laughed. “You’ll be dead before you move from your spot, foolish one. Ask your
Empress how it feels to be beaten to the brink of death.”
Diablo glared at the unknown figure as Shi rolled her eyes. “Enough of the pleasantries. Tell me what
you know and then leave. I have much to prepare for.”
“Of course, Empress,” the cloaked figure said in a mocking tone. “The hellfire vanished after the group
made a blood sacrifice. They are still alive and well. At this moment, Alanna is being healed by the
captain of the 4th.”
As Shi began to growl and let her power raise some, Lathos stood. “Empress, you must save your energy
until the ritual can be performed.” He looked at the unknown figure and then back to Shi. “We can come
up with another plan to attack them.”
“You just don’t get it, do you?” the hooded one said. “No matter what plans you make, it will all end in
failure and Shi’s death. It has been foretold in the ancient prophecies. Not even your pathetic ritual can
change the outcome.”
Shi glared at the cloaked figure. “The future is not set in stone. Now, if you don’t mind, leave. I have no
use for someone who just sits back and watches.”
The cloaked figure bowed and vanished. “Oh, but things are wonderful for me. After all, I have the best
seat in the house.”
Diablo huffed. “Who is that creature? How dare it speak in such a way to you, Empress?”
Shi closed her eyes. “It is an ancient evil, powerful beyond belief. It was imprisoned before I ordered the
traitors in the Draconic Watchers to release the seal.”
Lathos raised an eyebrow. “Why in the world did you release it for?”
Shi opened her eyes glaring. “I thought that the ancient one would be willing to help us in our plans. I
was wrong in thinking that it would forget the past so easily.”
Diablo looked confused. “Forget the past? What are you talking about, Empress?”
“The imprisoning of the ancient one so many years ago,” Shi stated. “After all, I was the one who set the
trap and assisted the Draconic Watchers. It’s just paying me back for betraying the trust it gave me
thousands of years ago.”
********
In the waiting room downstairs, most of the group that had come in with Ogihci were asleep in various
positions. Some were stretched out on benches. Others were on the floor. In the case of Nikki and Jessy,
they were leaning against each other. It was a wonder that they didn’t fall to the floor.
Two people remained awake though. Off in a corner Rin and Kyo sat. Rin’s head rested on Kyo’s
shoulder and his arm was around her. To Kyo, it felt right, like he had found a missing piece of his soul.
Yet, he didn’t know how he could explain it to Rin or if she felt the same. All he knew was that he could
stay like this forever.
He heard Rin sigh and looked down at the top of her head. “Are you okay, Rin?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she replied without looking up. Rin moved an arm around Kyo’s waist. “I’m just
enjoying this moment.”
Kyo felt an eyebrow rise at her comment. Could she like me? Does she know how I feel? Questions went
through his mind as he finally took a chance. “What do you mean by enjoying this moment?”
Rin lifted her head and looked at Kyo. “It’s peaceful and quiet. Plus, I’m here with you.” At that last
statement, she blushed and then looked away.
Kyo felt his heart skip a beat. She likes being here with me? He felt his face heat up as he blushed. Is this
what love feels like? “Yes, it is nice.” He decided to take a chance and gently place a hand under Rin’s
chin. Carefully, he lifted her face and looked into her eyes. “I’m glad you are here with me, Rin.”
For a moment, they stared into each others’ eyes, lost in the depths. Kyo found himself struggling from
falling deep into the beautiful soul that shown in Rin’s eyes. He saw how she felt and knew it reflected in
his own gaze. It amazed him that in all his time as a shinigami, he never thought he would find someone
that would hold such a strong place in his heart as Rin did.
“Kyo, what did you want to talk about?” Rin asked in a near breathless voice. It seemed to take all she
had to speak.
Kyo swallowed nervously. What if he was reading her all wrong? How do I breach the subject with her?
He looked around at the others in the waiting room. He would rather not open his heart to her in this
setting. He wanted it to be private and special. “How about we go somewhere private and talk?” he
asked. “I can run by oneechan’s place and grab us some food.”
Rin felt butterflies in her stomach. Is he asking me out on a date? She smiled. “Okay. How about we go
to the park?”
Kyo nodded, smiling. “That sounds great. I’ll meet you there.” Before Rin could answer, he was gone.
Rin was smiling as she stood. Things were looking up for her. Maybe he’ll tell me that he likes me. She
blushed at the thought.
“So you two are going on a date?” Nikki’s voice asked bringing Rin out of her little daydream.
Rin looked at her mother and blushed more. “Umm… yeah, I guess you can call it that.”
Nikki smiled. “You like him, don’t you?”
If her face could have gotten redder, it would have. “Yes, Mom, I do. I know he’s Aunt Lolo’s brother, but
I can’t help it.”
Nikki giggled softly, trying her best not to move the still sleeping Jessy. “You know he’s adopted, right?”
Rin blinked a few times. “Well… no. I thought that he was like a half brother.”
Nikki shook her head lightly. “No, he’s adopted. I remember the day Lolo brought him home. She
wouldn’t let Mom or Dad say no. He had no other place to stay and was so skinny. Lolo took care of him,
nursed him back to health.”
Suddenly Rin saw Alanna in a new light. She always liked her aunt but to know that Alanna saved Kyo, it
made her proud to be her niece. “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t anyone mention it before?”
“Because it wasn’t long before we all started to consider him our brother,” Nikki replied. “He was one of
us, playing tag and pranking us. Yet the only one he called oneechan was Lolo. Guess she had a special
place in his heart considering she saved him.”
Rin smiled. “Thanks, Mom.” She leaned down and kissed the top of Nikki’s head.
“Anytime, Rin. Now get going or he’ll start to worry,” Nikki said as she closed her eyes.
Rin giggled and walked out of the infirmary. As she headed toward the park, she couldn’t help but hum a
happy tune. It was turning out to be a great day after all.
********
Alanna opened her eyes and found herself in a strange place. She was lying at the bottom of a canyon
with cliffs reaching high above her head. Off to the right was a small stream and some vegetation. Other
than that, the place looked desolate.
“Where am I?” she asked as she sat up. “What is this place?”
“You are in your spirit realm, Alanna,” a motherly voice said behind her. “This is where I reside.”
Alanna stood quickly and turned to face a fully grown white dragon. The dragon was resting comfortably
with the wings folded onto its back and head held high. Alanna noticed that the eyes were two different
colors; one was red and the other blue. “You’re my zanpakuto spirit, Shiroi Doragon.”
The dragon smiled and nodded. “That I am. You may call me Shiroi.”
Alanna smiled in return. “You’re beautiful, Shiroi. I never imagined that you would look like this.”
Shiroi seemed to beam at the complement. “Thank you, Alanna. You are very kind and have a wonderful
heart.”
“Oh, gag me with a spoon,” a new voice spoke from behind Alanna. It was female and filled with hate.
“You two are making me sick with this lovey dovey crap.”
Alanna turned and moved back closer to Shiroi. “Who are you? Why are you here?”
The woman that Alanna saw was all white save for her hair and eyes. Her hair was red while her eyes
were yellow. “I’m here because I’m the hollow who hitched a ride to freedom. I’m called Shi.”
Alanna’s hand went to the hilt of her katana, which surprised her a little to find it there. “Shi. You’re the
one causing all the trouble and the attacks.”
The woman rolled her eyes. “No, that is the demon who took my name as her own. I should find her and
kick her ass for taking something that doesn’t belong to her.” Shi placed a hand on her hip. “That fake is
the reason I’m here as well.”
Shiroi snorted. “It does not matter how you came to be here, Shi. What matters now is that we work
together in order to stop the demon queen.”
Shi rolled her eyes again. “Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard your speech a hundred times since I got here. Still….”
She drew her katana. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to just roll over and allow a weakling like Lolo here
to use me or my powers. In fact, I think I’m going to take over and show you how things are done.”
Alanna heard Shiroi growl and start to move. Alanna though looked at Shi. “Don’t you think this is the
wrong time to fight? After all, I’m injured.”
Shi sneered. “Oh, but this is the perfect time. It’s easier for me to take over your body and have fun.”
Alanna raised her left hand. “Well, if you insist.... Carriage of thunder, Bridge of a spinning wheel. With
Light, divide this into six. Bakudō 61 "Rikujōkōrō."
Shi attempted to move but suddenly found six thin, wide beams of light slamming into her midsection.
She tried to moved but couldn’t. “You underhanded shinigami.”
Alanna didn’t move. “No, not underhanded. I’m using one of my talents as a shinigami. Now, would you
please listen to reason? If we fight now, we’ll do more damage to my body. If that happens, the chances
of me dying increase, and if I die, so do you.”
Shi growled. “Oh, cry me a river. Just as you die, I’ll take over and turn you into a hollow completely. I’ll
gain your powers and have my old ones on top of that.” Suddenly she began to raise her reiatsu. “So,
shut up and die, you pathetic shinigami.” Suddenly the rods broke, and Shi attacked.
Shiroi moved to intercept, but Alanna unsheathed her blade. “No, Shiroi. I have to do this. What use is it
if I let you fight this battle and I sit on the side lines?” Without waiting for an answer, she rushed
forward to meet Shi’s attack.
Shiroi sat back and watched as the katana collided. She felt a sense of pride at seeing Alanna step
forward like that. As the sound of metal on metal rang through the spirit realm, Shiroi couldn’t help but
smile.
********
As Aicerno was healing Alanna, he began to feel fluctuations in her reiatsu. It was strange and confused
him until he saw bits of a hollow mask form on her face. Concerned, he turned and moved to where
Ogihci was sitting. He found the man asleep, his head bent forward.
Aicerno was about to place a hand on Ogihci and shake him when he caught a glimpse of something on
Ogihci’s neck. It was just a hint of black under the other man’s hair, but still it was strange to find.
Carefully, he moved the hair off the neck of Ogihci. What he found shocked him greatly.
On Ogihci’s neck was the number 4. How it got there or why it was there concerned Aicerno. Was it just
some weird fetish that Ogihci had with tattoos? Or could it be something more?
For now though, Aicerno decided to let the matter slide. What mattered was what was going on with
Alanna. He placed a hand on Ogihci’s shoulder and gently shook. “Ogi, wake up. Something’s
happening.”
Surprisingly, Ogihci woke up rather easily and was immediately on his feet. “What’s wrong with Lolo?”
Aicerno couldn’t help but smile at the way concern was clear in the eyes of the man. “Her reiatsu is
fluctuating a bit. I believe she is battling with her inner hollow.”
The two moved back to Alanna’s bed and watched as a little more of the mask formed on her face.
Ogihci took Alanna’s hand. “She is. Right now, she’s keeping it in check.”
“How do you know this?” Aicerno asked curious. He went back to healing the woman.
Ogihci pointed at the mask. “It’s forming slowly. If the hollow had the advantage, the mask would be
forming faster, and we would be force to fight here as well.”
“I see,” Aicerno said as he set a broken bone and began to heal it. “What can we do to stop the
fighting?”
“Unfortunately, nothing,” Ogihci replied, worry on his face. “This is something that Lolo has to do
herself. All we can do is hope that Lolo has a plan and can end the battle before it gets out of hand.”
 Chapter 30
Rin sat down under a sakura tree closest to the entrance to the park. She didn’t feel that Kyo was
anywhere in the park so she thought that she should wait where he could easily find her. She felt a
myriad of emotions flowing through her fighting to gain control. Part of her wanted to run and hide,
unable to face the possibility that he didn’t feel the same feelings for her as she had for him. Part of her
wanted to run and find him and spill her heart and soul to him, confessing her deepest emotions.
The young woman looked up at the branches above her head and stared at the pink petals. They
seemed so fragile hanging there. She wondered if they felt anything at all, if they longed to remain
where they were and cling to the one that gave their life meaning. Rin giggled softly at the thought.
After all, she never known of cherry blossoms to have any thoughts or feelings.
Sighing in a mixture of happiness and worry, Rin looked around the area. It was a nice afternoon.
Evening was just around the corner though she wish it would hold out for just a little longer. She wanted
nothing more than to have a perfect setting for the date she was going to be on with Kyo.
Rin frowned. But what if he doesn’t see this as a date? What if he just sees me as a niece even though
we’re not related? She didn’t want to think like this, but she had to expect that it was possible. She had
to keep a level head even if it meant a possible heartbreak.
“Why are you frowning, Rin?” Kyo’s voice asked.
Rin blinked and looked up to see Kyo standing just a little to the left and looking down at her. Concern
was clear on his face. Before Rin could speak, she found herself lost in his eyes. If only I could spend
eternity looking into his eyes….
“Rin, are you okay?” Kyo asked again as he knelt down. He placed the picnic basket he found out
Alanna’s place on the ground and took Rin’s hand. “Speak to me.”
Rin blinked a few times and then blushed when she realized that he was holding her hand. Looking
away, she replied, “I’m okay. I was just thinking about things, about today.”
“It’s been a trying day,” Kyo said. “I brought some of oneechan’s cheesecake, a few sandwiches, and
some bottles of water. Is that okay?”
Rin decided to attempt looking at Kyo again and nodded. “That’s fine, Kyo. So where do you want to go
for our… ummm…” She paused. She didn’t want to say something that would be wrong and look foolish.
“I think this spot will be fine,” Kyo said, “for our date.” He blushed a little at the word.
Rin blushed too. She felt the butterflies flutter in her stomach. “Our date.” She smiled as she said the
words.
Kyo sat down next to her, still holding her hand. “Rin, before we eat, I want to talk to you about
something.”
“Okay, Kyo,” Rin replied, squeezing his hand a little. “What do you want to talk about?”
Kyo took a deep breath. “Rin, since I’ve returned to Soul Society and met you, I’ve felt something
happening to me. It was small at first and barely noticeable. But slowly, gradually, it changed. I got to
know you more, to spend time with you. Before I knew it, I realized that I wanted to be with you more
and more.”
Rin couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It made the butterflies move more. She felt the heat in her
face rise and knew she was blushing. Yet she didn’t say a word. She wanted to hear all he had to say.
Kyo looked into Rin’s eyes and felt his breath halt for a moment. It was all he could do to continue.
“When I’m with you, I feel complete, that this hidden hole in me has been filled. Yet, I didn’t want to say
anything because I wasn’t sure how things were, if we could be together because of family.” He took a
deep breath. “When I was in the dagger’s realm, I realized that I’m not related by blood to you. It made
my heart leap.”
It was all that Rin could do to keep from kissing Kyo. He was speaking the words that she felt, the words
she longed to hear. The butterflies were gone. In their place was a joy that filled her entire body.
“Rin, what I’m trying to say is that I love you. You mean the world to me. I don’t know if you feel the
same, but I had to tell you. I truly love you,” Kyo said, looking deeply into her eyes.
Rin could see the hopefulness, the anticipation in his eyes. She smiled and carefully placed her free hand
on his cheek. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear that, Kyo. You have said everything that I’ve
wanted to say to you for a while now. I love you too.”
Kyo let out the breath he had been hold and let his face rest in the palm of her hand. It was if a weight
lifted from his shoulders that he didn’t know was there. He felt as if everything was right in the world
now. To know that she felt the same made his heart leap for joy.
Rin caressed his face as she stared into Kyo’s eyes. She could remain like this for eternity. It was paradise
to her. She didn’t know how the day could get any better.
And then Kyo pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. At first their eyes were still open, linked with one
another as they kissed. Then slowly their eyes closed together and the world around them disappeared.
As the sun set, all that could be seen was their silhouette.
********
Not long after sunset, Elayne and Adrian opened their eyes to find themselves in the waiting room. At
first, they were confused as to how they got there, but then the activities of the day returned to their
conscious thoughts. The events in the clearing seemed like ancient history to them. In truth, they were
still amazed that they were still alive.
Elayne stretched and stood. She looked around the waiting room and noticed the shinigami were asleep,
though two were missing. She didn’t think anything of it though. She was sure they were safe.
Adrian stood up next to her. “Remind me never to fall asleep in the waiting room again. The bench is
harder than the ground I believe.”
Elayne giggled softly. “I think you’re getting use to the soft bed in the cabin, Adrian.”
Adrian rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever. You should know about soft beds, Elayne.” He stuck his tongue
out before chuckling.
Elayne slapped him on the arm playfully. “Not my fault you slept outside.”
“Hey, keep it down. Some of us refuse to wake up just yet,” Jessy’s voice said causing them to look at
her.
“What are you worried about, Jessy? Your snoring kept me awake,” Nikki added.
Elayne and Adrian couldn’t help but laugh as they saw Jessy push Nikki into the floor. “Well I wouldn’t
snore if you didn’t breathe so heavily in my face,” she retorted. “You need a breath mint by the way.”
“Oh, bite me, Jessy,” Nikki replied, throwing a magazine at her.
“Well, my chance at some rest just went out the window,” Romi said in a sleepy voice as she stretched.
“I’m just thankful you two aren’t having a slapping or kicking match.”
“Oh, give them time,” Lori added as she sat up. “Before you know it, they’ll be throwing pies at each
other.”
Elayne looked at Adrian, and they both began to laugh hard. They couldn’t believe that sisters would be
acting like this. Before long, they were holding onto each other to keep from falling to the floor as they
laughed. It had been a long time since they laughed this hard.
“Well, I’m glad you two find it all funny,” Jessy said as she stood. “I think I’ll go get some pie. What kind
would you like to be hit with, Nikki?” She headed toward the kitchen.
“Apple,” Nikki answered. “No wait! I don’t want to be hit with a pie.” She took off after Jessy.
Romi and Lori joined Elayne and Adrian laughing. Elayne finally brought herself under control and
smiled. “Are they always like that?” she asked.
“Sometimes they’re worse,” Lori replied wiping her eyes. “Lolo is the one who normally keeps things
relatively calm though sometimes she joins in too.”
“We all goof off from time to time,” Romi added. “It’s just part of our nature.”
Adrian smiled and sat down. “You must have had a tight family growing up.”
Lori nodded. “We did, though Lolo seemed to take on more of a responsible role than the rest of us,
especially when she brought Kyo home.”
“Brought Kyo home? What do you mean?” Elayne sat down next to Adrian, curious.
“Well, long before we joined the Academy, Lolo would take long walks in the forest near where we live,”
Romi began. “It was something that she liked to do, especially after a long day of looking after us while
our parents were out. One day, she came back carrying Kyo. He was thin from not eating and looked like
he had been in a fight.”
“Lolo wouldn’t tell us what happened or how she found him. She was insistent on helping him become
stronger and become a part of the family,” Lori said. “At first, our parents were against it. They didn’t
need another mouth to feed and thought it would just bring more trouble to our family. That’s when
Lolo began to give most of her food to Kyo.”
“She did that for someone who wasn’t her own flesh and blood?” Elayne asked.
Romi nodded. “Mom and Dad were very upset with her and even ordered her to stop giving Kyo her
food. Lolo didn’t listen though. She continued to give Kyo the majority of her food.”
“Then one day, Lolo and Kyo had gone to the village to get some items for our parents. It wasn’t long
before Kyo returned carrying Lolo, his face full of worry and tears in his eyes.” Lori looked at the floor.
“He told us that some guys attacked them, and she protected him, taking the blows as she shielded him
with her body. It wasn’t long before she had collapsed not only from the attack but from lack of food.”
“Kyo somehow sent the guys running. He wouldn’t tell us how he did it. Once they were gone, he picked
up Lolo and came straight home.” Romi sighed. “Mom and Dad were so worried about Lolo and grateful
for Kyo being with her. From that day on, he was a part of the family.”
“Wow. That would explain some of the protectiveness I sense from Kyo in regards to Alanna,” Adrian
said. “Did they ever tell you what happened the day she brought Kyo home?”
“No, they never did,” Lori replied. “Even now they won’t tell us. We’ve decided that when they are
ready to tell us, they will. Who knows if we’ll ever find out.”
Elayne looked at the floor. “She is something else, Alanna I mean.”
“Her heart is huge and caring. She’s always placed others before herself often forsaking free time,” Romi
added. “When she joined the Academy, we all knew she would end up in the 4th. It was the only one that
would suit her.”
Elayne was silent a moment before looking up at the shinigami. “I was wondering how someone like
Alanna could be important in defeating Shi. I could see how Ogihci was, but not Alanna. Yet, what you’ve
told us has opened my eyes. Thank you.”
Lori smiled. “You’re welcome.” Just then a scream came from the kitchen. “And that’s our cue to either
hide or leave.”
Adrian looked confused. “Why?”
Romi stood and headed toward the exit. “Because that means Jessy pied Nikki and will be this way to
get us as well.”
********
Alanna slid back breathing heavily as she recovered from the attack and block. Several areas on her body
were bleeding heavily. Her robes were tattered and smelled of the blood that saturated the cloth. She
was missing a sandal as well.
Shi was not looking any better. It seemed like her wounds matched those that Alanna had right down to
the missing sandal. Shi was breathing heavily as well. Her eyes though were flashing in anger.
“Why you… Stay still and let me kill you,” Shi shouted.
Alanna smirked. “Sorry, can’t do that. I’m engaged to be married plus I’m scheduled to kick that
demon’s rear. I’ll have to pencil you end… oh let’s say never.”
Shi growled. “Stop joking around. Just die already. I can defeat that demon without your help.”
“Oh right. I’m sure you can. Just like you got out of your prison by yourself,” Alanna retorted.
Shi screamed in anger and threw herself at Alanna, swing her katana at the shinigami’s neck. “You witch.
Shut up and DIE!”
Alanna brought her blade up and blocked the attack. “Now, I told you that I can’t do it. Full schedule you
know.” She brought her left fist up and slammed it hard into Shi’s stomach.
Shi felt the air rush out of her lungs and moved back away from Alanna. “That… was… a low… blow….”
“Sorry, but you left yourself open for it,” Alanna replied. “Look, Shi, let’s stop this fight. Right now I’m
injured and so are you. Let’s just put this off until another day.”
Shi glared at Alanna. “I told you that I don’t care about you and your injuries. I want you dead so I can
take over.”
Alanna sighed. “There’s no reasoning with you, is there?”
“Wow, you can teach an old dog new tricks,” Shi retorted with a sneer. “Too bad you won’t make it to
your wedding. Prepare to die, Lolo.” With that, she launched an attack.
Alanna held her katana with both hands. “So be it. Watashi no kanawo koora sete, sorerano kesshin wo
toka shimasu, Shiroi Doragon.”
Shi didn’t stop her attack. “Oh, like your little shikai will hurt me. Get real.” She moved into the small
cloud of dust that had surround Alanna.
“Koori no taken,” Alanna said in the center of the cloud.
Suddenly, Shi felt the ice daggers slam into her body. The pain was intolerable, causing her to scream in
agony. How could someone like Alanna defeat her in such a fashion? It was not possible.
The dust settled to reveal Alanna holding her two wakizashi while Shi lay on the ground. Alanna looked
at the hollow with a calm expression though concern was in her eyes. “I told you that I didn’t have time
to fight. You know we should be working together in this, to defeat the demon empress. Yet you seemed
bound and determine to do the opposite. Don’t you see that the only way we have a chance at winning
is by working together?”
“Alanna is right,” Shiroi said, finally speaking after watching the fight. “The demon is strong. You know it
the same as I. For now, Shi, put aside your hatred and working with us.”
Shi was silent as she lay on the ground unable to move. The pain was keeping her from moving at all.
Taking as deep of a breath as she could without sending herself into agonizing torture, she spoke.
“Fine…. I’ll help… but only until the demon is dead. After that, it’s back to killing you and taking over.”
Alanna allowed her zanpakuto to return to its sealed state before sheathing it. “I look forward to that
battle, Shi. Thank you.”
Shi rolled her eyes. “Just shut up. I don’t need your thanks.”
Alanna smiled and sat down next to Shiroi, her wounds finally getting to her. “What now?”
Shiroi smiled in a motherly way. “You should go to sleep and rest. Your captain is having a hard time
healing you as it is.”
Alanna giggled. “Okay, Shiroi. Goodnight and thanks.”
“Goodnight, Alanna. Sleep well. When you awake, you will be healed.”
 ********
Ogihci watched as Aicerno worked hard to keep the new injuries that popped up from doing too much
damage. He was amazed at the captain’s ability, but he also noticed that the captain was slowly losing
the battle. Ogihci knew that the inner battle would not be easy and that it would get worse before it was
over. He just wished that he could have helped more.
Then suddenly, the mask disappeared. No new wounds appeared on Alanna. Ogihci waited to see what
happened next. Nothing did.
“It’s over,” Ogihci said, “at least for now.”
Aicerno glanced up at Ogihci, sweat covering his face. “Thank God. I was about to go in and slap the
hollow myself.”
Ogihci couldn’t help but smile. “Well, guess the hollow should be grateful for you not interfering.” He
looked down and saw something around Alanna’s neck. “What’s this? It wasn’t there before.”
Aicerno moved to the next injury without looking. “What is it?”
Ogihci leaned down a little. “It’s a necklace with a silver dragon charm on it. I’ve never seen it before,
and I know it wasn’t there when the fight started.”
Aicerno spared a moment to look at the necklace before returning to his work. “Maybe it’s some sort of
gift from her zanpakuto spirit.”
Ogihci shrugged. “Maybe, though it is strange that it just appeared. Guess I’ll ask Lolo when she wakes
up.”
“Okay,” Aicerno said as he worked. “Sorry if I’m not very talkative but….”
“Oh, it’s okay. In fact, I’m going to get out of your way. I need to get something to eat and will bring Lolo
something too,” Ogihci replied as he moved away from the bed. “Would you like something?”
“No, thank you. I’ll get something later,” Aicerno replied without looking up.
Ogihci was about to say something but decided not to disturb the captain further. He turned and left the
room already deep in thought himself. He was surprised that the fight ended so soon. It seemed as if
someone was helping Alanna, but he didn’t know who. Regardless, he was happy it was done. Now he
had a few moments to focus on his angry, growling stomach.

Chapter 31

As the sun rose on another day, the people of Heru were coming face to face with the reality that their
perfect lives were ending. Forcefully they were drug out of their homes by the demon soldiers. Some
tried to fight back only to meet the brute strength of their captors. In the streets, they were lined up and
chained together before forced to march down rain slick streets. Those that could not walk were thrown
roughly into wagons.

The demon soldiers whipped the humans as they went, showing their true hatred for the prisoners.
None were given leeway in this march toward their death. Even mothers and children were hit by the
leather weapon, leaving cuts upon their arms, legs, and faces. It was a dark day for them, knowing that
they had allowed themselves to fall victim to the one that they had trusted for so long.

The demon empress sat in a chair looking out the window at the march. ‘Shi’ had insisted on watching
the progress on the rainy morning. Though Lathos argued about the need for her to rest, she wouldn’t
listen. Sighing, the doctor picked her up and carried her to the window as Diablo got a chair. Now, she
had a good look at the march of the sacrifices.

“A beautiful sight, don’t you agree?” Shi said. “To see these humans herded like common sheep, it
makes my heart leap in excitement.”

Diablo watched the slow march to her left. He snorted. “It’s about time these weaklings were put to a
good use. It sickened me to even smell them let alone walk among them.”

To her right, Lathos stood leaning on a pillar. He looked out the window not focusing on anything. “It’s
sad though. When the ritual is done, there will be no human to eat or serve us. We’ll have to get the low
level demons to do it.”

“And they will finally have a purpose in all of this,” Diablo retorted. “The low levels have been too lazy as
of late. A little hard work would do them some good.”

Shi smirked. “You know that they are not going to like that at all seeing as they have been treated like
royalty by these humans. Regardless, it’s time to put them in their place much like we’ve done with
these humans.”

Lathos turned his gaze to the demon empress. “The apostles have told me that they are ahead of
schedule. They expect the preparations to be finished in five days, Empress.”

The woman watched the humans move like ants on their way to a picnic. “Outstanding. I would love for
it to be ready sooner, but I don’t want to rush things too much. I want it to be perfect.”

“In five days, the moon will be at its fullest,” Diablo commented. “It will be the best time for the ritual,
Empress.”

“Excellent,” Shi replied. “Things are falling into place. The night of the ritual, I will shed this disguise for
good. After all, I won’t need to look like one of these pitiful humans when there are none to rule.”

Lathos raised an eyebrow. “Reverting to your true self? Well, I must say that is unexpected but
welcomed. You do know that means revealing your true name as well?”
The empress glared at Lathos. “Of course I do. I’m not stupid, Lathos, yet my name is needed for me to
regain who I truly am. It will unleash my full powers.”

“But it can also mean your downfall,” Lathos stated simply. “It works both ways, Empress.”

Diablo snorted. “The empress knows what she’s doing. Don’t question her, doctor.”

Lathos turned toward Diablo, a growl escaping his throat. “I’m not questioning her, Diablo. I’m stating
the facts. We still have to deal with those that dare to interfere. If they find out her true name, it could
mean disaster.”

Shi raised her hands before the two male demons launched into a fight. “Enough. I know of the possible
consequences in this, yet I have made up my mind. Now, Lathos, put me back in bed. Diablo, go out and
make sure that every last human is on their way to the site. Take the human servant girl with you.”

Diablo reigned in his desire to slash Lathos’ throat and bowed. “As you wish, Empress.” He turned and
left without another word.

Lathos watched the general leave before picking the woman up gently. “I don’t know why he has to
question me. I was doing my duties.”

Shi glared at Lathos. “It’s his job to question, Lathos. If I didn’t believe you were concerned with my well-
being, I would have sent you to the ritual field as a sacrifice. Don’t ever question me again.”

Lathos sighed. “Forgive me, Empress. It’s just….” He trailed off before he said too much. After all, he
knew what the outcome of that discussion would be.

The empress rolled her eyes. “I swear if you start telling me how much you love me, I’ll send you to the
Abyss right now.”

“Don’t worry, Empress. I know how you feel too well,” Lathos replied in a flat tone. He placed her in the
bed and pulled the blanket over her. “If you do not need me, Empress, there is some things I need to
check to make sure the preparations are going as planned.”

Shi waved a hand. “Go. I don’t need you to sleep.”

“Understood, Empress,” Lathos said with a bow. “Rest well.” With that he turned and left the room.

Out in the hallway, Lathos paused and looked out the window again. He watched the lines of humans in
a semi-interested fashion. In a way, he was glad that things were going as they were. Yet a part of him
wanted it to be different.

“So, Lathos, do you approve of your empress’ plans?” came the voice of the cloaked figure. “Or do you
find it all pointless?”

Lathos didn’t turn around to look. He kept his eyes gazing out the window. “What does it matter to you,
ancient one?”
A cold bony hand rested on Lathos’ left shoulder. “Oh, it doesn’t matter a thing to me, but I can tell it
matters to you. Yet you don’t know what she is capable of, the one you love so.”

Lathos shrugged the hand off and turned to face the cloaked figure. “And you do? Have you seen her at
full power crushing her enemies with a single thought?” he asked, anger lacing each word.

“Oh, but I have, and compared to me, that’s nothing.” A chuckle came from the hood. “I’m the one who
taught her about the arcane magic she uses. I’m the one who gave her the knowledge and the power
she need to take control of the demon realm. And you see how she repaid me. How do you think she’ll
repay you for your efforts?”

Lathos grabbed the robe, anger clouding his judgment. “How dare you. She would never betray me.”

“Oh?” the cloaked figure said with a laugh. “But she has already. She’s betrayed you and the general,
and you don’t even know it yet. You’re too in love with her to open your eyes and see the truth for what
it is.”

Lathos growled. “I don’t trust you. You just want to do what you can to stop her from regaining her
powers.”

The hooded one laughed. “I could care less about that. Even at her full power, she could never defeat
me. What I speak is the truth that I’ve seen in her own mind and heart.” It moved back from Lathos, the
robes slipping easily from his grasp. “I can show you, save you from death that will come when she gains
her powers once more. All you have to do is take my hand.” It raised a bony hand up, palm up.

Lathos looked at the hand and then up at the hood. In his heart he knew that he didn’t like the plan the
demon empress was about to embark on. It was foolish and could easily backfire. Yet, she was set in her
ways and wouldn’t listen to reason. As he looked into the hood, he could feel that the ancient one was
trying to save him. To what end, he didn’t know.

While he didn’t trust the cloaked figure completely, Lathos felt that it spoke the truth. He couldn’t help
but feel the desire to know exactly what was going on with Shi. He knew that if he took the outstretched
hand he would be labeled a traitor, but if it was true that Shi planned to kill him anyway, then what
harm could come of it. With only a slight hesitation, Lathos placed his hand in the one held out to him.

“A wise decision on your part, Lathos,” the cloaked figure said. “Come, there is much to show you.” With
that they vanished.

Diablo stepped out of the shadows after watching the exchange. He smirked as he turned and headed
toward his destination. After all, it was his duty to inform the empress of such activities.

******

The light came in through the window and landed on Alanna’s face. At first nothing happened. Then
slowly she opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She looked around the room and saw Ogihci sitting
in a chair nearby asleep. She smiled and sat up slowly.
It was weird. She wasn’t feeling any pain, though she did feel a little weak. Even then, Alanna felt
refreshed and ready to face the day. Carefully, she pulled back the blankets and looked down to see her
left leg in a splint. Shrugging, she swung her legs out and over the side of the bed. She wanted to get up
and go to the window.

“Lolo, what are you doing?” she heard Ogihci ask in a sleep voice.

Alanna turned and looked at Ogihci with a smile on her face. “I wanted to look out the window, Ogi. The
sun is shining brightly, and I bet it is a gorgeous day.”

“Well, you’re not getting out of bed without help,” Ogihci replied as he stood and walked over to the
bed. He picked her up and grabbed the IV pole without much trouble. “I don’t want you to fall and hurt
yourself when you are still mending.”

Alanna smiled and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Ogi.”

Ogihci blushed. “You’re welcome, Lolo.” He moved slowly to the chair that was near the window.
Releasing the IV pole, he lowered her into the chair and pushed a lever to reveal it to be a recliner.
“Comfy?”

Alanna nodded. “I am, thanks.” She looked out the window and smiled. “It is beautiful out there today.
The sun is so bright and cheery.”

Ogihci looked out the window and smiled. “Yeah, it is.” He took a deep breath and then looked at
Alanna. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel fine, Ogi,” Alanna replied as she looked up at him. “I’m just a little weak.”

“You’re not hurting?” Ogihci asked. He was concerned that she was but didn’t want to say anything.

Alanna shook her head. “No, not at all. I’m actually surprised that I’m not hurting truthfully.”

Ogihci watched her for a few moments and saw that she was telling the truth. This peeked his curiosity
as well. “Well, I’m shocked by it too. After everything you went through yesterday, I don’t see how you
could be without pain.”

“That would be because I used reihai and pain medications to keep her pain-free,” Aicerno said behind
them. “Good morning, you two. It’s good to see you awake, Lolo.”

Alanna turned the best she could and waved at Aicerno. “Good morning, Aicerno-taichou. How are you
on this wonderful morning?” She saw Ogihci bow toward Aicerno out of respect.

“I find myself in good spirits today, Lolo,” the captain replied. “I was worried that you would not wake
for another day.”

Alanna looked puzzled. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, Lolo, you had the battle with the grilon and then here in the infirmary, you fought your inner
hollow,” Ogihci replied. “You did lose a lot of blood, and it took Aicerno-taichou to heal you.”

Alanna looked out the window seemingly lost in thought. “That’s right. Shi wanted to take over, but
Shiroi and I finally got her to agree to a truce.”

Aicerno looked at Ogihci and saw concern reflected in his face. “Lolo, you met with the demon that is
trying to take over?” the captain asked.

Alanna continued to stare out the window, a soft smile on her face. “No, Shi is my inner hollow’s name.
She told me that the demon’s name is something different though she didn’t know what it was.”

“And you believed her?” Ogihci asked, kneeling next to Alanna. “Lolo, are you willing to trust her in
this?”

Alanna looked at Ogihci, her eyes looking a little distant. “Yes, I believe her and trust her, Ogi, at least in
this matter. Shiroi does as well.”

Ogihci looked up at Aicerno a little confused. He watched Aicerno place his hands on Alanna’s shoulders
and knew he was performing an examination. “Lolo, who is Shiroi?”

“She’s my zanpakuto spirit, silly,” Alanna replied with a bigger smile. “Shiroi Doragon is her full name,
but she likes it when I call her Shiroi.”

Ogihci saw the look in Aicerno’s eys and sighed. “You just sit here and rest, Lolo. I’m going to get you
something to eat.”

Alanna nodded and looked back out the window. “Okay, Ogi. Could you bring me some green tea too?”

“Of course,” Ogihci replied as he and Aicerno walked out of the room. In the hallway, he turned and
faced Aicerno. “What’s going on with Lolo?”

Aicerno closed the door. “I don’t know. I didn’t find any brain damage. It could be the pain medicine
causing some of the confusing remarks. Then again, it could be that she’s telling us the truth.”

Ogihci sighed. “It just doesn’t make sense though. A hollow calling a truce? That’s completely not like
them.”

“That is true,” Aicerno replied. “Yet, it could be a possibility that a deal was struck between them. We
don’t know what went on during the fight. Only she does.”

Ogihci pinched the bridge of his nose. “It just seems to be more of a dream than a reality. It could be a
trap by the hollow to lure her into a false sense of hope.”

“I know, Ogi, but we have to trust her in this,” Aicerno said. “She’s the only one who knows what
happened. We just have to be there should something happen.”
Ogihci was about to say something when they heard singing coming from Alanna’s room. They looked at
each other and then at the door. Aicerno opened the door, and they both looked inside. They were
surprised at what they saw.

Alanna sat in the recliner looking out the window singing a song she heard once in the living world.
Surrounding her was a silver light. It seemed to move in various ways as she sang. It would sometimes
touch her before moving away again. It was beautiful to watch.

“I’ve never seen that before,” Ogihci said quietly. “What is it?”

Aicerno shrugged. “I don’t know. I could venture a guess and say it is her reiatsu, and it does feel like it
in a way, but I couldn’t be 100% on that.”

Alanna’s singing stopped, and she looked toward the door. “Shiroi says it’s not nice to stare. She also
wants to know where my food is.”

The men looked at each other and then at Alanna. “We heard your singing and stopped what we were
doing,” Ogihci stated. It was sort of the truth.

“Lolo, what was the light that was surrounding you?” Aicerno asked.

Alanna blinked a few times and then smiled. “Shiroi says that you should be getting my food instead of
asking a silly question when you already know what it was.” She giggled. “And I have to agree.”

The men looked at each other again and sighed. They wouldn’t get any answers until Alanna got some
food. Ogihci smiled. “Okay, we’ll go get the food, Lolo. We’ll be back as fast as we can.”

“Okay, Ogi.” Alanna turned back to the window and began to sing again. The light didn’t appear this
time.

Aicerno sighed and turned. “It could have been a trick of the light.”

Ogihci followed the captain. “Yeah, but something tells me it wasn’t.”

*****

It was a distant singing that caused Rin to open her eyes. Slowly she sat up and rubbed her eyes before
looking around. It was then she realized that she had slept in the park. A moan next to her toward her
she didn’t sleep there alone.

The young woman turned and looked down at Kyo. He was trying his best to hide from the single beam
of light that had made its way through the branches to reach him. She smiled as she watched him. They
had spent the rest of the evening after dinner just holding each other and talking. It was the best night
ever.

Rin giggled softly Kyo’s attempts to hide from the coming day and gently shook him. “Kyo, time to wake
up.”
“I don’t want to. I was having a wonderful dream.” Kyo turned over. “I was in the park with Rin.”

Rin blushed and shook him again. “Kyo, you need to wake up. You’re really in the park with me.”

Suddenly Kyo sat up and looked at Rin. He stared at her a few moments. “So, it wasn’t a dream?”

Rin smiled. “No, it wasn’t.” She leaned forward and kissed him.

Kyo wrapped his arms around her as he returned the kiss. After a few moments, he pulled back. “Do you
hear that? Someone’s singing.”

“Yes, I hear it. It’s what woke me,” Rin answered, resting her head on his shoulder. “It sounds familiar.”

Kyo listened to the sound for a few moments. “Yeah, it is familiar, but I can’t tell for sure who it is.” He
kissed the top of her head. “It does sound like it’s coming from the infirmary or in that direction.”

Rin sighed happily at Kyo’s caring touch. “Well, we can go and see who it is. After all, we should check on
Lolo and see how she’s doing.”

“Yeah, but I think we should get something to eat first and maybe a change of robes,” Kyo replied as he
stroked Rin’s hair. “After all, I don’t think oneechan would mind.”

Rin closed her eyes. “Suddenly I just want to stay here in your arms.” She wrapped her arms around him.
“Does that sound selfish?”

“No, it doesn’t.” Kyo pulled her closer the best that he could. “I don’t want this to end either.”

“But we should check on Lolo?” Rin asked, looking up into his eyes.

“Yeah, we should. We could do that first and then get breakfast and a change of clothing,” Kyo
suggested. “That way we can spend the rest of the day together. That is if you want to.”

Rin smiled. “Of course I want to, Kyo. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” She kissed the end of
his nose. “I love you, silly.”

Kyo smiled and returned the kiss. “I love you too, Rin.”

Slowly they stood and packed up the remains of their picnic. Once satisfied that everything was as it was
before they got there, the couple headed toward the infirmary basket in tow. They walked hand in hand,
sparing glances at each other often. They talked about different things, especially what they would do
with the rest of the day. As they drew closer to the infirmary, they realized the singing was getting
louder.

Rin looked up at the second story and saw Alanna looking out the window. “I think I know who is
singing,” she said.

“Me too,” Kyo added. “I’m glad to see oneechan awake and out of bed.” He had been looking up at the
window too.
“Well, let’s go up and say hi.” Rin grabbed the door and pulled it open. “Since you’re carrying the picnic
basket, I’ll let you go first.”

Kyo smiled and walked in pausing long enough to steal a kiss. Once inside he moved to the waiting room
and saw that no one was there. “Guess everyone went home after all,” he remarked as he placed the
basket on a table.

“And it looks like Mom and Jessy were having a pie fight,” Rin commented as she looked around the
messy, sticky waiting area. “I think they are going to get an earful from the 4th member that has to clean
this up.”

Kyo chuckled and shook his head. “It’s just like them to do this even when oneechan is a patient. Well,
let’s head up to her room.”

Rin followed Kyo out of the waiting room and down the hallway to the elevator that led to the second
floor. It was there that they ran into Ogihci and Aicerno. Of course the two men didn’t see the couple
arrive to the elevator. They were deep in their conversation and each held a tray of food.

“I’m finding this all a little too much to handle first thing in the morning,” Ogihci said. “Are you sure
there’s no brain damage?”

Aicerno nodded. “I’m very sure. The reiatsu scan only showed that she’s healing well. Right now I’m
more curious as to what that light was.”

“What light are you talking about?” Kyo asked as he stopped behind them. “Does it have anything to do
with oneechan?”

Aicerno and Ogihci turned and nodded to Kyo and Rin. “Good morning, Rin. Kyo,” Aicerno replied. “Yes,
we’re talking about Lolo.”

The elevator door opened, and the four shinigami walked inside. “Earlier while she was singing, Lolo had
this strange silver light moving around here,” Ogihci started to explain. “When we asked her about it,
she said that Shiroi said that we should be getting her food instead of asking a question that we knew
the answer to.”

“Yet, we didn’t know the answer fully,” Aicerno added. “I merely thought that the light could be reiatsu
but wasn’t sure.”

Rin pushed the button for the second floor. “Well, was the light hurting her? I mean if it wasn’t harming
her, there’s no reason to stress over it, right?”

“I don’t think the light was doing anything to harm Lolo,” Aicerno replied. “It is just something that I’ve
never seen before.”
The elevator doors opened, and the group walked out. “I’m sure oneechan will explain it after she eats,”
Kyo stated in a matter-of-fact voice. “She has the tendency to put food first sometimes, especially when
she’s really hungry.”

They shared a little laugh at Kyo’s comment and finally reached the door to Alanna’s room. It was then
that they realized that the singing had stopped. Rin opened the door and walked in to see Alanna on the
floor. “Lolo! What happened?”

Alanna looked up at the group that stood just inside the door. She was holding pressure over where the
IV had been, though blood was on the floor and on her clothes. “I’m sorry. I had to go to the bathroom
really bad and couldn’t wait. I tried to get to the bathroom on my own and, well, fell.” She looked really
upset, almost about to cry.

Kyo took the tray from Ogihci while Rin took Aicerno’s tray. Aicerno knelt down and began to heal the
small wound. “Why didn’t you use the call light, Lolo?”

Alanna looked at the bed. “It’s on the bed. Besides I thought I could do it myself. I didn’t want to bother
anyone.”

Ogihci began to clean up the mess. “You could have been hurt worse, Lolo. You should have called.”

Alanna felt herself about to cry and looked away from the group. “I’m sorry,” she said in a quiet voice.

Rin sat the tray she had on a table. “Ogi, you shouldn’t be so hard on Lolo.” She turned and faced the
two closest to Alanna. “It’s only natural that someone would want to try and do something on their
own.”

Ogihci finished cleaning up the mess. “She could have been hurt worse. She’s still recovering.”

“I know you’re worried, Ogi, but you don’t have to so harsh toward oneechan,” Kyo replied. “Remember
what happened yesterday?”

Ogihci sighed. He remembered it all too clearly. It was something similar to this that caused Alanna to
run away from the infirmary to prove herself. “I’m sorry. It’s just…. I was scared seeing her on the floor. I
don’t want her hurt.”

“She is right here you know,” came Alanna’s voice. It was sad and quiet. “Why do you have to talk like
I’m not here?”

They all looked at Alanna and realized that she was looking at them with tears in her eyes. “We’re sorry,
oneechan. We didn’t mean to do that,” Kyo replied. “It just happens sometimes.”

Aicerno finished healing the wound. “You know we were not doing it on purpose, right?” he asked.

Alanna nodded. “Yeah, I know.” She wiped her eyes with a free hand.
They were quiet as they helped Alanna to stand. Ogihci wanted to carry her into the bathroom, but
Alanna refused. She wanted to walk with just someone standing by just in case. Rin was the one
designated to help while the men straightened the room and got it ready for Alanna to eat her
breakfast.

After Alanna was finally back in bed and the trays of food before her, her mood changed somewhat.
“Yay! Breakfast at last.” She took a bite of pancakes and then looked up at everyone. “You want some?”

Her visitors couldn’t help but laugh as they shook their head. “Leave it to oneechan to talk with her
mouth full,” Kyo remarked.

“Oh, like you don’t, Kyo,” Rin said, playfully smacking his arm. “You did it a few times last night.”

Alanna looked up and turned her gaze from Rin to Kyo and back again. She smiled and clapped. “It’s
about time you two got together.”

Ogihci stared at Alanna. “What are you talking about, Lolo?” Aicerno echoed the question on his face.

“Oh, come on now. Don’t tell me you didn’t see it before and don’t see it now,” Alanna said. She pointed
a fork at Rin and Kyo. “These two are in love with each other and finally confessed that love last night.
I’m right, aren’t I?” she asked with a smile.

All Rin and Kyo could do was blush and nod.

*****

Anna had decided to head home shortly before the hunt for Alanna began. Now she stood in her throne
room looking at the various vampires that gathered to welcome her back. She smiled and greeted each
one, sometimes giving air kisses as she went. It was good to be home, but she felt as if something was
missing.

After about three hours of air kisses, hugs, and handshakes, the party died down. The vampires began to
leave to return to their place of rest, preparing for the day ahead. Yet, Anna didn’t feel ready to lay in
her chambers. It brought back memories of her beloved Christoph. She still felt the heartache at the
thought of his name.

As Alanna was awaking and eating in Soul Society, Anna finally decided it was time to retire. She stood
and walked through the windowless passage to her room. After getting into more suitable clothing, she
moved toward her bed and pulled the covers down. It wasn’t going to be the same, sleeping in the bed
that was built for two. Yet, she knew she needed the rest.

The vampire slipped into bed and under the covers. She looked around the room once before lying
down and pulling the covers up over her chest. She felt as if she was being watched, yet the day’s light
was taking its toll on her, even though the sun couldn’t reach her. Sleep was claiming its victim without
mercy. As her eyes closed, she could have sworn she saw two figures looking at her from the shadows.
Chapter 32
As Anna succumbed to sleep, the two figures stepped forward. Lathos looked down at the vampire. He
felt the urge to destroy the undead creature and return to Shi with her head. Yet, the demon restrained
himself; turning toward the cloaked figure.

“Why are we here?” Lathos asked. “You said that you were going to show me what the empress is
thinking and planning. I don’t see how this has anything to do with that.”

“Oh, but you are so wrong. You see, this creature holds the book of prophecy. It is hidden somewhere in
this very room,” the cloaked figure said. “Find the book, and I’ll explain further.”

Mumbling under his breath, Lathos looked around the room. “Why do you need me to find the book?
Can’t you find it on your own?”

“Of course I can, but that is not the test I’ve placed before you,” the cloaked figure replied. “I want to
see just how powerful and smart you really are.”

Lathos mumbled something under his breath and continued to look around the room. It was dark and
held no windows. He was surprised that Anna slept in a plush bed instead of a coffin. ‘I guess you can’t
believe everything you read,’ he thought. He tried to think of where the vampire would hide the book.
How could he find something when he didn’t know what it looked like?

As he glanced around the room, Lathos thought of something that he himself did on several occasions.
He began to search for a concealment spell. It was the simplest ways of hiding something without
knocking holes in a wall or floor. He walked slowly around the room until he came to an empty spot in
the room. Reaching out with his left hand, Lathos felt around until he hit something.

His hand tingled with the threat of another spell under the concealment one. It threatened to destroy
him should he undo the first spell incorrectly. Lathos chuckled softly. Both spells appeared to be easy to
dispel without much effort. He began to extend his own magic to break the spells.

That’s when a small fireball hit his hand. “Ouch!” the demon yelled, licking the wound.

The cloaked figure laughed. “Not as easy as you think, eh? Anna is not one to be judged so lightly.”

Lathos glared. “Shut up. I don’t need you to tell me something that I already know.”

The figure laughed harder. “If you knew it, then why’s your hand burned?”

Lathos mumbled under his breath and turned back to the spot again. Once he found the spells, he began
even slower this time, attempting to mimic what he felt in the spells. A few more times he got hit with
the small fireballs, cursing each time. Yet after three hours of patiently working, Lathos finally got the
spells to dissolve.

As the spells faded, a rather plain wooden pedestal appeared. On the top rested a worn, green leather-
bound book. The writing on the spine and cover was a pale gold and seemed to glow with an unearthly
light. At the top of the book, a piece of red silk stuck out in a loop to mark an important place for easier
access.

Lathos let his now severely burnt hand touch the book. Caressing it like he would a lover’s face, he
traced his fingers over the words and the spine. He touched the corners of the book and moved down
the edge. To him, this book was a work of art.

“What does the writing on the cover say, Lathos?” the cloaked figure asked.

The question brought the demon out of his daydream. He read the cover. “It says ‘Oraculum o’
mortuus’… Prophecy of the Dead.” Lathos looked up at the cloaked figure. “Is this the book you were
seeking?”

The cloaked figure walked forward and picked up the book. “Indeed it is. This is the book that will let
you see into the future that your empress has chosen for not only the humans but for all races, including
demons.”

Lathos took a deep breath. “Very well, let me read the book.”

“Oh, but it’s not that easy, I’m afraid.” The cloaked figure walked back to the bed where Anna rested.
“You see, this book was created many millenniums ago by a vampire. You may be able to read the cover
of the book, but you will not be able to read the contents.”

“What?!” Lathos shouted. “If I can’t read it, then how do I know you’re reading it correctly and not
twisting the words around?”

The hooded one laughed. “Who said anything about me reading it? You are going to be the one to do
that, Lathos, not I.”

Lathos slapped his forehead and sighed. “But you just said that I couldn’t read the contents. So which is
it? Am I able to read it or not?”

“You cannot read it as you are currently, Lathos,” the cloaked figure replied. It pointed a bony finger at
Anna. “She is the one that holds the key.”

“UGGGH!” Lathos threw his hands up. “What is it with you and riddles? Can’t you give me a straight
answer for once?”

“Why don’t you stop talking and start thinking about what I’ve told you, impatient one? I’ve given you
all of the clues you need.”

Lathos was about to argue but decided against it. It wasn’t leading him anywhere. Sighing, he began to
review what the ancient one told him. The book was written by a vampire able to see prophecies. By the
title alone, he knew it would be in Latin. He couldn’t read the contents ‘as he was’ right then. Anna,
though, held the key.
Lathos paced as he thought. Of course it made sense that Anna could read it because she was a vampire.
Was he to wait until Anna awoke to have her read the book to him? He shook his head. ‘No, that’s not it.
It’s too simple. Besides I doubt she would be willing to read to her enemy.’ His eyes fell upon Anna once
more.

And then it hit him. “I have to become a vampire in order to read it.”

“Very good, Lathos. See, you didn’t need my help to figure that out,” the figure replied.

Lathos looked at the one holding the book. “Are you able to read it?”

“Of course I am able to read it,” it replied. “It is how I know what is in the book after all.”

“Then you are a vampire as well,” Lathos stated, making an educated connection to it all, or so he
thought.

The cloaked figure laughed. “No, I am not, but that is a logical assumption on your part.”

“Then how can you read the book? It’s quite obvious that you have to be a vampire in order to read the
book. So if you’re not a vampire, then you couldn’t have read the book and are lying about everything.”

Suddenly the room grew darker than it was; which surprised Lathos. The cloaked figure seemed to get
taller. “Do not assume that I’m lying when you have no clue as to what I am, foolish one. I’ve killed for
less.” The room returned to normal. “I possess a great power and can see through the common spells
used by the vampire that wrote this book.”

Lathos blinked and realized that he had cowered in fear when the room had darkened. ‘I’ve never felt
fear before. Is this how the humans feel when they see us for who we truly are?’ He took a deep breath
and steadied his nerves. “Forgive me, ancient one.” He bowed out of respect and then straightened.
“How am I to become a vampire when Anna is asleep? I don’t think she would want to assist me either.”

“You don’t need her willing assistance in this,” the cloaked figure replied. “All you need is to drink some
of her blood, but be warned. Once you do this, you cannot go back to the way you were. You will
become one of the undead, a creature of the night, for the rest of eternity or until someone kills you.
You will be shunned by those you care for, branded a traitor. Are you willing to accept all of this?”

Lathos closed his eyes and began to go through his memories. For the longest, he had thought he was
respected among the demons. Now looking back, he realized how different he was from the rest of his
kind. He saw the small sneers and the glints of hatred in their eyes. Then he saw his empress’ face. It
was hundred times worse than the others. He realized that he was only alive because of his abilities to
heal demons.

He opened his eyes and looked down upon the sleeping vampire. Could he find a place amongst her
kind? Would they be willing to accept him as one of their own? He wasn’t sure of what the outcome
would be, but it had to be better than what his former life offered.
“I have no real home with the demons, never have,” Lathos said softly. “I was blind to it before, but I see
it now. I accept it. I will do as you say and drink her blood.”

The cloaked figured nodded and waved a bony hand over the bed. A stone bowl and knife appeared on
the covers. “Cut her wrist and collect the blood in the bowl. Heal the wound and then drink.”

Lathos nodded and picked up the knife. Sitting down on the bed, he lifted the right arm slightly and
placed the bowl under the wrist. Carefully, he drew the blade across Anna’s wrist and watched as the
blood flowed out of the opening and into the bowl. When the bowl was nearly full, Lathos healed the
wound and picked up the bowl.

“Well, bottom’s up,” Lathos said before bringing the bowl to his lips and drinking down the contents.

At first, he felt nothing. Of course, he didn’t know what to expect and was shocked when the pain hit
him. It was like millions of knives were thrust into and through his body. The pain was so intense that
Lathos couldn’t scream. He fell back onto the bed next to Anna, unable to move.

The cloaked figure moved closer to him. “I see that you are in intense pain, Lathos. I was not sure how a
demon would react to the change, but you must endure. In a few moments, you will cease to live as a
demon, and the world will vanish from your sight. When you awaken, you will be a vampire and able to
read the book.”

The last thing that Lathos saw was a glimpse inside the hood of the cloaked one. As he succumbed to the
death that would bring him new life, he knew that terror had a face beyond what he already knew.

******

In an attempt to escape the midday sun and its unbearable heat, Elayne and Adrian sat under a sakura
tree near one of the ponds in the park. It was a peaceful feeling to finally have time to enjoy each
other’s company without having to worry about an attack. They just sat there; holding onto each other
as if holding onto a lifeline. In a way, they were.

Adrian reached up and brushed some hair out of Elayne’s face. “This is so nice, don’t you think?”

“Yes, it is,” Elayne replied. She sighed. “Yes, I can’t help but worry about what is going on in Heru. Shi
has been able to do what she wants without anyone to stop her there.”

Adrian rubbed her back. “Try not to worry so much, Elayne. Things are going to work out, and Shi will be
removed from power. We’ll take back Heru and restore it to its former glory.”

Elayne closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax in his embrace. “I hope so, Adrian. I really do.”

“Hey, you two,” Daelen called as he walked toward them. “How was the pie party last night?”

Adrian looked at Elayne before they both began to laugh. “It was quite an experience, Daelen. How
come you were not there?” Adrian asked.
“Oh, I knew it would be better to keep my distance from the flying pastries,” the Draconic Watcher
replied with a smile. He stopped just under the shade of the tree and sat. “So, tell me. Did Alanna fight
like the grand one of the prophecies?”

Elayne looked at Daelen confused. “The grand one of the prophecies? What do you mean, Daelen?”

“Did she fight on wings of a dragon? Was she a marvel to behold?” Daelen asked with a distant
expression.

Adrian shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but she fought with a determination that was unlike any I’ve
seen. She finally obtained…. What was it called again?”

“Shikai, dear,” Elayne answered. “She swung one her weapons, and these ice daggers flew out and hit
the grilon.”

Daelen looked a little upset but at the same time happy. “Well, maybe it’s not time for her to fight like
I’ve said but that is one of her attacks I’ve read about. Oh, to be able to witness Alanna fighting in her
full glory, what I wouldn’t give.”

Adrian smiled as he brushed a stray strand of hair out of Elayne’s face. “I’m sure you’ll get to see it,
Daelen. After all, the battle with Shi is still before us.”

Daelen’s face fell, and he looked away. “I guess.” He stood and began to walk away. “I won’t disturb you
any further. I believe you two lovebirds need some time alone.”

Before either of them could stop the man from leaving, Daelen was gone. Elayne looked up at Adrian.
“He seems so sad, like he’s seen something that affects him greatly.”

Adrian pulled her close. “Maybe he has, Elayne. Whatever it is, we should try to cheer him up the next
time we see him.”

“That’s a good idea,” Elayne replied. She leaned up and kissed Adrian before pulling back a little. “Are
you ready for some lunch?”

Adrian nodded. “Of course I am. Let’s head back to the cabin.”

Together they stood and turned to go to their temporary home. Elayne took a step and then collapsed
to the ground. Adrian was instantly at her side. “Elayne, are you okay?”

For a moment, Elayne couldn’t speak. She felt fear, pain and heartbreak race through her body. After a
few moments and few deep breaths, she looked up at Adrian. “Something’s not right. Something
terrible is happening in Heru to our people and to the land.”

******

After knocking, Joe entered Alanna’s room with a limp. He had a box in his hands. “Hello, everyone. I
come with the gift of cheesecake.”
“Hi, Joe,” Alanna smiled. “How did you know I wanted cheesecake?”

“It’s your favorite dessert, oneechan,” Kyo stated. “I think everyone knows that you could eat a whole
one all by yourself.”

Rin playfully smacked Kyo’s arm as they all laughed. “You could be nicer to Lolo, dear. She is still
recovering.”

“It’s okay, Rin,” Alanna replied. “All I can say is….” She paused and looked around. “Wedgie.”

Ogihci smiled at Alanna as they all laugh. “Remind me not to get on your bad side, Lolo.”

“I’ve never known anyone who could use wedgies as a weapon,” Joe said as he sat the cheesecake down
and began to serve the dessert. “Maybe her bankai will be lots of hands giving her opponents super
atomic wedgies.”

Laughter filled the room at that to the point that they were wiping their eyes. Alanna finally was able to
take her piece of cheesecake and took a bite. “Oh, this is good. Thanks, Joe.” She took another bite.
“Why are you limping?”

Joe blushed. “Oh…. It’s nothing.” He handed another piece of cheesecake to Ogihci. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not fine,” Rin stated before taking a bite of her cheesecake. “What happened?”

Joe hid his face. “Well, I had finished making the cheesecake and left the pizza parlor. When I went out
the door, I didn’t see the dog laying in the entryway. I tripped and tried to stop my fall and in the
process twisted my ankle and hit my knee.”

“And yet you managed to save the cheesecake,” Kyo remarked as he took his slice.

“Well, actually, this is the second one I’ve made,” Joe said as he picked up his piece of the dessert. “The
first one cushioned my face when I fell.”

After the laughter died down, Alanna smiled. “You need to go see Aicerno or another of the member of
the 4th, Joe. You should have came right after you fell.”

“I’ll see someone after I’m done hanging out,” Joe replied; sitting down to take some of the pressure off
his leg.

Ogihci saw the look Alanna was giving Joe and decided to step in before his friend got an earful from his
future wife. “You know, Joe, you shouldn’t delay getting treated. It could cause more problems for you.”

“What will cause problems for Joe?” Aicerno asked as he came into the room carrying a bag of IV fluids
for Alanna.

“He twisted his ankle and hurt his knee,” Rin replied. “He was going to see you after visiting Lolo.”
Aicerno hung the IV fluids and checked Alanna before turning toward Joe. “Well, it’s a good thing I came
into the room then. No need to make you walk when I can heal you here.”

Joe smiled. “Thanks, taichou.” He relaxed a little more. “There is a slice of cheesecake left if you want
it.”

“Thank you, Joe. I’ll eat it after I’m finished.” Aicerno knelt down and placed his hands first on Joe’s knee
and then his ankle. “Well, the damage is minimal though there is a lot of swelling.” He began to heal the
damage. “You’ll need to take it easy for a few days. No sparring and keep the leg elevated when you
return to your sleeping quarters.”

Joe nodded. “I understand, taichou. Thanks for doing this.”

“No problem. Now where’s the cheesecake?”

Ogihci turned and looked at Alanna. He noticed a distant look to her eyes. “Lolo, are you okay?”

For a few moments, Alanna didn’t respond. Finally she took a breath and shrugged slightly. “I’m fine, but
I feel like something is wrong.” She held up a hand knowing that they would think the worse. “Not with
me. I can’t explain it, but I know something isn’t right.”

******

Diablo entered the bed chamber of Shi and bowed. “Empress, I have some news that you may find
shocking.”

The demon empress looked up from her light reading and glared at her general. “It better be good. I was
going over the preparations.”

Diablo hid a smirk. “I’m sorry to inform you that Lathos was seen leaving the castle with the ancient
one.”

Shi growled. “Are you certain, Diablo?”

“I am, Empress. I saw it with my own eyes.” Diablo fought to keep his sneer hidden. “He took the
hooded ones hand, and they vanished.”

The papers that Shi held vanished in a puff of smoke. “That ungrateful dog.” Her eyes flashed in anger.
“He is to be captured on sight and brought to me. After I’m done, he will join the rest of the human
garbage and become a sacrifice.”

Diablo bowed. “As you command, Empress.”

“Oh, and Diablo.”

“Yes, Empress?”
Shi smiled. “For your service, you will take his place at the ceremony. Do not fail me, or you’ll suffer the
same fate.”

“I understand, Empress.” Diablo turned and left the room to spread the orders.

As the door finally closed, a demon in ceremonial robes walked out of the shadows and up to the demon
empress’ bed. “Empress, what are we going to do about the ceremony? If Lathos is not found, we will be
one short of the needed sacrifices.”

“Continue as planned and search for the needed replacement or replacements,” Shi replied. “I will not
postpone the ritual, understand?”

“Yes, Empress,” the acolyte answered with a bow. “What are we to do with Master Diablo?”

“He is still of use. For now, we’ll keep him busy with the prep work and searching for Lathos,” the
woman said. “When it’s time for the ritual, he’ll take his rightful place as planned.”

******

Daelen walked quietly through the park. His eyes seemed to take in everything and yet nothing at the
same time. The usual smile that graced his face was gone. For him, there was nothing to be happy
about.

It seemed to be happening so fast. The approaching battle that would determine everyone’s fate
seemed to be lurking over the horizon. What made matters worse was the fact that Daelen wouldn’t see
the fight. It was not his destiny to witness the wonders of Alanna and Ogihci.

The Draconic Watcher turned and looked out over the pond he had came to without realizing it. On the
surface sat two geese. They seemed to be floating there without a care in the world. Oh how he wished
that he could feel the same.

He sat down at the water’s edge and watched the geese without truthfully seeing them. How cruel fate
was to him. He had foreseen so many events and taken part of battles that changed the course of
history. Now, he was destined to play one final role.

It pained him to know that soon he would leave his newfound friends. It tore his heart into tiny pieces to
walk up to them one by one and say goodbye without giving away too much. He nearly blew it when he
was talking to Elayne and Adrian earlier. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if what was about to happen
was known.

Daelen had made peace with the fact that he was going to die, but he didn’t think parting ways with the
friends he made would be this difficult. Now he sat here second guessing everything that he did
throughout his life. He wondered if it was all worth the nights alone or the loves he pushed away.
Honestly, he didn’t know anymore.
He looked up at the sky and saw the clouds slowly moving in. It was time. There was no turning back
now. He didn’t have enough time to say goodbye personally to everyone. That’s why he left a package to
be delivered within the hour. It was sent to the one person he knew would let everyone know what had
happened.

Standing, Daelen looked around the park one final time. “Farewell, my friends. May we meet again
soon.” With that, he walked down the path once more and vanished into the forest.
 Chapter 33

Yondy got dressed and gathered a few things. He was already late for the special training session with
Daelen. They had agreed to this little spar two days ago, and he was looking forward to matching wits
and blows with the man. It seemed to fill Yondy with excitement.

Picking up her zanpakuto, Yondy opened the door and rushed out. “I hope he’s still there. I can’t believe
I overslept.”

Dodging walking shinigami, Yondy shunpo’d as fast as he could, heading toward the dojo that he had
reserves for the match. Along the way, he got a few choice words said to him. He didn’t pay attention to
what was said. He was too happy at the moment.

As the dojo came into sight, Yondy slowed down to converse energy. Yeah, he did use some on the way
here, but he did figured that he could convince Daelen to rest first and maybe order some food. At the
mention of food, his stomach growl. ‘Great. Just what I need,’ he thought.

He finally made it to the door when he noticed something stuck on the handle. Curious, Yondy picked it
up and read who it was addressed to. When he saw it was for him, he began to have mixed feelings. He
just hoped that he didn’t have to go on a mission today.

Moving to a bench closest to the door, Yondy sat down and opened the package. He pulled out the
contents and notice that it was a letter and a necklace. Placing the necklace in his pocket for safe
keeping, Yondy began to read.

My friend Yondy,

I find that I must cancel our spar. You see, by the time you find this letter, I will be gone, leaving Soul
Society to face the fate that has been dealt to me. I know that this is sudden, but in truth, it is sudden for
me as well.

I never thought I would not be there for the final battle. I had hoped that I would be there with you and
the others. I had wanted to witness Alanna in her full glory. Sadly, it is not to be.

The night after we agreed to have the spar, I had a vision. I saw what my fate was in this matter. You
see, I am going to die. That is my fate, to be sacrificed so the one we fight will regain her powers. How
ironic don’t you think. I would have rather given her my sword in her heart, but alas it is not to be.

I know you are wondering why I didn’t tell you face to face. That is easy. You would have tried to talk me
out of leaving. You would have tried to change how things would end for me. Still, you know that this
has to happen as I’ve foreseen. It is the way the cards have been dealt. Ah, my friend, I so wish that I
could have sparred with you before meeting the end helpless.

Yondy, I ask that you do not attempt to find me or gather the troops to search for me. Remember what I
told you about the queen.
I’ve given you the one thing I could. It has been my prized possession from the time I joined the Draconic
Watchers. The necklace is the symbol of the clan and a talisman against evil. I wanted you to have it, my
friend. I hope it brings you success.

The sun is setting and tomorrow I have much to do before I take my place in the wheels of fate. Keep
strong, my friend. I’ll be with you in spirit.

Daelen.

Yondy stared at the letter and reread it a few times. He jumped up and began to walk at a high speed to
find others to help him. Then he slowed down and stopped. His head hung low.

Daelen was right. If they tried to interfere and save Daelen, something worse would happen. As much as
he would like to save his friend, Yondy had to take his lesson from his friend’s story. It pained him
though, to know that his friend was on his way to meet death head on. Why must fate play such cruel
jokes?

Yondy reached into his pocket and pulled out the charm Daelen left behind. He looked at it and then
placed it around his neck. He didn’t know if it would work as a talisman or not. It didn’t matter. It was a
reminder of what they had to face and of the battle ahead. He would do what he could and not let his
friend down.

Lifting his head, Yondy placed the letter in his pocket and began to walk. Though he felt sad, he knew he
had a job to do. He needed to inform the others.

******

In the forest, a figure rushed toward the small cabin that offered temporary shelter. In his arms was a
woman, unconscious at that time. Adrian spared a few glances at Elayne to make sure she was okay.
Worry was clear on his face as he rushed toward his destination.

It was known that the true heir of Heru had ties to the people and the land. Yet no one knew the true
extent of that connection. Even Adrian was left in the dark in regards to this. Now, he could see what it
meant to be bound to the people and the land of Heru.

He had finally reached the cabin. Without pausing, he kicked the door in; breaking the door and its
frame in several places. Adrian made a mental note to repair the door later, but right now he had a
more pressing concern. He moved through the building and into the bedroom. Gently he placed his love
and ruler into the bed. Grabbing the blanket, he pulled it up to her chest and then sat down on the bed.

Elayne looked extremely pale and feverish. Sweat glistened on her face and in some places moved down
in a tiny stream to touch the pillow under her head. Adrian gently moved a few strands of hair off her
face and caressed her cheek. To see her in such a shape pained him greatly.

After a few moments at gazing at her pale face, Adrian stood and began to pace. His thoughts were
racing, and most of them were for the worse. What is something happened to destroy Heru and its
people? Would she die as well? What if she was slowly dying already? Was there anything he could do?
Worry and panic filled him as he paced. He couldn’t lose her, not when he just got her back.

“Adrian?”

He turned to face Elayne and saw that even her eyes were pale. It caused the panic in his heart to
worsen. He went to her side and knelt on the floor, taking her hand. “What is it, Elayne? You should rest
and regain your strength. Things will be okay.”

Elayne managed a weak smile and then shook her head. “Things are not okay, Adrian. I can feel it. The
land is dying. My people are terrified.”

“We’ll stop Shi. We’ll heal the land and free the people,” Adrian replied, caressing her face and stroking
her hair. “We’ll bring peace back to Heru. You just need to rest and save your strength.”

Elayne sighed and closed her eyes. “I don’t think we’ll be able to do that, Adrian. I don’t have the power
to save them now. Whatever is happening there is slowly wearing away at me as well.”

Adrian felt his heart stop a moment at those words. It was something that he did not want to hear. “No,
you can’t mean that. Please tell me you are joking.” He felt the tears being and threatening to flow
freely.

“Adrian, I won’t lie to you. I’m dying. The bond between me, my people, and the land is very strong and
meant to keep balance in all things,” Elayne replied as she looked at him once more. “Should the land
and my people die, I will as well. I can feel it in every aspect of my being.”

Adrian hung his head as the tears began to fall. “No, this isn’t right. It’s not fair. We were just reunited.”
His body began to shake as he began to cry harder. He looked up and into her eyes. “I can’t lose you. Is
there no way to save you?”

Elayne took a shallow breath. “I believe that there is one way, but I don’t have the means to do it
myself.”

“Tell me what I need to do. I’ll do it all if I have to.” Adrian felt a small piece of hope push its way into his
heart. If there was a way to save Elayne, he would do it without hesitation.

“You need to first retrieve the ancient manual Heru Occulta from the bag we brought with us.” Elayne
closed her eyes. “You may need to take the bag outside in order to get to it. I’m not sure if all of the
items will exit the bag or not when it is opened.”

“Okay, I’ll do that. What do I need to do after that?” Adrian stood wiping away the tears.

“First get the book. We’ll talk more afterward.” Elayne sighed. “I need to rest. I’m so tired.”

“Then rest, dear. I’ll let you know when I’ve found the book,” Adrian replied. He didn’t get a reply as he
heard a faint snore coming from Elayne.
Turning from the bed, Adrian walked to the closet and opened the door. He picked up the bag and
carried it outside, noting that he needed to fix the front door later after he saved Elayne. He placed the
bag on the ground and took a deep breath before opening it. He took a few steps back just in case.

After a short delay, the items within the bag began to exit. They seemed to flow out of the bag with ease
and resume the place they held back in the cave. Adrian watched in amazement. He never realized just
how much stuff was in that cave. It took 30 minutes for everything to exit.

“Well, now to find the book,” Adrian said as he began to search the items. He just hoped it didn’t decide
to rain.

*******

The clouds in the sky were dark with the coming storm. They hung low, threatening to unleash the water
they held at a moment’s notice. As the humans of Heru clung to one another in the open air prisons,
they looked to the sky hoping for a miracle. Yet somehow they did not see one in their future.

Diablo walked along the fences of bone and magic created by the acolytes of his empress and smirked at
the lowly creatures inside. It was nice to see these lowly beings put in their place. For as long as he had
been working in this pathetic world, he had longed to lead them all to slaughter like the cattle they
were. And now he was seeing his vision come to life.

A woman in her 30s took a chance and moved closer to the fence, her eyes hopeful. “Master Diablo,
we’re starving. When do we get food? My children need something to eat.”

Diablo stopped and glared at the human who spoke to him. “You’ll get food just like you did yesterday
and not before. You worthless humans have been spoiled for too long.”

“But Master Diablo….”

Diablo grabbed the woman by the throat careful to avoid the spells that held the prisoners. He also
knew he couldn’t kill her or Shi would have his head. “I said you will get your food like yesterday. Do not
test me, you worthless piece of garbage, or I’ll have you beaten.” He released her and snarled. “Do not
speak to me again.”

The woman shook in fear and bowed low before moving back to her group. Diablo watched in disgust as
her companions comforted her. It made him sick to watch such displays of love and compassion.
Turning, he continued his walking as he surveyed the area while passing along the orders of his empress.
After all, he didn’t want Lathos to be able to get in so freely.

The demon general turned a corner and ran into one of the acolytes checking the spells. Diablo growled
at the acolyte. “I think you should pay attention to where you’re going.”

The acolyte looked at Diablo with a cold glare. “My priorities are to keeping the spells functioning
properly, not watching where you are walking.”
Diablo felt the urge to behead the acolyte. “Watch your mouth, worm, or I’ll cut it out.”

“I only answer to the empress. Your orders mean nothing to me.” The acolyte turned and returned to his
job. “The empress’ orders will be done as she commanded.”

Diablo wanted to destroy the acolyte. Yet the general withheld his desire and walked around the other
demon. If he had attacked the acolyte and killed him, Shi would punish him. All of the acolytes were
needed for the ceremony. Diablo smiled. That didn’t mean he couldn’t disembowel the lower demon
after the ritual was finished.

About halfway down the section of fence he was on, Diablo turned right onto another path that lead
toward the soldiers’ camp. He noticed that each soldier that he passed gave him the proper respect that
he deserved in his position. Puffing his chest, the general continued until he reached a large, blood red
tent. He lifted the flap and went inside. It was then that the clouds released the rain.

“General Diablo, what brings you here?” one of his lieutenants asked after saluting him.

Diablo returned the salute. “I have orders from the Empress. We have a traitor to find and bring to her.”

“Who is the traitor, General?”

“The good doctor Lathos,” Diablo replied. “When he has been found and captured, hold him here and
send for me. I will deliver him to Empress Shi myself.”

The officers in the tent looked at each other and then to Diablo. “Sir, are you certain that he’s a traitor?”

“Yes, I am.” Diablo looked at each member in the tent. “I saw him take the hand of our enemy
personally. Any doubts now?”

All of them shook their heads before one spoke. “Sir, do we need to keep him unharmed while we await
for your arrival?”

At that question, Diablo smiled. “No. Beat him all you wish, but make sure you do not kill him. He is still
needed for the ritual, though he’ll join the human trash as a sacrifice.”

******

It was late afternoon when Lathos finally began to stir from his sleep. He felt strange and very hungry.
Opening his eyes, he noticed that the room was still dark and fuzzy. He felt a little disoriented at first.

“Who are you and why are you in my bed?”

Lathos turned his head slightly to see Anna looking at him. She held a long dagger just inches above his
heart. Lathos opened his mouth to speak but found that he couldn’t. His mouth was very dry as was his
throat. It felt as if he had swallowed sandpaper.
“Allow me to speak for my young friend, Anna,” the cloaked figure said from the corner where it sat.
“His name is Lathos. He came with me to find out the truth regarding his empress. You see, he has
forsaken his comrades in order to find out what will happen.”

Anna glared at the figure in the corner. “Why should I believe you?”

“Well, my vampire friend, he has made the ultimate sacrifice in order to learn the truth,” the cloaked
figure replied folding its bony hands in the air before its hood. “He had partaken some of your blood and
has become as you are.”

Anna was shocked at the statement and looked at Lathos. “Is this true?”

Lathos nodded, still unable to speak. How could he defend himself if he couldn’t speak? He tried to work
up some saliva and swallow, but it hurt to do it. His face cringed in pain.

Anna sheathed the dagger and moved off the bed. She moved to her desk and pulled out a decanter and
a crystal glass. She poured some of the contents of the decanter into the glass and returned to the bed.
Helping Lathos to sit up, she put the glass to his lips and tipped it gently. “Here, drink this. It will help.”

Lathos swallowed wincing a little as the first drops of the liquid hit his throat. After a few moments, the
irritation vanished. He drank the entire glass and was finally able to sit up. When he did, he felt that his
hunger had lessened as well. “What was that drink?” he asked quietly.

“It is a mixture of blood and herbs to soothe the throat,” Anna replied as she took the glass and moved
back to her desk. “I give it to the newly turned to ease the pain of both the hunger and the irritation.”
She poured another glass and walked back to the bed. “Here, drink this.”

Lathos took the glass and downed it without hesitation. “Thank you for your kindness, Anna. You are
definitely not what I have been told. It seems that Shi does not speak the truth on things.”

Anna growled at the mention of the name and went to get the decanter. “She would not know how to
tell the truth to anyone save herself.” She came back and filled the glass again. “The prophecy names
her as the false speaker.”

“I see,” Lathos replied as he lifted the glass to his lips and took a gulp. “You seem to know the prophecy
well.”

“I should,” Anna said. “I’ve read it many times, studied it until it became part of me.”

“It also helps that the one who wrote the book is the one who turned you,” the cloaked figure said,
bringing the attention of the two to its shadowy presence. “I bet he drilled the prophecy into your
head.”

Anna nodded. “Yes, he did. Then the book vanished along with the one who wrote it. It took me many
years to find it once more. Thankfully, it is hidden from detection.”
The cloaked figure lifted the book. “Ahh, but I had the young demon to remove the spells for you. It was
my… test to see if he was worthy of the truth.”

“You had no right to do that,” Anna replied, glaring at the figure. “Who are you to even dare such a
task?”

The cloaked figure leaned forward into the light. “Oh, you should remember me somewhat. After all, we
met in Soul Society ever so briefly.”

Anna’s thoughts flashed back to that day at the infirmary. It seemed a lifetime ago. “You’re the evil one
who attacked Alanna. She called you… kuroiryuu, though I know it’s not your real name.”

A chuckle filled the room. “It seems your memory is astute as is your intelligence. You are correct. It is
not my true name, but it is a nickname of sorts.”

“Kuroiryuu….” Lathos said in a low voice. “Dark dragon? That is a strange nickname.”

The cloaked figure chuckled. “Ah, but it is appropriate in a way. You can call me Kuroi if it makes things
easier.”

Anna looked at Kuroi. “Why are you helping Lathos? You wanted to kill Alanna.”

Kuroi shrugged. “I can take my time in that matter, young one. As to why I’m assisting Lathos, well, let’s
just say I wish to open his eyes to the truth. That and the fact that I owe the demon who helped
imprison me so long ago a great deal of pain.”

Lathos finished his glass of blood and looked at Kuroi. “So, how do I go about seeing this truth? Do I
need to read the book?”

“Yes, you do,” Kuroi replied. “If I or Anna tried to read it to you, then you could think that we altered the
words to suit our needs. Reading it yourself is the only way.”

Anna was silent a moment and then nodded. “I have to agree. Now that you are a vampire, you should
have no trouble reading the book.”

Lathos stared at the glass in his hands. It seemed as things were moving faster than he had expected.
Even though they were in the presence of an ancient evil being, they sat comfortably and talked as if old
friends. Maybe it was an effect of the blood or maybe a spell that the cloaked one cast. Regardless, it
seemed almost surreal.

Sighing, he nodded. “Alright, I’ll read the book.”

Kuroi leaned forward and held out the book to Lathos. “You will need to read the whole thing in order
for things to make sense. Hopefully by morning, you will be finished.”

Lathos grasped the book and nodded. “Well, we’ll see.” Without further hesitation, he opened the cover
and began to read.
 ******

It was all that Alanna could do to convince the group to take her out of the infirmary and toward the
cabin in the forest. It wasn’t until after Aicerno assist Joe back to his quarters to rest and then return
before they agreed to take her. Now in Ogihci’s arms, she was on her way to visit Elayne and Adrian with
Rin, Kyo, and Aicerno coming as well. It was the only way that they would allow her out of the infirmary.

Alanna sighed silently. She guessed that after the recent events they would rather have more than
enough company around than too little. Still it bugged her greatly that they didn’t trust her to come out
her alone. She wasn’t under the influence of any creature. Even her inner hollow was quiet. ‘I guess with
the battle that I fought and the injuries I have, they just want to make sure I’m okay.’

As the group got closer to the cabin, they saw Adrian searching through items that had no true place in
the forest. He looked weary and tired. Worry was clear on his face. He didn’t notice them approach.
“Where is that book? It has to be here somewhere.”

“Is there something wrong, Adrian?” Aicerno asked as they stopped a little shy of the refugee’s position.

Adrian jumped in shock and then faced the new arrivals. “Oh, it’s you. Maybe you can help me find the
book I need. I have to find it.”

Alanna was about to say something when she felt it again, the strange sensation that bugged her in the
infirmary. It was stronger now, and she could tell who it was behind the feelings she was getting.
“Elayne is dying,” she stated with a sad voice.

Everyone including Adrian looked at Alanna. “How do you know that?” Ogihci asked concern in his face.

“I can feel it,” Alanna replied. “It’s something that is slow but progressive. Her life force is slowly
draining away.”

Aicerno looked at Adrian. “Is what she said true? Is Elayne dying?”

Adrian felt the tears fall once more. “Yes, it is true. She’s dying.”

Kyo looked confused. “But how is that possible? She wasn’t hurt in the last battle. She was fine the last
time we saw here.”

Adrian sat down on a stone stool and hung his head. “The rulers of Heru have a bond with the land and
the people. It was meant to be a way to prevent the leaders from using either in the wrong way.” He
sighed. “Earlier, she collapsed, and I brought her here to rest. That’s when she told me she was dying.
Something is killing the land of Heru and has her people in a panic. Even in this place the spell effects
her.”

Rin felt her heart break at the sadness in Adrian’s voice. “Is there no way for us to save her?”

Adrian nodded without looking up. “Yes, she said that there was one chance. She told me to find the
book Heru Occulta. It was suppose to be with all of this stuff she brought with us. I haven’t found it yet.”
“We can help you search for it,” Ogihci replied. “What does it look like?”

Adrian slapped his head. “I don’t know. I forgot to ask. I just thought it would be plain as day.” He
sighed. “Guess I was wrong.”

Aicerno placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Don’t stress out about it, Adrian. You were worried and
wanting to do what you could to help. It’s understandable that you would go and look without asking.”

Alanna pointed toward the top of a bookshelf. “Have you tried to look up there? There’s a raised portion
that could hide a book easily.”

Adrian looked up to where Alanna pointed and stood. “I haven’t looked up there. Thanks for pointing it
out.”

Adrian grabbed the stool he was sitting on and moved it to where the bookshelf sat. He stepped up and
then reached over the 2 inch boards that stood up. At first he felt nothing and then his hand hit
something. Stretching his hand and fingers, he was able to pull the item closer so that he could pick it
up. He lifted it over the edge and brought it down in front of his chest.

In his hand was a red leather-bound book with silver writing on the cover that read Heru Occulta. “This is
it. Finally, we have a chance to save Elayne.” Without waiting, he ran into the cabin and to Elayne’s bed.
The shinigami followed him.

When they entered the room, they were shocked. Elayne seemed extremely pale. Sweat beaded on her
face and neck. Her hair seemed to be turning gray as well. Adrian sat down on the bed and took her
hand.

“Elayne, we found the book. Please wake up and tell me what we need to do next,” he said in a gentle
voice.

Elayne slowly opened her eyes and looked at everyone. She smiled weakly. “Hello, my friends. I’m glad
you are well.”

“Ogi, put me on the bed please,” Alanna said.

Ogihci nodded and moved to the other side of the bed. He sat her down gently. “You okay, Lolo?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Ogi.” Alanna turned and faced Elayne. “You need to answer Adrian’s question, Elayne.
What do we do next?”

Elayne nodded and looked at Adrian. “The place should be marked with a blue ribbon. Open the book to
that page and read. It should tell you what is needed.” She took as deep of a breath as she could. “You’ll
have to follow the instructions perfectly.”

Adrian lifted the book and found the blue ribbon. He then opened the book to where it was marked and
looked at the page. “What in the world?”
“What’s wrong, Adrian?” Rin asked trying to look over his shoulder.

“The pages of the book…. They’re blank.”

 Chapter 34

Kyo rolled his eyes. He wasn’t in the mood for dramatics. “There’s no way a book can have blank pages.
Let me have a look.”

“Okay, maybe it’s just me,” Adrian replied as he handed the book to Kyo. “It could be that I’m just
imagining things.”

Kyo took the book and opened it to the spot mention. His blinked his eyes a few times and shook his
head. “I can’t believe it. There are no words on these pages… on any of the pages in the book,” he stated
as he turned the page.

Adrian sighed. “So, it’s not just me. How can we use a book when there are no words?” He looked to
Elayne for some direction but saw she was asleep.

Alanna closed her eyes and sighed. This wasn’t looking good if the book was blank. Something was
missing. She opened her eyes and looked at Kyo. “Can I see the book please?”

Kyo looked up and handed the book to Alanna. “I don’t see how you can see something we don’t, but if
you wanted to try, go ahead, oneechan.”

Alanna smiled and opened the book. Like with Kyo and Adrian, the pages were blank. She closed the
book and turned it in various ways, hoping to see a switch or something that might trigger the words to
appear. She didn’t find anything.

‘Alanna, may I take over for a moment?’ Shiroi’s voice asked.

Alanna took a deep breath. ‘Okay, Shiroi. I hope you have more luck with this than I have.’

‘I hope so as well. Please close your eyes and relax.’

Alanna did as she was asked and closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and allowed herself to
relax fully. It felt like she was falling asleep. In a few moments, she was.

Alanna opened her eyes though this time they were glowing silver in color. “Now, let’s take a look at the
book.” She opened the book.

Rin leaned forward. “Lolo, are you okay? You don’t sound like yourself.”

“And your eyes are glowing,” Ogihci added as he sat down on the bed next to Alanna.

Alanna looked up at the group and smiled. “That’s because I’m not Alanna. She’s asleep right now,
allowing me to see if I can help.”

“You are her zanpakuto,” Aicerno stated. “I remember you from the last time you took over. Your name
is Shiroi Doragon?”
Alanna nodded. “That is correct on both accounts. Please call me Shiroi. It is easier to remember.” She
turned her attention back to the book and looked at the pages. “Ahh. It is as I thought.”

“What?” Adrian asked as he leaned forward. He still didn’t see anything on the off-white pages. “What is
wrong?”

“Oh, nothing is wrong, Adrian,” Alanna replied. “I can see the words easily. All the information is clear
and precise.”

Rin looked at the pages. “But I don’t see anything. There’s nothing there.”

“To you, the pages are blank. Yet to one such as I and to the direct descendents of the one who wrote
the book, the pages are filled with knowledge passed down from one generation to the next.” Alanna
turned the page. “There is one other book like this in the world, the Oraculum o’ mortuus. The only
difference is the person who wrote it.”

Aicerno placed his hand on his chin as he thought about what Alanna or rather Shiroi just said.
“Oraculum o’ mortuus…. That translates roughly to the Prophecy of the Dead. Am I correct?”

Alanna nodded as she turned the page. “You are, Aicerno. The Oraculum o’mortuus was written by a
vampire who possessed the rare ability to see into the future. Only those vampires turned by him and
thusly turned by one of his children can read the book.” She turned back to the marked page and then
looked up. “On the other hand Heru Occulta was written by the first wizard king of Heru as an
instruction book for his descendents. Only the direct descendents and true heirs of Heru can read it.”

Kyo frowned. “Then how are you able to read the book if that’s the case?”

“I have to voice the same concern,” Ogihci replied. “Alanna is not a descendent of Heru. She shouldn’t
be able to read it. Neither should you.”

“Alanna wasn’t able to read it,” Alanna spoke. “All she saw were blank pages. The magic placed on the
book prevents those who are not a descendent to read it. Yet, there is one exception.”

Rin tilted her head. “I still don’t see how you can read it if you are not a direct descendent.”

“As I said, there is one exception. If one possesses powers stronger than the one who wrote the book,
then they can see through the magic hiding the words,” Alanna replied with a smile.

Ogihci looked confused. “But how can you have more powers than the one who wrote the book? You’re
Lolo’s zanpakuto. You shouldn’t be able to do things that she can’t.”

Alanna smiled. “I’m not your ordinary zanpakuto, Ogihci. I am ancient and hold more knowledge and
power than you or any shinigami could think about. I’m only limited by Alanna and her own self-
imposed limitations.”

Adrian was quiet a moment before he looked up at Alanna. “I understand now. It’s part of the
prophecy.”
Alanna nodded, understanding that his words held more meaning than the others could detect. “Yes, it
is.”

Kyo sighed and sat down on the floor across from the bed. “Well, if you can read the book as you claim
you can, how about reading it to us so we can save Elayne?”

Alanna shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I still need permission from Elayne to read it. Call it a fail-safe if
you will.”

Adrian threw his hands up. “So we’re back to square one for now. Just great, she’s dying, and you have
to follow some stupid rules.”

Alanna’s eyes flashed and a growl came from her throat. “If you like, I can return to my rest and allow
you to figure it out yourself. Some things not even one as I can twist to suit your petty whims.”

Aicerno placed a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “Patience is needed, my friend. Elayne will awaken again,
and we can ask her then.” For some reason, he felt the need to sooth both Adrian and Alanna’s
zanpakuto, more so Shiroi. Something in her voice made him fearful, though he couldn’t understand
why.

Aicerno wasn’t the only one who felt it. Ogihci could feel shivers run up his spine at Alanna’s voice, or
rather Shiroi’s voice. He looked at the others in the room and saw it in Rin’s and Kyo’s faces. “Shiroi,
please calm down. He’s just worried about Elayne.”

Alanna’s sighed. “I understand, but you must understand. There are laws that even I as power as I am
cannot break or twist. If I even attempt to, then that will border on chaos and evil. I will not do that.”

Adrian closed his eyes. “Forgive, wise one. I know what you say is true. I’ll wait for Elayne to awaken.”

Alanna smiled softly. “When she does, I’ll return. Until then, I must rest and allow Alanna to recover as
well.” With that, she closed her eyes and fell backwards on the bed.

Kyo sighed. “I hope that Shiroi is not pulling our leg with this.”

“I don’t think she is,” Rin replied. “She doesn’t seem like one to do that.”

Ogihci picked up Alanna and headed toward the living room. “I’m going to put Lolo on the couch. I don’t
want her to fall into the floor. She’s still healing after all.”

As Ogihci left the room, Aicerno looked at Adrian. “Why did you call Shiroi ‘wise one’? It’s like you know
her or something.”

“I’m sorry, but I cannot say, much as she could not bend the rules,” Adrian replied. “I will say that it’s
part of the prophecy.”

“Well, aren’t we all just full of hidden secrets today,” Kyo said in a bland tone. “Why can’t we get a
straight answer from another about this crap?”
“Unfortunately, that is how prophecies work,” Adrian replied. “Sometimes things are not clear. Some
are misleading. And sometimes, if you are lucky, they are dead on.”

“And Lolo’s part in this?” Rin asked.

“Let’s just say that a lot rides on her shoulders.”

*****

An acolyte entered the bedchambers belonging to the demon empress and knelt at her side. He bowed
his head low. “Empress, we have found one to take Lathos’ place at the ritual.”

Shi looked at the demon and smiled. “Oh, tell me about this find.”

“He has much power, particularly in the realm of foresight, Empress,” the acolyte replied. “He is the last
known Draconic Watcher as well.”

“Excellent. It seems I get to have a last say in the stupid clans survival after all,” the demon woman
replied. “Is he in your possession yet?”

“No, Empress. We are making the necessary arrangements and laying out the trap as we speak.”

Shi grinned evilly. “Good. When you capture him, bring him to me. I would like a chance at welcoming
this fool to his doom.”

******

Lathos had finished reading a quarter of the book and stood rubbing his eyes. It was starting to give him
a headache, having to read in Latin and to relive thousands of years of history through the visions of a
vampire. He was surprised at how accurate some of the prophecies were. Others seemed to half true or
what could have been if things were different.

The demon vampire had to stop reading on several occasions when he came to the conflicting visions. It
was explained to him that some prophecies had two or more outcomes, and sometimes the outcome
was based on the decision of one or more important key figures. It was all very fascinating and yet
troublesome. Knowing that a person could affect the livelihoods of millions unwittingly caused him to
wonder how the prophecies could be hidden away in such a fashion. Lathos even voiced that question to
his companions.

Anna explained that if the prophecies were known to the masses, there would be those that sought to
control the outcome for their own benefit. Chaos would reign regardless of the intentions of the
individuals. She explained that it was up to the keepers of the prophecies to safe guard the knowledge
and only impart the information if things looked dire for all involved. She explained that when the
survival of all life in all dimensions became part of the equation, then the keepers would act and seek
out the ones that could save everyone’s future.
Lathos sighed. It was all too much to handle in such a short time. Now having read just a fourth of the
book, he found himself wondering who had the right to change the direction of events. He saw points in
time when the wrong decision was made which result in war. One case in point was the Civil War in the
United States. Another was World War II.

“Are you okay, Lathos?” Anna asked as she watched him pace and pinch the bridge of his nose. “If you
wish to stop reading, you can.”

“I just need a break. It’s a lot to take in all at once,” Lathos replied. “It doesn’t help that I’m feeling
hungry again.”

Anna smiled and picked up the half empty decanter. She poured a glass of the blood and herb mixture
and handed it to him. “I know that this doesn’t satisfy completely, but it will help you get through the
reading. Tomorrow night, I will take you out and teach you how to feed.”

Lathos took the glass and gave one of his dashing smiles he used to give to the humans of Heru. That
smile would melt a woman’s heart. “Thanks, and I look forward to it. Do you feed on humans too?”

Anna rolled her eyes and walked to her desk. “I think your charms need work as well. As to your
question, we feed on humans very rarely. It keeps us from being hunted like we were in ancient times.
We tend to stick to animals now. It may not be as satisfying, but it keeps our kind safe from
persecution.”

Lathos sighed. “I see. Well, I guess I’ll just have to get use to it.” He began to drink the blood mixture in
the glass.

“Oh, poor vampires,” Kurio said with a slight laugh. “It must be hard to live in fear of those beneath you.
I, for one, do not need to worry about these humans. They have no power to stop me now.”

Anna faced the shadowy corner where Kurio sat. “That may be true, vile one, but for us vampires,
humans have some knowledge on how to destroy us. Of course some of the ‘talismans’ don’t work.” She
laughed as she walked back to the bed and sat down. “Honestly, whoever thought that garlic would
keep vampires away was a nut case.”

Lathos finished his drink and placed the glass on the bedside table before sitting down. “I guess I’ll have
to learn about all of the truths regarding to being a vampire later. Right now, I should return to my
reading.”

Anna smiled as she stood. “While you read, I think I’ll go out and hunt. I’ll bring you back some fresh
blood as well.” She walked to the door and then paused. “I suggest you remain in this room until I
return.”

Lathos looked up from where he was reading. “Why do you say that?”

“Simple. If you leave through this door without me, my clan will attack you and destroy you before you
have a chance to fight back. After all, I’ve trained them to kill the enemy, even if it is one of their own.”
 *******

It was a cold night in the small mountain town. It was strange as it was summer yet it felt like late fall or
early winter. Regardless of the season or the strange weather, a lone figure walked down a poorly lit
street. Slightly bent over from the blowing wind, it walked as if having no real destination in mind.

Daelen had returned home in hopes to find some of his comrades still alive. Unfortunately he found the
mansion once called home burned to the ground. A yellow police tape marked the perimeter and
announced that the investigation was still ongoing. He didn’t want to disturb the area or potentially
destroy evidence, so he left without moving closer. Of course he knew that they would never find the
real reason for the fire.

Now back in town, Daelen walked without truly seeing where he was heading. His thoughts were on the
past and the coming end to his life. He remembered the one girl he truly loved and how he lost her to a
rich man from the city of Atlanta. It broke his heart to know that the girl desired material wealth over
true and binding love. Yet, he didn’t say a word and placed the pain deep in his mental lockbox.

His memory returned to a man Daelen called friend at one time. Matthew had been the one who
brought the man into the Draconic Watchers. He had trained Daelen in the use of many weapons
including the long sword. The older man was like a brother to Daelen. Then, things changed. It was
revealed that Matthew was one of the Dark Heralds, a sect of former and current Draconic Watchers
that followed the teachings of the forces of evil. It was another shocking blow to Daelen and forced the
younger member to confront his teacher and friend. It ended with Matthew dead, Daelen’s sword thrust
through his heart.

Yet not all of his past was sad. Daelen remembered the time when he saved the leader of the Draconic
Watchers. The woman was very grateful for his arrival at the battle site. Just before the enemy could
end her life, Daelen appeared and cut off his head. He then took the leader home. What happened later
that night made Daelen blush for many days after.

Daelen smiled as the memories, good and bad, passed through his wondering mind. It was nice to see
how his life unfolded even as he was heading toward his last stand so to speak. At least his life was full
of excitement and adventure. To be able to meet the one of prophecy was the icing on the cake.

“Daelen Silvermane, I presume,” a voice called out to him.

Daelen looked up and found himself face to face with three robed, hooded figures. The robes were
blood red with pictures of humans crying out in agony in various forms. He knew there were more
behind him. It seemed that his time had come. “And who do I owe the pleasure of this little get-
together?”

“Our empress seeks your audience, Draconic Watcher.” The robed figures raised their hands in unison.
“Please do not try to escape.”
“Acolytes of the demon empress I see,” Daelen replied as he drew his sword. “Pardon me if I don’t go as
willingly as you wish.” He thrust his blade at the nearest acolyte.

While he managed to end the demon’s life, it was the only thing Daelen was able to do before the trap
snapped shut. Magic wrapped around him and formed tight rope to bind his arms and legs together.
Pain shot through his body and forced him to drop his weapon. As his mind fell into unconsciousness, he
saw the acolytes surround him, and then it went black.

*******

Elayne opened her eyes and saw that only Adrian was in the room. She smiled weakly and reached for
his hand. “Adrian…” she called out.

Instantly, Adrian turned and grabbed her hand. “Elayne!” he shouted. “Oh, thank god you are finally
awake. I was beginning to worry….” He trailed off and kissed her softly.

There was a weak knock at the door, and the refugees turned to see Ogihci carrying Alanna. “Shiroi said
you were awake, Elayne. She wanted to bring her into the room.”

Adrian smiled and nodded. “Come in. Where are the others?”

“Aicerno had an emergency at the infirmary. Kyo and Rin decided to get something to eat. They will be
bring us something back,” Ogihci replied as he placed Alanna on the bed next to Elayne.

Elayne looked to Alanna and saw the silver glow to her eyes. “I see. What can I do to assist you, wise
one?”

Alanna smiled. “I seek permission to read the book Heru Occulta to those who cannot see.”

Elayne smiled and nodded. “You have my permission, wise one. Reveal the knowledge it holds to those
you trust with its knowledge. As rightful heir of Heru, I so give you the permission.”

“Thank you, queen of Heru. I will use the gift you’ve given me wisely in your stead.” Alanna looked at the
others in the room and noticed the look of confusion on the men’s faces. She laughed. “It is part of the
ritual, young ones. Now I can read the book to you and allow you a way to save Elayne’s life.”

Adrian stared a few moments and then sighed in relief. “I was getting worried that you two were talking
in riddles. I forget the formalities at times.”

Ogihci just shook his head. “As long as everything is okay, I’m fine with it all.”

Elayne smiled softly. “So, you will read the book now, wise one?”

“No, I will wait for the return of the others. They should return soon,” Alanna replied. “What is read
could affect them greatly so it is better that I wait.”

“I understand.” Elayne squeezed Adrian’s hand. “Things will work out. You’ll see.”
“I hope so,” Adrian replied with a smile. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you, Elayne.”

Another knock brought their attention toward the doorway. Kyo walked in carrying two picnic baskets.
Rin followed with her own baskets. She smiled. “Sorry for the delay in our return, but we decided to
make a nice dinner for everyone,” Rin replied.

Elayne smiled. “That sounds wonderful, but I’m not hungry at the moment. Maybe later I will feel up to
eating.”

Kyo noticed the frailness of the woman and could understand what was going on. He returned the smile.
“No worries. We can wait a little longer for dinner. I’m sure the meal will be a lot better when we can all
enjoy it together.”

Rin looked at Kyo and smiled. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “That is a wonderful thought, dear.”
She leaned a little closer and whispered in his ear. “Thank you for being sensitive to their needs, Kyo.”

Kyo kissed her cheek and then whispered in her ear. “I can understand how they feel, Rin. If it was you in
that position, I would hope they would do the same.” He saw the blush on his girlfriends face and smiled
before turning his attention back to the group. “So, what’s the verdict on the book?”

“I’ve given the wise one permission to read it to you,” Elayne said with a yawn. “It will be up to her to
read it when she is ready.”

Ogihci sat down in a chair next to where Alanna sat on the bed. “So, now can you read the book?”

“I would like to wait for Aicerno’s return,” Alanna replied.

“That may not be until morning,” Rin replied. “The emergency was bigger than he thought. Apparently
some recruits thought it would be okay to go out and play with hollows without supervision. All but one
came back in critical condition. One didn’t make it.” She sighed. “Aicerno is working overtime at the
moment healing the recruits.”

Alanna sighed. “Then I will read to everyone here.” She looked at Adrian. “May I have the book please?”

Adrian nodded and handed it to Alanna. “I’m ready to find out how we can save Elayne.” He looked over
at the woman and saw she was asleep once more. “I don’t know how much longer she can last.”

“Do not worry, Adrian. It will change before you know it.” Alanna opened the book. There was a
moments silence before she began.

“A descendent of Heru will possess the link to the land and its people until the day he or she dies where
it will pass on to the next in line. This shall continue until the end of time.

“If the land and/or its people become threatened, the ruler of Heru will feel the effects directly. The
more severe the threat, the more severe the symptoms. If the land and its people die, the ruler will die
as well.
“The bond is permanent for as long as the ruler lives or until the ruler transfers the right to lead Heru to
a suitable member.”

“Wait a minute,” Adrian replied. “All we have to do is have Elayne transfer her rightful spot of leader to
someone else?”

Alanna looked up at Adrian, a little upset at the interruption. “It is not as easy as she saying someone is
the new ruler. If you will remain quiet, you will learn what is involved.”

Adrian looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”

Alanna smiled and then continued to read. “The transfer must be done in the following fashion: 1. A
person of high caliber must be selected. He or she must be pure of heart and perform deeds to the
benefit of his fellow man. 2. The ruler of Heru must agree to transfer all powers and bonds onto the
person chosen. This will mean that the ruler will no longer have magic to use in any way, shape, or form.
3. Once the agreement has been made, the ruler must prick her left index finger with a dagger. 4. An
item belonging to the chosen one must be obtained. The chosen one does not have to be present for
this to work. 5. A single drop of blood must be placed upon the object that is to be used. At the same
time, the one performing the transfer must obtain final confirmation from the ruler and then seek
acceptance from the chosen one.

“The one performing the ritual will know the words to say and will guide the ceremony from beginning
to end. Once the chosen one accepts and repeats the oath, the transfer will be complete. The link will be
transferred to the new ruler, and the old will be normal and without power. Thus, use this with extreme
caution. It is not reversible.”

Alanna looked up at the group. “Do you have questions?”

Ogihci seemed deep in thought. “Who could be the one to transfer the powers to? With the restrictions
mentioned, we can’t just put this onto an enemy.”

“This presents a problem,” Kyo remarked as he sat down on the floor again. “Because the one that
receives the powers and bond will also be on the receiving end of what Elayne is currently going
through. How can we condemn someone to such a fate?”

The group remained quiet as they thought of everything that was told to them. Even Shiroi was quiet in
the matters at hand. No one wanted to end someone’s life like this. Yet that still left Elayne in the same
spot she was currently in.

A knock brought everyone out of their mental problems. They looked at the doorway and saw Yondy
standing there. His face held a variety of emotions, changing from determination to sadness and back
again. He took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but Aicerno was busy, and I felt your reiatsu here.” Yondy rubbed the back of his
neck. “It’s just….” He trailed off as a look of sadness crossed his face again.
Rin, who had sat down next to Kyo during their think session, looked up at Yondy. “What’s wrong,
Yondy? You look like you’ve lost your best friend.”

Yondy’s breath seemed to stop a moment before he looked up at the group. “I have or rather someone
close to one.” He took a deep breath. “Daelen’s gone. He’s on his way to meet his fate.”

“His fate?” Kyo asked, holding Rin around the waist.

Yondy closed his eyes. “He’s on his way to die.”

 Chapter 35

The news of Daelen willingly heading toward his own demise seemed to cause a myriad of emotions in
all of the people in the room. The only one not affected was Elayne, but she was still fast asleep. Yondy
seemed to be hardest hit at his own words. Tears silently fell from the shinigami’s face and onto his
shihakushou. He didn’t realize just how much the knowledge pained him until he verbalized it to his
friends.

Kyo felt Rin’s head bury into his chest as the woman sought comfort. It pained him to know that his love
was upset. In fact, he was upset as well. Why did something like this have to happen? Why was it that
someone had to bring so much pain, destruction, and death in order to gain some sort of hold over
everyone?

Kyo wrapped his arms around Rin and sighed as he tried to control the growing anger inside him. “How
can we change something that threatens everyone when something like this continues to happen? Is
this Shi’s plan, to break our hearts and spirits in such a fashion?”

Alanna’s glowing eyes looked at everyone in the room. “Unfortunately, that is part of her wishes. If she
can break your fighting spirit, then there will be no one to oppose her in her quest.” She sighed. “It is a
tactic that has been used by many to oppress people for centuries.”

Rin turned her head from where it had rested against Kyo’s chest. It was easy to see that she had been
crying. “This demon has no heart, does she? If she did, she wouldn’t be forcing things like this to
happen.”

“Shi has no heart or emotions,” Adrian replied in a solemn tone. “She only cares for increasing her rule
over all that lives.”

“While that is the case,” Alanna replied, “it is not the reason for Daelen to march to his death.” Her
silver gaze turned to Yondy. “He had a vision about his death, did he not?”

Yondy nodded. “Yes, he did. Daelen believed that the only course of action was to follow through with
what he saw.” He hung his head. “He was adamant about not using his visions to change what was
meant to happen.”

“How can you say this is not related to what that demon bitch is trying to do?” Ogihci asked, shaking. His
anger could only be displayed by his words at the moment. To go beyond that would cause problems for
everyone.

“Do you know what Daelen saw within his vision?” Alanna asked quietly. “For all we know, he could be
heading to a vacation spot in the Pacific Ocean and his boat sinks. It could be that he’s walking down the
street, and a car hits him. We do not know what will be his downfall and should not assume that every
death is related to the one we battle.”
“And how do you know that it’s not?” Ogihci asked as he stood facing Alanna. “It could be exactly as we
fear, that he’s going to die because of Shi.”

Alanna sighed. “And it is because of that, then he is doing the honorable thing. His death could save
thousands.”She looked up at Ogihci. “Whatever the cause, Daelen is a pure soul, one who puts the
needs of his fellow man before himself. He is a beacon of light within a world going dark with the threats
that we all face.”

“Umm, his letter stated that he is going to be sacrificed so that Deumos will regain her powers,” Yondy
stated. “He said that this is how it is supposed to be and that we shouldn’t try to stop him.”

Alanna fell silent a few moments before speaking. “Then he is truly noble in heart and soul.”

At Alanna’s words, Adrian began to think. It triggered this tiny hint of déjà vu in the back of his mind. He
tried to find the reason and closed his eyes. Pinching his nose and drowning out the continued
discussion in the room, he tried to pin-point the similarity to another point in time. Suddenly, his eyes
opened up and held a light of hope.

“A person of high caliber must be selected. He or she must be pure of heart and perform deeds to the
benefit of his fellow man.” Adrian looked at Alanna. “That’s what you said when you read the book. The
one who is to receive the powers and bonds of Heru’s ruler must be someone noble.”

Everyone looked at Adrian trying to figure out what he was getting at when Elayne moaned in her sleep.
It then brought back the reason why the majority of them were there in the room. It was the first time
that Yondy saw the true heir of Heru, and a pain hit him at seeing her pale, wasting figure. “What’s going
on with Elayne? What does this have to do with Daelen?”

Kyo and Rin stood up in unison as their gaze fell upon Elayne. Kyo turned his gaze from Alanna and then
to Adrian. “Are you suggesting that we make Daelen the new ruler of Heru in order to save Elayne?”

Adrian nodded. “I know that this sounds selfish, but Yondy has stated that he’s already on his way to
face his death, for whatever reason it is. We all know that Daelen is doing this because he feels it is his
duty as a Draconic Watcher. If we give him the position and all that comes with it, we can save Elayne.”

Yondy was silent a moment before he decided to speak. “I think it would be something he would agree
to, yet I can’t speak for him.” He sighed. “I don’t think there is a way for us to see if he would want to do
this or not.”

Alanna smiled. “You don’t know what I can do, my friend. We can find out from him first hand.”

Ogihci looked confused. “How can you do that?”

“Like I said before, I’m not your ordinary zanpakuto.” Alanna smiled. “I can reach his mind as long as he
is still alive through my unique abilities.”

Rin sat down on the bed, looking hopeful. “What can we do to help?”
“Join hands and relax. If Daelen is still among the living, we’ll make contact.”

******

Lathos was half way through the book and finally got to the portion mentioning the demon empress. He
was shocked to read just how accurate the visions were in this matter. He read about her ascension to
power, how she murdered her own parents to ensure that they could not fight back, and her move into
the world of Heru. The book was so accurate that if even spoke of her current weakness.

“I am amazed at the abilities of this prophet. He’s been right on everything so far,” Lathos replied as he
paused in his read. “How can someone possess this kind of ability?”

Kurio leaned forward. “In ancient times, abilities such as this were more common than now. Magic was
used more and part of everyday life.” A bony finger pointed at the book. “Even books like that were
common place among the wizards and witches of the time. This book is just one of many, though the
majority has been long forgotten by the mortals.”

Lathos raised his eyebrows. “I’m utterly amazed that they would allow such knowledge and abilities to
fade from their everyday life. If I was a human, I would do what I could to save it all.”

“Ahh, that is good to hear from you, but you must realize that these lowly beings began to listen to
those people in power that denounced magic and the old ways,” Kurio replied. “This was easy to do
when the last of the mighty beasts of old vanished from the world.”

“Beasts?” Lathos asked as he decided to learn more of the ancient human world.

“Kurio speaks of the mythical creatures like dragons, centaurs, and griffons,” Anna answered as she
come into the room carrying a strange looking bag. “While those of us who have been around long
enough to remember their existence, the normal humans have forgotten and only remember through
fairy tales and myths passed down from one generation to the next. Even vampires are looked upon as
make-believe creatures.”

“Yet, here we are.” Lathos smiled as his nose picked up a faint sent from the bag. “I see the hunt was a
success, Anna.”

“Of course, Lathos, it always is for me.” Anna moved to the desk and placed the bag carefully on the
surface. A nozzle stuck out for one end. “Come and fill your glass, Lathos. Fresh blood is always best to
soothe the hunger.”

Lathos grabbed his glass and made his way to the desk. “I have to thank you, Anna, for all of your
hospitality. I was your enemy, but yet you have treated me like I was one of your own.” He began to fill
his glass.

“Well, you did drink my blood so you are part of my clan now,” Anna replied. “Besides, I sensed in you
something that put me at ease. Your heart is not that of a cold-blooded killer.”
“I have killed before,” Lathos said quietly before tipping his glass up to drink.

“That may be,” Anna replied, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, “but you did not kill for the sake of
killing. You did it for food, am I correct?”

Lathos finished his glass and began to fill it again. “Yes, that’s right. I never killed otherwise.”

Kurio stood moaning. “Excuse me if I leave before this turns into a love session. I have things I would like
to check on.” Without waiting, the cloaked figure vanished.

“I’m glad the ancient one left. The evil aura was just too disgusting,” Anna replied as she took a glass and
filled it. She walked to the bed and sat down. “Getting back to you, you have a feeling of sadness when
you even mention the word kill. Your heart is softer than you believe.”

Lathos walked over to the bed and took his place next to her. “I guess that is why the other demons
never truly accepted me, even though I could heal them. I never understood the need to kill just
because they viewed someone as weak.” He began to chug the blood.

Anna took a small drink before she turned to him. “That sets you apart from them. In fact, it gives you
more power than they could ever think of possessing.”

The demon vampire wiped his mouth on his shirt sleeve and turned his attention to Anna. “How is that
possible?”

“Compassion often opens the doors to many magic spells that hatred closes. Sometimes it takes a heart
able to care for others to conjure the most powerful of spirits,” Anna began. “I have seen men like you
able to summon the strongest avatar around without breaking a sweat, and I have seen truly evil men
try to perform the same spell and die in the backlash.”

Lathos sat quietly as he contemplated what Anna told him. He had always wondered why he was
different and why he could do some things that the demon empress could not. Her explanation made
sense. “I see. I’m not such a failure after all.” He looked at Anna and smiled. “Thanks.”

Anna returned the smile. “That is the first genuine smile I’ve seen on your face since you came here. You
should stop trying to be someone you’re not.”

Lathos laughed. “Yeah, I know. I’ll try my best, though it’s not going to be easy.”

Anna placed her glass on the bedside table and picked up the book. “Change is never easy, especially
when we’ve hiding our true selves for so long.” She held the book out to Lathos. “The first step is
knowledge.”

Lathos put his glass next to Anna’s and took the book. “Well, my short break is over. Time to give myself
a headache again.”

The two vampires began to laugh.

 ******

Daelen floated in a black void, free of pain and worry. It was nice just to lay there and relax. The
darkness soothed his mind and drowned out the knowledge that he would be facing death soon. At least
he had a moment to gather his thoughts.

From time to time, Daelen felt a sadness well up in his chest. His thoughts would turn toward the friends
he made in Soul Society. He would wonder what was happening with them, if they were okay, and if
they truly missed him too. Despite it all, he managed to keep his hopes up.

Sometime he would reply the conversations he had with his friends. He could see their faces like it was
yesterday and hear their voices. It was a pale comparison to being with them in person. Yet it was
something that helped him pass the time in the dark void of his unconsciousness.

“Daelen…” a voice that sounded like Alanna’s yet different called out.

Daelen opened his eyes and looked around. There was no one there. “I must be losing my mind now.”

“Daelen Silvermane.”

It was clearer now, louder. “Who’s there?” the man asked searching.

Slowly the area began to lighten. Figures began to appear, though not very clear. “You should know who
we are, my friend.”

Daelen blinked as the figures began to come into view. “Alanna, Ogihci, Kyo, Rin, Adrian, Yondy.” He said
each name with excitement. He never could have thought he would see them like this one last time. “I
must be dreaming, or I’m already dead.”

“You’re very much alive, Daelen,” Rin said with a smile. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here to talk to you.”

Yondy smiled at his friend. “Yo, buddy. It’s good to see that you haven’t kicked the bucket yet.”

Daelen smiled. “I hope that you’re not disappointed in that, Yondy.”

Kyo seemed to chuckle slightly. “Actually we’re very much delighted that you are still among the living.
We have something to ask you.”

“Huh?” Daelen looked really confused. “What’s up?”

Adrian took a deep breath. “Daelen, we know you are on your way to face your own death, but there is
something that has taken place that could mean in another dying.”

Daelen looked concerned at this. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. With his death, his friends would live
on to fight the battle ahead of them. Now, one was going perish too. He began to ask who it was when
he realized one person was not in the group that should have been. “It’s Elayne, isn’t it?”
Alanna nodded. “You are correct, Daelen. Something is happening in Heru that is causing the land to die.
With the land’s slow death, it is also slowly killing Elayne. There is a strong bond between the ruler of
Heru and the land and its people.”

“There is a way to stop it, though,” Ogihci stated. “We found out from one of Elayne’s books.”

“That’s wonderful,” Daelen replied. “How can I help?”

All eyes turned to Adrian. His face was plastered with a wide range of emotions. “Daelen, the ritual we
found states that we have to find a person of high caliber… one who has a pure heart and does things
for his people. In addition, the ritual would mean a transfer of all powers and bonds from the current
ruler to the new one.” He took a deep breath. “This would mean that the new ruler would face what
Elayne is facing now.”

Daelen had a feeling he knew what was going on, but he didn’t want to jump to conclusions. “How do I
fit into this?”

“Daelen Silvermane,” Alanna began, “you have been deemed pure of heart and noble. We seek have
come before you asking if you would take upon you the title of ruler of Heru. This we place before you
as offered along with all of the power and bindings. Knowing what is offered and what it entails, do you
accept the position?”

Daelen held his head up high. Now he felt a sense of purpose with his death. “I, Daelen Silvermane,
accept the position with all that it entails. I pledge to rule Heru to the best of my abilities to the day I
die.”

Alanna nodded. “There offer has been accepted. Now the ruler must be notified. The ritual will begin
when the ruler agrees.” She bowed her head and then looked up at Daelen. “You are truly one of my
following, Daelen.”

Daelen smiled. “I’ve live to serve you and your teachings for a very long time, wise one.” He bowed in
return. “When shall the ceremony take place?”

“As soon as Elayne awakens, we’ll ask her,” Adrian replied. “If she agrees, then we’ll start the ritual
immediately. I don’t know all that it entails, but I’m sure Shiroi will.”

Alanna smiled. “Of course I will. I am the one performing the ceremony after all.” She bowed again. “We
must part ways again, Daelen. When it is time, I’ll appear before you. Do not let hatred sway your heart
in the meantime.”

“I live to serve, wise one,” Daelen replied. “I’ll steel my heart to the temptations of evil. When you
return, I will be ready.”

“Daelen, before we go,” Rin started, “where are you? What’s happening?”
Daelen sighed. He didn’t want to tell them, but there was no way they could interfere now. “I was
captured by acolytes of the demon empress. They are taking me to Heru as we speak.”

********

The night was a muggy on in Heru. Fog drifted lazily through the dead streets and into the empty
homes. It made its way up to the castle and surrounded it like a serpent waiting for its chance to strike.
Clouds hung low in the sky, threatening to dump the water once more on the land.

Diablo walked through the dark streets with ease. He didn’t need a torch to light the way. He felt better
in this haze. It felt almost like home.

He turned down a street that lead to the castle and then stopped. Up ahead was a shadow of a figure. It
stood still, unmoving even an inch. Diablo thought that it was just some lowly acolyte checking on some
imaginary spell lines. He started walking toward the figure.

“Don’t you think it’s late for your kind to walk these streets,” the demon general said in a loud voice.
“Shouldn’t you be checking the fences where the victims are held?”

“Shouldn’t the general be in bed by now?” a sinister voice asked. “It is quite past his bedtime.”

Diablo growled. “Who are you? How dare you insult me?”

“Who are you? Who are you?” the voice continued. “Why is it that those who are confronted by fear
have to ask such a stupid question?” The figure began to walk forward slowly. “After all,” its voice
became darker, “you already know who I am in a way.”

Terror seemed to flow from the figure and into Diablo, yet the general refused to show it. “So it’s you.
Have you come to tempt others away from Empress Shi’s following?”

The cloaked figure laughed. “Why would I do that, scared one?” It moved closer. “I have taken away the
one that could help her the most, even though she had other plans for him and you.” It moved around
the demon general. “If it is easier for you, call me Kurio. It’s not my true name, but it will do.”

Diablo growled at the words Kurio spoke. “You will not tempt me into betraying my empress, foul one.
You speak only lies.”

“So speaks the one who knows about speaking untruths.” Kurio continued to move around the demon
like a hunter stalking its prey. “You are too blind from the temporary power she has given you to realize
the truth, ignorant one. All of those that follow her here are blind to the fate you all face.”

Anger overrode the terror the demon general felt. A feral growl came from his throat. “You lowly
wretch. I’ll make you pay.” Diablo raised a hand and formed a ball of hellfire. “See you in hell.” He threw
it at Kurio.
Kurio raised a bony hand and caught the ball of hellfire. The figure began to play with the fire, moving it
along its fingers and back to the palm. “Please, you think this could hurt me? Boy, you have no idea who
you face.” Suddenly the fire vanished.

Diablo took a step back. “How could you stop that so easily? Who…. WHAT are you?”

Kurio slowly walked forward. “I’m the reason stories of the boogeyman exist.” With each step, the
cloaked figure seemed to get taller and the area darker. “I’m the reason people are afraid of the dark.
You are lucky that I chose not to kill you here, ignorant one. You are too important to the backstabber’s
plan as well as my own.”

Diablo watched as Kurio transformed. For the first time in his life, he was utterly afraid. It wasn’t long
before his scream could be heard in the night.

*******

In the castle, the demon empress stood looking out the window toward the ritual site. Shi smiled,
grateful to be able to walk at last. She didn’t need that lowly demon doctor after all. The acolytes helped
her along with this healing, bringing her victims from other realms to feed her. She felt strong and ready
to take on almost anything. Still, the woman knew that she was vulnerable until the ceremony was
complete.

A knock at her bedroom door brought Shi out of her thoughts and back to reality. “Come.”

The door opened, and a group of acolytes entered the room carrying a figure on a stretcher. “Empress,
we have brought the Draconic Watcher as you requested.”

Shi walked forward and looked down at the unconscious man. “My, my. I expected someone older that
this child. Still, if he is as powerful as you claim, he will fit Lathos’ role well.”

The head acolyte bowed. “It is as we have seen in the bones, Empress. He is the one to finish the ritual
so that you will regain your full power.”

“Did he put up a fight?” the demon empress asked as she trailed a finger down his clothed chest.

“Yes, Empress, he managed to kill one of our brothers before the trap snapped shut.”

“Interesting,” Shi commented as she looked over the figure like he was a slab of meat. “What is his
name?”

“Daelen Silvermane, Empress.”

A wicked smile graced her lips. “Daelen Silvermane, you may not know it now, but you will be the key to
my full return.” She looked at the acolytes. “Place him on the bed and secure the bonds.”
The acolytes bowed and did as they were told. Surprisingly, they were gently with Daelen’s unconscious
body. Once they had him in place and secure the bonds that would prevent him from moving, they
stepped back away from the bed. Kneeling they waited for their orders.

“Excellent, now leave us,” Shi commanded. “I wish to have time alone with this one.”

The acolytes bowed and left the room in a single file. As the door shut, the demon woman moved to the
bed and sat down next to Daelen. She brushed some stray hairs out of his face. “Too bad Lathos had to
betray me. He would have finally gotten his wish, though he would have died at the end.” She leaned
down towards the man’s lips. “I guess you have to take his place even though it is a temporary solution.”

Just before Shi could do anything, a scream echoed through the castle.

******

Moans could be heard in the cabin bedroom. It wasn’t an easy jaunt, leaving one’s body and then
returning. In fact, all of the group was exhausted. Alanna was the hardest hit as she instantly fell
backward against the headboard. Her head hit the wood roughly.

Ogihci moved to Alanna as best as he could. “Are you okay, Lolo?”

Alanna’s silver eyes looked up at Ogihci. “She is fine, Ogihci, as am I. She will have a little bit of a
headache though.” Her eyes began to close. “I think it’s time for me to allow us to both rest. I’ll return
when Elayne awakens.” Before Ogihci could respond, she was asleep.

Ogihci sat on the floor and leaned against the bed. “I have to second the notion of rest. I don’t think I
can move from this spot.”

Yondy fell to the floor. “Ahh…. The floor feels so soft.” He was out in a matter of moments.

Adrian lay down at the foot of the bed. “I’m too tired to argue either. I feel like I’ve been through the
ringer and back again.”

Kyo somehow stood and picked up Rin in his arms. He walked out the room though his walk was shaky.
“I think I’ll spend some time alone with Rin in the living room.” He didn’t see the knowing smiles on
Adrian and Ogihci’s faces.

Rin looked up through tired eyes at Kyo and smiled softly. “We could have stayed in there, Kyo. You’re
shaking with each step.”

“I don’t mind,” Kyo replied. “I just want to spend time with you.” He finally made it to the couch and sat
down, still holding Rin. “See, I made it without falling.”

Rin giggled and pulled his face to hers, kissing his lips softly. “Why do you make the smallest things seem
so wonderful?”
Kyo rested his forehead against hers and rubbed noses gently. “Because every moment I spend with you
is wonderful, Rin.” He did his best to hide a yawn but failed.

Rin laughed and leaned back toward the couch. “Let’s take a nap, dear. We both need it.”

Kyo nodded and allowed himself to fall gently onto the couch as Rin turned to face the fireplace. He
wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her body close until her back touched his chest. To him, it
felt natural, like it was meant to be. His face fell into her hair, and he inhaled the sweet aroma it
presented. “I love you, Rin.”

Rin relaxed in his arms, sighing happily. “I love you too, Kyo.”

In a matter of moments, the two fell asleep, smiles upon their faces.

*******

Lathos stared at the book. He couldn’t believe what he had read. It wasn’t possible. Yet each time he
read the page, it became more and more concrete.

“I can’t believe it,” he said in a soft voice. “The ritual that the demon empress is performing… this is
more than the one I’ve done before. She’s going to sacrifice not only the humans, but the demons and
the land itself on top of that.”

Anna nodded and sighed. “This ritual will return her to full power and then some. If it goes as she has
planned, it will take a miracle for us to stop her.”

“Then we have to stop her now before she gets that chance,” Lathos said standing. “We can’t allow her
to threaten all life like this.”

“You will do nothing but wait,” Kurio said as it suddenly appeared in the seat in the dark corner.

The vampires turned and looked at the dark figure. “Why? If we wait, Shi will win,” Lathos said, finding it
hard to contain the anger he was feeling.

“On the contrary, if you interfere, you will allow her to win.” Kurio leaned back in the chair and folded its
bony hands before its chest. “Trust me. Things are going as planned.”

“Trust you? You are asking us to just sit back and allow Shi to kill hundreds of thousands of people and
destroy Heru without even attempting to stop her,” Anna shouted. “How can we just sit back and allow
this?”

“Because,” Kurio said leaning forward. “the demon empress will find a nasty little trap waiting for her
when she performs the ritual. Unfortunately for her, when she finds out, it will be too late for her.”
 Chapter 36

As the sun peeked over the horizon in between the thin clouds and the morning fog, Aicerno found
himself walking slowly to his living quarters. The night in the infirmary had been a busy one. It seemed
as soon as he got done healing the recruits, another patient would come in with severe injuries. The
captain silently cursed the 11th Division for their love to spar even during the early morning hours. Now
at sunrise, Aicerno left the infirmary in the capable hands of his members.

He knew that it wouldn’t do him any good to collapse when he was needed the most. Thankfully, when
it was time for him to take a break, no new patients arrived. Aicerno sighed as he walked. If he had his
vice captain, he wouldn’t have been so overworked. The vice captain could have assisted him in the
emergency.

The former 8th Division member stopped in his tracks and slapped his forehead. “I keep forgetting to tell
them the news, especially to Lolo. I’ll have to do that later when I rejoin the group. Hopefully by now
they have found a way to save Elayne.”

“Do you always talk to yourself so early in the morning, Aicerno?”

The captain turned and came face to face with Lori. She held several books and had her hair pulled back,
ready for the day ahead. Aicerno smiled. “Not always, Lori. I just came off a 24 hour shift and dealt with
numerous emergencies last night. On top of my exhaustion, I remembered that I still need to announce
the good news.”

Lori smiled in return. “I see. You still need to tell Lolo that she’s the new vice captain I take it.” She
looked at her watched and then back to the captain. “I’m sorry, Aicerno, but I have to cut this short. I’m
running late with an important meeting with my captain.”

“Of course,” Aicerno replied with a bow. He thought a moment. “Lori, when all of this mess is over, do
you think we could go out for some dinner?”

Lori blushed. “I would love to, Aicerno. Just remind me when the current situation has calmed down.”
She rushed pass him. “See you later. Get some rest,” she yelled over her shoulder.

Aicerno smiled and watched her vanish around the corner. He was looking forward to the dinner date.
He turned toward his living quarters and started to walk again, thinking about Lori and the date. He was
already planning on what to bring to the dinner and wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. It
wasn’t long before he ran into someone.

“You know, Aicerno, I’m the one normally not paying attention to where I’m walking,” Jessy said as she
caught herself and braced Aicerno from falling.

“Forgive me, Jessy. My thoughts were elsewhere.” Aicerno yawned. “And I’m extremely tired.”

“Ahh, I see. I heard about the recruits and the 11th Division members playing late at night.” Jessy patted
his shoulder. “It must be hard not having a vice captain to assist you.”
“I have one,” Aicerno replied with a yawn. “She just unavailable at the time, and I’ve forgotten to tell her
as well.”

“I must say that it’s quite unlike you to forget something like that, but then again things have been
rather hectic lately.” Jessy smiled. “I see that you are about to fall asleep on your feet. Would you like
me to help you get into bed?”

Aicerno saw a glint of mischief in Jessy’s eyes. “I think I’ll pass on the offer, Jessy. Something tells me
you would do something as soon as I was in bed and passed out.”

“What? Me? Do something to you? I would never think about it.” Jessy grinned. “I’m sweet and
innocent, you know.”

Aicerno shook his head as he went by and chuckled. “You’re as sweet and innocent as a pitbull, Jessy. I’ll
talk to you later. My bed is calling me. I need a nap before I head out to Elayne and Adrian’s cabin.”

“Goodnight, Aicerno,” Jessy replied as she turned to watch him leave. “Tell them that I still owe them for
helping Nikki pie me.”

Aicerno threw up a hand in a wave as he laughed. It felt like it had been a life time ago since he last was
able to enjoy a conversation like this. As he got closer to where he slept, he began to wonder if there
would be more of them. So many things were happening so quickly. At that very moment a friend lay
slowly dying, her fate hinged on what was in a book that only she and Alanna’s zanpakuto spirit could
read. He hoped that during the night the small group in the cabin had made at least some progress.

Just as he was opening the door to his chambers, Aicerno felt something hit him in the back. Sighing, he
thought that maybe he wasn’t meant to sleep just yet. He felt his haori where the object hit and brought
his hand up to his face. It was covered with yellow cake and icing. He felt around the area and found the
reiatsu of the one who threw the cake.

“Nikki, while I know you are doing this out of the need to have fun, can we do this another day?” The
captain sighed. “I’m very tired and just want to rest.”

Nikki came out from behind a tree, pouting. “Aww, but I wanted to play.” She smiled at Aicerno’s back.
“Sorry, but I’ve been waiting there all night. Jessy told me she would buy me dinner if I did it.”

Aicerno turned with a faint smile and a soft chuckle. “Well, you better make sure she pays up.” He
stretched and yawned. “Is there anything else you need me for?”

“Well,” Nikki started as she rubbed the back of her head, “there is something, but I think it can wait until
you’ve gotten some rest.”

The man sighed. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell me, Nikki?”

“No, I can’t do that. If I do, you won’t go to bed. So, you just have to be a good captain and go to bed. If
you’re really good, I’ll bring you something delicious to eat.” Nikki smiled.
“Nikki, just tell me before I decide to bakudo you.” Aicerno replied as he fought to keep his eyes opened.

Nikki sighed. “I won’t tell you everything until you’ve rested.” She shrugged. “Besides, it’s not like you
can do anything at the moment.”

Aicerno rolled his eyes. “Fine, whatever.” He could hear the faint, pleading call of his bed. “At least tell
me if it is from someone or about something.”

Nikki nodded. “Well, it’s a message from Anna. She said that it would be better to tell everyone at the
same time.” She turned and ran off, shouting, “Night, Aicerno.”

Aicerno watched the 8th Division member leave and then turned back to the door. He walked inside and
to his bed. It wasn’t long before he collapsed onto the soft mattress already fast asleep.

********

It took the acolytes until morning to find the one who had screamed during the night. When they came
upon the unconscious Diablo, they didn’t have to second guess who it was. The look of terror was still on
his face even though he was out cold. On orders of the demon empress, they took Diablo back to the
castle and placed him in an unoccupied bed.

Shi walked into the room after the acolytes had left and sat down on the bed. A look of disgusted graced
her face. How could her general be frightened of anything? He was suppose to be unshakeable, a
symbol of terror himself. Yet, here he was unconscious, cleaned up from having soiled himself, and still
his face holding the unabashed terror. The demon woman was tempted to send him to the prison camp
for showing this weakness.

Suddenly, Shi slapped Diablo across his face. “Wake up, you spineless dog.” She continued to slap him.
“Wake up and face me, you yellow belly piece of shit.”

It was about the tenth slap before Diablo began to stir. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around
the room. “Where am I? Is it still here?”

Shi growled. “You are in the castle, worm.” She glared at him. “Who are you so frighten of that you
would scream like a human girl?”

Diablo looked embarrassed at her comment and felt like hiding from her gaze. Yet, he knew it would
make matters worse. He swallowed hard and then took a breath. “The ancient one came to me last
night. It revealed to me what it was, its true nature.” Diablo looked away. “Forgive me, Empress, but I
could not control the terror that I felt when it revealed itself.”

At Diablo’s words, the demon empress’ face seemed to lessen its anger. Shi took a deep breath and
looked at the general. “I see. Since it was that creature, I will give you another chance, Diablo. Do not fail
me in any way again, or you will find yourself among the humans as a sacrifice.”

Diablo sat up and bowed his head toward her. “Thank you, Empress. I will not let you down again.”
Shi stood and walked toward the door. “Good. Now I want you to make your rounds. Make sure
everyone is doing their job, but leave the acolytes alone. They answer to me and only me.”

Diablo got out of bed. “I understand, Empress. Is there anything else you wish for me to do or anything I
should be aware of?”

The demon woman paused at the door. “We have a replacement for the traitor Lathos. Still, I want you
to continue searching for him. If you find him, bring him to me immediately.” With that, she left.

Diablo sighed, hanging his head. He never thought he would be embarrassed to show his face to others.
Yet after last night, he knew that things would be different, at least with the acolytes and his empress.
He didn’t think Shi or the acolytes would speak of the matter to his soldiers, but he couldn’t be
completely sure. Still, he knew that he had no choice but to go out and do as ordered.

With his head held high, Diablo walked out of the bedroom with a sense of purpose. He would perform
his duties to the utmost of his abilities. He would make sure everything was running smoothly so that his
empress would get the ritual she wanted. Above all, he would find the traitor and bring him back.

*******

It wasn’t the sound of tweeting birds that brought her awake. It wasn’t a beam of sunlight that
ruthlessly found its way to her eyes. It wasn’t the smell of freshly made coffee. No, Rin was awaken by
first falling into the floor and then the unconscious Kyo landing on top of her. Though the fall did cause
jarring pain through her body, it was drowned out by the fact that Kyo’s face rest on her face.

Blushing she reached up and caressed his face, marveling at how peaceful he looked as he slept. Rin
couldn’t help but blush at the close proximity their bodies were currently in. It was nice just to lie like
this, without a care in the world. She just hoped that it could last a little longer.

As she caressed his face, Kyo’s eyes slowly opened. At first, they seemed dazed and unsure of where he
was. Then she saw the focus come and then the blush to his face. He swallowed hard as he began to
move off of Rin.

“I’m sorry, Rin. I didn’t’ mean to.” Kyo moved to a kneeling position next to her and began to help her
up. “Are you okay?”

Rin blushed and kissed his cheek as she sat up. “I’m fine, Kyo. I don’t think you were the cause of me
ending on the floor under you.” She blushed at the last few words. “I think I got restless and accidently
pulled you with me.”

The young man blushed and helped Rin to stand. “Well, I must say it is a wonderful way to wake up.”

Rin blushed more; unable to find words to say to him. It was that time that Ogihci came out of the
bedroom, interrupting the moment. “Sorry to come in between you two, but Adrian wanted me to see if
you two would like to eat the dinner you brought us yesterday. I’ve taken the liberty of reheating
everything. Come in before it gets cold again.”
Kyo and Rin blushed and giggled before following Ogihci into the bedroom. They were surprised to see
both Elayne and Alanna awake and eating. They noticed that the silver glow was not in Alanna’s eyes.
Rin grabbed plates for them as Kyo moved to Alanna and gave her a hug.

Alanna was confused as first and then hugged him back. “Hi, ototochan. What did I do to deserve a
hug?”

Kyo released the hug and smiled. “Well, we haven’t seen you as yourself for like a day. It’s nice to see
you without the glowing eyes.” Kyo moved back to where Rin was and helped her with the plates.

“Well, it’s good to be awake, but I’m afraid it won’t be for long,” Alanna replied.

Rin paused in what she was doing and looked at her aunt. “So, as soon as we’re done eating, the
ceremony will take place.”

Elayne nodded. “I managed to have some extra energy this morning, and eating is helping some.” She
looked at Adrian with a worried look. “I don’t know how long it will last, so as soon as Alanna and I are
finished we’ll start. Well, that is if Yondy returns soon.”

“Did someone call?” Yondy stood in the doorway with wet hair. “I rushed over as fast as I could after I
got dressed.”

“That’s a good thing. I don’t think we wanted to see you in the buff,” Adrian replied as he took a bite of
his food. This caused everyone to laugh hard.

Ogihci sat down and began to eat while Yondy picked up a plate. “Why did Yondy need to be here? I’m a
little confused on that part.”

Elayne finished her food and handed the plate to Adrian who was finished as well. “Well, I’m hoping he
has an object that belonged to Daelen. Otherwise, we cannot perform the ritual.”

Yondy sat down in between Ogihci and the duo of Kyo and Rin. “Well, he gave me the talisman that
hangs around my neck. Will that do?”

Adrian smiled. “I think that is just perfect, but we’ll need the wise one to tell us for sure.”

Alanna suddenly stopped eating and closed her eyes. After a few moments, her eyes opened to reveal
the silver glow. “Please allow me to see the necklace, Yondy.”

Yondy took the necklace off and handed it to Alanna. “Here you go. I hope it’s enough.”

Alanna took the necklace in her hand and looked at the talisman. A small smile crept onto her face. “This
is just what we need. Now, Kyo, you must assist with the dagger you possess.”

Kyo swallowed the bite of food he had and nodded. “Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“Is there anything that I can do to help?” Rin asked as she put down her fork, already finished with her
meal.

Elayne nodded. “Can you create a barrier around this room? We cannot allow anyone to interfere in the
ritual.”

Rin nodded. “I can do that. Will I be inside or out?”

“Unfortunately, you will be outside of the room along with Ogihci, Adrian, and Yondy,” Alanna replied.
She raised her hand when she saw the three men about to argue. “Ogihci, you will need to assist Rin
with the barrier. Adrian and Yondy, you will need to protect them from attack. We all have a part in this
that we must play.”

Ogihci sighed and then nodded. “Very well, I will do what I must.” He stood and put his plate on the
nearest table. “When do we start?”

“Immediately,” Elayne replied. “I don’t know how much longer I can stay awake.”

Adrian moved from his place though he looked as if he wanted to stay. At the door, he paused and
looked back. “Good luck. See you when the ceremony has finished.” With that, he left.

Rin kissed Kyo softly. “Make sure you follow her instructions and stay safe, dear.”

Kyo smiled and kissed her back. “Don’t worry, Rin. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Rin smiled and walked out the door followed by Yondy. Ogihci was the only one left. He looked at
Alanna and fought the urge to kiss her. He didn’t want to kiss her when she wasn’t aware of what was
going on. “Don’t let anything happen to Lolo.”

Alanna nodded. “I won’t.”

Ogihci nodded and turned to Kyo. “Keep an eye out for anything that may harm her, okay?”

“Don’t worry, Ogi. I’ll protect them both with my life if I must,” Kyo replied.

Satisfied, Ogihci left the room. Kyo moved to the bed and unsheathed the dagger. He sat on the bed and
looked at the two women. “I’m ready when you are.”

Alanna took a deep breath. “Once the barrier is up, we can begin.”

********

Nikki sat on a bench in the park. It was mid-morning, and she found herself bored. She knew that Jessy
and Lori were busy with meetings. Romi on the other hand was on assignment and trying to take care of
some rouge hollows. To top it off, Aicerno was asleep, and the others seemingly vanished.

Sighing, Nikki looked up to the sky and watched as a few random clouds floated by. She really wanted to
do something, anything, to relieve this boredom she felt. She thought about sneaking into someone’s
office and setting up some pranks. She changed her mind when she thought of the possible
consequences.

It was then that Nikki felt several reiatsu rising slightly. Curious, Nikki stood and began to shunpo toward
the source. She could feel something change in the reiatsu and wondered what could be happening.
Before she knew it, Nikki was at the small cabin in the wood. It was there that she saw what was
happening.

Rin and Ogihci were creating a barrier around the cabin. Again curiosity got the best of her, and Nikki
walked forward. “Hi, everyone. What’s going on?”

Yondy turned and waved at Nikki. “Hi, Nikki. Rin and Ogi are putting up a barrier so that Alanna, Kyo,
and Elayne will not get interrupted.”

“Interrupted?” Nikki scratched her head. “What are they doing that doesn’t need interruption?”

“They are performing a ritual to save Elayne’s life,” Adrian replied as he surveyed the area. “The wise
one wanted the barrier in case someone tried to interfere.”

“I see.” Nikki walked a little closer. “Can I help? I could assist with the barrier.”

“That would be great, Mom,” Rin called without looking. “Maybe we should take turns with the barrier.
When one feels like they are about to their limit, the other will take over.”

“That’s a good idea, Rin,” Ogihci replied. “How about we do it on rotation of every hour to switch out
one person? That way we don’t push ourselves to exhaustion.”

“Okay, that sounds like a plan.” Nikki looked better the two. “I’ll take over for Rin first and then a hour
later, she can take over for you, Ogi.”

“Glad you three have that figured out.” Adrian grabbed his weapon and tested the weight of it in his
hands. “Yondy and I will make sure no one interferes in either the barrier or the ritual inside.”

Nikki nodded. “So when does this ritual begin?”

“That is left up to the one performing the ritual,” Adrian replied.

*********

In the bedroom belonging to the demon empress, something began to happen. At first it was small and
unnoticeable. Then it began to grow. A blue light appeared over Daelen as he lay still unconscious on
Shi’s bed. It grew and surrounded him and the bed.

It was about the time that the light finished surrounding the bed when Shi walked in. She stood there,
staring at the light and wondering where it came from. Once over the initial confusion, the demon
walked toward the bed. When she reached the light, she felt a slight electric charge run through her.
“What the…” Shi slowly reached up to touch the light. Again she felt the charge though it was stronger
this time. “How is this happening? I thought the acolytes blocked Daelen’s powers.”

Turning, the demon empress went out the door in search for the acolytes in charge.

*******

Alanna looked at Elayne. “It is time. Are you ready?”

Elayne nodded. “I am. Let’s begin.”

Alanna smiled. “From the dawn of time and the first leaders of Heru began their rule, magic has been a
part of the people and the land. The founders of Heru knew that this could be misused by those in
power and formed a way to lessen the chances of corruption. So became the bond of life between the
rulers of Heru and the land and its people.”

Alanna placed a hand upon Elayne. “The bond is a sacred oath, unspoken and unbreakable save through
the means of giving everything to a new ruler. The magic of Heru and its people demand that the one
chosen be of noble quality, with a pure heart, and one who will serve the people wholeheartedly.” She
looked up Elayne. “Are you ready to accept the consequences of giving up everything you have to
another?”

Elayne took a deep breath. “I am ready to accept the consequences laid forth by my ancestors. I give up
my right to rule, my powers, and my bond to the one that has been chosen and has agreed to accept
them. I do so with a sound mind, not influence to my decision made in any way.”

Alanna nodded. “The acknowledgement has been made and accepted.” She lifted the talisman from her
lap. “This item belongs to the one chosen. It possesses a link to him unbreakable by time and space. For
the transfer to begin, a single drop of your blood must fall upon this item. Do you wish to continue?”

Elayne held out her left hand. “I do wish for the ceremony to continue. Take a drop of my blood and
place upon the talisman. Let the transfer begin.”

Alanna looked at Kyo. “Keeper of the dagger, use your blade and prick the finger of the ruler of Heru.
Make the cut quick and to allow only a single drop.”

Kyo nodded. “I will do as asked. My blade will be steady as I puncture her finger for a single drop of
blood.” Kyo found it strange that he knew the ritual so well. It was as if it was a part of him from the
time he was born. He gently took Elayne’s finger and pricked the end with the tip of the dagger.

As Kyo turned the finger over, Alanna moved the talisman under the finger. “A single drop of blood is
needed to begin the transfer. A single drop began the bond, and a single drop will end it. Allow the
blood to fall upon the item below.”
Elayne nodded at Kyo who began to gently squeeze her finger. “A single drop of my blood I give to the
new ruler. A single drop is given to symbolize my trust and faith in him. With this single drop, so do I
begin the transfer.”

A single drop of blood dripped off of Elayne’s finger and hit the talisman that Alanna held beneath. “As
the ritual has demanded, so has the price been given. This simple act opens the doorway between the
two and initiates the transfer of bond and powers.” She looked at both Kyo and Elayne. “Your part has
completed. It is time for you to rest. Close your eyes and sink into the sweet embrace of sleep.”

As the last words were said, Kyo and Elayne fell asleep. Kyo managed to lean against the wall and was
sliding to the floor. Alanna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “As the one performing this
ceremony, I call upon the ancient powers of old to heed my call. Open the path to the one of choice so
that the powers and bonds may be transferred.”

With that, Alanna collapsed onto the bed.

******

Daelen was still floating in the dark void. It seemed like eternity had passed since his friends had came to
him. He missed them dearly, though he knew that this was for the good of all life. He kept his eyes
closed as he drifted in the black room of his mind.

Without warning, a bright light appeared, causing him to open his eyes. Daelen watched in awe as the
light grew from just a pinpoint to something he never thought he would see ever. The moment it fully
appeared, he knelt out of respect. His head bowed low.

“Wise one, it is a honor for you to grace me with your presence. How may I be of service?”

Before Daelen stood a white dragon with one red eye and one blue eye. Shiroi smiled at Daelen. “Daelen
Silvermane, chosen ruler of Heru, the time of the transfer is here. I come before you seeking your
acceptance of the title and all it entails.”

Daelen stood. “I accept the titles of ruler of Heru and take upon me the powers and bonds that are
associated with that title. I pledge to do what is best for Heru and its people until the day I die.”

Before Daelen, his talisman appeared. Shiroi nodded. “Your acceptance has been heard and
acknowledge. Take the item that is yours into your hand. Open your heart and mind to the transfer and
all involved.”

Daelen reached up and took the necklace into his hand. He felt a slight heat to the metal but did not
release. “My mind and heart are open. Let the transfer begin.”

Shiroi nodded. “Ancient spirits of Heru, here my call. The ritual has began and acceptance given for both
involved. Open the channels between the two and allow the transfer to begin.”

Daelen was suddenly blinded by a bright light.

 *********

It had been three hours since the barrier had been raised. Nikki sat on the ground as she recovered
while Rin and Ogihci continued to hold the barrier. “How will we know if the ceremony is over?”

Adrian shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll feel it or maybe Kyo will come out and tell us.”

“I didn’t know that a ritual could take this long,” Yondy commented. “I hope it doesn’t continue too
much longer.”

“Just focus on protect us,” Rin said wearily. “It will end when it does.”

A bright blue beam of light erupted from the roof of the cabin and continued up to the sky. The outside
group watched the beam as it seemed to continue without stopping for several minutes. Then as
suddenly as it began, the light disappeared. The group looked at each other.

“Does that mean the ritual is over?” Ogihci asked.

“I don’t know,” Rin replied, “but the barrier is gone.”

******

In the dark bedroom of Anna, Kurio sat in a corner watching the sleeping vampires. The cloaked figure
had to actually use a spell to knock them out so that they didn’t ruin its plans. After all, it wanted to
make sure that the demon empress wouldn’t realize until it was too late to do anything about it.
Hopefully, Shi wouldn’t realize the danger at all.

The sudden spike in power caught Kurio’s attention. It leaned back in the chair and chuckled softly. “It
seems that the ritual is complete. The trap will snap shut when that backstabbing fool performs her own
ritual.”
 Chapter 37

As soon as Adrian heard Rin say that the barrier was gone, he ran into the house followed by the others.
He didn’t stop until he was at Elayne’s side. He took her hand and looked over her completely. What he
saw astonished him.

Elayne looked as if nothing had taken place to cause her to come close to death. Her hair was lustrous
and silky. Her skin held the same magnificent glow as the day he met her. Her breathing was steady and
strong. It was like she never faced death.

“I can’t believe it,” Adrian breathed as he stroked Elayne’s face. “It worked. She’s going to live.”

Rin knelt next to Kyo and checked him. “Kyo’s okay. He’s just asleep. How’s Lolo?”

Ogihci was next to his fiancé and looked over her. “Lolo is okay too, though I don’t know how long she’ll
be out.”

Yondy and Nikki looked over the scene. Nikki stretched. “Well, I’m glad this ceremony worked. I know
that after I get back to my bed, I’m going to sleep for a long time.”

“Well, I haven’t worked that hard,” Yondy replied with a smile. “I guess I can go out partying tonight.”

The group laughed. Rin smiled. “Well, I won’t go all out on that if I were you. You never know what
tomorrow will bring,” she said.

Yondy rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say I would get drunk. I can’t stand alcohol truthfully.”

Ogihci laughed. “Well, you are among the rare few shinigami that don’t drink in some sort of fashion.”
He brushed some hair back from Alanna’s face. “Honestly, until this stuff has passed, I don’t think I can
do any partying.”

A moan from Kyo drew their attention to the young man. He opened his eyes and smiled at Rin. “Do I
win a kiss for helping?”

Rin blushed and leaned forward. “Of course, Kyo.” She kissed him softly on the lips.

Nikki whistled. “Look at the lovebirds. They look so cute together.”

Rin leaned up and glared at her mom. “Why did you have to ruin a nice moment?”

“That’s part of my job as your mom,” Nikki replied with a smile. “That and to tell embarrassing stories to
all your friends.”

Adrian looked confused. “Mothers do that here?”

“Oh, yes,” Nikki replied. “It’s an ancient tradition that goes way back to the first caveman families.”

Ogihci laughed. “And you probably know this because you’re just as old as a caveman.”
As Nikki looked for something to throw at Ogihci, a knock came to the door. They turned to see Aicerno
standing in the doorway looking like he just rolled out of bed. “You know, Nikki, I should bankai you for
making me lose sleep.”

“What are you talking about, Aicerno?” Nikki moved to a bench with a pillow and picked it up. “When I
left you, you went inside and passed out on your bed, snoring.”

Aicerno rolled his eyes. “I got 5 minutes of sleep before I woke up wondering what that damn message
was.” He yawned. “I tried to go back to sleep but could only sleep for like 10 minutes at the most before
my mind woke me up.”

Nikki threw the pillow at Ogihci who ducked before it reached him, causing the pillow to hit the sleeping
Alanna. As Ogihci quickly moved to check on her, Nikki laughed. “Well, maybe you should have came
here sooner. Then you could have gone back to bed.”

Kyo stood slowly with the help of Rin. “You know, Nikki, I’m going to laugh when Aicerno-taichou
decides to bakudo you.” He laughed. “How about you just tell the message so that we can get over this
comedy routine?”

Nikki sighed. “Oh, fine. Anna came to me last night and told me that a demon named Lathos came to her
room with the cloaked figure from before. She said that the demon has become a vampire and is
currently reading the prophecies to learn the truth about his former leader.”

It seemed that Aicerno brightened up somewhat when he heard the message. “So we have a potential
ally with this Lathos?”

“Lathos,” Adrian said in a quiet tone. He sat quietly and thought. The name was familiar, but he couldn’t
quite place it. He looked at Elayne, and then it came to him. “Lathos was the demon doctor for Shi, the
demon empress. He has more power than he lets on, though he tends to keep it hidden. He’s mostly a
loner when it comes to the other demons.”

Yondy sighed. “So you’re saying that he’s more neutral than a help?”

“No, on the contrary, Lathos is very helpful. His healing magic is very strong, maybe on par with that of
the 4th Division,” Adrian replied. “If he’s left Shi’s side and seeking out the truth, then the potential for
him joining our side is tremendous.”

“Well then, shouldn’t we send a welcoming committee or a gift basket?” Nikki asked. She smiled. “I
know, we’ll get him a bottle of red wine, some cheddar cheese and crackers.”

Rin glanced at Nikki and shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder if you could ever be serious, Mom.” She
turned to Aicerno. “What should we do now? Isn’t there a risk that he’s a spy for the demon empress?”

“The only thing we can do is send someone to check it out,” Aicerno replied. “Of course, we’ll have to
wait until night fall as the vampires will still be sleeping.”
“Let me go,” Nikki replied. “I am a vampire after all and will get in to see Anna easier than anyone else
here.”

Aicerno nodded. “I’ll send a request to your captain. Hopefully by dusk, you’ll have your orders.”

“What about the rest of us?” Yondy asked. “I know that Adrian will want to stay with Elayne and Ogi
with Lolo, but I’m available for duty. I’m actually on leave with my division.”

“Stay here and help protect the women,” Aicerno replied as he turned. “I’m going to head back to bed
and try to rest. Rin. Kyo. I’ll leave you to do as you wish or as your captains’ order.”

Kyo looked at Rin and smiled. “Care to go for a walk and grab something to eat?”

“Sure, let’s go,” Rin replied before kissing his cheek.

Behind them Nikki began to sing. “Rin and Kyo sitting in a tree…”

******

The bedroom door flung open with an unbound rage as Shi walked in a rush. She moved toward the bed
and pointed as the acolytes followed. “See! I thought you said that his powers were blocked, and he
couldn’t use them. How do you explain this barrier?”

The head acolyte moved closer to the barrier and placed his hand on the surface. After a few moments,
he faced the demon woman. “The barrier is not of his own creation, Empress. Someone else has created
it.”

Shi glared at the demon. “Are you saying that someone came in here and did this?” She growled. “Who
would have this kind of power?”

“Empress, the barrier is not that hard to break,” the acolyte responded. “We could remove it within the
hour.”

The demon empress growled. That statement made her extremely angry. She was not strong enough to
break a simple barrier and had to rely on these lowly minions. The woman grabbed the acolyte by his
robes.

“You listen to me and don’t think of arguing. I want you and your brothers to speed up the preparations
for the ritual.” Shi growled and pushed him away. “I want the ritual performed tonight.”

“Empress, even if we rushed, the soonest we could perform the ceremony will be tomorrow night. You
will miss the effects of the full blood moon.” The head acolyte bowed low, trying to shed the light of
reasoning on his master.

“I don’t care. Do what you have to do to make up for the loss,” the woman replied. “I don’t care if you
have to go back to our home world and bring back every last demon there. If not tonight, we will do it
first thing tomorrow morning.”
“But, Empress…”

“I SAID TOMORROW MORNING!” Shi’s eyes were glowing brightly. “I will not accept no for an answer or
your pathetic excuses. Do not make me add you to the ritual as well.”

The acolyte shook visibly. “As you wish, Empress.” He bowed low and turned, heading out the door in a
rush. The others followed.

Shi turned back to the bed and glared. “I don’t know what’s going on, but no one is going to keep me
from my goals. After the ritual tomorrow, all will perish in the darkness that spreads. I’ll regain my
powers and take my true form. To hell with this false shell.” The woman walked to the nearest mirror
and stared. “Tomorrow, they’ll all tremble in fear when I’m my true self.”

********

Kurio sat in the corner chair, watching the two vampires rest. It was fascinated by the fact that they
clung to one another like each was a lifeline. For two days now, it noticed that Anna would reach for
Lathos first, drawing him into her chest. Was this some sort of motherly instinct?

Even though it was fascinated by the display, Kurio could care less about emotions. After all, it was
devoid of most of the ‘lovey dovey’ emotions that made humans so weak. It had to restrain itself from
tearing the vampires limb from limb. It was always something that Kurio just couldn’t stomach.

Yet, it was not time for their deaths. Kurio knew that they had roles to fill out in its scheme for revenge.
Yes, the demon empress’ fate was already sealed, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t help it along some.
After all, it was just returning the favor.

A tingle ran through Kurio before a soft chuckle filled the corner. It stood and walked away from the
bed. “So, they did it. Excellent.” It moved to the desk where the blood was stored and caressed the
bottle. “Another nail has been placed in her coffin. I love it when things come together so perfectly.”

******

The sun was starting to set over the horizon, and Nikki was packing a bag. She wanted to make sure that
she had everything she needed for the trip and to offer a tribute to Anna as leader of her clan. The
vampire queen of Soul Society double checked the bag and made sure it was enough. Satisfied, she
moved to the door of the citadel and opened it.

Jessy stood facing her, tapping her foot. “Just where do you think you’re going, sis?”

Nikki smiled. “I’m heading to the living world. I’ve been given an assignment to visit Anna and assess the
situation there.”

“Good. I’m going with you.” Jessy lifted a bag. “My captain decided I should go with you and make sure
things don’t go bad for anyone.”
Nikki sighed and nodded. “Fine, but you have to follow my lead in this. We can’t goof off like we
normally do. Her clan will rip us apart if we do.”

Jessy put her bag on her back. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything stupid. I know when to be
serious, Nikki.” She poked her head through the door and looked around. “Where’s Janos? Isn’t he going
with us?”

Nikki’s gaze fell. “I don’t know where he is. He vanished not long after Anna left.” She adjusted the bag
on her shoulder and pushed past Jessy. “I don’t need him anyway.”

Jessy turned and watched her sister a few moments before following. She kept quiet for as long as she
could, which turned out to be about 3 minutes. “I’m sorry, Nikki. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Nikki shrugged, not looking at Jessy. “It’s okay. It’s just the fact that he’s never done anything like this.
I’m just worried a little.” She took a deep breath. “You’re the first person to know.”

Jessy caught up with Nikki and wrapped her in a hug. “Hey, don’t let him get you down. I’m sure he’s out
finding you some nice hunk of meat to drain.” She leaned back and smiled.

Nikki couldn’t help but smile slightly. “Thanks, Jessy.” She took a deep breath. “Well, let’s go. We need
to get there as soon as we can.”

Jessy saluted Nikki. “Aye, aye, Captain. Ready to set sail.”

Nikki began to crack up.

*******

Diablo moved along his normal path, going about his routine. He was hoping that by some miracle a
shred of news on the whereabouts of Lathos would surface. So far he only heard rumors of some beetle
demon’s attempt to stir a rebellion back in their home dimension, and that one of his majors was
expecting a baby boy soon. Diablo licked his lips. He wished he had a baby boy to eat.

As the general turned the corner, he ran into the acolyte from before. Mindful of Shi’s orders, Diablo
stepped wide of the demon and made to walk on past. Yet, the acolyte moved into his path. “General,
we have need of your assistance.”

Diablo was about to argue, but he changed his mind. If the demon empress found out that he didn’t
assist the acolyte when asked, she could punish him severely. “How can I help?”

“The empress has commanded us to speed up the ritual preparations,” he began. “She wanted to
perform the ceremony tomorrow morning. We’ve tried to persuade her to wait until the full blood
moon, but her mind is set.”

“What does this have to do with me?” Diablo asked. He was getting impatient, wanting to return his
manhunt.
“While we can prepare the grounds by morning, we will not have enough sacrifices to make up for the
power difference.” The acolyte closed his eyes. “The empress has command us to find enough to do so,
even if we have to get all the demons from our home realm. Yet, we wish not to do that. Do you have a
suggestion for where we could obtain such vast amount of people to give to the ceremony?”

Diablo thought a moment and then looked at the demon before him. “Do they have to be actual living,
breathing people?”

“No, they do not,” the acolyte replied. “We need only to harvest the souls of the creatures to help
power the ritual as the empress commanded.”

A wicked smile crossed Diablo’s face. “I think I have the solution for you then. How does a large amount
of human souls ripe for the picking sound?”

**********

Elayne opened her eyes and blinked a few times in the light. Somehow it seemed so much brighter than
before. She marveled how the smell of food seemed to be stronger too. Sitting up, she looked around
the room and noticed that the only other person there was the still unconscious Alanna. She decided to
test her legs and moved to get out of bed.

The moment that her feet touched the floor, Adrian was at the door. “Well, hello, beautiful. It’s good to
see you awake.” He smiled. “Are you hungry?”

Elayne smiled as she blushed. “I’m starving. What smells so good, Adrian?”

“That would be Kyo’s homemade ramen with chicken.” Adrian moved toward the bed. “Rin also made a
classic southern dish. How does fried chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits sound?”

“It all sounds delicious.” Elayne pushed herself off the bed to a standing position. “I think I could eat a
helping of each.”

Adrian noticed her slight wobble and placed a hand gently on her arm to stabilize her. “I’m sure you
could. Ogi made this dessert called a pineapple upside down cake. It’s very interesting and smells
delicious too.”

“Are you doing that to intentionally make me hungrier?” Elayne asked with a laugh. “If you are, it’s
working.”

Adrian smiled. “Well, that’s good. It will help you to get stronger now that the ritual is over, and you are
back to your normal self.”

The smile faded somewhat on the woman’s face. “But I’m not normal. I’m no longer ruler of Heru.”

Adrian lifted her face. “You’ll always be the ruler of my heart, Elayne. That’s all that matters to me.” He
leaned down and kissed her softly.
Elayne returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. After a few moments, they leaned back
from the kiss. “You know how to brighten my day, Adrian. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Elayne.” Adrian kissed her nose. “Now, let’s get you something to eat. I know you
must be starving.”

Elayne blushed and nodded. “I am.” She paused and looked back at Alanna. “Why is she still asleep?”

Adrian looked over where she had and sighed. “We don’t know. Kyo suggested that maybe Shiroi taking
control over Lolo took a lot of energy to do. That coupled with the ritual could have her pretty much
drained.”

Elayne sighed. “I hope she’s okay and wakes up soon.”

Adrian nodded. “So do I. We all do.”

**********

Daelen felt like he was too weak to carry on. The ritual was a success, allowing him to feel the pain and
suffering that not only the land but also the people of Heru were going through. It broke his heart to feel
the anguish and torment that was taking place. He could feel his life slowly slipping away.

Yet, this was part of his vision. He didn’t tell his friends that, because it would have upset them to know
that they played this part in his death. Daelen was pretty sure that they did anyway, but they also knew
it was the only way to save Elayne. For the sake of his friend, he would gladly give his life.

Even in the dark void that surrounded him, Daelen was very much aware of what was taken place
outside of his mind. He heard the demon empress demand that the ritual be sped up. He heard the
acolytes trying to make her understand the consequences of her decision. He heard the threat Shi made.

It was sad to know that he could do nothing to stop the demon’s plans. Daelen sighed as he floated
weakly. He had spent a lot of time since he knew he was going to die to try and figure out a way to deal
a blow to the demon empress with his death. He still hadn’t come up with a plan.

“Oh, so it’s you that will be delivering a special gift to that worthless demon.” The dark voice was
familiar to Daelen though he couldn’t quite place it. “I must say that it’s kind of poetic that one of your
kind would be the poison to Shi’s little ritual.”

“Who are you? What do you mean that I’m a poison?” Daelen looked around the void the best he could.
If he moved too quickly, he would experience nausea. He didn’t want that.

“You know me, Draconic fool,” the voice replied. “We met in the hospital room with your precious
chosen one.”

Daelen sighed. “I see. What do you want with me, dark one?”
“Oh, I was checking to see who had fallen into the trap that I created,” the voice continued. “You see, I
made sure to tip the scales in my favor. I want the traitor demon to suffer for what she did.”

“I don’t understand,” Daelen said. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head, my little poison trap.” There was a moment’s silence. “Tomorrow
when the ritual begins, you’ll find out just like that demon will.”

********

Aicerno sat up in bed and then leaned back against the headboard. Mentally he cursed himself for still
forgetting to tell the group the good news. Truthfully, he would rather wait until Alanna was awake
again, yet his boss was putting pressure on him to make the announcement. He would have to do it
soon whether or not his future vice captain was awake to hear it herself.

Forcing himself to move out of the bed, Aicerno moved slowly into the bathroom. He really didn’t want
to go to the infirmary. He was afraid it would be more of the same from last night. While he was able to
heal, it took him larger to do it because he was first from the 8th Division. It wasn’t exactly their nature
to heal others.

After sprucing up, Aicerno left his humble abode and walked toward the infirmary. He yawned a few
times, stretching as he walked. He wanted to return to bed so badly. It sucked that he couldn’t.

The captain walked into the infirmary and went straight to the kitchen. There he poured himself a tall
cup of coffee with more sugar than normal and some cream. With cup in hand, he went to the nurse’s
station and reviewed the charts. It appeared that most of the patients were ready for discharge in the
morning. Aicerno finished his cup of coffee before he made rounds.

It took an hour to go through the infirmary and check on each patient. The captain made notes as he
went and wrote orders as needed. When he finished the last patient, Aicerno sighed. He was happy to
be able to leave.

Stopping by the kitchen for another cup of coffee, Aicerno bypassed his office and headed outside. His
path took him toward the small cabin in the woods. He was interested in learning more about the ritual
and if it was a success. He was also hoping that Alanna would be awake by the time he got there.

“Aicerno, where are you heading at this hour?”

The captain turned and saw Lori walking toward him. Blushing, he couldn’t help but think how beautiful
she was. “I’m on my way to check on the refugees and Alanna. I’m hoping that she is awake so I can tell
her the good news.”

Lori sighed. “I hate to make you change plans, but we’ve been put on high alert. The 12th Division
detected several strange fluctuations in power readings in several areas of the Rukongai. Multiple teams
have been sent out to investigate.”
“I see. So that means that the 4th Division is on standby for possible patients.” Aicerno sighed. “I thought
I would have a relaxing evening trying to catch up with what has gone on with the group.”

“I’m sorry, Aicerno,” Lori replied. “I was hoping to relax myself, but even I’m being called to duty. You
know how I am about fighting.”

Aicerno nodded. “I do. Don’t worry. Maybe it’s just some faulty wiring in the 12th.”

It was then that Yondy ran up to them, out of breath. He bent over as he attempted to regain control
over his breathing. “Aicerno-taichou, Lori-fukutaichou… I’m here to report… what I’ve seen.”

Aicerno nodded. “Go ahead, Yondy.”

Finally able to get his breathing under control, Yondy stood tall. “Several teams have visited the areas
where the power spikes were recorded. When they got to the spot, the area in the district was devoid of
life.”

Lori looked confused. “What do you mean by devoid of life?”

“I mean that the place was completely deserted, like no one had ever lived there.”
 Chapter 38

At the news of the mass disappearance of residents, Aicerno turned and began to head out to the cabin
once more. He was worried that the occupants may have been involved as well. Without knowing how
they were, he thought that it would be best for him to go out and check on them and even protect them
if needed. He took one step when he felt a hand on his arm.

“Aicerno, we have orders. You can’t go out there,” Lori replied. “You need to stay here and prepare the
4th for injured.”

“But they may be hurt…” Aicerno started.

“That is a possibility, but you know you cannot go against orders.” Lori looked at Yondy. “Yondy, go to
the cabin where Elayne and Adrian reside and check on everyone there. If any of the shinigami present
are able to perform their duties, have them report to their division immediately. Tell them it is a direct
order from the Captain Commander himself.”

Yondy bowed. “Yes, fukutaichou.” He waved and shunpo’d off.

Aicerno stared at Lori. “Why did you send him? He’s not a captain.”

“That’s right,” Lori replied. “He’s not, but you are. You are needed here, Aicerno. Right now, there is a
panic going through the divisions. You need to help calm your members, just like the other captains
are.”

Aicerno sighed. She was right. “I understand. Thanks, Lori.” He turned to head back to the infirmary, a
little disappointed.

Lori let go of his arm and watched him a few moments. “I’m sorry to overstep my bounds, Aicerno, but
sometimes even a captain needs to have someone to be their voice of reason.”

Aicerno glanced over his shoulder. “Thanks for being mine, Lori.” He turned and vanished around the
corner.

Lori smiled. “You’re welcome.” Her voice was loud enough that she was sure he heard her. Without
waiting, she turned and shunpo’d off to her division.

*******

In the 59th Rukongai, a burst of energy went off in the center of the little village. The residents scattered
in various directions. Some screamed that it was the Apocalypse. Others were just screaming in terror.

The energy concentrated in one spot and then widened, revealing a doorway into a different realm.
Several red robed figures walked out of the portal and formed a semi-circle. Following them was a tall
demon with curved horns. Diablo surveyed the area. An evil smile appeared on his face.

“What did I tell you? This place is ripe with souls to power the ritual,” the demon general said.
The head acolyte nodded. “You were correct. This place is abundant with those that will be sacrificed.”
He made a few motions with his hands, and his brothers began to move. “I believe with this and one
more village, we will have enough to equal the power of the full blood moon.”

“I’m sure Empress Shi will be happy to hear that.” Diablo walked to the nearest building to the right. He
kicked the door in and smiled evilly at the screams he heard. “Ahh, this makes raids so much fun. I would
normally enjoy a soul or two myself, but tonight I’ll restrain my desires. After all, our empress’ desires
come before mine.”

“What you say is true, general. We all must put the empress first.” The head acolyte noticed that his
brothers were in place. He raised his arms out and up to the chest level. “If you do not wish to become a
victim, Diablo, then I suggest you move through the portal.”

Diablo bowed. “See you on the other side, my friend.” With a few large steps, the demon was through
the portal.

The head acolyte closed his eyes and began to channel his magic. Soon his brothers were doing the
same. The spell moved through the village, touching every soul there. Once it was in place, the acolytes
moved their arms in unison, bringing them before their chest. One by one the residents of the village
were dragged to the center of the circle. Try as they might, no one could break free. Soon they were all
herded into the trap and bound together.

The head acolyte nodded. “It is time to take our new group of cattle to the holding area. One more
village is needed before we can affectively begin the ritual that our empress desires.”

With that, they moved through the portal, dragging the helpless victims with them.

********

It was shortly after the sun set when Nikki and Jessy arrived at Anna’s home. They stood outside the
castle marveling at the size. It was one of the ancient homes of a long lost king. Its stone surface
appeared as if it was just freshly cut from a mountain side. Everything looked nearly new, even though
the place was several thousand years old.

“Wow, this place is huge,” Jessy remarked as she craned her neck to look at the tall walls. “How could
she afford a place like this?”

“Anna’s been around for many, many centuries,” Nikki explained. “She made very wise investments and
actually has multiple businesses that normal people run for her.” She moved to the door and knocked.
“These humans know about Anna and her kind and have to sign several contracts before they can set
foot into one of the businesses.”

Jessy followed Nikki impressed with what she heard. “Why haven’t you thought about doing something
like this?”
“Because I’m a shinigami,” Nikki replied. “Plus if I came here in my gigai, the restraints placed on Anna
and her kind in the living world would apply to me as well. I wouldn’t be able to go out in the day.”

Jessy rolled her eyes. “It’s not like you can get a tan even in Soul Society. What type of sunscreen do you
use there?”

“SPF 10000000000,” Nikki replied. She saw Jessy’s look out of the corner of her eyes and laughed. “I
don’t need sunscreen there.”

The door opened to reveal a young woman in normal clothes. She could have easily been a model. “May
I help you?”

Nikki bowed. “I am here to see the leader of your clan, Anna. Tell her Nikki and Jessy from Soul Society
have come to speak with her.”

“I see. Please come in and have a seat.” The woman backed away from the door and pointed to a bench
a few feet down the hallway. “I will notify Mistress Anna of your arrival.”

Nikki and Jessy walked in and moved to the bench. Sitting down, Nikki smiled. “Thank you for your
hospitality, Miss?”

“Angie,” the woman replied before closing the door and walking off to find Anna.

“Well, she was all warm and fuzzy,” Jessy said.

Nikki elbowed her in the side. “She has been trained to answer the door in a certain fashion. She’s also
been trained to kill potential enemies without a second thought.”

Jessy raised her eyebrows in surprise. “How can they tell if someone is a potential enemy?”

“I guess it’s something vampires can sense,” Nikki replied. “After thousands of years of being hunted, we
can tell who is a friend and who isn’t.”

Jessy sighed. “And here I thought they had some crazy device that measures the amount of evilness one
has.”

“Actually we have tried to create something like that,” Anna said as she walked up to them, “but all of
our prototypes blew up when we tried them out.” She smiled. “Nikki and Jessy, it is good to see you
again. What brings you to my humble home?”

Nikki smacked Jessy before her sister could say something that may cause a little trouble for them. She
stood and smiled. “We’re actually here on behalf of Aicerno regarding the message you gave me last
night.”

“I see. Follow me, and we’ll talk.” Anna turned and began to walk off. “What would you like to know?”
As the two shinigami followed the vampire, Jessy looked around impressed. “How long has this Lathos
guy been here?”

“Lathos and the one we’re calling Kurio showed up 2 days ago. When I arose from my slumber, I found
that Lathos had drunk my blood.” Anna turned down another hallway. “Apparently, Kurio wanted him to
read the book of prophecies, Oraculum o’ mortuus.”

“The one book written by a vampire with prophetic powers,” Nikki replied. “Why did this Kurio person
want Lathos to read the book?”

“Apparantly, Kurio wanted Lathos to read what the demon empress has planned.” Anna turned down
another hallway. “I was concerned that the dark one was trying to cause further problems in our fight
against Shi, but it seems that it wishes to punish the demon empress.”

“Why are you referring Kurio as ‘the dark one’, Anna?” Jessy asked. “If this person is so dark, why are
you trusting Kurio?”

Anna sighed. “Do you remember the incident at the infirmary when we thought Daelen may kill
Alanna?”

“Yes, I do,” Nikki replied. “She fought a cloaked figure. What does that have to do with Kurio?”

“Kurio is that cloaked figure. It is a being that is ancient and holds a vast amount of power,” Anna
replied, stopping at a door. “With one such as Kurio, you don’t have much of a choice in the matter. I
don’t even know Kurio’s real name, but I know when to work with one such as that.”

Jessy was quiet a moment. “So, it’s like a double-edged sword. We have to trust Kurio because of the
power it holds, but we can’t trust it for the same reason.”

“In this way, we can trust Kurio. It wants Shi to suffer for betraying it thousands of years ago,” Anna
replied as she opened the door. She walked in and toward the bed where Lathos sat. “Nikki, Jessy. This is
Lathos. Lathos, this is Nikki and Jessy. They are shinigami from Soul Society.”

Lathos stood and bowed. “It is an honor to meet you both. I hope that I can be of some service.”

Nikki bowed. “It is nice to meet you as well.” She looked toward a dark corner and bowed slightly.
“Kurio, I presume.”

The cloaked figure didn’t move. “That is only my nickname, shinigami. I believe it is not time for you to
know who I truly am.”

“Nikki,” the vampire queen of Soul Society replied. “My name is Nikki, not shinigami.”

Kurio shrugged. “It is nothing personal, Nikki. I tend to label humans by what they are.”

Jessy grabbed her sister’s arm before Nikki could do something they would both regret. “So, Lathos,
what have you learned during your time here, now that you are a vampire?”
Lathos sat down, sighing softly. He didn’t want to see anyone get hurt in an attempt to knock some
common sense into Kurio. “Well, I’ve learned what the demon empress is truly planning.”

Nikki looked at the demon vampire. “And what is that?”

“She intends to end life as we know it, utterly destroying it in order to become a goddess and remake
the worlds in her image.”

*********

Yondy made it to the cabin in the forest and walked into the still busted door. He was happy to see that
everyone was okay for the most part. Two people were not in the living room: Alanna and Ogihci. He
assumed that Ogihci was with the still unconscious Alanna.

“Hey, everyone. Are you all doing alright?” the young man asked.

Kyo looked up from his plate and nodded. “We’re doing fine. What brings you here at this time of the
night?”

Yondy sighed, not wanting to disrupt this gathering, but he had orders. “Multiple energy spikes have
been noticed throughout the Rukongai. Because of this, the Captain Commander has issued emergency
orders. If you are well enough to fight, you need to report to your division immediately.”

Rin instantly put her fork down and stood. “Well, I guess the nice dinner is over.” She looked at Yondy.
“What news can you tell us?”

“Several teams have been sent out to discover the causes of the energy spikes,” Yondy replied. “When
the teams reached the destinations, there are no residents.”

Adrian looked up from his plate. “You mean they have been murdered?”

“No, I mean that they have vanished,” Yondy answered scratching his head, “like they were never there
to begin with.”

Kyo stood and turned toward the bedroom door. “Ogi, you heard the orders. We need to head to our
divisions.”

“I need to stay with Lolo,” Ogihci called back. “I can’t leave her like this.”

“Ogi, we have no choice. The Captain Commander has ordered it.” Kyo walked over and stood in the
doorway. “Do you want to be punished for not following orders? You know how that will make
oneechan feel.”

Ogihci brushed some hair from Alanna’s face and then sighed. “You’re right, Kyo.” He stood and moved
away from the bed, though it was clear on his face that he didn’t want to leave.
Kyo put a hand on his shoulder as Ogihci got closer. “We’ll be back before you know it. Maybe by that
time, she’ll be awake.”

Ogihci nodded. “Yeah, I hope so.” He looked at Adrian. “Could you watch over her for me?”

“Of course, Ogi,” Adrian replied. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”

Ogihci smiled. “Thanks.” He turned to the other shinigami. “Well, let’s head out. Maybe when we get
there, things will be quiet.”

Rin walked toward the door. “We can all hope for that. When this is over, let’s meet back here.”

After the shinigami agreed to Rin’s plan, they took off toward their destinations. Adrian looked at
Elayne. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Elayne nodded. “I do too. I just hoped no one gets hurt.”

*********

Shi paced back and forth in her bedroom. She moved from the window and then back to the bed where
Daelen rested under a barrier. It irked her tremendously that she had to rush things. It irked her more
that she couldn’t break a simple barrier. She wanted her powers back and now.

As she turned and headed back toward the window, the demon empress grabbed a vase from the
nightstand. She held it lightly, tapping it on her other hand. She was getting impatient. True sunrise was
still 5 hours away. Yet, Shi felt like the ritual should have been ready already.

Turning from the window to continue her self-imposed walk of agitation, the woman threw the vase at
the barrier. She watched as the container hit the shield and smashed into tiny pieces. Growling, Shi
moved to the bed at a face pace. She stopped just short of the barrier.

“I don’t know who created this barrier, you little worm, but it’s not going to save you,” the demon said,
hatred dripping from each word. “You are the catalyst for the ritual, the beginning that will bring me
back to full power.” Her eyes narrowed. “With your death, the residents of Heru will be sacrificed to
allow me to become my true self.”

A cough came from the door, forcing Shi to turn from the bed and face Chauney. She rolled her eyes and
held her noses. “You smelly, inconsiderate dog! What are you doing here?”

Chauney bowed. “Forgive me, Empress, but I didn’t have time to shower. I was told to rush here and tell
you the good news.”

“What good news are you talking about?” The demon empress moved to the window and opened it,
letting in a cold, fresh breeze.
“Diablo and the acolytes are collecting additional humans to power the ritual. They believe that when
they are done, they will have enough souls to equal the power of the full blood moon,” Chauney replied
with a smile.

At the news, Shi grinned evilly. “Excellent. I love it when I receive good news. Now, Chauney, I need you
to do me a huge favor.”

“Yes, Empress?” Chauney smiled, silently hoping that she would make his wishes come true.

“Head to the ritual site and tell one of the acolytes when you see them that you are there to serve,” Shi
replied.

Chauney’s face fell a little. He wasn’t getting his dream after all. “As you wish, Empress.” He turned and
headed out the door.

The demon empress waited until she could feel Chauney was far away before she took a deep breath
and began to laugh. “Oh, this is a grand day after all. My goals are coming to fruition.”

She turned toward the bed. “You’re time is limited, Draconic fool. Soon, your soul and your blood will
ignite the spell created on the ritual grounds. Soon, your friends will know true fear.”

*********

Not long after she had returned to the 2nd Division, Rin received orders to head out to the 39th District of
the Rukongai. There was a small fluctuation noted there, one that a lot smaller than the ones previously
noted. They believed that this was a preliminary sign for a possible attack. Rin just hoped it wasn’t a wild
goose chase.

Unfortunately, Kyo was not assigned to go with her. Some other members were part of her team. Rin
sighed softly. She really hoped that he would be part of her team. The look on his face before they were
separate told her that he felt the same.

“Oh boy,” a fat, blond man said. “This is my first time on assignment. This is going to be fun.”

“Cool it, Jenkins,” a red-headed thin woman growled back. “This is not meant to be fun. We’re here to
find out what’s going on and report back.”

“You’re such a party-pooper, Melinda,” Jenkins retorted. “I think you just need a good….”

“Oooookay,” Rin interrupted the conversation. “I think you should just stop there before you end up the
first casualty, Jenkins.”

Jenkins rolled his eyes. “I’m with a bunch of sticks in the mud.”

Rin glanced over at Melinda and saw the anger in her eyes. She knew that Jenkins would be on the
receiving end of a beating later. Sighing, Rin returned her focus to the path. She really didn’t want to run
into a tree because two of her team were arguing.
Up ahead was one of the large villages in this district. Rin knew that there would be thousands of
residents in this village alone. It was near here that the small energy fluctuation was noted. She just
hoped that they didn’t arrive too late.

*********

Kyo mentally cursed his luck and the members of his team. From the time they left, three of the
members were arguing over what they should do when they got to the location of the small energy
fluctuation. He was getting tired of the arguing, and he had visions of doing bodily harm to them in his
mind. The images were not pretty.

“I tell you, we should attack immediately,” a bald, muscular man shouted. “We don’t need to let them
get an advantage.”

“You’re a fool, Toska,” a black-headed, short woman shouted back. “We need to set up observation
posts and report what we find back to Headquarters.”

“You are both wrong, Yuki,” a man with long, brown hair added. “We need to infiltrate the enemy and
gather intell before striking them down.”

Toska glared at the man. “Why gather intell, Soka? We don’t need it. Just kill them and be done with it.”

“If you three don’t shut up, I’m going to make sure you are returned to the 4th earlier than expected,”
Kyo suddenly said. “We already have our orders, so shut up and follow them.”

The three members looked at Kyo, ready to shout at him but stopped. One look of his face told them
that arguing with him would mean he would make good on his threat. They swallowed hard and took a
few steps back. Kyo turned and continued on their path.

Kyo’s group had been ordered to come into the village from a different angle. The captains wanted the
enemy surrounded. Yet Kyo wasn’t sure he liked this idea. He had a bad feeling about tonight.

*******

In the center of one of the largest villages of the 39th District, the energy began to gather once more.
Residents watched in awe at first, but then they began to run for their homes when they felt the evil
aura surrounding it. Like before, the energy eventually grew until the portal was fully opened. The
figures walked out in a single file and formed a circle.

Diablo strutted out, smirking at the great success they were having. “Ah, this is a nice night for
harvesting souls, don’t you think?”

The head acolyte motioned at his brothers, sending them to their designated points. “Indeed, it is. This
village holds more than enough. With this, we can return to Heru and begin the final preparations for
the ceremony.”
“I’m Empress Shi will be delighted in hearing this,” the demon general replied. “After tomorrow
morning, she will be as she once was in our realm.”

The acolyte nodded. “It will be a grand day to see the empress back at full power and in her true form.
Her enemies will tremble in terror.”

Diablo grinned evilly. “To watch her crush those worthless dogs will be a sight to see.”

Before the head acolyte could respond, several people in what appeared to be black robes appeared.
One fat guy cut an acolyte in half and moved toward the nearest one. A woman attacked an acolyte
closest to the barn. The head acolyte felt an anger begin to grow within him. He raised his heads at the
two that dared to cut down his brothers.

“Living to death, rot the flesh. Death’s kiss,” the acolyte said in a low tone.

Suddenly, dark pillars arose from the ground and surrounded the two intruders. At first nothing seemed
to happen, though the man and woman were confused as to what was happening. As soon as the pillar
was over their heads, it began. At first, to the two, it felt like tiny bites over their body. It grew worse,
and they began to notice what was happening. Their flesh was rotting and falling off, disappearing
before it hit the ground. Soon the pain was too much, and the two fell to the ground screaming in
agony. Within a few minutes, nothing was left of the man or woman.

As the pillars vanished, Diablo smiled. “That is one wicked spell, my friend. I would love to learn it.”

“You would have to give up your title of general and become one of my brothers, Diablo,” the head
acolyte replied. “Do you wish to do that?”

Diablo was silent for a few moments. “Let me think on that and get back to you.”

*********

When the energy began to spike, Jenkins and Melinda took off. Rin tried to stop them but was too late.
Sighing, she stopped where she was and prepared for the battle. She didn’t want to start off in a fight,
but the two fools changed those plans.

She watched as they attacked and killed two of the red robed figures. Rin was amazed at how easy it
was for them. She was about to join in when something told her to stay back from the fight. She stopped
and moved back a few feet.

It was then that Rin saw two figures near what looked like a portal. One had horns and looked fierce.
The other was similar to the robed ones Jenkins and Melinda took care of, though it looked a little
different. She looked at the guy’s face and could see the anger flash in his eyes. The man raised his
hands, aiming them at her teammates.

Before she could tell them to retreat, she heard the man speak. “Living to death, rot the flesh. Death’s
kiss.”
Rin felt a terror unlike anything she felt before as two dark pillars arose from the ground under the two
shinigami and surrounded them. It wasn’t long before the attack began. She watched in horror as their
flesh began to fall off their bodies. Their screams filled her ears and made her cringe. Within minutes,
they were gone.

Tears began to fall from her eyes. It was horrible to witness their deaths in such a fashion. Rin wanted to
run away from this area as fast as she could, yet she had a duty to accomplish. She just didn’t know what
else to do.

The young woman moved just a few steps closer, trying to hear what the two figures at the portal were
saying. When she heard the man in the red robes call the other Diablo, Rin froze. They were minions of
Shi. They were collecting residents of various Rukongai villages, but she didn’t know why. She needed to
get back to the Headquarters and report.

It was then that the first of Kyo’s team appeared, attacking.

*******

Kyo glared after the members of his team. They felt the energy grow and rushed ahead of him to the
village. “So much for following orders,” he said. “Those fools are going to get themselves killed.”

He moved closer to the village and found a good spot for doing his job. Kyo looked around and tried to
find his teammates. It wasn’t long before he found them. They rushed out of the shadows and attacked
the nearest enemy. Sighing, he cursed under his breath as he slowly moved forward.

It was then that he watched the three members of his team suddenly become surrounded by a strange
dark pillar. At first nothing happened. Then Kyo noticed how pieces of their flesh would fall off and
disappear. It wasn’t long before his ears were filled with their screams of pain. After a few minutes,
there was no trace of his team left.

Anger began to fill Kyo. His team didn’t deserve a death like that. They were cut down before they had a
chance. Slowly he unsheathed his zanpakuto. He was going to make them pay.

*******

Rin watched as three more shinigami perished at the hands of the dark attack. Her heart was breaking.
Why was this happening now, here? This wasn’t right.

It was then that Rin saw Kyo moving. He was slowly heading toward the two at the portal. Without
thinking, she ran toward them. She had to time this right. She couldn’t lose Kyo, not like the way the
others died.

Just as she got close to the two, Rin shot her hands forward, aiming at Kyo. “Hadou #1 Shou.” She took
another breath. “Bakudou #30 Shitotsu Sansen.”
Rin smiled as she was able to get the two kidou off. She watched Kyo slide backward into the shadows
and away from their enemy. She saw him become immobile. That was the last thing she saw.

********

Diablo watched three more attackers disappear in the dark magic that the acolyte cast. “Wow, you can
throw that spell around like its second nature.”

The head acolyte rolled his eyes. “I’ve trained for a thousand years to use magic as powerful as that. Do
not treat it like a common palor trick.”

“Oh I wasn’t,” Diablo replied. “I’m very impressed with it.”

It was then that a woman dressed in the same black robes appeared, running toward them. She didn’t
have a weapon, which caused both the acolyte and Diablo to be confused. As she got closer, she raised
her hands and spoke. “Hadou #1 Shou. Bakudou #30 Shitotsu Sansen.”

Confused as he noticed the apparent attacks miss them, Diablo thought that the woman was crazy. It
was then that he realized who she was though he didn’t know her name. He brought a fist up and hit her
in the head. He watched her crumble to the ground.

“Another for the ritual?” The head acolyte asked.

“No, this is someone I think the Empress will want to save for something special.” Diablo knelt and
picked up the unconscious girl. “She may prove very useful later. I’ll head on over while you gather the
cattle here.”

The head acolyte nodded. He turned to use the spell with his brothers. Diablo smiled down at the
unconscious woman. “Yes, I think Empress Shi will have a special use for you.” With that, he entered the
portal and vanished.

**********

Kyo moved silently through the shadows. He was getting close to the two that seemed to lead this small
invasion. He wanted to cut them down and make them pay for the deaths of his team. He didn’t expect
what was going to happen next.

Across the center of the village, Rin ran out of the shadows. She didn’t have her zanpakuto ready. Kyo
didn’t understand what she was doing. Then she raised her hands.

“Hadou #1 Shou. Bakudou #30 Shitotsu Sansen.”

The first kidou hit him and caused him to slide backward away from the portal and his targets. The
second one immobilized him. He felt himself fall to the ground. Kyo stared in shock. Why did Rin attack
him? He saw her smile and understood.
Then the one with horns knocked out Rin. Kyo watched as he knelt and picked up his girlfriend, his love.
When it vanished through the portal, Kyo wanted to scream in anger. She sacrificed herself for him. It
wasn’t right.

As the kidou began to weaken, Kyo witnessed the others left behind gather the residents of the village.
He watched helplessly as they were dragged into the portal as well. He had to get there. Just as the
kidou wore off completely, the portal vanished.

Kyo stood slowly. It had to be a dream. It wasn’t real. Rin was safe in her sleeping quarters. He moved
forward in a daze until he got to the spot where the portal had been. There he stood a few moments
before collapsing, screaming Rin’s name in anguish.
 Chapter 39

Ogihci cursed silently. His team was forced to wait while Rin’s and Kyo’s were sent out ahead. They had
to wait because one of his team was late in reporting in. He really wanted to slap the guy a few times.

So, when the energy spike happened, they were still waiting on the guy to show up. When it leveled out,
they were still waiting. Ogihci thanked his captain silently again for ordering them to leave before the
guy got there. He knew that they would be needed.

Halfway there, the energy seemed to change, or rather something was being added. Ogihci felt the
kidou being used and wondered who used it. Then there was a sense of pulling coming from the village
ahead. He managed to move a little faster, not wanting to arrive too late. Then the scream of agony
erupted through the forest, and Ogihci decided that he didn’t want to wait for his comrades any more.
He took off at full speed.

In a matter of moments, Ogihci found himself in the middle of a near desolate village. In the center of
area, he saw Kyo on the ground, kneeling. He could tell that something was terribly wrong. Slowly he
approached the younger man. “Kyo?” he asked tentatively, not wanting to startle his soon-to-be
brother-in-law.

“She… she’s gone…” Kyo said softly. His body moved gently as if he was still crying but not wanting to
show.

Ogihci knew who it was Kyo was referring to. “What happened?” He knelt down next to Kyo, placing a
gentle hand on his shoulder.

Kyo stared at the ground as tears continued to fall. “She used kidou… to save me… but they caught her.
They took her with them.”

Ogihci felt his breath catch in his throat. This was not good. “Kyo, we need to head back. We need to tell
them what happened here.”

Kyo didn’t move. “I… I need to save her. I can’t….” He trailed off, staring blankly.

“I know how you feel, Kyo, but we can’t go rushing blindly into this.” Ogihci sighed. “We need to learn
more and make plans. Then we can go and save her.”

Kyo turned and looked at Ogihci. His eyes were full of pain. “Okay,” was his only word.

Ogihci helped Kyo to stand as his team finally arrived. They all looked confused as to what was going on.
Ogihci glanced at them. “Survey this area completely. Record everything, I don’t care how small. I’m
taking Kyo back.”

“But, sir,” a young man with a Mohawk began.

“That’s an order, Levi,” Ogihci said in a stern voice. “My priority is getting Kyo back so he can tell the
captains what happened. He also needs medical treatment. Now get busy.”
Kyo began to walk slowly as the other shinigami nodded at Ogihci and began their job. Ogihci caught up
with Kyo and watched him silently. He could feel the anguish flowing off the younger man like a river
over a steep drop. He didn’t know what the man saw, but he did know that losing Rin was slowly
breaking Kyo apart.

Kyo tripped a few times as he walked and few twice before Ogihci decided it would be quicker to carry
him. He slung Kyo over a shoulder and shunpo’d off toward the infirmary. He decided that Kyo needed
to get some help first before having to face the multitude of questions that would assail him.
Summoning a hell butterfly, Ogihci sent a message to the captains waiting at his division and then
another one to the infirmary. Right now, he didn’t care what others thought. He was concerned with
getting Kyo back safely.

********

Diablo walked down the hallway smiling evilly. In his arms was the unconscious woman he had brought
back as a trophy for his empress. He could only imagine what Shi would do to this pathetic creature, but
he hoped that she would use his idea. After all, they did need a trump card.

As he was approaching the bedroom door, the demon empress yanked it open. The smile on her face
was a delight to see. Diablo bowed the best he could with the woman in his arms. “Empress, I come
bearing you a gift.”

Shi moved into the hall and looked at the woman. “Why didn’t you take her to the ritual site? I’m sure
one more sacrifice wouldn’t hurt.”

“Yes, that is true, Empress,” Diablo began, “but I believe this one will have a better use for you.”

The demon woman sighed and walked into the room, beckoning him to follow. “Explain your plan,
Diablo. I really don’t have time to beat around the bush. Soon I have to prepare for the ritual.”

Diablo entered the room and dumped the woman on the floor. “This woman was among the group that
helped destroy the grilon. She is a friend of the woman Alanna.” He smiled. “If she was a hostage, then
they wouldn’t think of fighting you.”

Shi turned around, an evil grin on her face. “I could do that, or I could…” She trailed off as the sneer
grew. “Oh that is perfect. I think I will do that.”

Diablo looked a little confused. “I’m sorry, Empress, but I have no idea what you are thinking.”

“Of course you wouldn’t,” the demon woman replied with a flick of her wrist as she turned toward her
wardrobe. “You can’t read minds. Let’s just say what I have in mind will be even more devilish than using
her to stop them fighting me.”

Diablo thought about trying to pry the plan out of her but decided that he wanted to live another day
with all of his appendages. “What would you like me to do with her for now, Empress?”
“Take her to the dungeon. When she wakes up, torture her a little, nothing drastic though,” Shi replied.
“Smack her around some, maybe a few cut here and there. Just rough her up. It will make the scene
more… dramatic.”

*******

“So you are telling me that we have a demon who has a superiority complex to deal with?” Jessy asked
after Lathos explained the true goal of the demon empress.

“More or less,” Lathos replied. “I should have realized it a long time ago, but I was too blinded by love to
see.”

Nikki sighed. “Just great. It’s bad enough that we have to deal with Jessy on a daily basis.”

As Jessy threw a pillow she grabbed from the bed, Anna sighed. “I wish I had read the prophecy fully. I
stopped when I read about the attempt to conquer the living world and Soul Society. This is a bigger
problem than I thought.”

Lathos sat next to Anna and wrapped an arm around her. “Don’t worry about it too much, okay? The
prophecy says that though one world will die, all others will live.”

Kurio leaned forward. “So you have read that too? Tell me, what do you make of it?”

Lathos smiled at the cloaked figure. “The book says, ‘The devious one will slay those that have served
her, both enemy and friend. Those closest to her will bear the mark of death, one to light the fuse, one to
end the spark. From that only three will remain in a dead world.’’

“Only three will remain in a dead world?” Jessy scratched her head. “What does that mean?”

“The ritual that the demon empress is about to perform will destroy all of the life on Heru and the land
itself,” Lathos began. “It will give her back her full powers. As to the last sentence, it means that three
will survive the ritual, one of which is the foul woman. The other two I’m not sure on.”

“The one of falsehood, the one who leads, and the one who is bait, three only shall remain. Three only
shall live on the dead world,” Kurio replied. “So Shi and Diablo will live. As to the third, I believe that
person is to be used against those who fight the false one.”

Nikki stood and walked toward the desk where the decanter of blood sat. She gazed into the bottle,
though not seeing it. “You’re saying that this third person is someone that we all know, someone that
could potentially cause us to stop fighting and allow that bitch to achieve her goals?”

“Lathos, finish reading the book,” Kurio replied. It leaned back, relaxing in the shadow of the corner.

Lathos picked up the ‘Oraculum o’ mortuus’ and opened it to where he left off. “The final battle will rest
upon the very ground that gave birth once more to the false one. She and her general will battle fiercely
but will meet high resistance. Her general will perish at the hands of one of the chosen.” Lathos took a
deep breath. “Anger will blind the devious one to her plight, and she will play the final card in her hand,
the bait to drive a wedge between those that fight her.”

“What?” Nikki, Jessy and Anna shouted together.

Kurio raised a bony hand. “Allow him to finish.”

Lathos took another deep breath and nodded. “The one who sees the bait as the world will be given a
choice, kill the one that can destroy the deceitful one or lose the one that is prisoner forever. Torn
between the two he holds dear, his choice rests in the eyes of the chosen one, the one to end the life of
the demon.”

The women waited, expecting more. When Lathos didn’t continue, they blinked a few times. “That’s it?”
Anna asked. “It ends there?”

Lathos nodded, baffled. “It’s the very last page. There’s nothing beyond it. There’s nothing to say what
will happen.”

“Great!” Jessy threw her arms in the air. “This is just freaking great! So there is a possibility that this
demon empress is going to win after all?”

Kurio chuckled. “On the contrary, Shi’s fate is already written in stone. How it happens remains to be
seen.”

Nikki glared at the hooded one. “How do you know this?”

Kurio lifted one bony hand up in a nonchalant way. “Why, I’ve seen it in books that no mortal eyes could
read let alone comprehend. Her death was sealed the day she betrayed me many thousands of years
ago.”

********

Elayne paced in the cabin. The feeling she had right after the group got worse. She knew something
happened to one of her friends. It troubled her greatly not knowing what was going on.

“Elayne, have a seat. I’m sure they’ll be back soon,” Adrian said softly, trying to hide his own worry from
her. “They’ll come back and let us know what was going on.”

Elayne wheeled around and walked toward the opposite wall. “There’s something wrong. Someone is
hurt or missing. I just know it.” She stopped at the door to the bedroom and looked in on Alanna. “How
much longer is she going to sleep?”

Adrian stood and walked over to Elayne, peering into the dimly lit room. “I don’t know, but you have to
understand that she’s been through a lot in just a few days.” He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“She needs to recover, they all do.”
Understanding what Adrian meant, Elayne sighed. “I know. It’s just the fact that it feels like it’s been an
eternity since she was awake and talking to us. What if she doesn’t wake up? What if this is how it
ends?”

Adrian pulled her into his arms. “You know as well as I that it won’t end like this. Alanna still has a lot to
do, just like Ogihci. They are the two the prophecy spoke of. ‘One to fight the leader of the armies. One
to fight the one who threatens all.’ We know that they are our only hope in stopping Shi.”

Elayne relaxed and rested her head on his shoulder. “It’s just… right now I’m useless. I have no powers
to help. I can’t feel the land or people of Heru. I feel lost.”

Adrian stroked her hair, holding her gently. “I know, dear. You’re scared because you don’t know what’s
going to happen now.” He kissed the top of her head. “But don’t worry, Elayne. You’ll be okay and will
make it through. You have me and all of our new friends. We can go to the living world and make a new
start there.”

Elayne looked up and smiled. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Adrian.”

Adrian smiled before leaning down and pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss.

********

Daelen felt terrible. It was like have the flu a hundred times over. He couldn’t move let alone fart with
any great strength. He chuckled at that thought. Yes, he was even a little out of it when it came to clear
mental thinking.

Grateful that he could just float there in the darkness, Daelen looked around. He couldn’t see anything
in the pitch black of his unconsciousness, but it didn’t stop him. He was hoping that maybe, just maybe,
he could see a flicker of light. It was one of the few things that kept him going in this bleak place.

It felt strange knowing that he was going to die twice over. First, he was dying slowly thanks to Heru and
its people doing the same. That was just a wonderful thought and the cause of his current state. Second,
when he did awake from this dank, dark mental prison, he would come face to face with the one causing
the problems and meet his death at the hands of her lovely acolytes.

Daelen wasn’t going to fool himself in this. He knew that he was the one to start the ritual, the spark of
death that would claim the people of Heru and the land as well. He watched it a few times since coming
to the vast black hole of his mind shortly after facing the acolytes. Each time, he watched the demon kiss
him like a lover before pushing him away. Then the acolyte would step in and plunge the ceremonial
dagger into his heart.

In truth, Daelen watched the vision so many times, it was becoming a boring rerun. The last time it
played, he yawned and decided to add some crazy sound effects. He actually made Shi sound like a
pirate and the acolyte like a preacher from the television. He decided that next time he would give them
high, squeaky voices.
“Daelen….” a woman’s voice called out.

Daelen stopped and forced himself to look around even though it caused him great pain. “Wise one,
where are you? Why can’t I see you?”

“Daelen, the time is nearly upon you. The spell the acolytes placed upon you is beginning to weaken as
they designed. Are you ready for the task at hand?”

Daelen took a deep breath. “I am ready, wise one. I meet my fate with my head held high and your
guidance and love in my heart.”

A feeling of love and warmth surrounded him. “Daelen, the last of my followers, I do cherish you and
love you as a mother would. It pains me to lose you, though know you will be reborn once more.”

Daelen smiled. “I know, dragon mother. I hope that I will be able to serve you once more and guide
others to do the same.”

A soft light surrounded Daelen. “It is time, my son. Go and be strong.”

“Until we meet in the golden fields, dragon mother.”

“Until then, my son.”

*********

Ogihci walked into the infirmary, kicking in the door. “Aicerno! I need your help.”

“No need to yell, Ogi,” Aicerno replied as he moved away from the nurse’s station. “I got your hell
butterfly.” He looked at the young man hunging over Ogihci’s shoulder. “Is Kyo injured?”

“Sorry,” Ogihci replied in a short manner. He didn’t know why, but he had a desire to blow something
up. Keeping his emotions in check, he took a deep breath. “The only injuries that I’ve seen are the
emotional ones.”

Aicerno sighed. “I see. So she’s nowhere to be found?”

Ogihci shook his head. “One of the men from my team sent me a report as I was heading here. There are
no traces of Rin anywhere.”

“Capture….” Came a soft voice from Ogihci’s shoulder.

Aicerno’s eyebrow lifted, and he moved around to where he could hear Kyo better. “Rin was captured?”

“Captured… trying to save me….” Kyo didn’t move from where he hang over Ogihci’s shoulder. “She’s
gone.”

“He’s been like this from the time I found him,” Ogihci stated. “Can you help him any? I’m sure the
captains will want to talk to him about what he saw.” He repositioned the younger man on his shoulder.
“Also, do you think I can put him down on a bed? He’s not heavy, but it isn’t doing my shoulder any
justice.”

Aicerno chuckled softly. “This way.” He moved around Ogihci and moved toward an empty room. “I will
do what I can. As to the questions my comrades want to ask, they will have to wait until I give medical
clearance for that. Kyo is in a delicate state right now. One question could send him over the edge
permanently.”

“I understand,” Ogihci replied as he followed. “That’s why I brought him here first. I may get in trouble
for disobeying an order, but his health comes first.”

Aicerno smiled as he walked into the room and up to the bed. “I’m proud of you, Ogi. Not many people
would do what you have done.”

Ogihci placed Kyo on the bed as gently as he could. “I know how he feels. If it was Lolo, I would be the
one in this bed.”

Aicerno placed his fingers on Kyo’s temple and activate a reihai. Gently he sent it into the younger man
to help him relax. “Not many people can put themselves into other’s shoes, Ogi. I’m grateful that you
can.”

Ogihci smiled softly. “Thanks, Aicerno. I mean taichou.”

Aicerno laughed. “Aicerno is fine, Ogi. Right now we’re in an informal situation, and there are no other
captains or vice captains around.”

Ogihci smiled a little bigger. “Thanks, Aicerno.” He moved to the window and looked outside. “Do you
ever get the feeling that something major is about to happen, something that could change everything
for you in one stroke?”

Aicerno looked up at Ogihci as he began to perform a reiatsu scan on Kyo. He caught a glimpse of the
tattoo on the back of the man’s neck and sighed softly. “Lately, I seem to have that feeling every waking
moment.”

“I don’t mean the whole prophecy, save the worlds thing,” Ogihci replied without looking back. “I mean
on a personal level. Have you felt like something inside you is waiting for a chance to break loose and
cause problems?”

Aicerno felt a tingling sensation run down his back. “I can’t say that I have recently and not during a
fight. Why? What’s up, Ogi?”

“It’s….” Ogihci sighed. “It’s nothing. Maybe it’s just all the stress with what has happened. I just wish I
could have been there. Maybe I could have saved Rin.”
Aicerno let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. ‘Stop overreacting to that tattoo. It could be a
result of a night of too much drinking.’ “Don’t beat yourself up going over the what if’s, Ogi. There’s no
telling what could have happened if you had been there.”

Ogihci watched a few recruits rushing by on their way to their next assignment. “I guess you’re right,
Aicerno.” He turned and looked at Kyo. “How’s he doing?”

“Well, there are no internal injuries,” Aicerno replied. “Right now, he’s resting. The reihai used should
keep him relaxed. I still don’t want to ask him any questions just yet though.”

Ogihci nodded. “I think that’s a wise decision.” He sighed. “Do you mind if I left and check on Lolo? She
was still asleep when we left.”

“She’s still asleep?” Aicerno moved around the bed and closer to Ogihci. “What in the world happened?”

“Shiroi performed the ritual to save Elayne’s life,” Ogihci replied. “Since then, Lolo’s remained
unconscious. I don’t know if it’s because she needs to recover her reiatsu or if it’s something more.”

Aicerno closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Send me a hell butterfly if she is still not
awake when you get there. I’ll come and perform a scan to see if there is something else going on.”

“Okay, Aicerno, and thanks in advance,” Ogihci replied as he turned to leave. “Keep me informed on
Kyo’s status too, please.”

“Will do,” Aicerno replied.

Ogihci nodded again and then exited the room. Once he was out of the infirmary, he shunpo’d toward
the cabin.

********

A scream echoed through the dungeon, making it seem just as empty as it was. Diablo smiled as he
slowly withdrew the slender blade from the woman’s thigh. It was a delicious sound, one of pain and
terror. He felt intoxicated at its sound.

“Oh, that is delightful.” Diablo looked over his victim for the next spot. “The scream of fear and agony
make me thirst for your blood, woman.”

The woman breathed heavily. “Then… why don’t you… kill me?”

Diablo lifted her head so he could peer into her eyes. “Oh, but that’s something I can’t do. Empress Shi
has other plans for you, fool.”

“My name… is Rin… asshole,” the woman replied. “Call me… by my name….”

Diablo moved back a little and backhanded her. “How dare you talk to me in such a fashion, human
trash. You don’t deserve a name.”
Rin felt the blood slowly trickle down from her busted lip to cover the right jaw. She wish her hands
were free so she could make him pay for the insults. “You…deserve to be… in a pig sty… jerk….”

Diablo growled and shoved the dagger into her right thigh, drinking in the sound of her scream. “Bitch, if
my empress didn’t have plans for you and your hide, I would rip you to pieces for that.”

As the initial pain subsided, Rin took some deep breaths to calm her nerves. She didn’t know why she
was taunting this demon. She didn’t want to die, yet it was as if something was driving her to insult the
demon before her. “What’s your name…”

Diablo began to pull the blade out slowly. “Why? What does it matter to you?”

Rin fought to keep from screaming. “So I know… what to call you… when I kick… your ass….”

Diablo’s eyes flashed with anger. He slammed the blade back into her thigh while slamming his fist into
her stomach. “Like you can scratch a hair on my head, you worthless dog.” He punched her again. “So
you know who is beating the crap out of you, I am Diablo, general to Empress Shi’s armies.”

Rin found herself unable to breath as Diablo delivered a third blow to her abdomen. She felt the room
start to spin again and slowly fade from view. Was this how she would meet her end, tortured to death
at the hands of her enemy? She didn’t want this to happen. She wanted to get back to Kyo.

As sleep’s sweet embrace claimed her, Rin thought she saw Kyo standing in the shadows with anger in
his eyes.

**********

Shi walked out of the dressing room and looked at the bed. She turned and then stopped. Was she
seeing things? Turning back toward the bed, she realized she wasn’t dreaming.

The barrier that had surrounded the replacement sacrifice was gone. Daelen was still asleep, but that
didn’t mean she couldn’t have some fun. The demon empress moved to the bed and sat down next to
him. With one finger, she traced the curves of his face. It was sad that such a beautiful man would have
to go to waste, but after all, her desires came first.

“Oh, my sweet deluded Draconic Watcher, for centuries you and your kind tried to keep me from what
is mine,” Shi began. “You tried to control the outcome of every major event to keep me away from the
ultimate prize. Now, you lay here helpless, powerless. Do you know just how much trouble you are in,
fool?”

A cough caused Shi to look away from Daelen. The head acolyte stood a few feet away. “Empress, the
preparations are complete. We can begin the ceremony at your request.”

“Excellent,” the woman replied as she stood. “What is the first thing you need to do?”

“We need to move the sacrifice to the site of the spark,” the acolyte replied. “Once in place, we will lift
the spell so that he will awaken. Then the ritual can begin.”
The demon woman smiled. “Good. Let’s go and start the ceremony. My return to full power has waited
long enough.”

*********

Ogihci walked through the door of the cabin and saw Adrian and Elayne resting on the couch. “Any
changes?” he asked.

The two refugees turned and looked at Ogihci. Adrian stood. “Alanna is still asleep. She must be really
drained to be sleeping this long.”

Elayne looked around and didn’t see anyone else. “Ogi, where’s Kyo and Rin?”

Ogihci’s face fell some. “Kyo is in the infirmary resting. Rin… has been captured by those that invaded.”

Elayne’s breath caught as Adrian shook his head. “This.. this can’t be happening.”

“I’m sorry, but it is,” Ogihci replied, sitting down in a chair. “We don’t know all the details as Kyo is
emotionally distraught at the moment.” He sighed. “On top of that, I’m worried about Lolo. She
shouldn’t be sleeping this long.”

“Who says I’m still asleep?”

At her voice, the three looked up to see Alanna standing in the doorway as if she wasn’t injured. She
smiled softly. “I know there is a lot of questions on your mind, but we don’t have time for them now. We
need to get to the infirmary immediately.”

Ogihci stood. “Lolo, do you think you should be out of bed on your own?” He stared at her. “Why do we
need to get to the infirmary?”

Alanna walked toward the broken door. “I’m perfectly fine, Ogi.” Her smile lessened some. “We stand at
the cusp of change. It’s time to gather the forces.”

Adrian and Elayne moved to stand next to Ogihci. “Why now?” Elayne asked.

The smile vanished from Alanna’s face. “The time for the ritual is at hand. Soon, the demon empress will
regain her former power.”
 Chapter 40

For a moment there was silence. The three figures stared at Alanna, blinking. And then….

“WHAT?!?”

The scream was so loud the poor woman had to cover her ears. Once the echo seemed to die down,
Alanna uncovered her ears. “Look. Let’s discuss this as we head to the infirmary.” Without waiting, she
walked out of the cabin.

Ogihci blinked a few more times before rushing out the door. He felt Elayne and Adrian follow. Once
outside, he caught up to Alanna rather easily, seeing as she was only walking. “What’s going on, Lolo?
One moment you’re asleep. The next you’re suddenly awake and able to walk on your own. Now we
have to get to the infirmary because of what’s about to happen.”

“While I was asleep, Shiroi boosted my healing abilities,” Alanna replied. “She said that it was needed for
what is about to happen soon. As to getting to the infirmary, we need to get everyone there before
making the next move.”

“Please tell me you are joking,” Elayne said softly, panic lacing the words. She was being carried by
Adrian now since she couldn’t keep up with them without having her powers.

Alanna jumped over a log and then began to shunpo. “I’m sorry, Elayne, but I’m not joking. The demon
empress is about to start the ritual.”

“Then we have to go there and stop her,” Adrian said. “We can’t allow her to regain her full power.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t prevent it.” Alanna ducked under a branch. “We couldn’t make it there to stop
the ritual before the demon regains what is hers to begin with.”

“There’s got to be something we can do,” Ogihci stated. “We can’t just let her get what she wants.”
Ogihci clinched his fists tightly as he felt anger course through him. “We can’t just sit back.”

Alanna adjusted her path slightly as she shunpo’d. “We’re not just sitting back, Ogi. We’re gathering
everyone together and preparing for battle. This is all we can do.”

Elayne was quiet. The ritual meant the end of Heru and her people. She didn’t realize that when all was
said and done, she would have no place to truly call home. Tears flooded her eyes. “This… this is terrible.
She’s going to win.”

Alanna suddenly stopped and whirled to face them as they skidded to a halt. “No, she’s not. This is just
another bump in the road. Do not think the worse just because we can’t stop the current situation.”

“But…”
“There are no buts, Elayne,” Alanna replied in a heated tone. “This is not the end. The demon will be
defeated. Yes, I know that you are upset over the loss of Heru and your people, but it doesn’t mean you
cannot rebuild after the final battle.”

Adrian glared at Alanna. “Did you forget that she has no powers, Alanna? Did you forget about the ritual
we performed to save her life?”

Alanna turned her gaze to the man, her eyes flashing in anger. “I remember both quite well, Adrian, but
you seem to think that rebuilding requires magic.” She took a step forward. “Rebuilding doesn’t require
that. You simply need those willing to help you start over from scratch. People who will help build
homes. People who will help heal the land. People who are willing to put their heart and soul into the
rebirth of Heru. THAT is what you need.”

Adrian found the anger he held slowly leave him. He sighed, knowing in his heart that Alanna was right.
They didn’t need magic to bring Heru back to its former glory. They would do it with their two hands if
that’s what it took. “I… I understand, Alanna. Thanks, and I’m sorry.”

Alanna smiled. “You’re welcome, and don’t worry about it.” She turned around and began to shunpo
once more. “Come on. We’ve got work to do.”

Ogihci couldn’t help but smile. In a short time, he got to witness her grow a lot. “Wow, Lolo, you’ve
certainly changed a lot lately.”

Alanna laughed. “I guess. Just have to keep moving forward. Can’t let fear hold me back anymore.”

“What do you mean by that?” Elayne asked. She wore a confused look on her face.

“Oh, nothing really,” Alanna replied. “Just that change happens whether we’re ready or not.” With that,
she sped up a little more.

Adrian, Elayne, and Ogihci glanced at each other and shrugged. Without a second thought, they took off
after Alanna.

********

Diablo smiled as Rin screamed in pain. He had his favorite thin dagger through her right elbow, twisting
it a little. “I love torturing captives. Their screams make me… tingly all over.”

Rin managed to calm down from the shock of pain and glared at the demon through one eye. The other
was swollen shut from the multiple hits she took to the face. “Great…. My jailor… gets off… with torture
and pain….” She managed a smile smile. “You must… like it rough… Are you the guy… or the girl… in your
relationship?”

An angry growl came from Diablo as he hit her across the face again. The demon general was having to
restrain himself more and more around her. “You bitch. How dare you. I should rip you to shreds.”
“But… you won’t….” Rin replied through ragged breaths. “You know… that your leader… wants me… for
other reasons.”

“That may be, but that doesn’t mean you have to be pretty when you do become useful to the
Empress,” Diablo sneered. “I can make sure you suffer greatly before that time arrives.”

“Diablo, I want her to be recognizable to her friends,” a female voice added from behind him.

Diablo turned and bowed low. “Empress Shi, I did not expect you so soon.”

“As I can tell,” the demon empress replied. “It’s a good thing I did, or you would have turned this woman
into a blob.”

“I would never do that…”

“Oh really?” Shi interrupted. “Then why does her face look like it ran into the castle wall a few times?”

Diablo hung his head. “Forgive me, Empress. I allowed my anger to take control briefly.”

“I will for now.” The demon woman focused her attention on Rin. “Now, my poor woman, you know
who I am, but I have absolutely no idea who you are. Tell me your name.”

Rin took a shallow breath. “My name is Rin.” She coughed a few times, bringing up a little blood. “Why
are you… so interested in me?”

“Well, Rin, the truth is… I’m not that interested in you so much as what you can do for me,” Shi replied.
“You see, you are my ace in the hole. When the time is right, I’ll put you into play.”

Rin had a very bad feeling. Something told her that this would involve her friends and family. “You’re
going… to use me… to keep them… from fighting you.”

The demon woman smiled evilly. “You have it sort of right but not completely. Don’t worry your pretty
little head about it. You’ll find out soon enough.” She turned to Diablo. “As for you, head up to your
chambers and prepare for the ritual.” She reached back and pulled the dagger out of Rin’s elbow causing
the shinigami to scream. “Do not keep me waiting.”

Diablo bowed. “As you wish, Empress.’ He knew when it was not a good time to argue the finer points.
Without waiting for further instruction, Diablo left the dungeon.

Shi turned back to Rin, holding the dagger in her fingers. “I would save my strength if I were you. Trying
to escape will only bring you more pain, maybe even death.”

“Like I am… in any condition… to try,” Rin replied.

“That may be, but I can see the look in your eyes.” Shi twirled the dagger. “You are hoping that Diablo
will release you from those chains, and when he does, you’ll act. Maybe you’ll knock him out or push
him into a torture device before he can put you in it. It doesn’t matter. After that, you’ll run.”
“Have you… seen him… compared to me?”

“Oh, get over it,” the demon empress replied as she walked a few few away. “I know better than to
judge a book by its cover. I can sense the power you hold.” She turned and threw the dagger so that it
hit the wall next to Rin’s head. “I know you could knock him out rather easily if you really wanted to, but
like I said, I wouldn’t try escaping. The halls leading here and to your freedom are loaded with traps. If
you’re not careful, you can get seriously hurt or killed.”

Finally getting her breath under control from the brush with death, Rin stared. It was true. She had been
making plans, trying to get a chance as escaping and maybe doing some damage before returning to
Soul Society. Now, she decided that maybe it wasn’t the best plan.

Shi laughed. “Poor human, when the ritual is over, escaping will be the last of your worries.”

******

At first, Kyo was grateful for sleep to take him away from the pain he felt. He hoped that his dreams
were pleasant ones. He hoped that whe he opened his eyes, he would find RIn in his arms once more.

As sleep claimed him, Kyo felt himself drift. It seemed calming and like nothing could happen to him
there. He began to relax and let his mind wonder.

Then a soft light called his attention. Kyo closed his eyes, wishing for the light to leave him be. Yet it
seemed to grow, to call to him He relented finally and opened his eyes.

When he did, he was shocked. He found himself standing in a dungeon. It was damp and dark. There
was a smell that made his dirty clothes smell like roses. Kyo didn’t know how or why he was brought
here. “Guess it’s part of some crazy dream.” Shrugging, he headed toward the faint glow of light to his
left.

The light turned out to be from candles. It was a strange touch to the dungeon. Kyo expected torches or
lanterns, not candles. He couldn’t complain though as it gave him light to see where he was going.

As he rounded a corner, Kyo halted. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This wasn’t a dream. It was
a nightmare.

Before him stood the demon from the village. He seemed to look more menacing in the candle light. In
his hand was a slender dagger covered in blood. The demon seemed to be smiling in delight.

It wasn’t hard to figure out who the blood on the dagger belonged to. Kyo saw Rin chained to the wall.
Her body had multiple stab wounds. Blood soaked her robes where the wounds were. Her face had a
few bruises.

Kyo felt the anger return. It was much stronger than before. How dare they do this to his Rin. He wanted
to cut the demon’s head off his shoulders. Kyo reached for his zanpakuto and grasped air.
“What the hell?” Kyo looked down where it should have rested and found nothing. Did he drop it along
the way? He could go back and look for it, but he wanted to get the demon away from his girl, his Rin.

Turning back, Kyo tried to move forward to rip the enemy to pieces with his hands but couldn’t. He
couldn’t go forward or back. This angered him more. “Damn it. I have to save Rin. Let me move!”

As he struggled to move forward, he watched the scene before him. Kyo realized that while they were
talking, he couldn’t hear anything that Rin or her captor was saying. Confused, he found himself forced
to watch the demon torture his love like it was some sick silent movie.

Something Rin said made the demon very angry. He drove the dagger into Rin’s thigh and punched her
repeatedly in the stomach. Kyo felt his anger turn into righteous fury. He wanted to call down the
heavens and destroy this lowly creature that harmed Rin.

Then Rin looked at him. Kyo saw recognition in her eyes. Before he could call to her, Rin’s eyes closed as
she finally passed out.

Suddenly Kyo was back floating in the darkness. Anger slowly faded only to be replaced with sadness. He
had been only a few feet away from her, yet he couldn’t save Rin. It was like the village all over again.
How could he live with himself after failing Rin twice?

“Ototochan….”

Kyo kept his eyes closed. He didn’t need another nightmare now. He wanted to be left alone.

“Ototochan, you need to wake up.”

Kyo covered his ears. It was not going to happen again. He couldn’t bear to watch the torture that Rin
faced anymore.

“Ototochan, you leave me no choice.”

Cold water hit Kyo hard. Sputtering, he opened his eyes and sat up. “Can’t you just leave me alone? I
don’t’ want to see the nightmare anymore?”

A gentle hand rested on Kyo’s shoulder, causing him to look up and into the concern eyes of Alanna.
“You’re not dreaming anymore, ototochan.” She pulled him into a hug. “Ogi told me what happened.
“I’m sorry, ototochan.”

At first Kyo wanted to fight the hug. He didn’t want this. But slowly his resolve began to melt. He felt his
head rest on his sister’s shoulder, and he began to cry. “I couldn’t save her. It’s my fault.”

Alanna held Kyo gently. “No, it’s not your fault, ototochan. It happened for a reason. She wanted to
protect you. She loves you that much.”

“She’s being tortured, oneechan. They’re hurting her.” Kyo felt his body shake not only from the tears
but also from the anger that was starting to return.
Alanna leaned back from Kyo and lifted his face. “We’ll get Rin back and make them pay for everything
they did. Trust me on that.”

Kyo wiped away the last of his tears and nodded. “Yes, we will.” It was then that he noticed that Alanna
didn’t have the brace on. “How long have I been out?”

“Aicerno told me that you’ve been out for five hours,” Alanna replied. “Shortly after answering the
captains’ questions, you passed out.”

“That’s not possible. It has to be longer than that.”

Alanna stared at Kyo like he was crazy. “No, it was only five hours. I’ve read your chart.”

Kyo looked confused. “Then why don’t you have the splint on? Aicerno said you would have to wear it
for like a week.”

Alanna smiled. “I guess I have to fill you in on what’s going on.”

******

Daelen floated alone in the dark. Sure he felt like crap physically, but emotionally, he was on top of the
world. He got to meet the ones that the prophecies spoke about. He got to meet the one that the
Draconic Watchers waited for over the centuries. He knew he was helping his friends even if it was in a
small way. He felt like nothing could stop him.

Suddenly, he felt a change taking place around him. The dark void began to lighten, and Daelen forced
himself to cover his eyes. Sound began to filter in. It was chanting or maybe cheering. Slowly, he
removed his hands and opened his eyes.

The scene before him came as a great shock. Down below him was a ritual circle that dug into the earth
and stretched across the land as far as Daelen could see. Demons line the outer circle, cheering and
shaking their weapon in the air. In the center of the circle was what appeared to be a prison. From what
Daelen could tell, it was packed full of humans.

Daelen watched as a demon woman walked toward him from the right. “Ahh, the Draconic Watcher is
awake at last. It is time for the ceremony to begin.”

Daelen glared at the woman. “What are you planning, Shi?”

The demon empress smiled. “I’m honored that you know my name, Daelen Silverman. As to what I’m
doing, I’m restoring my full power and my true identity. You, my dear, are the spark for the ritual. You
are the first to die.”

“So you are going to shed the false mask at last then, vile one,” Daelen replied. “I take it that they don’t
know the truth.” He moved his head toward the demons standing on the outer circle.
Shi grinned. “Does it look like they do? They think they are going to witness my triumphant return when
they are just fuel for the spell.” She caressed his face. “Just like you and the other humans.”

“You won’t get away with this.” Daelen mentally kicked himself for sounding so cliché. “The chosen ones
will stop you.”

Shi laughed. “There’s nothing they can do now. And when they do come to fight, I have a trump card
that is going to cause a huge stir.”

Diablo walked up to Shi with the head acolyte. He bowed and moved back to his place while the acolyte
turned and bowed to the demon empress. “Empress, the final preparations are complete. We’re ready
to begin the ritual when you are,” the acolyte said.

“The let’s begin.” The demon woman smiled and walked to the edge of the platform. She raised her
arms to indicate silence was required. After a few moments, she began.

“Today marks the day of certain victory. Today I reclaim my true powers, my true form, and my true
name. For many years you have known me as Emress Shi. That is a mask that I have worn to fool the
humans of Heru.”

She took a deep breath. “My demon minions, I shed the false mask and reclaim my true self. I am
Deumos, your queen, your empress.”

Cheers erupted from below when the demons heard her true name. It had been centuries since they
could call her that. Now their leader had spoken her true name. It was a sign of victory for them.

It took five minutes to get the cheering to stop. Deumos smiled. “My name I have reclaimed and spoken
freely. Now is the time to reclaim my powers and my true form. Celebrate with me as we use this land
to house the ritual and its people as the fuel.”

The cheering became a deafening roar once more. Deumos moved to Daelen. “Time for you to die,
Draconic fool.”

Daelen smiled. “You will face your own death soon, Deumos.”

Deumos’ smile vanished. She began the ritual by kissing him, stealing some of his life force and linking
the ritual to her. Quickly, she moved out of the way as the head acolyte moved forward. Without
slowing, the acolyte plunged a dagger into Daelen’s chest and through his heart.

The shock of the blade entering his heart kept Daelen from screaming in pain. It was happening just like
his visions. He felt the dagger being removed and then his body moving. As his life slowly slipped away,
he felt his body being pushed over the edge and falling toward the ground. By the time his body hit,
Daelen was dead.

As the spell activated, the head acolyte looked at Deumos. “Empress, what about Diablo?
The demon queen grinned. “Actually, I have a change in plans on that.” Suddenly she picked up the
acolyte and threw him off the platform. “After all, that magic of yours is needed to fuel the spell.”

Diablo moved forward and knelt before Deumos. “Thank you, my queen, for sparing my life. I live to
serve you and only you.”

Deumos glared at the demon general. “You better be very grateful I didn’t send you down that.” She
closed her eyes as she felt the spell beginning to work. “One false move and I’ll end your life without a
second thought.”

Diablo remained silent as he watched the ceremony. One by one, demons and humans were consumed
by the ceremonial spell. Energy was left behind, following the path of the ritual circle to the center. As it
hit the prison camp, a loud scream filled the air for a brief moment before fading into nothingness.

The sky began to darken as the energy gathered in the center. It rose up from the ground and moved
toward Deumos. When it hit her, a blinding light filled the area.

Diablo began to blink rapidly to get his eyes to adjust. As his vision cleared, he came face to face with a
demon that scared him. He couldn’t believe he was seeing the true form of Deumos.

Deumos stood 25 feet tall and was 100 feet long. Dark red scales covered her skin. Razor sharp spikes
covered her back and moved down to her tail which ended at a point. Her head was like a dragon’s only
long. On her head were 4 horns twisted in various ways, and her fangs were twisted as well. Her eyes
were pitch black.

“Ahh, it feels great,” the beast said. “Now, let those fools come. They will meet their end.”
 Chapter 41

It was near noon when the group of Nikki, Jessy, Anna, and Lathos finally made it to the infirmary.
Thankfully, Kurio didn’t join them. The cloaked figure had done its part and decided that it was enough
‘good deeds’ for the rest of their natural lives. As they left for Soul Society, Kurio vanished.

As the small group entered the infirmary, they were assaulted by various sounds. There were a few
patients at the nurse’s station asking to be released. Some recruits were rushing by cleaning the rooms
with various pieces of equipment. A small group of officers stood off to the side discussing the fact that
war was about to take place.

Jessy moved to the nurse’s station and waved to get a young woman’s attention. “Excuse me, but I am
in a rush here. I need to know where Lolo and the others are. We got a message from her to get to the
infirmary as soon as we could.”

“I was told that you would be arriving soon with three others, fukutaichou,” the woman replied. “If you
go to the second floor and turn right when you leave the elevator, you’ll see the conference room at the
end of the hallway.”

“Thanks,” Jessy said with a smile.

The group went to the elevator and got in, well all save Lathos. He looked at the small box and scratched
his head. “Why are you going into a room that has no way out and is so small?”

The women looked at each other and then back at Lathos. “Have you never been in an elevator,
Lathos?” Anna asked.

“Elevator? What is an elevator?” Lathos looked completely confused.

Nikki looked like she could faint. “It’s a way to get to another floor in a building. It goes up and down.
Sometimes they have this absolutely boring music that plays when you enter.”

“Why would you use an elevator to get to a different floor? Why not just… umm… what’s the word…
poof to the area?” Lathos scratched his head as he tried to picture the use for such a device.

The elevator door was about to close, so Jessy put her hand in the way. “Hate to disappoint you, but we
can’t just poof anywhere. We either take the stairs or the elevator to get to a different floor. Now stop
being silly and get in here. We are expected at the meeting.”

Lathos shrugged and walked into the elevator. “I just don’t understand the things you humans come up
with.”

“Well, just get use to it,” Anna replied with a laugh as the elevator door closed. “You’re going to be living
with me from now on.”

Nikki elbowed Jessy lightly. “I think something’s going on between Anna and Lathos.”
“You know, I think you’re right,” Jessy replied with a smirk.

Lathos and Anna kept facing forward and away from the other two, blushing. “There’s nothing going
on,” Anna stated.

Nikki and Jessy were laughing as the elevator door opened. Lathos walked out and stopped. “Why would
you two think that something is going on between us? We’ve been only together for a few days.”

Jessy moved out of the elevator and turned right. “They’ve been together. See, we’re both right.”

“That’s not what he meant,” Anna objected as they followed Jessy toward the conference room. “He’s a
newly turned vampire. It’s normal for a newborn to be near the one who turned him or her for at least
the first month.”

“More time for you two to get to know each other better,” Nikki replied as they stopped before the
conference room. “Maybe you two can… get together more.”

As Lathos and Anna blushed at Nikki’s implied comment, the door opened. Alanna smiled at the group.
“Hello, everyone. Welcome back.” She noticed the blushes and shook her head. “Jessy. Nikki. Stop
teasing Lathos and Anna. You two should know better.”

“Lolo, you should know that we don’t,” Jessy replied. She tried to look past Alanna. “Are you going to let
us in or do we stand here all day?”

Alanna rolled her eyes and moved out of the way. “Come on it and have a seat. We haven’t started the
meeting because we were waiting for you to return.”

The small group moved past Alanna and into the large conference room. Around the table sat the other
members of this particular group. Aicerno sat at the head. To his right was Lori and to his left was an
empty chair. Next to the empty chair was Ogihci followed by Kyo, Elayne, Adrian, Yondy and Joe. Four
chairs remained empty in between Joe and Lori. Nikki took a few steps forward and then stopped.

“Where is Rin? Where is my daughter?” Nikki asked.

Kyo’s face fell a little as Alanna closed the door and moved around them. “Please sit down and we’ll fill
you all in.” The tone of her voice was different than before and offered no room for argument.

Nikki sighed and followed the last four members to their seats. Alanna took her spot to the left of
Aicerno and to the right of Ogihci. As she sat, Aicerno stood. He took a deep breath and began.

“As we all know, we’ve been preparing to prevent the invasion of the living world and Soul Society by a
demon known to us as Shi. We’ve learned as much as we could and have made as many preparations as
we could. Yet, things have taken a change. For the worst or better, we have yet to find out.”

Aicerno turned to Alanna. “I’ll let my new vice captain to explain the rest.”

“Vice captain??” Jessy and Nikki asked in unison.

Alanna smiled as she stood. “That’s correct. I accepted the position when I got back to the infirmary.
Now, let’s move on with the meeting.” She took a deep breath and looked around the table.

“As most of you know, last night Soul Society was invaded by at the time an unknown force. During that
time, several villages were targeted and the residents taken. Groups were sent out to assess the
situation. During that time, Rin was captured after saving Kyo’s life.”

Nikki seemed to go paler than she already was. “Rin… was captured?”

Alanna nodded. “Yes, I’m sorry, Nikki. After witnessing the murder of five members attempting to attack
the invaders, Rin save Kyo’s life by using kidou to subdue him. In the process, one of the invaders
knocked her out and took her through a portal.”

Nikki felt her heart break. First Janos disappeared and now her daughter was captured. She stared at the
table before standing suddenly. “Why haven’t you tried to rescue my daughter?” she asked angrily.

“Nikki, please sit down,” Alanna replied.

“I will not! Rin is a prisoner, and I want to know why no one has tried to rescue her!” Nikki brought her
fist down hard and cracked the table. “I want answers.”

Alanna took a deep breath. “Sis, we cannot rush in to rescue her without knowing a few things and
making plans. On top of that, Rin is still alive.”

Nikki glared at her sister. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because she was taken separately from the villagers,” Alanna replied. “And I believe she will be used in
an attempt to stop us from fighting.”

Elayne sighed. “What did the person that took Rin look like?”

“He was a demon. He had horns on his head that looked like dried blood stained them,” Kyo said in an
even tone. It was clear on his face that he was torn between two conflicting emotions. “His skin was
covered in red and green scales.”

“Diablo,” Adrian said with disdain. “He was a high ranking demon when I was there and under Shi’s
spell.”

Alanna coughed to get their attention. “After the taking Rin and the last group of villagers to Heru, I
awoke with knowledge of multiple things. One of which was a ritual that the demon empress performed
about two hours after sunrise. The ritual allowed her to regain her full power as well as her true form.
She also revealed her true name.”

Elayne and Adrian looked at Alanna. “What? You know her true name?”
Alanna nodded. “As part of ritual to save Elayne’s life, Shiroi established a link to Daelen as a means to
know exactly what went on and hopefully give us an advantage. Before Daelen’s death, she learned the
true name of the demon. Her name is Deumos.”

Yondy pounded the table hard. “How can you be so nonchalant about this, Lolo? Daelen was murdered
by that bitch.”

“Don’t yell at Lolo,” Joe said in a sad tone. “It’s not her fault that this happened.”

“But she’s not even emotional. She’s acting like it’s not effecting her at all,” Yondy yelled. “How can you
just sit there and tell me that it’s not affecting you?”

A crash brought everyone’s attention back to Alanna. She held her right hand in a tight fist with blood
dripping down onto the table. Remnants of a glass and water were below her fist. Her face was a
mixture of emotion as tears began to flow. She looked at the group, particularly Yondy.

“Don’t you dare say that I’m not affected by all of this,” Alanna replied in a low tone. “I’ve been through
a lot recently. You have no right to judge me just because I’m trying to maintain a calm tone during this
meeting. I’ve lost more than you have, and I will not stand here and take your disrespect.”

Aicerno tried to take her hand to heal it, but Alanna pulled her hand back and walked out of the room.
Tears were streaming down her face as she closed the door. Everyone at the table turned and looked at
Yondy. It was clear that they were not happy with his actions.

Ogihci glared at Yondy, doing his best to hold back an anger that seemed unnatural at that moment. “I
don’t know how you could say that to Lolo. She is one of the most emotional people I know. I should
take you outside and…”

“Ogi, that’s enough,” Aicerno replied in a calm tone. He looked at Yondy. “I know you are upset with
Daelen’s death, just like we all are, but I suggest that you start thinking about your choice of words more
carefully from here on in.”

Yondy bowed his head in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on Lolo.” He sighed. “It
just feels like I’ve lost a brother.”

Joe patted Yondy’s back. “Dude, we’ve all been affected by this crap. I’ve lost my sister.” He took a deep
breath. “Hopefully soon we can get back to the normal routine. Just remember you are not the only one
having to deal with things.”

Nikki sighed. She had calmed down greatly and now could feel sadness slowly making its way into her
heart. She looked over at Kyo and could see that he was hurting. “Kyo?”

Kyo looked up and into Nikki’s eyes. He was dreading this more than anything. “Yes, Nikki?”

“I’m not mad at you at all,” Nikki said quietly. “I know what she did she did because she loves you. So
don’t blame yourself, okay?”
For a moment Kyo just stared and then a small smile graced his face. “Okay.”

The door of the conference room opened to reveal Romi. She looked a little upset. “Lolo said that she
needs some time alone. She wanted me to tell you that she’ll be back after a walk and not to leave this
room.”

Aicerno sighed. “Did she get her hand healed?”

Romi looked a little confused. “Why would she need her hand healed?”

“She broke her glass and cut her right hand earlier,” Lori replied.

Romi looked even more confused at that. “She wasn’t bleeding when I saw her. She waved at me, and
her right hand looked fine.”

******

Diablo stood looking at the devastated wasteland that was Heru. As far as he could see, plants and
animals lay dead, slowly rotting in the ever-increasing heat. Even though the sun was hidden behind an
expansive blanket of clouds, the temperature continued to rise. What little breeze there was did little to
lessen the heat.

The demon general didn’t care though. He rather enjoyed the heat. It was a pleasant reminder of his
home. Yet what he couldn’t stand was the smell of the decoy that seemed to fill every nook and cranny
of the land. Wherever Diablo went, the stench followed. It was like a long lost puppy searching for its
owner.

“God, this is just disgusting,” he said in a low tone. “Why didn’t the animals vanish like the humans did?
It would have made things easier to deal with.”

He kicked a bloated boar and was instantly sorry that he did. The belly ruptured, spilling forth a noxious
sludge that covered the ground. Where its organs had been was nothing but a pile of mush that bubbled
and seemed to melt the ground it touched. Rising from the material was a smell that made rotten eggs
smell like roses.

“Oh, that is just wrong,” Diablo said as he covered his nose and mouth before turning away.

In all of his life, Diablo never witness such vast devastation and decay. It had only been five hours since
the ritual had been completed. Yet everything was dead and rotting like it had been months ago. The
only things living in this cesspool were Deumos, himself, and their little captive and bait. At this rate, he
wasn’t sure that they could survive here for long.

Sighing, he walked around more bloated animals and toward the castle. Deumos had left the ritual area
to test out her wings after being confined in the human form for so long. She had instructed Diablo to
return to the dungeon and check on Rin, making sure that their guest was comfortable.
Diablo looked around the area and decided to use his powers to get to the castle quicker. The stench
was just too much for him to bear any more. Closing his eyes, he pitched the dank, dark dungeon and
began to focus his energy. Taking a few hesitant and nearly sickening deep breaths, he activated his
powers and disappeared from the field.

A few moments later, a coolness greeted Diablo. He opened his eyes to see the dungeon with Rin still
chained to the wall. She looked a little pale due to the blood loss, but she was still alive. Diablo took a
deep breath in, grateful for the smell of dust, mold, and water.

“This is so much better than outside,” Diablo said with a grin. He didn’t realize just how much he was
grateful for getting out of that toxic field until he came here. “I don’t think I could take that stench any
longer.”

Rin opened her eyes and looked at Diablo. Her eyes were a little dull. “What… smell?” she asked weakly.
She wanted to say more, to shoot a sarcastic remark at the demon, but she just didn’t have the energy.
She was finding it hard to stay awake.

Diablo looked at his captive and notice the difference between now and before. He saw a pool of blood
on the floor from the wounds he inflicted upon her. Concerned that she may die before Deumos could
use her, he began to heal the wounds somewhat. He would at least stop the bleeding.

“Everything outside these walls is dead except for the Empress,” Diablo replied in a soft tone. It
surprised him how gentle he was with Rin now. Why would help her now when earlier he was ready to
rip her to pieces? “She is currently testing out her true form after being in human form for so long.”

Rin sighed. “I… see…. Shi has… gotten her wish… then?”

“It’s not Shi anymore. Her name is Deumos, Empress or Queen Deumos,” Diablo answered as he moved
to another wound. “She has gotten what she wanted with the ritual. She… spared me for some reason.”

Rin looked up and into Diablo’s eyes. She was shocked to see a little compassion in them. “Then… you
are lucky… Diablo…. What happened?”

Diablo didn’t look at her as he worked. “She used all the acolytes, all the demons, and all of the humans
to gain her true power and form back,” he said in a quite tone. “My brothers and sisters didn’t know
what was going to happen to them, and neither did I.”

A small amount of pity found its way into Rin’s heart. She saw Diablo in a new light as he worked to stop
the bleeding. He was still in shock over what had happened. He knew that he could have been one of
the demons not fortunate enough to live to see this day. He came face to face with the realization that
his empress didn’t care who she hurt to get her wish, her dream.

“I’m sorry… Diablo…” Rin was a little surprised as the word came out of her mouth.

Apparently so was Diablo. He paused with his work and looked up at her. “Why are you sorry? I’ve been
torturing you from the time you got here, yet you are sorry for me. Why?”
“Because… I can see… the pain… in your eyes…” Rin took a deep breath. “You’ve lost… so many of… your
brethren today… and you could have… been one of the… victims too….”

Diablo blinked a few times as he stared at Rin. It amazed him how compassionate this one woman was.
How could she be so apologetic toward his plight when he was the one inflicting the wounds covering a
good portion of her body? Were all humans like this one?

“I’ve always seen humans as nothing but cannon fodder for us demons, nothing more than food,” Diablo
replied as he started on his work once more. “I thought we were above humans and only they had to
die.” He took a deep breath. “I guess I was wrong on that one.”

Diablo finished healing the wounds enough so the bleeding would stop and then looked Rin in the eyes.
“Maybe it’s just the shock of everything that happened today, but I’m sorry that I’ve inflicted pain. I’m
sorry that you are now the subject of Deumos’ plans.”

Rin managed to smile slightly. “Well, I won’t lie… and say that I would… want the other… crueler Diablo
back.” She chuckled. “But for what… it’s worth… I’m glad to be here… at least to see the softer side of
you.”

Diablo managed a smile before it faded. “Don’t get too use to it though. Deumos will want me to
resume the torture. She may even cast a spell to hide this… softer side as you call it.”

“DIABLO! I NEED YOU!” came the booming voice of Deumos.

Diablo took a deep breath as he spared a moment to look at Rin. “Forgive me for everything I’ve done
and will do.”

“DIABLO!” came the demon empress’ voice again. Before Rin could answer, Diablo closed his eyes and
vanished.

Rin sighed. “I forgive you, Diablo,” she said to no one.

******

Alanna walked through the park allowing the emotions she was feeling to flow freely. It hurt her to no
end that Yondy thought she was heartless. That was one thing that the new vice captain of the Fourth
Division was not. Her tears were evidence of that.

She turned down a trail and then saw the one place that could bring a smile at a time like this. The
willow tree sat near the pond. Its branches leaned longingly toward the surface of the water. It was here
that she and Ogihci met. It was here that their relationship blossomed into what it was today.

The woman walked under the willow tree and sat down, leaning against the trunk. It felt wonderful just
to sit back and relax like this. Yes, she knew that it was only a brief reprieve from the coming battle, but
it was still nice. Alanna hoped that when it was all said and done, she and Ogihci could come back here
and just relax.
You shouldn’t relax too much, Alanna. You have to return to the meeting. Shiroi’s words were motherly
and calming. I know that Yondy’s words hurt you, but you have to understand that he’s hurting too.

I know, Shiroi. I’ve already forgiven him. I just need a little time to collect my thoughts. Alanna looked up
at the sky. There are a lot of things that are going to take place before we know it. I just need a little
time.

That is understandable, Alanna. You have a lot riding on your shoulders, you and Ogihci.

Alanna sighed. No pressure there. I guess I should head back. Alanna stood and moved out from under
the willow.

She really didn’t want to return just yet, but Alanna knew that she couldn’t keep the meeting on hold
until she felt like it was the right time. She knew that the demon Deumos wouldn’t be holding off for
much longer. They needed to make their plans and stop the demon empress. Now was not the time for
emotional tantrums.

******

Deumos sat on top of the once living town that surrounded the castle. She forgot just how large her true
form was. It was glorious at least to her. The town underneath her would have protested if it could
speak. It didn’t matter to her anyway. She was the master of this and soon every domain.

“DIABLO! WHERE ARE YOU?” she bellowed. She hated that the general wasn’t there already. How many
times did she have to shout for him?

“I am here, Empress,” Diablo replied. “I’m sorry for the delay, but the prisoner looked like she could
have died from blood loss. I decided to stop her bleeding so you could still use her, Empress.”

Deumos glared at Diablo a moment and then huffed. “Good, but next time, when I yell for you, get here
pronto. She would have lived long enough for you to see what I wanted.”

“Forgive me, Empress.” Diablo bowed before standing. “What do you desire?”

Deumos stared at Diablo for a few moments. She felt that something was off in the general but decided
to wait and watch. “I flew over the land and noticed that everything has died and is decaying rather
rapidly. On top of that, I don’t feel… right. I can’t put my finger on it, but something isn’t right. I want
you to look into it.”

Diablo raised an eyebrow. “How am I supposed to do that, Empress? I’m not a scholar or acolyte. I don’t
hold that kind of power.”

“Are you a fool?” Deumos asked, lowering her face down toward Diablo. “I can give you the power,
idiot.”

Diablo felt embarrassed. “Forgive my ignorance, Empress.”

Deumos growled and lifted her head. It was clear that something was off with Diablo. He seemed too
timid. ‘Well, I’ll fix that.’ “Just stand still. This won’t hurt much.”

Before Diablo could say anything, Deumos opened her mouth and hit him with a black energy. His
screams filled the air.

*******

The conference room was quiet as the group waited for the new vice captain of the 4th to return. The
initial stressful feeling and high emotions had leveled off to what they were before Yondy’s outburst.
After the confrontation, they were hoping that Alanna would return soon so they could continue where
they had left off. They couldn’t afford any more delays.

Ogihci poured himself some more water and looked around the table. “Do you think we should send
someone after her?”

“No,” Romi replied. She had brought in an extra chair and had squeezed in between Lori and Jessy. “She
looked like she was really upset. We sisters have learned not to bug her when she gets in this mood.”

“I guess it’s better to let her have her space right now then,” Ogihci said as he took his seat once more.
He took a drink of his water and sighed. “I better get used to it if we’re going to get married.”

“If?” a female voice asked. Everyone turned to see Alanna standing in the doorway. “It’s not if, it’s when
we get married, Ogi.” She smiled softly.

Ogihci returned the smile. “When we get married.”

Yondy stood and bowed low toward Alanna. “Lolo, I just wanted to say….”

“It’s okay, Yondy. I forgive you,” Alanna said, interrupting Yondy as she moved to her seat. “I understand
how you feel, so don’t worry about it.”

Yondy couldn’t help but smile when he saw her face. She really was okay and had forgiven him for his
words. “Thank you, Lolo.”

“Well, now that we have the apology out of the way, what do you say to returning to the meeting at
hand?” Lori asked. “I’m sure we have a lot to cover and not a lot of time.”

Aicerno nodded. “Agreed. Lolo, please continue where you left off.”

“I think we should go back a little bit from where she left off,” Jessy said.

Nikki glared at Jessy. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, if she left from where she left off, she would break another glass, make an emotional speech, and
then leave the meeting again,” Jessy replied with a look that said that Nikki should have known that.
“We don’t have that much time for another one of those moments.”
Alanna laughed at Jessy’s comments. “Don’t worry, sis. I know what Aicerno meant.” She stopped long
enough to kiss Ogihci’s cheek before taking her spot from before. She was grateful to see that the glass
and blood was gone.

“As I said before, the demon’s true name is Deumos. Now that she has her full powers, she is going to be
a formidable foe. We still don’t know what she can do fully, but she’s not going to be a push-over.”
Alanna took a deep breath. “We also do not know how many opponents she will have on her side. We
can take a guess, but that’s all.”

Lathos raised his hand like he was in school. “Excuse me, but we do know. Well, the four of us that were
at Anna’s place know.”

Everyone looked at the demon vampire. Anna nodded as if giving her permission before Lathos
continued. “Only three people are alive still on Heru now that the ritual has been completed.”

“How do you know this, Lathos?” Kyo asked as he leaned forward. “How can we trust you when you use
to work for that demon bitch?”

“He has seen the truth for himself and knows that we will do what is needed to save all life,” Anna
replied. “If he had been false, I would have killed him the moment I awoke from my slumber the first day
we met.”

“That may be, but I still don’t trust him,” Kyo replied as he leaned back. “So, how do you know that only
three live?” Kyo was fighting back emotions that threatened to claim him. He didn’t need this now. He
had to focus. He had to save Rin.

“From the Oraculum o’ mortuus, The Prophecy of the Dead. I read it while we were still at Anna’s
residence.” Lathos took a deep breath. “The one of falsehood, the one who leads, and the one who is
bait, three only shall remain. Three only shall live on the dead world. That is what the book said.”

Alanna was quiet a moment thinking. “Deumos, Diablo, and Rin. Those are the three still alive.” She saw
the relief on Kyo’s face before it vanished. “So in truth we have two demons to fight. Somehow Deumos
will use Rin against us.”

“You mean like brainwashing her?” Nikki asked. Concern was clear on her face.

“No, I mean like a way to keep us from fighting her.” Alanna brought her hand up to her chin. “She’s
more of a hostage in this situation. We do what Deumos wants, and Rin remains alive.”

“But you can’t trust her,” Elayne replied. “She will backstab us the moment we let our guard down.”

“That is true,” Aicerno interjected. “That is why we must come up with a battle plan so that we can save
Rin and defeat Deumos.”

Alanna glanced at Kyo and met his gaze before moving on to look at the rest of the group. “As we
discuss things here, know that other groups of shinigami are listening in. This group has been given the
authority to make decisions in this matter seeing as we’ve been the ones dealing with this for the most
part. All plans that we create here will be known to all involved in the matter.” She inhaled deeply.
“Without knowing the full extent of Deumos’ powers, we will have to come up with several plans.”

“Maybe a little help is needed,” a voice said, seemingly coming from all around.

Most of the group looked confused at the appearance of the voice. Only five were not. Lathos sighed
and closed his eyes. “What do you want, Kurio?”

The cloaked figure appeared and bowed. “You know what I want, Lathos. I want to pay Deumos back for
betraying me so long ago. That is why I will offer my knowledge to assist you all.”

Alanna glared at the cloaked figure. “Kurio? I see that you did not reveal your true name. In that aspect
you are like Deumos.”

A growl came from Kurio. “Do not compare me to that worthless demon.” The room seemed to darken a
little. “I will not take kindly to your insults.”

“Take your antics elsewhere, Kurio,” Alanna replied. “You do not scare me as I know who you truly are.”

“I see,” Kurio said as the light returned. “She has told you then.”

“Of course, she has,” Alanna replied. “She has told me quite a lot about you. Don’t worry. I won’t reveal
the truth yet.”

The cloaked figure bowed in a mocking way. “You are too kind, wise one. Now, allow me to assist you in
your battle against Deumos.”

Aicerno looked between Alanna and the cloaked figure. It seemed that there was still tension between
the two, though he couldn’t understand why. “What can you tell us about Deumos?”

“Well, for one, she’s not a full power even after performing the ritual,” Kurio replied.

Adrian scratched his head. “How is that possible? I’ve heard of the ritual before. It takes the souls and
energy of the sacrifices and unlocks the spell that kept Deumos in human form while restoring her
powers fully when done during a blood moon.”

“It’s simple. The ritual wasn’t done on a blood moon,” Kurio began. “In addition, even with the
‘collection’ of sacrifices she had, it still didn’t return her full power. You performed the ritual to transfer
powers and the right to rule Heru from Elayne to another recently correct?”

Elayne sighed as Adrian nodded. “Yes, we did. We saved Elayne’s life.”

“That you did,” the cloaked figure said. “Do you know what happens when the ruler of Heru dies
without an heir to transfer the rule and power to?”

Lori leaned forward. “What happens and how does this relate to Deumos?”
“Allow me to explain, young one,” Kurio replied. “The bond between ruler and the land Heru and its
people isn’t one directional. It goes both ways. If the ruler is ill, the land and the people feel it. If the
land or the people are ill, the ruler feels it.” It walked a little closer to the table and stopped. “Should a
ruler die without an heir, so does the land and the people. Not only that, but all life on Heru perishes.”

“I still don’t understand how this relates to Deumos,” Aicerno replies.

Kurio chuckled. “Allow me to finish. When Deumos performed the ritual, it needs a spark, a way to tie it
to the one it is intended to help. What happens is the one in need of the ritual must kiss the one who is
to be the spark. She steals a small amount of power and soul from the spark before that person is killed
and thrust upon the ritual circle.”

“By stealing that from Daelen, she unknowingly linked herself to Daelen and the land of Heru,” Alanna
added. “So she’s slowly dying?”

“No, she’s not dying,” Kurio replied. “She is poisoned though, unable to leave the land of Heru and
unable to gain her full powers now.”

“But if the land, people, and ruler are all connected like you say, why isn’t Deumos dying like the rest of
the life on Heru?” Elayne asked. The look on her face was one of devastation.

“Human magic is not as powerful as demon magic,” Lathos replied. “Deumos’ innate abilities saved her
from the death sentence.”

Kurio bowed. “I’m glad I can impart my knowledge upon you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’ll watch
the rest of the events from a distance.” Without waiting, the cloaked figure vanished.

Kyo rolled his eyes. “It was in a rush to leave. Why did Kurio stay to help?”

“Because Kurio doesn’t do things to help others,” Alanna replied. “The dark one only does things to
better its own standing. Besides, it knew that Shiroi was about to do something.”

Ogihci raised an eyebrow. “How could that thing know what your zanpakuto spirit was about to do?”

“It’s a long story for another time,” Alanna replied. “Now, let’s get back planning our attack. I think this
is what we should do.”
 Chapter 42

It seemed like the screaming had gone on for hours before its last echoes faded away from the dungeon.
Rin felt the tears stream from her face. She knew that when Diablo returned, he wouldn’t be the caring
demon she got to see so briefly. She mentally prepared herself for the return of the torture that would
come when the new Diablo returned.

The younger woman rested against the wall that was behind her. It felt good to have the cool stone
against her back. It helped to ease the aches and pains that she felt as a result of the torture she had
been forced to deal with. Rin closed her eyes.

Her mind quickly went to the one thing that kept her going. His face was clear to her now as it was the
last day she saw him. Rin smiled as memories of their first dates and their confessions played through
her mind. The times made her happy. She wanted nothing more than to be able to be with Kyo once
more.

Rin opened her eyes and looked around the dungeon. It was rather large in the room where she was.
She saw the various skeletons lying in different positions. She knew from the sight of the place that if a
person should die in here, their body would be tossed to the side and left to rot.

As she scanned the dungeon, Rin came to a skeleton that wore a shihakushou. It was strange to see
something like that here. Then her thoughts turned back to something she heard in the past. A member
of the 4th Division had been murdered, but the body was sent back to Soul Society. This shihakushou
meant that another shinigami had been sent here years ago. Could it be that the leaders had been
spying on this world for some time and trying to figure out a way to stop the coming battle? If that was
the case, they had failed miserably.

Rin sighed. She wished she could break free and return to Soul Society. Yet she knew that it would be
impossible for that to happen. She was too weak and injured to move let alone break free from the
chains that held her. Then there was the matter of the traps in the halls. She didn’t know her way
through the passageways in order to make it out alive. So she was forced to sit and wait for what would
happen.

A noise came down one of the halls. Heavy footsteps seemed to echo off the walls and fill the dungeon
room. Rin felt fear begin to creep through her body. It seemed that her reprieve was now over. Taking a
deep breath, she began to prepare herself for the torture to come.

Diablo walked into the dungeon and stopped. He stared at Rin with a cold gaze. “Empress Deumos
wants you above ground so she can watch you better.”

“I see,” Rin said quietly. “I guess the Diablo I met before is gone.”

Diablo huffed. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” He moved to where Rin was and began to
unlock the chains. “I live only to serve my Empress.”
Rin noticed the dead tone in Diablo’s voice. It was like his will had been taken from him completely. It
was sad to look into his eyes and see that same thing reflected there. “It… it’s nothing, Diablo.”

Diablo spared a moment’s glance at Rin before continuing his work. He didn’t say another word as he
finished removing the chains and picking the shinigami up. He slung her roughly over his shoulder
causing Rin to call out in pain. Without pausing, he turned and walked out of the dungeon.

********

Everyone looked at Alanna. The plan seemed to be a good one, but they were not sure if it would
actually work. They knew from experience that things don’t always work out the way that they planned.
Yet, it was something that they had to just go with and let things happen as they may.

“You think this will work, Lolo?” Nikki asked as they had finalized the plans. “You think that this will save
Rin and stop Deumos?”

“I do. It is our only choice.” Alanna took a sip of her water and looked around. “Of course there are
always things we can’t foresee, so we’ll take care of that when we come across a situation.”

“I think it is a good plan, Lolo,” Ogihci replied. “So when do we set this into action?”

“We’ll have to finalize the coordination with the other groups,” Aicerno replied. “I would say that within
a day or two we will be ready to mobilize and head to Heru.”

“I would rather we could move as soon as we can,” Kyo stated. His eyes were distant and filled with
heartache. “I don’t want to leave Rin in their hands any longer than necessary.”

“We know, ototochan, and we all feel the same.” Alanna moved to her brother and placed a gentle hand
on his shoulder. “Our first priority is to make sure she’s safe and out of their hands.”

Aicerno stood. “Alright, we’ve got the framework set. We should all return to our respective divisions
and make the final preparations. I’ll discuss this with the captains heading the other groups and will
send you a message when it is time.”

The rest of the group stood, though Elayne looked a little depressed. Adrian noted her face and hugged
her. “What’s wrong, Elayne?”

She hugged Adrian back. “I’m afraid that I cannot help out like I wanted. I have no powers to combat
those of Deumos. I’m nothing more than a liability right now.”

Alanna moved closer to the two. “That’s where you are wrong, Elayne. You are an asset to us. You gave
us a lot of useful details of Heru. On top of that, you are needed still. We need you to be here to help
with receiving the injured and guiding us when we get lost.” She smiled. “You are a valuable member of
this team, Elayne.”

Elayne couldn’t help but return the smile. “I guess you are right. It’s just when the final battle came, I
thought I would be fighting right alongside everyone else. I guess that my role has changed.”
The team began to leave the room one by one. Alanna hung back as her friends and family moved out to
do their part in the coming battle. She watched as they left until only two others were left in the
conference room with her. Kyo and Ogihci walked up to Alanna.

“Lolo, are you sure that you want to insist on coming too?” Ogihci asked. It was one of the heated
arguments that took place during the meeting. He didn’t want her to get hurt. Neither did Kyo. Of
course, she wouldn’t hear it.

“Yes, I am. You know that the prophecies have said that we two are the ones to stop Deumos from
achieving her goals,” Alanna replied. “I’m not going to go against that. I’m going to fight just like you two
are.”

Kyo sighed. “Oneechan, I just don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want to… to lose you and Rin.”

Alanna pulled Kyo into a hug. “I know how you are feeling, ototochan. You just have to trust me.”

Ogihci looked away. “If you get hurt, Lolo, I’m not going to hold back. They’ll pay.”

Kyo released the hug he gave Alanna and nodded. “The same goes for me. I already own them for
hurting Rin.”

“Getting injured is part of fighting. A few cuts are nothing,” Alanna replied as she began to walk out of
the room with the two men. “You shouldn’t get upset over that.”

“You know what we meant, oneechan,” Kyo replied. “If you get seriously hurt, we’re not going to go
easy on the enemy.”

Alanna stopped and turned toward the two. “I understand that, but you know that there will be a
certain time when you are going to have to play along with things. You both know what that is. Don’t
change what we’ve discussed outside this meeting.”

Ogihci nodded. “We understand. Do you think that we’ll need to put that into play?”

“Like I said, there’s no telling what will happen once this battle starts,” Alanna replied, “but I am trying
to consider all of the possible outcomes. If it’s needed, I’ll put that into play.”

Kyo closed his eyes. “I really don’t like it, but I will do it for you, oneechan.” He opened his eyes and
looked at them. Tears seemed to threaten to fall. “I just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“We all hope for that,” Ogihci added. “I really don’t want to think that this is a possibility, but I guess you
have to look for it.”

Alanna turned and continue to walk toward the elevator. “Better to think of all the possibilities than be
surprised by something.” She stopped and pushed the down button. “Well, I think we should all go and
prepare for the battle. We can meet up later for dinner if you like.”
Kyo and Ogihci nodded as they walked into the elevator. Ogihci smiled. “That would be a great idea,
Lolo. Where should we meet?”

“I heard that the café has been reopened,” Kyo replied as Alanna pushed the button for the first floor.
“We could meet there.”

“I think that’s a good idea, ototochan,” Alanna replied. “I can make dinner there. Anything you two want
in particular?”

“Surprise me, Lolo,” Ogihci replied. “Everything you cook is delicious.”

Alanna blushed as they walked out of the elevator. She kissed Ogihci’s cheek and hugged Kyo. “Okay, I’ll
see you both for dinner at the café. We can work out more details for everything while we eat.”

The two men nodded and without any further discussion, the three moved off in different directions.
Alanna allowed her thoughts to turn inward as she began to think of all the things that the group had
discussed. She just hoped that all aspects had been covered.

*******

While it was only afternoon, it was as black as night in Heru. Kurio walked along the darkened streets
without trouble. It was more comfortable in the dark than in the light. All around it was the smell of
death. It was like a sweet perfume to Kurio. It was intoxicating.

Kurio could see the massive form of Deumos up ahead even in no light. A soft chuckle came from the
hood. It found that the true form of the demon to be hilarious considering the appearance of Deumos
now. It found the visual appearance of Deumos as truly ironic and very funny.

“I should pay her a visit, but I don’t think she’ll want to see me,” the cloaked figure said to no one in
particular. “I must say that this will be the perfect spot to watch the coming battle.”

Movement to the right of Kurio caught its attention. It watched as Diablo appeared with something over
his shoulder. Curious, Kurio decided to follow in the shadows. It slid easily into the dark where it was its
home for so long.

Diablo moved almost like a robot through the streets. He turned exactly when he needed to and didn’t
waste movement. He made sure that whatever it was that he carried was not damaged at all. Kurio
followed behind him. It wasn’t too long before he realized that the thing Diablo carried was in fact the
missing shinigami Rin.

“Hmm. Very interesting. I am wondering what they are doing with the young girl,” Kurio said softly so
that no one else could here.

It wasn’t long before the three stood before Deumos, though Kurio remained hidden. The sight of the
demon, Kurio smiled. The cloaked figure could smell the slow decay that was coming from Deumos.
There was no way that the demon empress could leave this land alive.
“Good job, Diablo,” Deumos replied. “Sit her down.”

“As you wish, Empress,” Diablo replied, his voice having a near dead quality. Without being gentle, he
dumped Rin onto the ground.

“Ouch!” Rin yelled as she was jarred. “Could you… be a little gentler?”

Deumos laughed. “Your comfort matters little to me. You are here solely because I have a use for you.
Otherwise, you would have died with the rest of the humans.”

Rin sighed. “He didn’t have to just drop me, you know.”

Diablo looked at Rin with dead eyes. “I live to serve Empress Deumos.” He turned his gaze up to the
demon in question. “Your orders, Empress?”

“Have you found out what is going on, Diablo? Why is everything dying and crumbling into dust?”
Deumos looked around the land. “Even the castle is falling to pieces.”

“I have not found out the reason yet, Empress,” Diablo replied. “I will continue seeking the answer if
that is your wish, Empress.”

“Yes, continue your search for the reason,” the demon empress replied. “Keep me informed of any
developments.”

Diablo bowed low. “As you command, Empress.” With that he vanished.

Rin looked up and finally took in the huge demon. “If you are a demon, why do you look like a dragon?”

Deumos turned her gaze toward the young woman and managed to smile. “I am impressed with your
ability to notice. The reason I look like a dragon is simple. I’ve absorbed two red dragons, one green
dragon, and two black dragons long ago. I ate their flesh and absorbed their powers. Because of that, my
true form was altered to what you see now.”

“But why would you do that?” Rin was truly confused why a demon would do something like what
Deumos revealed to her.

“That is rather easy to explain,” Kurio replied from the shadows.

“Ahh, so you have decided to show up after all,” Deumos said looking into the darker areas. “Have you
come to apologize for everything you’ve done?”

Kurio laughed. “You are delusional if you think I would do that.” The cloaked figure walked out of the
shadows and stood about ten feet away from Rin. “But let me get back to the young woman’s question.”
It turned to Rin. “You see, while demons are powerful, they are still not very powerful when it comes to
dragons. Well, the majority of the demons are weaker than dragons. This demon has been on a quest
for more power for as long as I can remember. She even ate her own mother and father to gain power.”
Deumos growled. “Did you have to tell her everything? I should kill you.”

Kurio laughed. “You still think that you could take me on, you wanna-be? There’s no way you could ever
come close to me or the power I hold.”

“I have my full powers back, dark one,” Deumos replied. “I don’t have to put up with your insolence
anymore.”

Kurio laughed harder. “You don’t have your full power, and even if you did, you still couldn’t hold a
match to me. You’re nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum at the moment.”

Deumos roared in anger. “I’ll show you that I am greater than you now.” She opened her mouth and
began to gather her powers.

Kurio’s laughter faded at this. Suddenly the area somehow got darker. “You still don’t get it, fool. You
could never come close to me in any way. You try to gain that you can never possess through taking
others’ powers and even their form.” The cloaked figure began to grow and change. “All to imitate me
or at least try to. How truly childish.”

Rin watched in horror as the cloaked figure grew and changed shape. She could feel the power radiating
off this creature as it seemed to mutate before her eyes. She remembered the day that she first saw the
hooded figure in the 4th Division outside the infirmary. The aura from that day seemed to be magnified a
thousand fold. As the creature revealed its true self, Rin passed out from the aura and power.

*******

Around dinner time, Alanna made her way to the café. She had reserved the entire building so that she,
Ogihci, and Kyo could discuss things in private. She didn’t want a stray recruit running off and telling
others that there may not be many days left to live or some other doomsday speech. There was no need
to start a panic now.

As she entered the café, she moved behind the counter and began to prepare the foods that were
available to cook. Alanna decided that she would keep the meal simple and save the lavish meal for
when they returned from the battle victorious. It seemed like a better way to do things, especially since
Rin was not here to enjoy it with them yet. She would rather have everyone home and healthy before
cooking a celebration meal.

By the time Kyo and Ogihci arrived, Alanna had finished making spaghetti and garlic bread. As they sat
down, she walked out of the kitchen area carrying a tray loaded with food and drink. “You’re right on
time. Dinner is served.” She set the tray on a nearby table and began to serve the food.

“Wow, it smells delicious, Lolo,” Ogihci said as his plate was placed before him. “You didn’t have to cook
something this nice.”

“Oh, this is a simple meal, Ogi,” Alanna replied. “The fancy meal will come after we’ve come back.”
Kyo looked at his plate and then his glass. “What did you get me to drink, oneechan?”

“Why, your favorite, ototochan.” Alanna smiled. “You do love Coke.”

“Yes, I do,” Kyo replied with a smile before he began to eat.

After a few moments of the three shinigami enjoying their meal, Ogihci took a deep breath. “Well, I’m as
ready for this battle as anyone can be. How about you two?”

“Yeah, I’m ready as well,” Kyo stated after swallowing. “I just want to get going. I hate having to wait.”

“Patience, ototochan. We’ll be on our way before you know it,” Alanna replied. “Do you have the dagger
with you as well?”

“Yes, I do. I’ve kept it with me from the day I got it.” Kyo looked at Alanna. “You think I’ll need it?”

Alanna nodded. “Yeah, I do. You never know when it will come in handy.”

Ogihci sighed. “I still don’t like the fact that you are even considering that plan, Lolo. Do we have to even
consider it?”

“I told you before that we have to think of every possible outcome.” Alanna sighed and took a drink of
her tea. “I know it’s not something we want to happen, but if it does, we’ll be prepared.”

Ogihci sighed. “I guess. Hopefully we won’t have to use that.”

“I agree with Ogi, oneechan,” Kyo replied. “I just wish we didn’t have to consider it.”

Alanna put her fork down. “I know. It’s something that I would rather not happen either, but we have to
consider it a possibility.”

They finished the meal in quiet, too afraid to say another word. It was something that the group had
decided on even if it wasn’t the best option. It wasn’t too long before the door to the café opened. A
recruit walked in and bowed.

“Forgive the intrusion, fukutaichou, but Aicerno-taichou sent you a message.”

Alanna nodded. “Go ahead.”

“He says, ‘It’s time.’”

 Chapter 43

It had been a complete shock to Deumos for what had happened only a few moments before. She had
never expected the one that she had longed to become to reveal its true nature like that. It seemed like
a dream or rather a nightmare. It was that power that had changed Deumos’ life so many millennium
ago.

The figure was now gone, but Deumos could still feel the remnants of the terror and power it gave off in
the air around her. On the ground, the demon empress saw that Rin had passed out. It was a blessing
given to the young woman in truth. Deumos didn’t want her bait to go crazy before she could use Rin.

Deumos closed her eyes and calmed herself as the memories of the last ten minutes replayed in her
mind. She witnessed again the transformation of the one that she had betrayed to the Draconic
Watchers so long ago. The massive, dark form made hers seem insignificant in comparison. She felt the
mixture of fear, awe, and hatred return.

How she longed to possess the power of the dark one as her own. Surely then no one would try to stop
her plans. How she feared the power that it possessed. It could consume and destroy her with just a
simple thought. How she hated the one who held the power. It wasn’t fair that it would withhold even a
portion of that magic from her.

Deumos opened her eyes and searched the area. The aura of evil from the dark one was barely
noticeable. Still she looked for any sign that the cloaked figure was still around. After finding nothing,
she let out a growl.

Her massive tail lifted up off the ground and smashed into the closest building, reducing it to rubble.
Deumos couldn’t believe that after everything, she would still be like a frightened babe before the one
she modeled her life after. The ritual should have put her back on par with the dark one, yet it was like
she never did it. Memories of the beating she received added to the fact that she was nowhere near the
same as the cloaked figure.

“Diablo, return to me now!” Deumos growled and smashed another building with her tail. It was the
only thing keeping her from rampaging the area and killing the one key component to her plan, Rin.

In a blink of an eye, Diablo reappeared. He knelt before the demon empress. “What do you desire,
Empress?”

“Take the girl and move away from this area. Go to the far end of the land and wait for me to summon
you back,” Deumos replied.

Diablo nodded and stood. “As you wish, Empress.”

Deumos watched with a slight satisfaction as Diablo moved like a robot and picked up the still
unconscious Rin. He slung her over his shoulder roughly and then vanished as quickly as he had
appeared. As soon as Diablo had vanished, Deumos began to take out her frustrations on the town she
sat upon. If she couldn’t attack the dark one, she would make the area around her pay.

It wasn’t long before the air was filled with dust, fire, and rubble. It was therapeutic for Deumos as she
unleashed the anger she felt on the buildings and the ground. With the size of the town, she would have
plenty of targets to destroy.

******

Outside the infirmary, the group that was being led by Aicerno began to gather. Everyone had a serious,
quiet air about them. As Ogihci, Kyo, and Alanna arrived, the last preparations were being made.
Backpacks were handed out to Joe, Yondy, Adrian, and Lori. Smaller waist packs were given to the rest
of the group including the three new arrivals.

“Okay, everyone, let’s make sure we have everything clear,” Aicerno began. “First and foremost is the
rescue of Rin. We are to make sure that her safety comes first. Second, we will fight Deumos and stop
her plans, even if that means her death. We have thought of pretty much every possible outcome and
have plans set up for each one. Any questions?”

“Will there be food and drink at this little shindig?” Jessy asked with a crooked grin. It was her attempt
to lighten the mood.

“Only if you like rotting flesh and polluted water,” Aicerno replied with a short chuckle. “Any other
questions?”

“How are we setting up the group again?” Nikki asked.

Alanna put on her waist pack as she answered. “The group of Lori, Joe, Yondy, and Adrian will be in the
rear. They are to assist in stabilizing the injured and helping them back to Soul Society. They will be
accompanied by a group of 4th Division members. They are not to fight unless it is to protect the injured
they are watching over.”

“The second group of Lathos, Nikki, Romi, Jessy, and Anna will be the second line of attack and defense,”
Aicerno continued. “They are to make sure that there are no flanking maneuvers that surprise us.”

“But Kurio stated that only three people are alive on Heru,” Anna replied. “How could there be anyone
else to flank us?”

“Don’t underestimate Deumos,” Lathos replied. “She could summon other demons from our home
realm if she wanted. It’s not hard.”

Aicerno nodded. “This is the same set-up that the other groups are using. As for the last team in our
group, Lolo, Kyo, Ogi, and I will take the lead. Our priority is to rescue Rin from Deumos’ hands first and
then attack the demon.”
“Just keep the bitch distracted,” Kyo replied as he adjusted his waist pack. “I’ll save Rin and get her to
safety before coming back to fight.”

Ogihci nodded. “I’ll watch out for Diablo and fight him in order to prevent his interference.”

“One thing I want to make clear is that we need to assess the situation before we do anything,” Alanna
began. “We know that Deumos is crafty when it comes to battle and planning. For all we know, we could
be walking into a big trap.”

“Because of that possibility, several recon teams are about to be sent through the portal to Heru,”
Aicerno replied. “They will report back anything suspicious and take care of traps as best they can.”

“Meaning that they are potentially facing death before we even head out,” Yondy replied with a sad
look on his face. He didn’t want to be in the last team, but there was nothing he could do. “What if they
don’t report back? What then?”

“If they don’t report back, then we know that Deumos has called in massive reinforcement and is ready
to fight,” Ogihci replied. “That means we hit the ground running.”

“And that means we don’t waste time setting up the base camp,” Joe added. “Once that is done, Yondy,
Adrian, and I will protect the camp while Lori and the other 4th Division members prepare to handle the
injured.”

Lori sighed and looked at the ground. “I don’t see why the captain and vice captain of the 4th both have
to be in the front lines. It doesn’t seem right with everything that could happen.”

Aicerno lifted Lori’s face. “Lolo is one of the chosen that the prophecies have spoke of. She needs to be
in the battle, and I need to be there to assist her alongside Ogi and Kyo.”

“Lori, don’t worry,” Romi added. “The second team will be right behind them and can assist if they need
it.”

Lori looked up at Aicerno and blushed before looking away. “Okay. Just be careful.”

As Aicerno blushed in turn, Alanna smiled. “Don’t worry, sis. We’re going to do our best not to get
injured, but you have to remember it’s part of battle.” She took a deep breath. “Everyone remember the
other scenarios and signals for each?”

Everyone nodded, though Ogihci and Kyo looked upset. “Yeah, we remember them,” Kyo replied in an
even tone. “We’ll go with them as needed though not all of us like some of the options.”

“You’re still going on about that?” Alanna asked looking a little upset herself.

“Yes, we are,” Ogihci stated simply. “Yet we know your side of things so don’t worry.”

Alanna sighed and shook her head. “You…” she managed before turning and walking away from the
group a little. “Fine. Whatever.”
Nikki walked over to Kyo and Ogihci and hit them on the arms. “Idiots. Don’t you realize that she’s got a
lot riding on her shoulders. Don’t act like selfish jerks,” she whispered angrily.

Ogihci and Kyo looked at Nikki for a few moments before sighing and looking away. “Lolo, we’re sorry,”
Ogihci said. “It’s just…”

“We don’t like thinking of that one option, oneechan,” Kyo finished.

“You act like I do,” Alanna replied without looking back.

Ogihci moved to where Alanna stood and wrapped his arms around her. “I know you don’t, Lolo, but I’ve
seen you hurt so much lately. I… I just…”

Alanna’s hands moved to his arms, holding them. “I know, Ogi, but you have to trust me in this, okay?
It’s going to be okay.”

Ogihci kissed her cheek. “Okay, I trust you.”

“Well, if you two lovebirds are finished, how about we finish the prep talk?” Jessy asked.

A light laughter filled the air as the two moved back to the group. They continued to make the final
preparations for the move against Deumos. Off in the shadows, a figure watched. Satisfied that they
were going ahead with the attack, Kurio turned and vanished without a word to the group.

*******

Rin awoke from her nightmare aching again. It felt like she had been kicked around a few times and
dropped once more. Slowly, she opened her eyes to find that she was still on the ground, though not in
the same location. “Where am I?”

“Away from the town where the Empress is relieving her frustrations,” came the robotic voice of Diablo.

Rin looked up and saw the demon standing near her though facing away from her. “What do you mean
by that?”

Diablo raised an arm and pointed. “Look.”

Rin turned her head in the direction that Diablo pointed and felt the breath leave her. The sight before
her was one of mass destruction. Fire and heavy smoke lined the horizon. A shadow of Deumos could be
seen through it all destroying everything that was within her reach.

“Why is she doing that?” Rin asked. “Isn’t it enough that she murdered all the humans that lived here?”

“She is angry at the one who appeared earlier,” Diablo answered without looking at the shinigami.

Rin remembered the cloaked figure and how it changed before she passed out. A shiver ran down her
spine at the memory. “But why am I here?”
“Empress Deumos did not want to harm you while she destroyed the town,” the demon replied. “You
are needed for her plans.”

“Glad to know that I’m still needed,” Rin replied with a sarcastic tone. “Diablo, why are you just standing
there? Why are you not there helping her or something?”

“Because my duty is to watch over you,” the demon replied in a near dead tone. “Empress Deumos does
not need my help.”

Rin watched the demon, trying to figure out what he was doing and if it was just an act. After watching
Diablo for a few moments, she knew it wasn’t an act. Ever since he left her while she was still in the
dungeon, he had been acting like he had no will. It was clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that Deumos
had change him.

“I’m sorry, Diablo,” Rin said quietly.

Diablo turned slightly and looked at the young woman. “Why are you sorry? You have not done anything
to warrant that remark.”

Rin sighed. “I know that I haven’t, but you’ve changed from before. I’m sorry that you don’t have any
choice in things anymore. I’m sorry that Deumos took away your free will.”

Diablo stared for a few moments before turning back to watch the destruction taking place. “I live to
serve Empress Deumos.”

She couldn’t explain why, but Rin felt sad at the fact that Diablo was unable to live a normal life any
more. Even though they were enemies, Rin would never wish what happened to Diablo on anyone.
Everyone was entitled to live their life the way that they wanted. To see Diablo like this made Rin sad
and angry at Deumos. Unfortunately, she couldn’t fight the demon empress.

Rin decided that she would at least try to find out what Deumos’ plan was. “Diablo, what is it that
Deumos wants?”

“She wants to destroy all life and become a goddess,” Diablo stated without looking at her. “She wants
to recreate everything in her image.”

Rin swallowed hard at that. “Where do I fit in to this plan of hers?”

“She will use you to stop your friends. How she plans on doing that is not known to me.”

The shinigami rolled her eyes. She should have figured that would be the case. “What about you? Where
do you fit into this plan of hers?”

“When it is time, I will die just like everyone else. It is my purpose to serve my empress in such a way.”

“What? Are you mad?” Rin couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “How can you be so willing to die for
her?”
“She is my empress. She controls everything. I live to serve her.”

“But you can’t just let her run your life,” Rin replied. She felt the anger begin to rise in her as she talked.
“You are an individual. She has no right to run your life.”

“Empress Deumos rules all. She is all-powerful,” Diablo replied as he watched the demon empress
continue with the destruction.

“She is not! Damn it, Diablo, wake up! Stop letting her control you!” She couldn’t believe that she
getting so angry at Diablo when she knew he had no really choice in the matter. Rin couldn’t help but
feel like this shouldn’t be happening.

Diablo turned and looked at Rin. “I have to obey Empress Deumos. There is no other way.”

“You… you…. IDIOT!” Rin screamed. “There is another way. You can stop letting her do this to you!”

Diablo shook his head. “I cannot. I live only to serve Empress Deumos. Fighting is useless.”

Rin glared at Diablo and found that the anger began to fade when she looked into his eyes. They held no
life, no will to break free from the bonds that held him. She felt sorry for his state of affairs and wish she
could do something to change it. Yet she knew that it was a losing battle.

Sighing the young woman hung her head. “I wish I could change that, Diablo.”

“There is nothing for you to do,” Diablo replied. “Just do what you are doing now.”

Rin sighed and decided that it was useless to argue with a man or demon that was virtually dead
already. She looked away from the destruction and silently wished for Kyo to save her from this hell.
 Chapter 44

As the last bit of frustration and anger left her, Deumos stopped and looked around the former capital
of Heru. All of the buildings were destroyed, including the castle. Bonfires shot flames up to the dark sky
adding more black smoke to the already sinister-looking clouds. It was therapeutic for the demon
empress and allowed her to start thinking clearly.

It dawned on her that soon her enemies would stage an attack. Deumos realized that even with her
power, it would not be wise to fight with only two. With her tail, the demon empress cleared an area
and drew a circle in the soil. Once the circle was finished, she began to chant, channeling some of her
power into the spell. It wasn’t long before a portal opened in the area.

“Demons, heed the call of your empress,” Deumos began. “Come forth and do my bidding.”

It was a few moments before a single demon appeared. It was humanoid in appearance though its skin
was a combination of green and black scales. Short tusks jutted out of its mouth pointing down toward
its jaw. The hair on its head was a knotted black mess. Its eyes were jet black.

“Who are you to call demons in such a fashion?” the new arrival asked.

Deumos growled. “I am your empress, fool. Bow down before Deumos.”

The demon removed its weapon from where it rested from at the hip. “Deumos is no longer our ruler.
She disappeared thousands of years ago in hope to gain more power and forsaken her kind. She
separated many demons from their brothers and sisters.” It growled. “If you are Deumos, then I have a
duty to my new Empress to make you pay for your transgressions.”

Deumos roared in anger. “Fool, you think you can defeat me? You are nothing more than a speck, an
insect.” She began to gather energy. “You will do as I say as will the rest of the demons and the false
ruler you follow.”

The demon threw its weapon releasing a mass of energy that it had been charging itself. “You have no
say in anything in the home realm. You are banished forever, your connection to the home realm
severed.”

Before Deumos could release her attack, the energy and weapon hit her chest. Though no physical
damage was done, pain slammed into the demon empress causing her to lose her own spell and scream
in pain. She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. Why were her minions turning against her?
She felt her connection to her home realm being ripped from her soul.

“You cannot return or call upon us of the home realm any further,” the demon replied. “You are forever
on your own, Deumos.” With that, its weapon reappeared at the hip before it turned and walked back
through the portal.

As the portal closed, Deumos felt the last connection to her former home fade away. Even though she
was feeling a little weak from the attack, she roared in fury and smashed a pile of rubble. “Damn.”
The demon empress felt the drain hit her and set her massive body down onto the ground. Deumos
growled. She needed an army to face the enemies that would come. This provided a setback drastically
for her.

Then it came to her. She was a powerful demon still. Her magic hadn’t been taken away. What she
needed was already in her grasp. A wicked smile graced her dragon-shaped head. It was time to get to
work.

*******

Even though Aicerno had said it was time, there was still a delay in moving out and heading to Heru. It
was taking time to gather the recon teams and preparing them for their job. It was a little frustrating
that the group had to wait to move out. It was more so for Kyo.

The young man paced outside the infirmary frustrated. He wanted to get to Heru and rescue Rin. Every
second delaying here meant that it was another she had to deal with torture and harsh treatments. It
was too long for Kyo already. He couldn’t take it much longer.

“How much longer do we have to wait for those damn fools to run recon?” Kyo asked as he turned back
toward the group in another pass. “We’re wasting time.”

Alanna moved to her little brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Patience, ototochan. We don’t
want to run into a trap and become liabilities ourselves.”

Kyo sighed. “I know, but this waiting is getting to me. I want to go and save Rin. I can’t stand leaving her
there in their hands.”

“We’ll get her back, Kyo,” Ogihci replied as he walked up to them. “But it won’t do her any good if we
become injured before we reach her.”

Kyo closed his eyes. “I know. It’s just so hard for me.” He opened his eyes and looked at Alanna and
Ogihci. “I just feel like it’s going so slow. I hate that she’s suffered so much.”

Alanna smiled softly. “Don’t worry. We’ll get to her and save Rin. She’ll be back in your arms before you
know it.”

Suddenly a shinigami wrapped head to toe in black cloth appeared, kneeling before Aicerno. Everyone
turned their attention to the person. “Taichou, I bring news from the first recon group.”

Aicerno turned his attention to the messenger. “Report.”

“Only one member of the team has returned while the others are continuing to survey the area.
Currently there are no traps or troops near the entry point. The team has sent a small group ahead
toward the coordinates that the refugees gave.”

Aicerno nodded. “Thank you. Please let us know of anything happens within the next few minutes. We’ll
be heading to the portal shortly.”
The messenger nodded before vanishing. The rest of the group gathered together. “So it’s time to head
out?” Nikki asked.

“Not quite,” Aicerno replied. “I want to have one more report before we actually go through the portal.
We’ll head to the site though to save us some time.”

“Why wait for one more report? Do you think it’s going to change that much from not to the time we
get to the portal?” Adrian replied.

“Jumping the gun with so little information could end up causing us more problems,” Lathos replied.
“Deumos should not be underestimated at any cost.”

Jessy stretched. “Well, let’s stop talking and head to the portal. No point waiting here any longer.” With
that, she turned and began to walk toward the destination.

The rest of the group followed Jessy. Kyo remained near Alanna and Ogihci. “At least we’re moving
closer to action,” he said quietly to them.

Alanna smiled at Kyo. “Before you know it, we’ll be on the other side and on our way to save Rin.”

Kyo managed a smile before focusing on walking and thinking about what he would do once he was
there. He wanted to make sure that Rin was safe above all else, including his own safety.

*******

Rin had cringed at the roar of pain that came from Deumos a few moments before. It was a surprise to
her to hear something coming from the demon empress. Rin wondered what could have caused
Deumos the pain. She just hoped that it wasn’t coming to where she and Diablo rested.

Rin noticed how even with the scream Diablo didn’t budge from his spot. The order he had been given
was important to one that had no will of his own. She was glad in a way that he didn’t rush off to his
empress’ aid. She really didn’t want to be left alone in a place she was really unfamiliar with.

“Diablo, what happened to Deumos?” Rin asked.

“I do not know,” the demon replied as he continued to stare toward Deumos’ shadowy form.

“Why didn’t you go to her?” Rin was curious even though she knew the answer already.

“She did not request my aid. I cannot act unless she tells me to.”

Rin felt sorry for the demon. She would never willingly give up her right to live as she wanted. Yet, here
was Diablo forced to do just that. “I see.”

The young woman looked around the area and saw nothing but death around them. Skeletons of
animals littered the ground in various formations. Rin was thankful that the smell of death from earlier
was dull now. There was no festering rotting smell that had hit her shortly after leaving the dungeon.
A movement caught Rin’s eye to the right of where she was. She turned as best as she could to see what
it was. For a moment nothing moved. Then she saw it again. Shivers ran down her spine.

What moved was a skeleton that seemed create in haste. Yet as it walked, muscle seemed to appear
over the bone followed by flesh. Rin watched in horror as the new creature was joined by others. It was
clear who was doing this.

“How is she doing this?” Rin asked. “How can she bring back things that are dead and rotted away?”

“Ancient spells,” Diablo replied. “She is very powerful.”

“It’s not possible to create something from nothing,” Rin replied. “She can’t make it reappear in thin
air.”

“That is not what she is doing,” Diablo stated. “She has offered those demons that followed her
faithfully a chance at life once more. She has in essence turned back the clock for them.”

“But why? Wouldn’t they remember what she did to them?” Rin was hoping that would be the case. Yet
something said otherwise.

“She is calling them back as slaves, nothing more,” Diablo said. “They are unable to think for
themselves.”

“How do you know this?” Rin looked away from the scene and toward Diablo.

“I’ve seen this done before. She is preparing for war.”

******

The group led by Aicerno finally made it to the portal. They watched as other teams gathered there,
waiting for the go ahead to head through. It was a strange sight to see all of the various divisions
together and ready for battle. Many faces were a mixture of excitement and worry. For some, this was
the first time they would get to see battle.

Lori looked around. “I didn’t know that this many groups were joining us. Do you think we’re
overreacting or what?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Aicerno replied. “We still don’t know the truth of what we are about to face. We
may need even more.”

“Like I said, it’s not a wise idea to underestimate Deumos,” Lathos added. “She has a lot of power and
can use it to create an army if she wanted.”

“She can create grilon from anything. We know how dangerous those things can be,” Adrian stated.
“Just because we beat them once doesn’t mean we can do so again if she creates an army of them.”
Ogihci began to stretch. “It doesn’t matter how many grilon she creates. We’ll smash through them and
rescue Rin then kick Deumos’ ass. That’s all there is to it.”

Alanna smiled and giggled. “It’s good that you are so optimistic, Ogi. We’re going to need to keep that
attitude regardless of what happens when we get there.”

Kyo stared at the portal. “I don’t care if I have to go through the flames of hell. I’m going to save Rin and
then kill the bastard that dared to harm her.”

“Wow, such violence,” Romi replied. “I guess it is needed in light of the situation. I just never thought I
would be there first hand to witness it all let alone take part in it.”

“Oh, what are you worried about, Romi?” Jessy asked with a grin. “You have me to protect you. No
worries.”

“I think that is going to make her even more worried than less,” Nikki said rolling her eyes. “Knowing
you, you’ll try to fight them with pies.”

“I would not. I would use my zanpakuto just like everyone else,” Jessy replied slapping Nikki’s arm. “Pies
are only used for family.”

Before Nikki could reply, a shinigami came through the portal. He knelt down trying to catch his breath
before speaking. “Things have changed on Heru. At first, there was no enemy to be seen. Then suddenly
about twenty unknown figures appeared. The lead recon team has been surround and have been forced
to fight the new enemy. They are requesting back up immediately.”

Kyo began to move toward the portal. “Looks like it’s time for us to make our mark.”

Aicerno placed a hand on his shoulder. “Not yet. The other teams have to go first. They are going to
provide us cover so that we can make our way to Deumos easier. Let them go and do their job.”

“But…” Kyo looked at Aicerno with eyes that pleaded with him. “I have to go now. I’ve waited long
enough.”

“Ototochan, if you go now, you are going to risk putting Rin in more danger,” Alanna said softly. “Let the
other teams do their job. It’s not going to be much longer.”

Kyo hung his head. “Okay.” He didn’t trust himself to say more. It was tearing him to pieces having to
wait.

Like planned, the first of the other teams began to move through the portal following the recon
member. The progress was slow but steady. One by one shinigami vanished through the only way to
Heru.

*****
Deumos couldn’t help but smile wickedly at the sight of her army. The mindless zombies would fight for
her and die again without so much of a complaint. It was perfect. She wanted to create some grilon, but
they would take too many of her soldiers just to make one. It was better to have many mindless zombies
that one grilon.

She had sent a group of demons toward the northwest where she felt the slightest hint of life that did
not belong to Diablo or Rin. Deumos wasn’t naïve to believe it was nothing. She knew it was the first of
her enemies. It wouldn’t be long before the ones she really wanted to deal with arrived.

“Diablo, return to me with the girl,” Deumos said with a booming voice.

In a matter of moments, Diablo was before the demon empress with Rin over his shoulder. “How may I
serve you, Empress?”

“Put the girl down and then head northwest about 20 miles.” Deumos looked around the area at her
troops. “Take a company of soldiers with you and wait there for a signal.”

Once again, Diablo dropped Rin roughly on the ground before he bowed. “As you wish, Empress.” He
vanished without another word.

Rin moaned as she tried to reposition herself. “Could you ask Diablo to place me on the ground gently
next time?”

Deumos laughed. “You act like I care how you feel, Rin. You should know better than that.”

Rin rolled her eyes. “It was worth a shot.” She looked around and saw more of the demon zombies from
before. “Why have you brought them back and why did you send Diablo off like that?”

“Because I need an army to help me fight the troops that your friends will send,” the demon empress
replied. “I sent Diablo off to ambush the ones that I want dead more than anything else.”

“Lolo and Ogi,” Rin said quietly. It only made sense that Deumos would want them dead. It was in the
prophecies that they would stop her.

“Of course,” Deumos said with an arrogant tone. “They won’t know what hit them when he attacks.
Sure they can get by the soldiers as soon as they get here, but they cannot escape Diablo.”

Rin looked up at Deumos. “Your plan is going to fail, and then you will have to face them yourself. What
then?”

A wicked smiled crossed Deumos’ face. “That is why I have you, shinigami. If they should make it past
Diablo, I still have my little trump card.”

“And what are you going to use me for?” Rin wanted to fight the demon herself, yet she knew that it
was impossible given her current condition. She still had serious wounds that stopped her from even
attempting to escape. “You must think that I’ll just sit quietly while you attempt to use me against
them.”
“Oh, I know that you won’t,” Deumos stated. “That’s why I’m going to make sure you can’t say a word.”

Rin swallowed hard as a little fear hit her. “How are you going to do that?”

“That is simple, young one. I’m going to use a spell. Now, sit still, or this will hurt a lot.” Deumos opened
her mouth and created a small ball of energy. Without waiting for any protest, she sent the spell toward
Rin.

The energy hit Rin hard sending pain through her body. She screamed at the top of her voice as the spell
coursed through her. She felt like she was screaming forever, and then suddenly it was gone. Her voice
seemed to vanish though she was still screaming as the pain continued to rack her body.

“Ahh, silence is golden, and the pain on your face is delightful,” Deumos said with a cold tone. “Now,
you can’t say anything to stop my plans. Either way, before the day is through, you will be dead along
with your friends. It’s just a matter of time.”

******

It felt weird to her as she moved through the black portal. It was different that going to the living world.
This path made Alanna feel like she was heading toward death, toward a sickness that would spread
unless something was done to stop Deumos. She wanted to turn around and run to her quarters to wash
away the nasty feeling that seemed to cover her body.

Yet, despite everything she was feeling, Alanna kept pushing forward. She had a duty not only to Rin and
her friends and family but to all living beings wherever they may be. If they didn’t stop Deumos now,
millions upon millions of lives would be lost. She couldn’t allow for that to happen, not now or ever.

It wasn’t long before Alanna stepped out of the black portal and onto the dying land of Heru. It
saddened her to see that everything was dying around them. No plants or animals greeted them as the
teams came through. It seemed to Alanna that it was only a matter of time before no living thing could
remain here, not even Deumos.

The base camp team broke off from the main group and began to assist the other teams to set up
operations and a mobile infirmary. Alanna watched her friends move to the designated area and start to
work. She was grateful that they would be here to help them should someone become injured. There
was no need for everyone to end up hurt or worse.

“Lolo, are you sure you want to come with us?” Aicerno asked as he watched her.

Alanna turned and smiled softly. “Yes, I’m sure, Aicerno. I have no intentions of backing down from this
fight. You know what the prophecies have said about Ogi and me.”

Aicerno sighed though a similar smile crossed his face. “I know and figured you wouldn’t stay behind.
You can be quite stubborn when you want to be.”

“That’s a trait that runs in the family,” Alanna replied with a giggle. “Look at my sisters and Kyo.”
Aicerno chuckled. “I guess you have me there. At least you have a mild case of stubbornness compared
to them, especially Jessy.” He patted her arm. “Take a few moments to get adjusted to this place. We’ll
be heading out soon.” With that he turned and walked toward the group of shinigami that were leading
the other teams.

Ogihci and Kyo walked away from the others and toward Alanna. They looked stressed about everything
taken place. Ogihci stopped and kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling, Lolo?”

Alanna kissed Ogihci’s cheek. “I’m okay for the most part. I hate seeing this place like this. It’s just not
natural.”

“Unfortunately, this is how it is because of Deumos,” Kyo said as he looked around. “I’m… worried about
Rin. How could anything survive in something like this?”

“Remember what the prophecy said,” Alanna replied. “Only three will be left alive after the ritual. That
means that it was meant to be that she survived and still lived even with this going on.” She sighed. “Yet,
I can’t help but feel that time is limited.”

“That’s why we are here,” Ogihci said. “We have to stop Deumos and save Rin. When Deumos has been
stopped, maybe this land will return to normal.”

“Right now, I just want to get Rin away from that bitch and back here,” Kyo added. “Once I know she’s
okay and being taken care of, I’ll go after Deumos and make her pay.”

Alanna sighed. “Let’s just focus on rescuing Rin. After that, we can move to kicking Deumos’ tail.” She
looked up at the dark sky. “It’s still afternoon, yet the sky looks like it should be midnight. Something
tells me that we may not be able to save Heru from what Deumos has done.”

Lathos walked up to the trio. “I have to agree with you on that, Alanna. It feels like this place is hanging
on by a thread. What’s going to happen when we defeat Deumos? Will we be able to make it out and
back to safety?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we’ve defeated Deumos,” Ogihci replied. “We can’t start second guessing
ourselves now. Too much is at stake.”

Alanna took a deep breath. “We need to get moving and soon. We’re on borrowed time as it is.”

The small group fell silent. They knew that what Alanna said was true. They were determined to do their
job before it was too late. Yet, for Alanna, she couldn’t help but feel that something big was going to
happen today.
 Chapter 45

It didn’t take long for Diablo to get to the spot that Deumos had ordered him to. Exactly twenty miles
northwest, he stood in a clearing. Surrounding the area was a forest of dead and dying trees. On the air
was a faint odor of decay. Bits and pieces of branches and leaves littered the ground in a dismal shroud
of death.

The demon looked around barely aware of the zombies behind him. Before he would have found it a
little disturbing to see his dead friends and comrades brought back in such a way. Now that his free will
was gone, Diablo had no feelings toward the sight either way. It was his empress’ order for these
soldiers to be here, so he could not complain.

As Diablo took in the surroundings, plans began to form. Just because he had no free will didn’t mean he
couldn’t create a plan of attack. He turned toward the zombie demons and pointed. “This third of the
troops, head to the right side of the clearing and wait in the trees.” He pointed to another section. “This
third, go to the left and hide in the trees. The final third, remain here with me.”

Without any argument, the undead soldiers moved as ordered. Diablo turned back to the clearing. It
would be here that he would come face to face with the enemy. He would have to wait for the signal
from Deumos to act.

******

Aicerno walked around the base camp watching various groups work. He never imagined that the battle
would take place so soon. He, as well as the others in charge, had figured that they still had several years
of fine tuning and preparation. Yet it was clear that fate had other plans.

The captain was heading to one place in particular. He felt the urge to go there now before he left the
camp. He needed to see Lori and tell her what was on his mind and in his heart before he moved out
with the rest of the shinigami. Maybe he was overreacting, but he needed to tell her just in case. Even
with things stacked in their favor, that didn’t mean everyone would come back unharmed.

As the makeshift infirmary came into view, Aicerno took a deep breath. For the first time in a very long
time, he was nervous. His palms were sweaty. His stomach was doing back flips. It was a strange but
welcoming sensation.

The last few steps toward the tent seemed to fly by in a flash. Aicerno stood before the closed tent flap.
Taking a few deep breaths, he pulled back the flap and walked inside. The noise and disinfectant smell
hit him in an instant.

The captain’s eyes searched the temporary infirmary. Within moments, Aicerno found who he was
looking for off to the right. He made his way to Lori, dodging people as he went. As he got closer, he
called out to her. “Lori, can I speak with you in private?”
Lori looked up from her clipboard and smiled. “Of course, Aicerno.” She handed the clipboard off to a
recruit before walking toward Aicerno. “Lead the way.”

Aicerno nodded and turned. He walked back the way he came knowing that Lori was right behind him.
Strangely, he felt calmer than when he first decided to find her. As he exited the infirmary, he turned to
the left and walked another twenty steps before stopping and facing Lori. He took a deep breath.

“Lori, I have to confess something to you before we head out.”

Lori looked up and into Aicerno’s eyes. She felt butterflies in her stomach. “What is it, Aicerno?”

The captain took another deep breath to soothe his nerves again. “I’ve known you for a long time. From
that time, I’ve felt a connection with you. At first I thought of it as nothing more than friendship. Yet as
time passed, I realized that I’ve fallen for you.”

Lori blushed at his words. “You mean you love me?”

Aicerno nodded and pulled her close. “I do. I didn’t want to leave without telling you.” He sighed. “Just
in case something should happen.”

Lori felt her arms wrap around Aicerno as she understood what he was saying. She could argue with him
saying that he was being silly. Yet she said the one thing that she had been waiting to say for awhile. “I
love you too, Aicerno.” She leaned up and kissed him softly. “That is for good luck.”

Aicerno felt the heat in his face rise at the kiss. He didn’t expect for this, for Lori to love him back or to
kiss him. It was like a dream come true. “Thanks, Lori.”

“You’re welcome,” Lori replied with a smile. “Now, you better return, or I’ll hunt you down and smack
you.”

The captain couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t want to be smack so I guess I’ll have to do as you say.” A
hell butterfly landed on his shoulder. He listened to the message and sighed. “Well, I guess this
conversation will have to continue later.” He kissed her softly and then released her. “See you when I
get back.”

Lori blushed. “See you later, Aicerno.” She watched him leave the area, feeling a little sad that they
couldn’t stay together a little longer. After she couldn’t see him any longer, Lori turned and made her
way back to temporary infirmary with a smile on her face.

*******

Rin sat on the ground unable to move or talk after the attack that Deumos hit her with. All she could do
was look around as far as her head would allow. It sucked not being able to talk or move, not that she
would be moving much. She was still injured from the torture session that Diablo subjected her to only a
day earlier.
Looking over her body at the wounds, she noticed that several of the wounds were bleeding again. It
wasn’t a torrent of blood, more like a trickle at the moment, yet she knew it would be a matter of time
before the opened up fully once more. Rin sighed. Why couldn’t the demon witch heal her instead of
leaving her in such a shape. It was painful not to mention putting her at risk for infection. She really
wished that Alanna was there to take care of her.

At that thought, Rin sighed again. If Alanna was here, she would be busy fighting Deumos like the
prophecies said. Rin wouldn’t be the focus of attention right away. Well, if Kyo was with them, then she
might, but she knew that Alanna and Ogihci were required by prophecy to fight. She just hoped that she
didn’t get caught in the crossfire.

Rin closed her eyes. What was Deumos’ plan? Why was she an important part of it? Rin didn’t like the
fact that she would be used against her family and friends, but there was nothing she could do about it
now.

‘I wonder what Kyo is doing. I miss him so much.’ Rin opened her eyes and looked northwest where
Deumos had sent Diablo. ‘Is Kyo with those coming to fight Deumos?’

Somehow Rin already knew the answer. She knew that he would be with them, with Alanna and Ogihci
at least. He would make sure he was able to get here. She held no doubt about that.

A small smile crossed her face. Knowing he was there seemed to make it a little easier to deal with. Rin
knew that he would be walking into the trap with the rest of the group. And she knew he would fight
back, no holds barred.

“What are you smiling about?” Deumos asked.

Rin looked up at the demon empress and then rolled her eyes as if saying, ‘How am I suppose to answer
that?’ She turned her attention to the northwest again not caring if she angered the demon.

“Oh, I see.” A evil chuckle filled the air. “You are happy because your friends are here. You think that you
will be rescued and taken away from here. Poor, delusional child.”

Rin huffed but didn’t look at the wanna-be dragon demon. In a way she was right but not completely.
She was happy because Kyo was here. At least before she died she would get one last chance to see the
one she loved so much.

“It won’t be long before the trap activates,” Deumos continued, not paying attention to her captive.
“Diablo and his troops will attack the group and stop them. Should they be fortunate to defeat Diablo
and make it here, then my plan will kick into action. They won’t be fighting me after that.”

‘Oh, shut up,’ Rin thought. ‘I know you’re going to use me against my family somehow. You’ve told me a
hundred times, so shut up about it.’

“My victory will be assured today,” the demon continued. “Today, I will begin my full assault on your
world and conquer it. Before long, all worlds will bow down before me. Then, I’ll destroy it all and
recreate it in my image. Humans will be nothing more than slaves and food. Too bad you and your
friends won’t live to see it.”

********

Kyo sat on a boulder staring southeast. For some reason he couldn’t explain, he felt that if he just head
in that direction, he would find Rin. He wanted more than anything just to take off and search for his
love. Yet, he knew that before he moved an inch, Alanna would stop him.

Before they left, she made him promise not to run off alone. She said that all of the plans they worked
on required that they remain together as a group. Kyo reluctantly agreed even though his heart was
telling him not to.

And here he was, waiting for the groups to start out. He watched one of the lead groups move toward
the path that the scouts had made earlier. Kyo felt hopeful once more, knowing that it wouldn’t be long
before his group got to march out.

As he stood, he heard footsteps and felt Alanna’s reiatsu come up behind him. “Is it time, oneechan?”

“Yes,” Alanna replied as she stopped a few steps away. “Once teams 1 and 2 are past the tree line, we
move. We’re spreading out so that there is about a 3 to 5 minute gap between groups.”

Kyo turned and looked at his sister. “So this is it, the march to the final battle.”

Alanna nodded. “Time for Ogi and I to face our destiny.” She sighed. “It feels weird knowing that there is
so much riding on Ogi’s and my shoulders.”

“Don’t stress about it, oneechan. You’ll be fine,” Kyo stated as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “And
don’t worry. Whatever plan falls upon our plate, I won’t let you down.”

Alanna smiled. “Thanks, ototochan. That means a lot.” She hugged him briefly and then let him go.
“Come on. Let’s join the rest.”

Kyo fell into step next to his sister. It was like the old days when she would go to different districts
helping out with the sick and injured. They had been a pair back then. Everyone grew to know them very
well and respected them for their kindness. At the same time, some of the older warriors would teach
Kyo some sword play. Even then, it seemed like second nature to him often causing the teachers to be in
awe of the younger man.

After years of doing this, Kyo became Alanna’s bodyguard as she went through the districts. Any bandits
that attempted to rob the duo soon found themselves on the ground and at the mercy of Kyo. Alanna
had also learned to defend herself and was nearly on par with her brother. It was during a battle with
bandits and the healing afterward that a shinigami learned of their talents. He approached them and
encouraged the two to join the academy.
It had taken the two months of discussion before deciding to join. Now here they were on a mission
together. Kyo felt that old brotherly protective nature start to kick in and smiled. “This brings back good
memories.”

Alanna giggled. “Yes, it does. Feels like we’re going on another trip to a district in need.”

“Only this time we’re going to fight together,” Kyo replied, “and rescue Rin.”

“Of course. After Rin is safe, we’ll take on Deumos.” Alanna saw Aicerno up ahead and frowned when
Ogihci was not with him. “I wonder where Ogi is.”

“Don’t worry about him, oneechan. If I know him, he’s just clearing his head. Ogi will not let you go
alone.”

Kyo came to a stop with Alanna next to Aicerno. He was ready to move out but again had to wait. They
couldn’t leave without the last member of the group.

******

Ogihci had moved away from the rest of the team to think things through. It was hard to comprehend
some of the plans that they had came up with. One in particular made him angry and sad at the same
time. Yet, he had agreed to go along with it for Alanna’s sake.

It was not easy for him, to put Alanna in harm’s way willingly. He knew that it was needed in order to
defeat Deumos. Still it didn’t mean that he had to like it. And when it was all done, he wanted to spend
time alone with his future wife.

He leaned back against a tree he was standing and closed his eyes. It seemed as things were moving so
fast now. Alanna had finally gained her shikai and was now a vice captain. They were engaged to be
married. Now they were on their way to face their destiny and fight the threat on everyone’s lives.

‘Oh, stop whining. You’re making me sick.’

Ogihci opened his eyes. ‘This was not the time for his inner hollow to make an appearance. Why don’t
you shut up? I don’t need your smartass remarks right now.’

‘Who’s being a smartass? I’m just tired of your constant whining. It’s driving me nuts.’

Ogihci growled. ‘Sorry if things are just stressing me right now. I just want to get this fight over with and
get back to my life with Lolo.’

‘Oh, that woman,’ the inner hollow replied with a growl. ‘I don’t understand how you can stand being
around her or even love her. She disgusts me.’

‘Why? Why do you hate her so much?’

‘Because she’s everything I hate. She’s so loving and devoted to healing and life. What else do I have to
say to get my point across?’

‘And do you know that without her, everything including you would die because of Deumos?’ Ogihci was
angry with his inner hollow. ‘The demon wants to destroy all life and that includes you.’

There was silence to Ogihci’s reply. He took a few deep breaths as tried to bring his anger back into
check. It took a few moments before the anger subsided. It was then that a hell butterfly landed on his
shoulder and delivered its message.

Ogihci opened his eyes and sighed. It was time to face the music, so to speak. He began walking toward
the designated meeting place. It seemed like he was walking like a prisoner heading for an execution.
Today things would take place that could change everything in their favor or against. He was hoping for
the former.

******

The second group of Lathos, Nikki, Jessy, Romi, and Anna waited near the lead group as they waited for
Ogihci to arrive. They had been making plans of their own. Jessy took the lead with her natural talents.
“Okay, so we know that we are the backup group for Lolo’s team. That doesn’t mean we can’t do our
own thing.”

“Don’t you think that is exactly what it means?” Nikki asked rolling her eyes. “We need to be ready for
them should they need us.”

“No, it’s not what it means,” Jessy argued. “And I’m not saying we completely leave them to the wolves.
I’m saying that we perform flanking maneuvers to make sure that they don’t get into a trap.”

“I see what you’re saying,” Romi said. “We’re going to move alongside Lolo’s group through the woods.”

“That’s right,” Jessy beamed. “We’re going to basically flank any potential flanking the enemy may have
set up.”

Lathos laughed. “That’s good. Now all we have to hope for is Deumos not thinking about flanking our
flanking of her flanking troops.”

“Then maybe we should also flank the flanking of our flanking of her troops,” Anna added with a giggle.
“You know, that sounds silly.”

Nikki shook her head. “I think Jessy is rubbing off on you two. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad
one.”

Jessy smacked Nikki’s arm playfully. “It’s a good thing. That means they are on the same wave length as
me.”

“Oh lord, help us,” Romi replied. “It’s bad enough that there is you and Nikki. Two more of you may be
too much for the world to handle.”
“Well I say that there’s not enough of me in this world.” Jessy smiled. “I think I should go on a crusade to
spread the happiness that is me.”

Anna laughed. “You make it sound like it’s some sort of disease.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for a disease like that,” Lathos added with a chuckle.

Nikki and Romi laughed as Jessy smacked Anna and Lathos’ arms. “Jessy, why don’t we get back to the
plan?” Romi asked through her laughter.

Jessy nodded. “Okay. Now we’re going to split up into two teams. Each team will of course follow
alongside Lolo’s group on either side. We’re going to march through the forest and take out any troops
we notice hiding.”

“Well, how do we split up?” Lathos asked in a curious tone.

“Nikki, Romi, and I will take left side of the path,” Jessy replied, “while you and Anna take the right.”

“Why does this remind me of a cartoon I use to watch on trips to the living world?” Nikki asked.

“Shut up, Nikki,” Jessy replied smacking Nikki’s arm. “It just makes sense that we sisters stick together.”

“It’s okay,” Anna added. “I need to be close to Lathos. He is still a babe when it comes to being a
vampire.”

“Well if you need to let him feed off your tits, please be sure to hide it from view,” Jessy stated with a
laugh.

“Oh, that is just not right.” Nikki smacked Jessy. “She means that he’s still not matured into his new
lifestyle.”

Lathos blushed at Jessy’s comment and turned away from the group. He noticed Ogihci walking toward
them. “Looks like things are about to start. Any last minute things we need to take care of?”

“Nope, just remember to remain on guard at all times,” Jessy replied, seriousness in her voice.

The group turned as Ogihci walked by and joined the rest of his team. They moved forward as well and
stopped to hear what Aicerno had to say. Each member had a hand on their weapon. Each were ready
for the fight.

“Okay, we’re leaving shortly. Jessy, what is your group going to do,” Aicerno asked.

“We’re going to split into two teams and flank you in the forest,” Jessy replied. “We’re going to make
sure that they’re not going to spring a trap.”

“Good idea,” Aicerno said. “That should help us move a little faster too. I think we should set up with me
at point…”
“Aicerno, allow me to be point please,” Ogihci interrupted. “I prefer being able to prevent frontal
assaults right now, if you don’t mind.”

Aicerno stared at Ogihci a moment, studying him. He could feel a change in the younger man, like
something waiting just under the surface. Part of him wanted to deny the request, but he knew where
Ogihci was coming from. “Okay. Ogi will take point. Kyo and Lolo will be in the middle, and I’ll take the
rear.”

“Thanks, Aicerno,” Ogihci said with a nod.

“You’re welcome.” Aicerno looked over the group. “Any questions?”

Alanna took a deep breath. “Everyone remember the signals for various plans?” After everyone said yes,
she left out the breath. “Remember not to go against the plan that takes shape. Some things we will not
know the outcome until it happens. Just follow the plan, understand?”

Kyo nodded. “We understand. I’m ready to get going and save Rin before I kick a demon bitch’s ass.”

“You may find it hard to fight Deumos,” Lathos replied. “She is quite formidable and holds a vast amount
of power.”

“I don’t care how much power she has,” Kyo said with a growl. “She hurt Rin, and I’m going to make her
pay.”

“Ototochan, calm down.” Alanna placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You don’t want to rush into this.
It could leave you open to attacks.”

Kyo sighed. “I know, oneechan. It just makes me angry when I think about it.”

“Anger like that can cause problems,” Anna said softly, “but if channeled in the right way, it could make
the difference.” She looked around at the rest of the group. “So, we ready to go?”

Aicerno chuckled. “Yes, we’re ready. Last chance to back out and stay here.” When no one took him up
on the offer, he smiled. “Good. Let’s go save Rin and stop Deumos once and for all.”

******

If it had been the old Diablo, he would have been bitching about the enemy being late. He would send
some troops out to lure them this way. He would have been moaning about being stuck out in the
middle of nowhere with the undead. Yet, he wasn’t the Diablo of old.

In a way, Diablo was much like the zombies that stood behind him, unable to act without direct orders
for the most part and no free will. He could care less if he had to wait one hour or one month for his
enemies to arrive. He was there to do his empress’ bidding and nothing more. He may be living, yet he
held no life.
Movement up ahead caught his eye. Slowly people wearing black robes emerged from the tree line
holding swords at ready. Diablo stared and wondered if this was the group he had been waiting for. He
waited for a sign to tell him to attack.

A voice began to speak in his mind. ‘Diablo, if you come across any enemy that doesn’t look like the ones
you’ve seen before, have your zombies kill them off quickly. You remain where you are until the true
enemy appears.’

‘As you wish, Empress.’ Diablo looked at the approaching group and noticed it was not the ones from
before. “Attack. Kill the group before us quickly and return to your positions.”

Without hesitation, the undead army moved as one, falling upon the group. A few of the zombies were
cut down before they reached their target, but the numbers overwhelmed the enemy. It wasn’t long
before screams of pain and terror filled the air. Diablo watched from his spot.

Moments later, the undead demons moved back to their assigned spots. In their wake was a bloody
patch of ground covered with bodies ripped to pieces. It was hard to tell where one person ended and
another began. What was left of the faces frozen in screams of terror and pain.

‘Good, Diablo. Keep it up. Draw out the enemy and kill them. If you succeed, I will return your will to you.
Don’t fail me.’

‘I understand, Empress.’ If he could have smiled in joy, he would have. Yet, he held no emotion at that
time. He had no way of express happiness at the thought of getting his old life back. In truth, he didn’t
care either way.

******

Alanna sighed as the screams returned once more. It was clear that the teams sent out before them
were meeting with an unfortunate fate. Each scream made her heart break a little more. It wasn’t right
that these men and women were dying.

She knew that the screams were not only affecting her but everyone in the group. She glanced at Kyo
and noticed his face move through the emotions. One moment there was panic and worry. The next
there was anger and frustration. Ogihci’s back seemed to stiffen with the screams as well. When she
took a chance to look at her captain, she noticed the worried expression on Aicerno’s face.

What had they gotten themselves into? It was a question that would return with each scream. At the
same time came the determination to rescue Rin and put an end to Deumos’ plans once and for all.
Alanna knew that there was no turning back now. It was all or nothing.

Alanna’s thoughts turned toward the second group moving through the trees on either side. How were
they holding up under the screams? Knowing them, they would be just like her. She knew that they all
had no choice now. The fate of all rested with them.

“Oneechan?”
Alanna glanced over at Kyo. “Yes, ototochan?”

“If I don’t make it… to save Rin…” he began.

“You stop that right now,” Alanna replied. “You’re going to make it through this. You are going to save
Rin. End of discussion.”

Kyo blinked at her words. It was clear that she would not allow that kind of thinking. He smiled.
“Thanks,” he said.

Alanna smiled, knowing that the one word meant more. “You’re welcome, ototochan.” She turned her
attention to Ogihci’s back as they walked. “We know that there is something up ahead, something that
is taking the other teams by surprise. Thankfully, we have flankers that will assist us.”

“I’m surprised the other teams didn’t think about it,” Kyo remarked. “It just makes sense.”

“Well, maybe they thought it would be a straight shot to Deumos,” Alanna replied. “Whatever the
reason, it’s too late for them to think of it now.” She frowned. “It breaks my heart to hear them
screaming like that.”

Kyo reached over with a free hand and patted her shoulder gently before returning it back to its place. “I
know it’s hard for you, oneechan, but it is a part of war.”

“I know. I just wish that they didn’t have to suffer,” Alanna replied before stopping slightly behind
Ogihci.

Kyo and Aicerno stopped as well. “What’s up, Ogi?” Kyo asked.

“In the clearing up ahead, there is a group of soldiers waiting,” Ogihci replied. “Diablo is with them.”
 Chapter 46

It was hard for Rin to decide which was more annoying to her at the moment: the screams of her fellow
shinigami or Deumos’ constant ranting over how she had already won. It had its own reason for why it
was driving her crazy. It was enough to drive her nuts.

Rin sighed as Deumos’ momentary pause in her monologue allowed the screams to reach her ears once
more. Sadness filled her heart as she thought of all who lost their lives so far. To make matters worse,
she feared that Kyo may be among those screaming or already dead.

Every time the thought came to her mind, Rin pushed it away. She would not accept the possibility, not
after they finally confessed their love and became close. She knew Kyo would come and rescue her. She
wouldn’t let anything change her conviction in that.

As if on cue, Deumos started back with her speech. “Ahh, the sound of the dying fools makes my heart
flutter. Well, not really but it’s a very soothing sound to me.” She spared a glance at Rin and laughed.
“You look like someone close to you has died. Perhaps they did.”

‘Shut up, bitch,’ Rin thought. It wasn’t fair that she couldn’t yell at the demon. ‘You’ll pay for everything.
I know it for a fact.’

“And what’s so wonderful about everything is that I have a backup, fool-proof plan,” the demon
continued. “If by some miracle they make it past the trap, they will have to come here and face the army
surrounding us to make it to you. And if they should be able to do that, well, they will have to make an
important decision.”

‘Oh, for Pete’s sake, shut up. I already know you’re going to use me against my family and friends. It’s
painfully obvious, and you’ve repeated this stupid plan at least a hundred times.’ Rin rolled her eyes and
looked away from Deumos.

Somehow she managed to tune the demon’s speech out and focused toward the direction of the
screams. Rin sighed as the screams seemed to get a little louder. It pained her to listen to them, knowing
that her comrades were dying. Yet, she decided that it was easier to deal with the torturous screams
than Deumos’ gloating.

Rin felt her heart ache. It seemed like an eternity since she was with Kyo and in his arms. How much
longer before she could feel his sweet, loving embrace one more? Being away from him was torture.

‘Kyo, please stay safe. Don’t rush into a fight in hopes to save me. I want to see you again, unharmed
and ready to kick this demon’s ass.’ At the last thought, Rin smiled.

********

With stealth and speed no human could hope to obtain, Anna moved through the forest parallel to the
main group. She had tuned out the screams not long after they began. It allowed her to focus on her
objective: find any traps and dispose of them.
The traps she was looking for were not the ones hidden in the ground or in the trees. Anna hunted for
the soldiers hiding to ambush her friends. She smelled the faint taint of the undead, in particular
zombies. She could smell them not long after the screams started.

Anna despised the walking bags of rotting flesh. For hundreds of years, she and her kind worked to
destroy any and all they crossed. They fought with the zombies over the one thing they had in common:
their food supply. It had been a constant battle at first, until the vampire clans began to take on the
necromancers responsible.

It wasn’t long before the wizards began to stop their practices and went into hiding. They thought they
were safe from the vampires that stalked them. They were wrong. Each necromancer was hunted down
and destroyed until only one was left.

Anna shook her head. Now was not the time to get lost in past memories. She needed to find the
zombies and destroy them before they could attack again. She willed herself to move a little faster.

She could feel Lathos with her. He was several feet away moving as silently as she was. It amazed Anna
just how well he adjusted to his new life as a vampire. It suited him well. She spared only a moment’s
glance before returning her eyes to the path before them.

The smell of rotting flesh began to get stronger. Anna began to focus harder on the area before her.
After a few moments, she saw them. A group of zombies stood facing to the left and toward a clearing.

Anna didn’t bother to unsheathe her sword. These were weak and no match for her or Lathos. Flexing
her hands, she smiled and rushed toward the group ready to rip them from limb to limb.

It wasn’t long before her hands were pulling the zombies’ heads from their shoulders. Anna felt the
power surge through her body. It was a wonderful feeling, one that she seldom got to use. The more she
fought, the more it began to grow and fill her body. It wouldn’t be long before the need to use it was too
overwhelming.

Lathos fought with equal savagery. He despised the fact that his former brothers and sisters were
brought back in this fashion. The anger he felt grew with each zombie he ripped to shreds. He wanted to
destroy Deumos for this abomination.

Together the two vampires moved through the group unopposed. The fight lasted only a few moments.
With the last zombie destroyed, they stood looking at their handiwork. They still longed to battle
though.

“They didn’t put up much of a fight,” Lathos said with disgust.

“They didn’t fight at all.” Anna kicked a severed head. “The one who’s controlling them doesn’t realize
we’re here.”

Lathos turned toward the clearing to search. “I see Diablo in the clearing with another group of zombies.
He has control of them.”
“Then we wait here.” Anna cracked her knuckles. “Let him think that his little trap is still set and ready.
Then next time he calls for their assistance, we’ll be the ones he faces.”

******

Jessy, Nikki, and Romi moved through the forest at full shunpo. At the first screams, they had
unsheathed their zanpakuto and were ready for battle. The screams caused them to be filled with mixed
emotions.

“Why in the world did the other teams not do like we are?” Romi asked anger clear in her voice.

“Guess they got too cocky for their britches,” Nikki replied equally angry. “Idiots never think that a trap
could be waiting.”

Jessy kept her eyes on the area before them. “They didn’t think that our enemy could create an army
out of thin air. Bad mistake that cost them their lives.”

“Well regardless, we have to avenge them.” Romi adjusted the grip on her katana. “Even if they walked
into the trap like idiots, we still got to make sure Lolo and her party get through.”

It was then that Jessy saw the figures waiting in the forest ahead. From where she was she could smell
rotting flesh. “Damn, looks like we’re fighting walking corpses.”

Nikki growled. “They’ll be a pile of bones when we’re done.”

As one, the three sisters attacked the zombies. Much like how Anna and Lathos took care of the other
group, they severed the heads completely off each one. Before they knew it, their enemy was
destroyed.

Nikki began to clean her blade when she noticed the clearing. She studied it before she said anything to
the others. “That is where our friends died.” There was sadness in her voice.

Jessy and Romi moved up to either side of her and looked out over the clearing. “That is…” was all Jessy
could say.

The clearing was covered in blood. What once green grass was now a copper tone with bits of different
colors poking out here and there. While the remains of the fallen shinigami were gone, the evidence of
their previous presence was everywhere.

Romi turned her head slightly and gasped. “Look. There’s more zombies and what looks like a demon.”

Jessy looked in Romi’s direction. “That must be Diablo, the demon that tried to kill us before and the
one Lathos told us about. He must be the ring leader of this little setup.”

“Maybe, but his eyes look weird,” Nikki added as she looked with her sisters. Her keen eye sight was a
welcome here. “They look distant, like he has no will of his own.”
“I wouldn’t put it against that demon bitch to do it to her own kind.” Jessy began to stretch. “Still, he is
an obstacle to our plans. We’ll have to take him and his friends out.”

Romi shook her head. “No, we should wait here. Lolo and her group are at the end of the clearing. Let’s
spring the trap when Diablo calls for his troops to attack.”

“I like Romi’s plan,” Nikki added. “It will be great to spring something on them for a change.”

Jessy thought in silence for a moment before a smile crept up on her face. “Girls, I think this is about to
bite Deumos in the bite.”

*******

Diablo stood like a statue. He could see the shadows of his targets at the tree line. Yet, he didn’t move
or call out to them. It wasn’t the orders that his empress gave him.

He didn’t pay attention to the two groups of troops that lay in wait for the enemy about to come forth
into the clearing. He didn’t have the desire to or the order to do so. In fact, he didn’t have any feelings
toward the entire setup.

Another person would become inpatient with the hesitation his targets displayed. Another would begin
to taunt or use ranged attacks to draw them out. Another would find a way to torture them until they
had no choice to but attack.

Diablo though felt no desire to do anything other than the orders given to him. He was to wait and draw
them into the trap and destroy them. He had no will or power to go against Deumos’ orders.

Even the zombies around him remained unmoving and uncaring. The nauseating smell of rotting flesh
would have made normal humans and demons vomiting of their last meal and then some. Yet Diablo
could care less about the smell. He had no will to allow it to bother him.

‘Diablo, it seems the time for your redemption is at hand. Wait for the enemy to make it halfway into the
clearing before unleashing your troops upon them. Kill every last one of them or do not return.’

‘As you wish, Empress.’ Diablo shifted his body only slightly before standing completely still once more.
It was now their move.

******

Alanna, Aicerno, and Kyo moved up to Ogihci’s side and looked out over the clearing. Toward the other
end of the clearing was a rather large group of soldiers. On the front line and in dead center was Diablo.
Kyo growled and found his hand going to his katana.

“Easy, Kyo,” Aicerno said softly. “No need to rush into a trap.”

“He hurt Rin. He has to pay.” Kyo’s hand wrapped around the hilt of his zanpakuto.
“Ototochan, stop,” Alanna said in a quiet, yet powerful voice. “Remember the plans. We have to make it
to Deumos and Rin in order for any of them to work.”

A cracking noise caused everyone to look at Ogihci. He seemed to be stretching as if to prepare for
battle. “Allow me to handle this, Kyo. I’ve been itching to fight for awhile now and need to do some pay
back of my own.”

“No, Diablo is mine,” Kyo said with another growl. “I’ll sever his head from his neck.”

Alanna sighed. “Men.” She moved past them and began to walk toward Diablo and the waiting group.
She was getting tired of the male egos. It was hard for her to deal with them while knowing that the
final battle was still ahead.

“Hey!” the three men exclaimed as they watched her move away from them and toward Diablo.
Without waiting they followed.

“This isn’t good,” Kyo said softly as he removed his hand from his blade. The anger he felt earlier had
diminished a bit.

“Why do you say that?” Aicerno asked.

“You don’t know oneechan like I do,” Kyo replied. “She’s mad at us.”

Ogihci raised his eyebrows. “How can you tell? She seems okay to me.”

Kyo shook his head. “She’s not. I’ve been around her long enough to read some of the simple signs.
When she said ‘men’ and walked away, she is saying without so many words that she is very upset and
mad at us.”

“But why would she be mad at us? I just don’t understand it.” Aicerno scratched his head. “I didn’t do
anything to cause her to get mad.”

“I think I understand,” Ogihci replied in a soft tone. “She’s upset over our arguing about who’s fighting
Diablo.”

Alanna stopped about a fourth of the way into the clearing and faced them. “Yes, I am very upset over
that. You two should know better. You should be working together.”

Ogihci rolled his eyes. “Well, if he would just sit back and let me handle this, we wouldn’t have to fight
over it.”

“Sit back and let you handle it?!” Kyo faced Ogihci anger clear on his face. “Just because you’re
oneechan’s fiancée doesn’t mean I have to take shit from you.”

Aicerno looked confused as the two began to argue though Alanna’s face was one of calm. “What’s
going…” he began.
Alanna winked and then began to yell at the two men. “Shut up. You two are like children. Maybe you
should just go back and let me take care of everything.”

Kyo and Ogihci faced Alanna and growled. “Like hell we will,” Ogihci said. “I’m not letting you take all the
glory.”

“You may be my oneechan, but I will not let you keep me from making Diablo pay,” Kyo added.

Aicerno was beside himself. He could see that Alanna wasn’t truly angry but was just acting. Yet, it was
plain as day that both Kyo and Ogihci were. Or at least it appeared that way. The least he could do was
get in on the act, if that was what it was.

“Well, I think Lolo is right. This arguing is immature,” the captain stated.

Ogihci and Kyo glanced at Aicerno and rolled their eyes. “Oh, give us a break. You just want to lower our
guard so you can take the glory for yourself,” Ogihci said.

At the other end of the clearing, Diablo watched the argument take place with little care either way. To
him it was just something to watch. He didn’t know if it was a trap or a real argument. In truth, he didn’t
care either way.

‘Diablo, send some of your troops to act while they are distracted. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken away all
of your free will.’

‘As you wish, Empress.’ Diablo raised his hands. “Half of you, attack the enemy.”

As ordered, some of the zombies with him began to move forward, moaning and raising their weapons.
They moved with uncanny spend toward the shinigami that were arguing. The urge to fight and kill was
strong in the zombies.

As the zombies moved forward, Kyo and Ogihci unsheathed their zanpakuto and rushed past Alanna and
Aicerno. The ploy had worked to cut the numbers in half, though they still continued to act as if they
were arguing. They didn’t want the plan to be figured out yet.

“I’m going to take them on,” Kyo said with a growl as he sliced through the first zombies that got to
close.

“No, I am. Go back and wait,” Ogihci replied as he cut several zombies in half.

Aicerno unsheathed his zanpakuto and watched as Alanna remained as she was. Curious he moved
forward and leaned close. “Why haven’t you unsheathed your katana?”

Alanna smiled. “No need. Remember during the planning what was decided?”

Aicerno nodded. “I do now. Well, I think I’m going to join the two in this battle.” With a slight bow of the
head, he took off after Kyo and Ogihci and began his attack. “I think you two need to rethink your
strategy because I’m taking them on myself.”
Alanna took a deep breath and turned to face the battle, a look of disgust and frustration on her face.
She watched as her teammates cut through the enemy like a hot knife through butter. Her eyes fell
upon Diablo who stood watching them. She could see that there was no true emotion in his eyes.

Alanna glanced to either side of the clearing and could feel the backup team there and waiting. Her
sisters were on the left side while Anna and Lathos were on the right. She forced her face to remain one
of anger while she secretly felt happy. She was glad that they had decided to perform a flanking
maneuver. It was would give them a little bit of an advantage.

As the group of zombies was destroyed, Diablo watched without concern or care. He didn’t have any
feelings toward the destruction of his troops. He didn’t have any fear for his own safety. To him, it was
just a dull battle.

Deumos’ voice entered his mind. ‘Stop standing around with your head up your ass. Activate the trap.
Send in all the troops and kill them.’

‘As you wish, Empress.’ Diablo raised his hands and then lowered them in a quick motion. “All troops
attack.”

While the rest of the troops with him acted without pause, Diablo noticed that the others were not
moving from the flanking positions. “Attack now!” he shouted again.

This time there was movement but not the kind that Diablo was waiting for. From both sides came the
backup team. They smiled briefly at Diablo before joining the battle. Diablo watched as one by one the
zombies were destroyed and sent back to the death that had originally claimed them.

Diablo’s eyes fell upon the one person that was not fighting. He didn’t find anything wrong with it. He
didn’t have any curiosity as to why she would be just standing there.

‘Oh, damn it. Next time I’m going to leave a little bit of ability to think for yourself. Attack her, Diablo. Kill
her now.’

‘As you wish, Empress’. Diablo unsheathed his own weapon and vanished. He reappeared before Alanna
and began to attack her, thinking she was not prepared. Alanna smiled softly and vanished herself, the
sword missing her and hitting the ground.

“I thought that you would do that,” Alanna said as she appeared off to the right. She still hadn’t
unsheathed her zanpakuto. “Attacking someone that you think is unprepared or won’t challenge you is
something pretty obvious in you and your leader.”

“You must die. It is the wishes of Empress Deumos,” Diablo replied with a dead tone. He lifted his sword
once more and began to advance toward his target.

It was then that Ogihci appeared between Diablo and Alanna. “I hate to tell you, but you have to go
through me first.”
‘Kill him too, Diablo. Kill them all.’ Deumos’ voice was filled with anger.

‘Understood, Empress.’ Diablo swung his sword at Ogihci. “The enemy of Empress Deumos must die. All
of you must die. It is her will.”

Ogihci blocked the attack and aimed a kick at Diablo’s stomach. “I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t
give a damn about that bitch’s will. You and Deumos are through.”

The kick hit Diablo hard and knocked him back a few feet. He paused long enough to right himself and
tighten his grip on the sword. “It matters not what you think. You will all die here and now.”

The two ran at each other at full speed. Thankfully everyone around them knew when to move away. At
the end of the clearing, the group stood watching. Worry was working its way onto Alanna’s face. Kyo
noticed as he sheathed his weapon.

“Oneechan, don’t worry. You know that Ogi can handle Diablo.” Kyo placed a hand on his shoulder. “You
knew that this was part of the plan.”

Alanna sighed. “Yes, I know, but it doesn’t mean that I like it any more than you two like the other one.”

Anna growled. “I should be in there fighting.” She cracked her hands. “I don’t know if I can take standing
on the side lines.”

Alanna turned and faced Anna. “I know how you feel, Anna, but this was something we all agreed upon.
When it’s time, you’ll get to fight as well. We all will.”

Anna growled again. “I just hate waiting.”

As Diablo and Ogihci clashed again, Alanna nodded. “We all do.”
 Chapter 47

Deumos growled in anger. The zombies she sent with Diablo were destroyed without so much as a
scratch on the one group she feared more than any other. While she would never show it, Deumos was
worried that they would somehow be able to defeat her. Her only hope now was to send more of her
zombie troops to fight her enemy.

“Army, advance toward Diablo and destroy the intruders!” Deumos roared.

As one massive wall of rotting flesh the zombies began to move. They seemed to roar in a sickening
battle cry mangled with the sound of their own bones grinding. Without pause they moved as ordered
with the sole purpose of destruction of the enemy.

Rin sat without moving where she had been placed from the beginning. Secretly she cheered that the
one group was doing so much damage to Deumos’ plans. She knew it was the one group that she longed
to see more than any other. Soon, she would get to see her family and friends. More importantly she
would get to see her true love.

The shinigami fought to keep her smile hidden. It wouldn’t do her any good to have Deumos see it and
become so angry that she attacked. Rin knew when it was a good time to show her feelings and when it
was best to keep them hidden.

Deumos looked down at her captive. “Don’t think that this changes anything. All of you will meet your
end today. It’s just a matter of time.”

‘Admit it. You are getting a little scared at the possibility that they will make it here,’ Rin thought. She
looked away from Deumos so not to give away her true feelings.

“If you think they will save you, think again. You are the key element in my plan.” Deumos growled.
“Even if they make it here, they will come face to face with the fact that you are still my prisoner, and I
have control of your life.”

Rin sighed. ‘Great. Just great. She’s going to start into her little monologue again. Why does she have to
keep repeating it like that? Doesn’t she know that after the first few times of telling me what her plans
are, it has lost its fearful hold on me?’

Yet Deumos didn’t continue with her speech. She turned her head back to the northwest and watched
as her zombie troops moved without slowing. She could feel the desire to kill rise in her. It was all she
could do to not kill the shinigami at her feet.

‘If they make it here, I’ll put my plan into action and then destroy them all with my most powerful attack.
Today the land will run red with their blood one way or another.’ Deumos smirked. There was nothing
like the thought of spilt blood to raise one’s mood.

**************
The battle between Diablo and Ogihci seemed nothing more than a test of strength at the moment. At
least that’s how Ogihci looked at it. Neither combatant attempted to make some outlandish move to
gain the upper hand. It was an even match hit for hit.

Where it would have frustrated others in his shoes, it was a welcome challenge to Ogihci. It seemed like
he hadn’t had a good fight in a very long time. This was his chance to test his skills and push himself.

After another clash of strength, the two jumped away from one another and then stared. Ogihci could
see the lack of true will in the eyes of Diablo, yet his opponent fought with a determination to not fail his
empress that could be dangerous. Yet if he didn’t step up the game, they may be at this forever.

“It seems like we’re getting nowhere. Stop playing around, asshole.” Ogihci gripped his katana and
began to raise his reiatsu.

Diablo stared in an uncaring motion. “Whatever you are doing, it won’t work. I must destroy you and
everyone here. It is the orders of Empress Deumos.”

“Shut up and fight!” Ogihci disappeared before reappearing to the demon’s left. He swung his katana at
Diabo’s shoulder intent on severing the arm from the body.

Diablo brought his sword up and blocked the attack. “You are wasting your breath. You and your friends
will die. It has been decided by Empress Deumos.” Without hesitation, he brought his other fist up and
aimed a punch at Ogihci’s stomach.

Ogihci moved out of the path of the punch at the same time aiming a kick at the demon’s head. “You’re
the one who’s going down along with that bitch.”

The kick connected and sent Diablo back a few steps. He shook his head as if to clear his head before
looking at Ogihci. “Her name is Empress Deumos. Do not call her something as foul as that.” He gathered
some energy into the palm of his left hand and then fired it at Ogihci.

The energy hit Ogihci in the chest knocking him back and to the ground. He rolled and came up onto his
feet before launching into another attack. He pivoted on the ball of his right foot bringing both the
katana and his fist around in a circlular motion.

Diablo ducked to miss the blade but came up too soon. The punch knocked Diablo back a few step, his
lip bleeding. Without slowing, Diablo moved back into the fight. There was no anger in his eyes, just
determination to do as ordered.

Diablo kicked at Ogihci’s stomach, connecting and knocking the wind out of the shinigami. Diablo didn’t
waste time and brought his sword around and sliced into Ogihci’s side. “You lose.”

Ogihci fought the urge to cry out in pain and moved away from the attack before he was cut in to. “You
wish.”
Diablo appeared before Ogihci. “It is not my wish but that of my empress. I am the one to carry out her
wishes.” He had raised his sword over his head and brought it down in a finishing move.

Ogihci growled and blocked the attack. “Don’t underestimate me, jerk. That attack won’t work on me.”

“It may not, but this one will.” Diablo opened one of his hands that held the sword and released a
lightning attack at Ogihci.

There was no way for the shinigami to dodge it. As the attack hit him, Ogihci screamed in pain. As his
world darkened, he heard the one voice that he wished he could hear forever. He could hear the
anguish in Alanna’s voice.

“OGI, NO!”

************

Anna watched the fight wishing she was the one out there. It didn’t sit right with her that she could not
make this demon pay for the things he and his empress have done. The vampire growled as she
struggled to restrain herself.

And then she smelled it. The breeze came from the southwest and brought with it the familiar smell of
rotting flesh. It wasn’t stationary. It was slowly becoming stronger with each passing moment. A smile
crept up on Anna’s face.

“Lathos, stay here with the others. I have some freaks of nature I must take care of.” Anna turned and
began to move away from the group when a hand grabbed her.

“Anna, do you think it’s wise to go alone?” The tone in Lathos’ voice was clear. He was worried for her.

Anna felt a slight pain in her stomach, almost like butterflies, at his question. It was endearing to hear
such concern coming from one that used to be a demon. She knew that she should hate him, yet Anna
found that she could not. There was something about him that made her want him to remain with her
forever.

“Don’t worry about me, Lathos. I’m not some weakling they can push around. I am the head of my clan
after all.” Anna smiled. “Besides, I need to release this build-up of anger and power before I do
something I’d regret.”

Lathos studied her face a few moments and then let her go. “God speed. Show them no mercy.”

“You can count on that.” Anna vanished from the clearing just as Alanna’s words filled the air.

The vampire couldn’t stop and turn around to see what had happened. She had to take care of the
marching army of zombies before they could reach her friends. Anna was confident enough to allow the
others take care of the situation in the clearing.
With inhuman speed, Anna ran through the trees. It was good to feel the wind brush against her even if
the sickening odor of decaying zombie flesh filled her nose. It wasn’t often that she got this chance to
fight. Normally her clan members would refuse to let her out of their sight.

After mere moments, Anna came to a stop on top of a hill. With her keen eyesight, she could see the
thousands upon thousands of demon zombies making their way across the valley floor and up the hill.
They were making this too easy for her.

The power that she had longer to release before seemed to throb through her now in anticipation. Anna
gathered the energy, focusing it into her hands. When she was ready, Anna pointed her hands toward
the marching army with her palms facing out and fingers curled as if to form a sphere. A light began to
feel the space growing to the point that it threatened to consume Anna if she didn’t release it.

“Die, you pathetic creatures. Return to the grave where you belong!”

Anna pushed her hands forward, causing the energy she gathered to shoot forward. It went down the
hill, spreading out to swallow all in its path. With the radiant heat like that of the sun, the light seared
the ground and burned the dead trees to the ground. When it hit the first of the zombie army, the smell
of burnt rotting flesh filled the air.

As much as Anna wanted to turn away from the stench and return to her friends, she knew better than
to leave without making sure no enemy was left. She watched the light continue forward through the
undead demons as it consumed their flesh. It continued on its quest, leaping to zombies when needed.
It did not vanish until the last zombie was erased from existence.

Anna watched the area for a few moments more before she turned and headed back toward the
clearing. She needed to make sure that everything was taken care of. She knew that Ogihci may be
seriously injured and would need to be healed quickly before they could continue forward.

It was with the first step that Anna felt a strange power that sent fear to her core. It was coming from
the clearing, and it felt as if whoever released it was pissed beyond belief. After regaining her wits, Anna
rushed back to the clearing. She needed to be there to save the ones of the prophecy. They were their
only hope.

*********

In a darken remnants of an alley, a figure sat. Cloaked so that its face was hidden, it watched several
floating orbs that displayed various sites of battle. Kurio couldn’t help but laugh when it saw the fear in
Deumos’ eyes. It was hilarious how the demon empress still believed that she could win when inside she
knew that it was just a matter of time before she died.

Kurio turned its attention to a different orb. There was Anna using her unique gift to wipe out the army
of zombies Deumos had summoned and sent to attack. It was another blow to Deumos’ plans which
made Kurio happy beyond belief.
A different orb showed the battle between Ogihci and Diablo. Kurio had felt a little disappointed in the
way things had turned out there. It was clear that Ogihci would be seriously injured if he survived at all.

The last orb showed the rest of the shinigami group with the attention on Alanna. Kurio chuckled at the
way she reacted toward what happened to her future husband. Kurio couldn’t help but relish the
anguish and sadness that radiated from Alanna.

“Oh, I’m surprised you didn’t act, light one. Normally you would show your true powers and stop the
attack.” Kurio leaned forward and touched the orb lightly. “Why have you withheld help?”

A sudden increase in power came from the orb that had showed the fight in the clearing. It was so
strong that Kurio had to fight rushing to the area to see what it was. It could feel the laces of evil on the
current coming from the orb.

Kurio peered closer and then laughed. “My, my. This is a very interesting turn of events. I wonder how
they’ll react to that.”

********

The battle seemed to be even match to Alanna. She knew that Ogihci was testing Diablo to see actually
how strong the demon was. Yet, uneasiness seemed to fill her. She didn’t know if the others standing
with her could feel it, but there was something about Ogihci that didn’t fit, like an evil shadow
surrounding him.

Kyo moved closer to his sister. “Don’t worry, oneechan. Ogihci won’t lose to this bastard.”

Alanna glanced at Kyo and smiled softly. “I know, yet I can’t help but worry. You should know that,
ototochan.”

Kyo chuckled. “Oh, I do. Yet I still tell you not to. It’s just a normal thing for me.”

“Yes, it is.” Alanna shook her head slightly with a chuckle. “We’re impossible.”

“Of course. That’s just part of being in the Emiya family,” Kyo replied.

“If you two are impossible, I hate to see what Nikki and Jessy are,” Romi added. “I think they’re a lot
worse.”

“Who you calling worse?” Jessy asked, slapping Romi’s arm. “We’re just being ourselves.”

“Yeah, so we’re not worse than impossible,” Nikki added. “Well, I’m not. Jessy may be.”

“Hey! You’re supposed to stick up for me too.” Jessy slapped Nikki’s arm a little harder than she did
Romi’s.

“I’m just calling it like a see it.” Nikki moved away and hid behind Aicerno. “You just don’t want to admit
it.”
Aicerno rolled his eyes. “Why are you behind me?”

“Cause I know Jessy will try to hurt me.” Nikki poked her head around Aicerno’s side. “I can see the
anger in her eyes.”

Aicerno vanished in a shunpo to the left ending up closer to Lathos who looked like he was about to die
laughing. “Please do not involve me in this argument. I would like to save my energy for the final battle.”

Jessy smiled. “Oh, Nikki, come here and let’s have a talk.”

“No thanks. I’m good.” Nikki took a few steps back. “Go and talk with Lolo.”

Alanna was going to reply to them when something caught her attention. It was ever so brief that she
wasn’t sure she saw it. Yet, there was no mistake. For a brief moment, Ogihci’s back was to her. The
wind blew his hair off his neck to reveal the number 4 before he turned away from them to continue the
fight.

Alanna felt the uneasiness get worse. That was not a hallucination. It was clear to her even if she saw it
just briefly. The number was like those in the text books discussing the arrancar and espada of years
past and the Winter War that had threatened to destroy many lives. It was a marking of power, a way to
show how strong an espada was to others of its kind.

Alanna took a single step forward. Could Ogihci’s hollow be that powerful? Could it somehow be an
espada trapped in a shinigami’s body? Curious to look closer, she took another step.

Then it happened. Diablo opened his hand and released a lightning attack that was point blank. There
was no way Ogihci could dodge it. He screamed in pain as the attack ran its course, kicking up dust
around the combantants.

Alanna felt her heart drop in her chest. She couldn’t lose him, not now, not ever. There was only a
moment’s pause before she began to move toward him screaming. “OGI, NO!”

******

It was a strange feeling. He was floating in darkness, unsure of where he was or who he was. What had
caused him to end up here like this?

The distant feeling of pain seemed to cause him to worry a little. Was he hurt? Did he die? No, he was
still alive, he was certain of that. He could hear a voice screaming. The woman seemed to be very upset.

“How pathetic. I thought you would make a better showing with this fight, but look at you. You allowed
your defense to drop, and he got in close enough to hurt you.”

The man looked around in the darkness. “What are you talking about? Who are you? Where are you?”
Suddenly the man fell and landed on the ground roughly. Before him, a wall appeared with an armored
door in the middle. The one window in the door was covered in metal bars as if to keep something inside.
A pair of yellow eyes stared out of the window.

“Great. You got hit so hard you lost your memory.” The eyes rolled in annoyance. “You’re Ogihci, a
shinigami. You were fighting a demon named Diablo when you made a stupid mistake and got hit with a
point blank attack. Jog your memory?”

Ogihci stared at the eyes a moment before blinking. He closed his eyes and concentrated. The words the
person behind the door rang true, but he wanted to remember it himself. Slowly bits and pieces of
memory flashed before him and began to return. It didn’t take long before he remembered everything.

Ogihci’s eyes opened up and looked at the door. “Why have you brought me here?”

A chuckle came from behind the door. “I didn’t bring you here, fool. You came here to seek help, to
escape the pain. A weakling like always.”

Ogihci growled. “I’m not a weakling, hollow. I just got caught off guard.”

“A pathetic excuse, Ogi. But you know that in your current state there’s no way you can finish Diablo off
let alone live. You have no other choice but to release me.”

Ogihci shook his head. “I’m not going to do that. I’ll beat Diablo myself without your help.”

“Oh, really? Take a look for yourself. See how messed up you are after that attack.”

An image appeared before Ogihci. He saw himself lying on the ground with gashes covering his body.
Blood poured from his wounds creating a red river beneath him. Diablo stood over him, posed to make
the finishing blow. He could hear Alanna screaming in anguish and footsteps moving toward him to try
and save him.

“Do you think you can save yourself now?”

Ogihci looked at the door. As much as he hated letting the hollow free, he knew there was no other
choice. He moved to the door. “What are you suggesting?”

“Open the door and ask me for help. Ask me to give you the power needed to send that bastard to hell.”

Ogihci took a deep breath. Even though he knew it was the right course of action, he didn’t want to go
this route. Yet, there was no other choice. He reached out and opened the door.

**********

Rin sat in silence, enjoying the presence of Kyo even if he was still far from her reach. It was nice to
know that he was there and on the way to save her. If things worked out for the better, she was going to
cover him with kisses.
Yet, she knew that Deumos wouldn’t make it an easy job. The demon planned on using her to stop her
friends and family. Rin knew that she would be a bargaining chip to keep the group from attacking
Deumos. She just didn’t know all the details.

Rin sighed. She hated not being able to help. Even with her zanpakuto at her side, she couldn’t use it.
The injuries she received during her torture were slowly opening and becoming more and more painful.
Though she wanted to attack or to run away from Deumos’ grasp, she knew that she couldn’t move
more than a few inches before she succumbed to the pain.

The shinigami took a moment and glanced at her captor. The demon seemed to be extremely angry at
that moment. She didn’t know what could make Deumos that upset until she felt a strange release of
power in the direction of her friends. It was followed by the smell of burnt, rotting flesh.

Trying not to vomit or to laugh, Rin held her nose and turned away before she could see just how angry
Deumos was. It wasn’t had to guess when a moment later the demon roared. Rin flinched as the roar
caused the ground to shake and sent waves of pain through her body.

As the roar ended, Rin braced herself for the barrage of swearing and cursing that would follow. She
knew that Deumos would swear that they would all die and then would start calling her rescuers names
that would make a drunken sailor blush. She wish she could plug her ears.

Yet, it didn’t come. The usual temper tantrum was cut short when a sudden rise in power could be felt.
It was coming from the direction of her friends and family. Rin couldn’t help but shudder in fear as the
dark energy moved over her. She recognized the reiatsu. It was that of a hollow, or rather a vaizard. Yet,
it was almost as if this was even stronger than that. Frightened but curious, Rin wish she knew what was
going on.

********

Alanna saw Diablo raise his sword to finish Ogihci. She moved without thinking. “NO! STOP!”

Hands attempted to grab her as she began to run forward unsheathing her sword. She couldn’t let
Diablo kill Ogihci. She had to do something to stop him, to save her love.

It seemed as if everything was in slow motion. Alanna heard voices yelling for her to stop and move
back. She watched as the sword began to make a slow descent toward Ogihci’s bleeding chest. She felt
like she was running through water. She feared that she would not make it in time.

And then there was a sudden increase in reiatsu. Its force knocked her back some. Alanna blinked a few
times as she saw Diablo being knocked back too. What was going on?

Alanna then looked at Ogihci and realized what happened. She watched as Ogihci slowly stood, facing
away from everyone. She took a step forward. “Ogi?”

“Get away from me, weakling.” The voice was Ogihci’s yet it wasn’t. “You disgust me.”
Alanna stopped and blinked a few times. Ogihci wasn’t in control. “What are you going to do?”

Ogihci turned and faced her, half of a mask covering his face. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to kill that
demon asshole and then you and your friends. Then I’m going to completely take back over what is
rightfully mine.”

“You… you can’t do that. You have to let Ogi regain control.” Alanna felt a ball of fear form in her
stomach.

“Do I now?” Ogihci grinned evilly. “I don’t have to do a damn thing you want, bitch.” He turned his
attention back to Diablo. “Excuse me. I have to kill the demon first then I’ll have my fun with you and
your little group.”

Before Alanna could say anything further, Ogihci vanished and reappeared before Diablo. Diablo stared
with indifference at the revived shinigami. “This changes nothing. You will die. It is the will of Empress
Deumos.”

“Well, you can take that and shove it up your ass.” Ogihci smirked. “You’ll soon meet your pathetic
empress in hell.”

Before Diablo could move, Ogihci grabbed him by the face. “Gran rey cero.”

The attack was instantaneous. It left a path of destruction for miles. When it finally died down, the only
thing left of the demon was his lower abdomen and legs. It fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

Alanna watched as Ogihci turned and began to walk toward her. “Ogi, please come back to me.”

“Ogi, please come back to me,” Ogihci said in a mocking tone. “Face it. Your boyfriend is long gone, and
you’re going to die.”

“No, I won’t accept it.” Alanna felt unusually calm. “I know he’ll return. I know he’ll defeat you like he
did before.”

“Naïve as always.” Ogihci stopped a few feet away from Alanna. He saw the others in the group ready to
attack. “You all may as well give up. I’m not some lowly hollow that you can defeat with a flick of the
wrist.”

Alanna took a deep breath and stared at the man in the eyes. “Ogi, I know you can hear me. Please
come back to me. Fight him. I know you can do it. I love you so much. Please fight him and come back.”

“You’re a pathetic woman if you think that will….” Ogihci trailed off as his free hand began to move
toward the mask. “No! Stop! Why do you have to get in the way!”

Alanna smiled. “Come on, Ogi. Come back to me. I need you.”

Ogihci’s hand grabbed the mask and began to pull. “NO! YOU FOOL! STOP INTERFERING!” The mask
came away from his face and fell to the ground. Ogihci collapsed soon after.
Alanna moved to his side quickly, the others behind her. She knelt down and looked him in the eye.
“Welcome back, dear.”

Ogihci managed a weak smile. “Thank you, Lolo. You’re always there to call me home.”

Alanna smiled. “I will always.”

Aicerno looked over Ogihci’s body to find the wounds needing to be healed when he stopped. “What in
the world?”

Alanna glanced at Aicerno. “What’s wrong?”

“His wounds have vanished.” Aicerno looked over Ogihci again. “He’s completely healed.”

Ogihci slowly sat up. “I guess the hollow healed me somehow. I just feel tired at the moment.”

Alanna caught a glimpse of the tattoo on Ogihci’s neck and then understood, at least somewhat. Yet she
decided to keep it quiet. There were things that she needed to find out before she made a concrete
decision. Instead she reached into her pack and pulled out a pill bottle. After taking a pill out and
replacing it in the pack, she handed it to Ogihci while Kyo handed him a bottle of water.

“Here. This should help replenish some of your lost energy.” Alanna smiled. “You had me scared there.
Thought I was going to lose you.”

Ogihci took the pill and water and finished both off. He then took Alanna’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
“You’re not going to lose me.”

“Uh oh. Run for the hills. Sappy moment in progress.” Jessy said before making siren noises.

Everyone began to laugh. Alanna shook her head. “Leave it to Jessy to ruin the moment.”

*********

At Diablo’s sudden death, Deumos began to fume. How could this be happening? Her entire army was
gone, wiped off the face of the planet by the goodie two-shoes wanting to stop her.

She had to end it here and now. Deumos wasn’t going to sit there and wait for them to come to her. She
decided to take the fight to them.

The demon empress looked down at her captive and growled. “It’s time to put you to use.” She grabbed
Rin roughly and took off into the air.

Rin screamed silently as pain coursed through her body. She didn’t expect to be handled so roughly and
so soon. She could tell that Deumos was pissed off and was capable of doing anything right then.

As the two flew over the land, Rin felt Kyo’s reiatsu getting closer. A part of her began to feel excitement
and happiness at the thought of seeing him again. Yet another part felt fearful. Deumos was activating
her plan.
It didn’t take long before Rin could see a clearing and a group of individuals standing in it. She watched
as her friends and family looked up at the sky. She could see them preparing for battle. She just wished
she could do something to help them.

Deumos descended at the far end of the clearing, holding Rin in her claw. She gazed over the group until
her eyes rested upon Alanna. For some reason, she was extremely fearful of this one woman. Still she
had her trump card. A smile graced her face as she looked at Kyo.

“Well, well. I see that you have bested my army and my general. But that all changes now.” She raised
Rin and shook her gently. “Unless you want her to die.”
 Chapter 48

It just wasn’t her day. It seemed to Rin that fate was playing a cruel joke on her. Just when she had her
hope raised high enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the path took a sudden dive into the
darkness once again. Now, she was worried that things would backfire for her and her rescuers.

When Deumos suddenly grabbed her, Rin felt her wounds open completely. She felt the blood begin to
ooze out and slowly soak her clothes. At least Deumos’ grip helped to slow the bleeding. On top of that,
the sudden movement sent waves of pain through her body. There were a few moments where her
world darkened as sleep threatened to take hold of her.

The flight to the clearing was a hazy one. Rin found herself fighting against the blood loss and the pain to
stay awake. She feared allowing unconsciousness to take over. She wasn’t sure if she would wake if it
took hold.

As Deumos landed, Rin’s body was jarred again, causing a dull pain to move through her. She shook her
head as if she was trying to clear her mind. Unfortunately, Deumos chose that time to begin her little
plan, shaking Rin to make a point.

When she finally found herself still, Rin took as deep of a breath as she could and looked around the
area. It made her very happy to see her friends and family there. She noticed the anger in Kyo’s and
Nikki’s faces. She saw worry, determination, frustration, and fear in the rest, all save one.

Standing out like a beacon, Alanna appeared calm and collected to Rin. She was amazed at what she saw
in her aunt’s face. If she didn’t know better, Rin could have sworn that Alanna seemed older and wiser
than her years, almost ancient. As she stared at the vice captain Rin’s thoughts drifted back to the past
to a time before she joined the academy.

Laughter began to fill the house where Nikki and her family lived as everyone began to gather for the
celebration. Rin, though, was outside in the courtyard going over the decorations. She felt that is was
part of her duty to help make it memorable for everyone.

Today was going to be a huge celebration. Her Aunt Alanna had graduated from the Academy finally
after taking additional classes in kidou and healing. It was practically unheard of for shinigami to take
elective courses, but Alanna had insisted. Everyone knew that her goal was to join the 4th Division and
knew that she would be accepted as well. They were all very proud of her.

Rin walked past the tables one by one, making sure everything was in place. She wanted everything to be
perfect for her aunt and the guests. She felt that they all deserved it.

Rin paused at a table near the band area. One of the napkins had been folded incorrectly and was
leaning to the side. She quickly fixed the problem, replacing the napkin in its proper spot.

“You know that it doesn’t have to be perfect,” a male voice said from behind.
Rin turned and came face to face with her Uncle Kyo. He had already graduated from the Academy
several months ago and was a proud member of the 13th Division. Rin smiled though she secretly wanted
to run and hide. Though she felt that it was morally wrong, she couldn’t help but have a small crush on
him.

“Yeah, I know, Uncle Kyo, but its Aunt Lolo’s special day. She’s really worked hard in her studies and
deserves this.” Rin adjusted some silverware that was slightly out of place. “As you recall, we did the
same for you.”

“Yeah, and against my wishes I might add,” Kyo replied as he looked around. “And stop calling me uncle.
Just call me Kyo. Uncle Kyo makes me feel older than I’m supposed to be.”

Rin giggled. “Okay, I won’t call you uncle anymore.” She noticed Kyo searching the area and smiled
knowingly. “All of the Coke is in the house on ice, Kyo.”

Kyo glanced at Rin and smiled. “Thanks. Well, have fun with the readjustment of decorations. I’m off to
take care of my caffeine fix.”

Rin shook her head and laughed as he went inside. She had made sure to bring extra to this party. At
Kyo’s party, he drank 3-2 liters of Coke by himself, leaving only one to be shared with everyone there.
Thankfully they also had tea and sake. She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to her task
at hand.

Three hours later, the party was going full swing. The courtyard was full of family, friends, teachers,
shinigami, and even a few party crashers. It didn’t matter though. Everyone was having a great time
celebrating Alanna’s graduation.

Rin walked through the crowds searching for her aunt. It was nearly time for her to open the gifts. There
was a large table covered with boxes of various sizes even though Alanna had asked everyone not to get
her anything. Rin smiled. She couldn’t wait until her aunt opened the gift from her.

After ten minutes, Rin began to worry. She couldn’t find the guest of honor though she knew Alanna was
there. She moved along the outskirts of the crowd hoping to find her sitting at a table for a break.
Unfortunately, that was a negative.

She was about to enlist the aid of her family to find Alanna when Rin heard someone singing. It was
distant though Rin could tell that it was one of happiness and sadness. She decided to find out who was
singing it.

Rin turned down a path and headed toward the garden. With each step, the song became louder and
clearer. A woman was the one filling the air with the bittersweet song. She felt almost in a trance as she
continued forward on her little quest.
As she turned a corner, Rin saw the koi pond with a willow tree to the left of it. Its branches reached out
and toward the water like a lover seeking comfort. Underneath the shade of the tree sat Alanna. Rin
noticed her singing and moved slowly toward her, not wanting to disturb her.

When Alanna’s song was finished, Rin walked under the branches of the willow tree. “That was beautiful,
Aunt Lolo.”

Alanna looked up at Rin and smiled as she patted the ground. “Thanks, Rin. Come and have a seat.”

Rin nodded and sat down. “Why are you out here and not at your party? It’s time to open your gifts, and
you should be having fun.”

“I was having fun, but there are times when one needs to break away from the crowd in order to think
and reconnect with themselves.” Alanna glanced at the pond. “I told everyone not to get me anything.”

“Well, tough. You’ve worked really hard. You deserve it all.” Rin looked at the ground. “Why were you
singing that song?”

Alanna smiled softly. “It’s a way for me to express my feelings, Rin.”

Rin scratched her head. “So you are happy, yet at the same time, you are sad. How in the world can you
be both at once?”

“I’m surprised that you picked that up. Everyone else that I’ve sung it for never noticed.” Alanna’s smile
faded a little. “I’m happy to finally graduate, yet sad that it’s over. I’m happy to start a new phase in my
life, yet sad that I must give up the previous one. Understand?”

Rin sat quietly a moment and then smiled. “I understand that you’re strange, Aunt Lolo.”

Alanna laughed. “You know me too well, niece.” She then looked out over the pond, her gaze becoming
distant.

For some reason, Rin felt an urge to ask a question, one that she had thought about asking many times
in the past. “Are you afraid to die while on a mission, Aunt Lolo?”

Alanna didn’t look at Rin as she replied. “No, I’m not afraid to die, Rin, especially if it means that in my
death others may live. Death is not to be feared.”

Rin looked at Alanna and gasped. She saw a calmness that seemed almost unnatural in her face. Her
eyes seemed to older and wiser than before, as if she had seen many hardships and survived them all. Rin
swallowed before placing a hand on Alanna’s arm. “Let’s hope you never have to face that.”

Alanna blinked a few times and looked at her niece. The ageless eyes and calm face were gone. “Let’s
hope so.”

As the memory faded, Rin found herself gasping again. Alanna had that same look, the one by the koi
pond so many years ago. Rin didn’t know how to interpret it, yet she felt conflicting emotions fill her.
She was fearful that someone would make a decision that would change everyone’s lives forever. Yet at
the same time she was calm. Rin shook her head in confusion, hoping that whatever it was, it would be
in favor of her friends and family below.

**********

It was a huge surprise to Kurio when Deumos suddenly grabbed Rin and took off toward the clearing. It
was completely amazed by the demon, though it didn’t know if it would call it bravery or stupidity. Kurio
was leaning toward the latter.

Moving its bony hands, Kurio caused the orbs to combine and form a single large screen. It wanted to
watch the events as they played out. For a moment the picture was fuzzy before the clearing came into
view.

Kurio leaned forward as it watched Deumos land. It listened to the opening line she gave and shook its
hooded head. “Wow, I think that has to be the lamest line ever.”

A growl seemed to echo off the remains of buildings. Kurio chuckled and stood. “Guess I’m finally
hungry after ten thousand years of imprisonment.”

The hooded figure walked over to what appeared to be a well covered with a piece of wood. Kurio
grabbed the cover and moved it to the side. Inside were the bodies of rats and other rodents.

Kurio reached in and grabbed a fat one. “Ahh, it is nice to be so powerful you can create your own
refrigerator out of bricks and a wood lid. Now my meals can stay fresh longer.” As it replaced the lid, it
chuckled. “I sound like one of those commercials in the living world.”

Moving back to its makeshift chair of bricks, Kurio lifted the rat up and into its hood. As the carcass
vanished, the sounds of breaking bones filled the air. Blood splattered outward from time to time as it
chewed its meal. With a belch, Kurio relaxed.

“That was very satisfying.” It belched again as it stared at the large floating orb. “I don’t know if I want to
watch this show any more. I know what’s going to happen.” Kurio sighed. “Then again it would be fun to
watch the bitch get what she deserves. Still I should catch up on my soaps.”

Kurio began to laugh. “Oh, I crack myself up. I already know what I’m going to watch. It’s going to be fun
sitting back and watching her get what she deserves.” The laughter died away, and the alley seemed to
darken more. “After all, payback’s a bitch.”

*********

It seemed to happen in an instant. The moment Deumos landed, nearly everyone unsheathed their
zanpakuto. The only one who did not was Alanna. She seemed to stare at their opponent as if to size up
the true danger the demon had to everyone.
It was a strange feeling that she was experiencing at that moment. Alanna could remember one other
day that she felt this, and that was years in the past. She was calm and felt no fear. It was as if she had
been here before.

Alanna focused her attention on Rin. She noticed how pale her niece was. The vice captain didn’t like
that at all. That could only mean that Rin had lost a lot of blood and was losing more as they watched
the demon and waited for orders. Loss of blood meant severe wounds, and that could mean the
development of infection. All these things went through Alanna’s head as she observed the situation.
She was even making mental notes of the orders she would give once they got Rin out of Deumos’
hands.

Alanna mentally slapped herself. Why was she so calm and able to think of ways to heal Rin when
everyone else seemed ready to snap? Shouldn’t she be angry? Shouldn’t she be fearful of what might
happen? If she was supposed to be, then she needed someone to tell her mind and heart that so they
could get with the program.

She turned her attention to Kyo and Ogihci. Kyo stood a few feet away next to Nikki. Both her brother
and sister looked like they could rip Deumos’ head from her neck. Ogihci was next to Kyo, still looking a
little weak from the incident earlier though determined and pissed off enough to help Kyo and Nikki
with their plans. Both men were important in several of the plans they created back in Soul Society.
Alanna hoped they were ready to act upon them like they had promised, regardless of which they had to
go with.

Alanna glanced at Aicerno who looked as if he was waiting for a signal. She gave a slight nod and then
turned her attention back to Deumos and Rin. It was time to get to work.

Aicerno took a step forward, his katana in his hand. “You are Deumos, the empress of the demons I take
it. I am Aicerno, captain of the 4th Division. You have one of comrades as a prisoner. We want her back
and are prepared to do whatever is necessary to do so.”

Deumos rolled her eyes. “Oh, do you have to be so damn formal? You do that when you go to the
bathroom too?”

Aicerno blinked a few times unsure of how to answer at first. “I assure you I’m just making you aware of
the situation.”

“I am very much aware of the situation. I’m the one in control, remember.” Deumos snorted. “I don’t
care who you are. Names of worthless peasants such as yourselves are not needed when death is
waiting to claim you.”

“It is common courtesy to allow our opponents know who will be defeating them,” Aicerno retorted.
“You can say it is part of our code.”

“Oh, so you are like those pathetic fools of the Round Table?” Deumos laughed. “Don’t tell me that you
are King Arthur and these weaklings are your knights.”
Aicerno took a deep breath to calm his nerves. “Deumos, enough beating around the bush. Give Rin
back to us immediately.”

Deumos smirked. “Or what? You’re going to attack me? I don’t think so. The moment you move to strike
at me will be the last of this weakling.” She squeezed Rin lightly causing the shinigami to scream silently
in pain. “I hold her life in the palm of my hand.”

Before Aicerno could say anything else, Alanna took a step forward. “How do we obtain the release of
Rin?” She glanced briefly to her left and saw the reaction on Kyo’s and Ogihci’s faces.

Deumos smiled. “Finally, you ask the correct question. You are not so rigid like the other guy.”

“Deumos, please stop stalling.” Alanna’s voice held no anger. She took a deep breath. “What do we have
to do in order to have Rin returned to us safely?”

Deumos watched the group trying to judge what was going on. Most of them were rather boring to look
at as they displayed the typical determination and fear. The three that held her attention the most were
Alanna, Ogihci, and Kyo. Alanna was calm whereas the two men seemed caught between anger and
anguish.

With her free hand, Deumos pointed at Kyo. “You, what is this woman worth to you?”

Kyo glared at the demon. “She means the world to me. She is my life. I wouldn’t expect a cold, heartless
bitch like you to understand that.”

“So you are saying that she is your true love and that you would die if something should happen to her?”
Deumos chuckled. “Don’t underestimate me, boy. I may not feel those emotions, but I do understand
them.”

“Damn it! Just tell us how we can get Rin back!” Kyo was trying not to leap in to kill the demon empress.
He didn’t know if he could hold out much longer.

Deumos smiled. “Just a few more questions and then I’ll tell you how.” She pointed at Alanna. “What is
this woman to you? What is she worth to you?”

Kyo looked at Alanna. “She’s my oneechan. She saved me, gave me a home when no one else would. We
are very close.”

‘Perfect. This should be entertaining.’ Deumos’ evil smile grew. “Well, young man, you have a dilemma
on your hands. You have to decide which of the two means more to you. If you want your love back, you
have to kill your sister.”

Kyo’s face paled. How could he choose between the one who saved his life and the one he loved beyond
reason? He saw Ogihci’s face turn white as well. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t choose.
Suddenly, Alanna stood before Kyo. Her face was calm, almost angelic. She placed a hand on Kyo’s
shoulders and winked. “Ototochan, I know you can’t decide between us, so I will choose for you. Take
my life so you can be with Rin.”

At her words, everyone began to shout at her, Kyo and Ogihci. They told them not to be foolish. They
begged Deumos for a different way to obtain Rin’s release. It seemed to be mass chaos.

Ogihci looked at Alanna with pain-filled eyes. “You can’t do this, Lolo. What about us?”

Alanna smiled. “Don’t worry. It will be all okay. Trust me.”

Kyo blinked. It was the phrase that neither he nor Ogihci wanted to hear. His thoughts drifted back to
that day in the infirmary, to the day that she made them promise to carry out this plan regardless of
what might happen.

As the members of the team began to leave, Kyo remained in his seat. He noticed that Ogihci did as well
while Alanna remained at the head of the table. It was obvious to him that his sister wanted to speak
private with him and her future husband.

When it was just the three of them left, Alanna took a deep breath. “There is one plan that I don’t want
the others to know about. Before I discuss it with you two, promise me that you will carry out the plan as
I lay it out for you.”

“How can we promise something like that when we don’t know what you are planning?” Ogihci asked.
His voice was layered with worry and frustration.

“You have to trust me in this. Please. Promise me that you will carry out the plan as I lay it out for you no
matter what.” Alanna’s eyes seemed to plead with them, beg them to make the promise.

Kyo sighed. “Fine. I promise.”

Ogihci nodded. “I promise too.”

Alanna smiled. “Thank you both.” She took several deep breaths before continuing. “We know that our
enemy has Rin. I have a funny feeling that the demon will use her to stop us in our tracks.”

“We know that. It was established earlier. Where’s this going?” Kyo felt nervous. He didn’t like where this
could be going.

“Yes, I know, but what I didn’t say before the others is I think Deumos is going to demand a life for a life.”
Alanna looked at the top of the table. “I think she wants someone to take my life in order to gain Rin’s.”

Ogihci sat up straight. “I’m not about to let that happen. Ever.”

“The same goes with me.” Kyo began to stand. “I’m not going to do that.”

“But you two promised.” Alanna glared at them. “You haven’t even heard my plan.”
“I’m sorry, Lolo, but I’m not going to do it.” Ogihci stood. “I would rather die that take your life.”

“After all the times you’ve saved me, don’t expect me to end your life in return.” Kyo gathered his things.

Alanna slammed the table. “How dare you go back on a promise!” She turned her back to them and
moved away. “You don’t even want to listen to my plan. Well, fine. Be that way. But don’t think things
will be the same from now on.”

“Lolo, please don’t do this,” Ogihci said as he moved toward her. “We’re going to be married soon. How
can you ask me or Kyo to do something like this, to take your life?”

“You think there’s going to be a wedding after you broke your promise already?” Alanna didn’t look at
the two men though she knew Kyo was now standing next to Ogihci. “How can I trust you when you
obvious have no respect for a promise once it’s made?”

“Oneechan, you can’t mean you’ll cancel the wedding because of this?” Kyo noticed how hurt Ogihci was
when Alanna replied.

“Don’t oneechan me. You’re no better than Ogi.” Alanna turned around to face them, tears falling down
her face. “I asked you two to make a promise to do as I want, to trust me. The moment you hear a
potential problem you both break your promise. You know how that makes me feel? Do you?”

“Lolo, please….”

“Oneechan….”

The tears poured down Alanna’s face in rivers. “It makes me feel like you don’t believe in me, that you
don’t trust me and never have.” She looked at them a moment longer before turning away again. “The
only thing you see is someone that has to be protected all the time. You don’t think I can handle stuff.
You think I’m weak.” She wiped the tears away. “You dismiss my ideas before you’ve even heard them.
How can I trust either of you anymore?”

Kyo looked at Ogihci. He could see the concern mirror in his soon-to-be brother-in-law’s eyes. Alanna was
right. They never gave her the chance to explain her plan. They didn’t believe that the promise was really
a promise to be held, that it was just given to satisfy Alanna so she would start talking. Kyo felt ashamed.

“Oneechan, I’m sorry. It wasn’t right for us to break a promise we made to you. We should have listened
to your plan completely before voicing our opinion.” Kyo sighed. “Please forgive us.”

Ogihci sighed as well. “Lolo, you have to understand that you are the most important thing to me. The
thought of losing you feels me with dread, but you are right. I’m sorry that I broke the promise.”

Alanna turned back to them as she wiped the last of her tears away. She looked at them and smiled
softly. “I forgive you both.” She took a deep breath. “First off, I’m going to give you a phrase that will let
know that the plan is to be use.”

Kyo raised an eyebrow. “A phrase? What is the phrase?”

“Don’t worry. It will be all okay. Trust me.”

Kyo blinked a few times and looked at Ogihci. His expression was filled with pain beyond belief, yet he
nodded ever so slightly. He looked back at Alanna and swallowed hard. “Are you sure… oneechan?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Alanna looked around the clearing to everyone there. “And if anyone holds a grudge
against you for my decision, I shall never forgive them. I’ll come back and haunt them.”

‘The other phrase,’ Kyo thought. ‘I guess we have no choice.’ He sheathed his katana and then took out
the dagger. He looked up at Rin and saw the sadness and distress in her face. Closing his eyes he turned
away. “You promise to give Rin to us?”

Deumos smiled. “Of course. Once you have killed your sister, I’ll gladly give you your lover.”

Kyo opened his eyes and stared at Alanna. “Forgive me, oneechan.”

Alanna smiled. “There is nothing to forgive, ototochan. Live long and well with Rin. Have many babies
and name one after me.” She winked. “And don’t you dare name one Coke.”

Kyo wished he could smile at the joke. Unfortunately, his heart was breaking. After today, he would
never be the same. None of them would. “I’m sorry, oneechan.”

With one swift motion, he plunged the dagger into Alanna’s chest, burying the blade in her heart
causing her to cry out in pain. As blood poured out of the wound he let go of the blade and stepped
away. He felt sick.

Alanna smiled weakly before her eyes closed. As life left her, her body collapsed to the ground. One final
breath filled the area of the clearing like a sigh of relief and then nothing but silence.
 Chapter 49

The world seemed to fade into a grey that consumed all hope. He felt his heart break into a million
pieces. His will to live vanished the moment she died. How could fate be this cruel after everything they
had been through?

Ogihci took a few slow steps toward Alanna before collapsing to his knees. She had been the reason why
he continued to fight not only the hollow within him but the forces of evil outside. She had been the one
to turn is lonely world around and filled his heart with a light and laughter that no one else had before.
Now she was gone.

Tears fell down his face as he looked at her pale face. This wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be dead. Ogihci
stared at the way she looked peaceful, almost as if she was just sleeping. The dagger hilt sticking up
from her chest and the blood covering her robes and the ground made the truth painfully clear.

“Why…” he whispered. “Why did you have to make us promise this?” Ogihci stared at his one and only
love. “Why did you have to die?”

He could hear footsteps move toward him. He knew they would be coming to comfort him. He didn’t
want it. He wanted her back. Yet that wasn’t going to happen.

A gentle hand on his shoulder alerted him to Aicerno’s presence. Ogihci knew he was talking to him, but
he didn’t hear the words. The only words he wanted to hear were the ones coming from Alanna’s
mouth. That would never happen again.

Ogihci shrugged Aicerno’s hand off his shoulder. He still had a duty to perform, one last promise to keep.
He slowly stood and looked toward Kyo who was just a few feet away dealing with his own personal
sorrow. Soon he too would have to perform a promise Alanna made Kyo to keep. Both were forced to
live a personal nightmare longer than they could want.

********

“No!” Kurio jumped up in shock. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!”

The cloaked figure moved slowly toward the floating orb. “How could this be? How could she die and
Deumos live still?”

For the first time ever, Kurio felt a sadness form in its heart. It was depending on them to take revenge
on the demon. It wanted them to destroy her, to leave nothing left for the vultures to feast upon. Now,
that was gone.

Kurio’s gaze fell upon the one who delivered the final blow. “You fool. How could you give that demon
bitch the advantage?” It slammed a bony first against the orb. “How could you destroy the one trump
card you had?”
The feelings of sadness were strange to Kurio. All of its life it never felt another for another living being,
especially for humans. It believed that it was destined to spread chaos, sadness, and darkness over the
land. When it was released from its prison, Kurio was happy to know of this group that would help
destroy the one who betrayed it. Now that was not possible.

Kurio growled. It didn’t have time to deal with this silly emotion. Now it would have to step in to make
sure Deumos paid for her transgressions. It glared at the scene on the orb and began to turn to leave.
Then it stopped.

Something caught Kurio’s attention. The hooded figure turned back to the orb and looked everything
carefully. And then it saw it. Kurio leaned forward.

“Oh, I see now. Things are about to get interesting once more.” Kurio sat down and relaxed. “A very
cunning move though they don’t realize it yet.”

*********

Rin blinked repeatedly. This couldn’t be happening. How could Kyo take his sister’s life to save hers? She
wished that she had her voice so she could scream at him for his stupidity.

Tears began to fall down her face as she looked down at her aunt. Rin couldn’t believe that she so
willingly gave her life for her. She wished Alanna was alive so she could slap her over and over for her
ignorance.

The pain she felt could be seen on everyone’s faces. No one could have pictured that this would happen.
Rin was sure that they would all live this day, that they would return home happy and whole. That was
never going to happen now.

The young woman turned her gaze upon Kyo and gasped. Her heart broke when she saw how truly
devastated he was. His eyes were so distant as he looked upon his sister, like he went inside himself to
deal with the pain. Rin couldn’t remain angry at him any longer.

Rin closed her eyes. All of her memories of her aunt played through mind. Tears flowed heavily as Rin
allowed herself to grieve in the grasp of her captor. At that moment, she wished she could turn back the
hands of time and change the outcome. She would have given up her life so that Alanna could live.

“No, I’m not afraid to die, Rin, especially if it means that in my death others may live. Death is not to be
feared.”

Those words from the past echoed in Rin’s head. She began to understand why Alanna did it. She always
thought of others before herself. She knew it would cause them all great sadness, yet it was how Alanna
was. In the end, she lived up to those words.

Rin hung her head. ‘Rest in peace, Lolo.’

********
Kyo knelt on the ground staring at Alanna yet not seeing her. Seeing her lying on the ground unmoving
filled him with a sadness that threatened to consume him completely. It wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be
the one to die.

He felt a cold wind blow across his soul. He was the one who took his sister’s life. How could he live with
himself even if she had made him promise?

Yet a part of him wanted to deny it all. Kyo slowly reached his hand forward to touch her shoulder. He
shook her gently. “Oneechan…” he whispered. “Please… wake up…. Please… don’t leave us….”

He could hear the footsteps behind him. He heard someone talk to him yet Kyo didn’t hear the words.
His world was focused on his sister as if all he had to do was wish hard enough to bring her back. He
didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. He didn’t know if he could face his family, if he could face Rin.

A hand touched his shoulder, and immediately, Kyo shrugged it off. His work wasn’t done, not yet. He
had another promise to keep. Forcing himself to stand, he turned toward Ogihci and nodded ever so
slightly. It was time.

******

At the temporary infirmary, everyone stopped working. They all felt the change in the air. It was as if
darkness would soon consume their souls.

Lori faced toward the path the group had taken to rescue Rin. She felt the tears fall down her face. How
could it happen? This wasn’t real, was it?

She felt others join her though they remained silent. Joe stood to her left and Adrian to her right. They
too were crying, though they were trying to hide it. Lori wish she could comfort them, but right then all
she wanted to do was cry herself.

She had felt Alanna’s reiatsu fade away suddenly. Lori didn’t want to believe that her sister was gone.
Wasn’t she supposed to stop the enemy? How could this happen when everyone rested their beliefs in
her and the team with her? How could they stop Deumos now?

Pain began to consume Lori, and she could keep on her feet any long. She felt her body collapse to the
ground as she allowed her emotion to take over. Racked with pain and guilt, Lori began to cry while
others around her tried to comfort her. It was no good. The one person she wanted to comfort her was
gone.

********

Deumos watched the scene play out and was satisfied with the results. With the one person she feared
the most gone, she could continue with her plans. She grinned evilly as she allowed them time to mourn
their loss. After all, she had all the time in the world.
After some time, the two men that intrigued her stood and glanced at each other. Deumos was curious
as to how this would play out. Tempting as it was to taunt them, the demon remained quiet.

Ogihci turned toward Kyo and glared. “You bastard. How could you kill her?”

Kyo stared back. “I had no choice. Rin means everything to me.”

“And Lolo didn’t?!?! She practically raised you!” Ogihci gripped his zanpakuto tightly. “Was she
disposable to you?”

Kyo shook his head. “No. I loved oneechan, but you heard her, Ogi. She was the one who made the
choice, not me.”

“You could have refused, asshole!” Ogihci looked as if he was about to snap. “Why didn’t you?”

“Because she taught me to respect my elders even if their decisions were idiotic.” Kyo sighed. “I’m sorry,
Ogi. I truly am.”

Ogihci glared at Kyo a few moments longer before suddenly appearing in front of the younger man. He
punched Kyo in the face. “You should be. I’m going to make you pay for it.”

Kyo took a few steps backward, wiping the blood off his face that was coming from his nose. “I don’t
expect you to understand it, Ogi. I have a duty to my sister, to honor her wishes, but if you feel that you
must do this, then I have no choice but to fight back.” He rushed forward and punched Ogihci in the
stomach.

As they began to fight, the others in the group tried to stop them. Deumos though began to laugh. This
was truly entertaining. They had completely forgotten her and her prisoner. Though she would love to
allow them to fight to the death, Deumos wanted them to start paying attention to her again.

“You are both pathetic. She was a weakling. Why do you care if she lived or died?” Deumos smirked as
she waited for an answer.

They stopped fighting each other and turned toward Deumos. Ogihci growled in anger. “Bitch, you
would never understand. All you care for is yourself.”

“Again with the underestimating,” Deumos replied as she rolled her eyes. “I find it rather funny that you
two are spending your time fighting over a dead woman when your friend is still in my clutches.”

Kyo glared as Deumos. “Let Rin go. You promised to if I killed oneechan. Now honor your side of the
deal.”

Deumos laughed. “I never promised you a thing, fool. You were dumb enough to fall for it.”

The group began to shout in protest as Kyo and Ogihci took a step forward. “You bitch,” Ogihci growled.
“I’m going to make you pay.”
“Oh really? How are you going to do that?” Deumos shook Rin hard. “I have her in my hands. I can crush
her any moment I wish. I dare you to try and attack me.”

Kyo shook visibly. “Let her go now!”

“Or what? You going to have your sister fight me?” Deumos gasped mockingly. “Oh dear, she’s dead
now and can’t help you. Poor you.”

Jessy, Nikki, and Romi stepped forward. “Not all of his sisters are dead, bitch,” Jessy said. “We’re still
alive and will make you pay for everything.”

Deumos yawned. “You all bore me. I have more fear of a fly than I do you.” She looked at Rin who
looked as if she could puke after being shaken. “But I will give you one more chance at earning her
freedom.”

Aicerno stood ready to fight. “What do you want now? Isn’t it enough that you took Lolo from us?”

“No, it’s not.” Deumos smiled. “I’ll give you Rin but only after you destroy Lolo’s body completely. I don’t
want it recognizable at all.”

**********

Kurio leaned forward curious at Deumos’ words. “Why in the world would she want that? Alanna is
dead.”

Kurio stood and began to pace. It didn’t make sense at all. There was no need to destroy the body. It
wasn’t going to just vanish or fight back.

Kurio sighed. The only thing it could think of was that Deumos wanted to torture the group more before
she attacked. It was just like her to drag out the mental torture than instead of finishing them off.

Still, Kurio didn’t think that was it. It turned back to the orb and studied everything carefully. Then it saw
it.

Every so often Deumos glanced down at the body of Alanna. Kurio focused in on Deumos looking for
something that would give away the true answer. After a few moments, Kurio began to laugh.

“I understand now. Even in death, she frightens you.”Kurio laughed harder. “Still you don’t see what I
see. Too bad for you.”

*********

At Deumos’ request the group froze. How sick could she be to make them destroy Alanna’s body? Anna
growled in anger and started forward. “You coward. You hide behind Rin instead of fighting us. And to
think we were afraid of you and your plans. I see now that you are just a pathetic weakling.”
Deumos glared at Anna. “Like a vampire like you would know anything. You disgrace those that walk the
night with your morals. I’m not afraid of you.”

“Maybe you should be,” Lathos replied as he stood next to Anna. “You should be afraid of us all. We can
destroy you without much effort.”

Nikki raised her zanpakuto. “I’m going to make you pay for harming my daughter and killing my sister.
You’re going to wish you never thought of facing us.”

Deumos growled. “You really want me to kill my prisoner? Keep it up, and I’ll make sure you are all
covered in her blood.”

“Deumos, you bitch!” Kyo yelled in anger. “Let Rin go or so help me your head is mine!”

“You heard my condition. I want to see her body destroyed.” Deumos pointed toward where the body
lay. “Rip her to pieces and burn her body or I will kill Rin.”

Aicerno looked at the ground and was confused. “What did you do with the body?”

Deumos growled in frustration. “I’ve done nothing with it. It is right…” She trailed off as she looked at
the ground too. “Where is it? Where is her body?” She turned attention back to the group. “You’ve
hidden it. Bring me the body now.”

Ogihci looked confused at what was happening. He shook his head. “We don’t have the body.”

“I mean it! Give me the body now!” Deumos began to shake in anger.

“We don’t have it, Deumos,” Romi said looking around.

She had enough. They were playing with her. Deumos roared in anger. “That’s it. Rin’s dead.”

Deumos began to gather her energy for an attack as she tossed Rin into the air. She would make them
pay for this. She would kill Rin first and then the rest. Deumos opened her mouth and released her
attack.

Suddenly a bright light surrounded Rin and then vanished. Deumos’ attack vanished into the sky without
reaching its target. Deumos stared in shock.

Even the group was surprised at what happened. Where was Rin? Who had saved her? After the initial
shock wore off, they began to search the area.

Deumos roared. “Who dares interfere with my plans?”

To answer her, a light appeared behind the group of shinigami and vampires. At first it was without
form, hovering just a few inches off the ground. Then slowly it began to take shape as the light began to
dim. In moments, two figures stood facing them, Rin and someone no one had seen before.
Rin looked over her body and then up at her savior. All of her wounds were healed completely. It was as
if she had never been tortured. Curious she looked over the person standing next to her.

The person wore a chainmail that was silver. It covered the entire body. A pair of wings rested again the
person’s back, folded in. Over the face was a mask that made the person appeared like a miniature
dragon. The eyes were yellow tinged.

Rin stared a few moments before she asked the question everyone wanted to know. “Who are you?”

Deumos shook with anger. This person dared to interfere and even healed the woman she was using as
bait. How dare they?! Deumos opened her mouth and fired an attack at the group.

The figure vanished before answering Rin’s question and reappeared to knock the attack away. It stared
at Deumos for a few moments before turning to those that stood behind. “Back up and regroup.”

As Deumos fired another attack, the person blocked it again while the group moved back to where Rin
stood. Kyo walked up to her and pulled her into a powerful hug. “I thought I would never see you again.”

Rin wrapped her arms around him. “I’ve missed you, Kyo.” She leaned back and smiled softly. “I’m glad
we’re together again.”

Kyo smiled. “Me too.”

They looked at Ogihci who was staring at the person blocking Deumos’ attacks with ease. They knew he
was hurting because of Alanna’s death. They didn’t know what to say to him.

“Well, I’m glad we have this reunion, but I think we should save the hugs and kisses for later,” Aicerno
said as he turned back toward Deumos. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”

After another block, the figure vanished and reappeared in front the group. Deumos growled. She was
pissed off beyond reason. “Who the hell are you?”

The figure reached up and grabbed the mask. As it came off her head, silver hair cascaded down around
the neck and back. The wings expanded and flexed. To everyone the person looked almost like an angel.

Deumos blinked and then took a few steps back. “No! This can’t be. You’re dead.”

Kyo felt like he knew the person before them. He couldn’t place it though. “Who are you? Why are you
helping us?

The person turned to them revealing her features. “Because you are all my family and friends.”

Ogihci gasped. “Lolo….”

 Chapter 50

Everyone stared at Alanna, unsure if this was some sort of mass hallucination or not. She looked as if she
was glowing. A light surrounded her like a halo. How could she be standing before them now like
nothing happened? They all saw her dead, the dagger through her heart. How was it possible for her to
be alive?

Ogihci felt confused. One moment he was mourning the loss of his love. The next he was happy beyond
belief to see her alive. “Lolo?” he asked, unsure how to proceed.

Alanna smiled, her head tilted slightly in a nod. “Yes and no.”

“Yes and no?” Anna scratched her head. “How can it be yes and no? It’s either one or the other.”

Alanna looked at Anna. “I am Lolo physically, yet I am not alone. We are working as one.”

“We? What do you mean by that?” Romi asked.

“Shiroi and Shi are here as well.” Alanna flexed her wings. “We are here to bring an end to Deumos’
plans.”

“Curious,” Aicerno said as he brought his hand up to his chin in thought. “You were dead. We all saw
that. Now you are alive once more. I’ve never seen anyone come back like you have.”

“Well, I’ve never seen it either, but it has happened before,” Jessy added. “If you remember our history
classes in the Academy, there was one like that before.”

“Ichigo Kuroksaki,” Nikki replied to the unspoken question. “It was stated in the records that he had
been defeated by an espada yet came back to life not long after.”

“But wasn’t his resurrection different from oneechan’s?” Kyo asked. “The accounts given by Orihime
Inoue say that Ichigo’s inner hollow took over completely and somehow through that he regenerated.”

While the others began to debate what had happened in the past compared to today’s events, Ogihci
moved closer to Alanna. He was afraid this was a dream, that he would wake up and find her gone. He
reached out and touched her arm. “Am I dreaming?”

Alanna faced Ogihci and gently caressed his face. “No, Ogi,” she answered with a smile. “You’re not
dreaming.”

Ogihci felt a few tears fall down his face as he pulled Alanna close. “I thought I lost you forever. Why
didn’t you tell us this would happen?”

Alanna kissed his lips gently. “Because Deumos needed to believe I was truly dead. She had to see the
anguish everyone felt, or she would begin to doubt what had happened.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I hurt
you.”
Ogihci smiled as he wiped away his tears. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you are back.”

“Which brings up the question of how,” Aicerno said interrupting the two. “How is it possible that you
are alive?”

Alanna moved away from Ogihci’s arms and faced the group. “The oracle’s dagger.”

*******

Kurio laughed as it clapped its bony hands. “Wonderful. Truly a magnificent performance.”

The cloaked figured leaned forward as it watched the scene. The one person that drew his attention the
most was Deumos. Kurio was delighted beyond belief at what it saw in the dragon-wannabe’s face.

Deumos’ face was full of fear. It made Kurio laugh as the demon cowered. The cloaked figure stood and
leaned closer to the screen.

“Maybe you now realize the truth, traitor. Too bad for you, today you die.”

*******

Deumos shook in fear as she backed up from the woman. It wasn’t possible. Alanna was dead and out of
the way. Yet how was it that she was standing there? How could she be alive once more?

What made it worse was what Alanna appeared as before she removed the mask. Deumos was shocked
to see the dragon’s appearance even if it was a miniature version. It brought back distant memories that
the demon wanted to forget and bury forever.

Deumos wanted to flee, to hide until it was once again safe. She began to think of ways to retreat when
she stopped. A growl came from her throat.

What the hell was she doing? She was Deumos, demon empress and terror to all. She was all-powerful.
She had absorbed hundreds of dragons and their power. This was her land now, her stepping stone to
her ultimate goal. She had the advantage.

Deumos focused her attention to the group before her. They were enjoying their little reunion, not
paying attention to her. An evil smirk graced Deumos’ face.

“Ignore me will you? I’ll make you regret that.”

*******

Kyo looked at Alanna. His face was a mixture of emotion still though it was predominately happy. “Are
you talking about my dagger? How is that possible? It doesn’t have that kind of power, does it?”

“While I wish I could give you a detailed explanation, I think the short version is better.” Alanna smiled.
“The short version is that the dagger was a key to unlocking all of the power possessed by all three
participants.”
“Participants?” Lathos scratched his head. “Who are you talking about?”

“She’s referring to herself, Shiroi, and Shi,” Aicerno answered before Alanna had a chance.

Rin looked down at her tattered, blood-caked clothes and then back to Alanna. “You have enough power
to heal me completely and replenish lost blood and reiatsu?”

Alanna nodded. “In my current state, I do. Yet once we have defeated Deumos, my powers will revert
back to the way they were.”

“The way they were?” Aicerno looked confused slightly. “You mean this power we are seeing will
vanish?”

“Vanish is not correct,” Alanna replied. “The powers you see this day will be sealed again. They can be
regained only with a lot of training.”

Suddenly something slammed into Alanna’s back, sending her flying. She landed roughly ten feet away,
rolling to a stop. Alanna lay motionless.

The shock was clear on everyone’s faces. They had forgotten about the reason they were there when
they saw Alanna was alive. Now, she was on the ground, smoke rising from her back in places. They
rushed to her side.

Deumos began to laugh. “To think I thought you all were even a slight threat. How pathetic.” Her
laughter faded away. “It was foolish to turn your back to me.”

“Lolo, say something,” Rin said as she knelt and touched her aunt. Worry filled her eyes.

Aicerno knelt and placed two fingers on Alanna’s neck. “She’s still alive. She’s just unconscious at the
moment.” He began to look over her back.

Ogihci began to shake visibly. He had remained standing when they got to Alanna as he was too afraid to
kneel and find her gone again. At Aicerno’s words, his anger began to fill his body, threatening to
consume him. How dare that demonic bitch attack in such a cowardly manner.

Slowly, Ogihci turned to face Deumos. His eyes flashed yellow briefly. “You coward. You’re going to
regret that move.”

Deumos glared at Ogihci. “What are you going to do about it, weakling?”

Ogihci didn’t answer as his hand went up to his face. Quickly, the mask formed to cover his face. As soon
as the mask was complete, Ogihci shunpo’d toward Deumos, sword ready for attack.

The moment Ogihci attacked so did Anna, Lathos, Jessy, and Nikki. They all had enough of Deumos, of
her dark plans. With total disregard for their own safety, they attacked.

Deumos smirked. “Come to your deaths, worthless insects.”

As the fight began, Romi knelt down next to Alanna. “How can we help, Aicerno?”

Aicerno was trying to find the wounds when he replied. “First, take the pack off my back. There are
release clips at the shoulders. Then hand me the wound cleaner and gauze.”

Kyo moved toward Aicerno and unclipped the bag. He handed it to Romi. “Here you go.” He was torn
between staying and helping his oneechan and fighting the demon responsible for all of their problems
lately.

Rin looked up and saw the conflict in her love’s face. She smiled. “Go and help them, Kyo. We’ll take
care of Lolo.”

Kyo turned his gaze to Rin and smiled. Only she would see what he was trying to hide. “Thanks, Rin.” He
unsheathed his zanpakuto and took off toward the fight.

“Hmm, this is strange,” Aicerno said in a quiet tone.

“Strange? What’s strange?” Romi asked as she took the items needed from the backpack.

“I can’t find a single wound on Lolo. It’s like they were never there,” the captain replied.

********

When Alanna’s reiatsu returned, everyone at the base camp celebrated. It was a miracle to them. They
weren’t sure what happened, but that didn’t matter. Alanna was back.

Lori stood and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Thank God she’s alive. I don’t know what would have
happened….” She trailed off not wanting to finish the statement.

Joe smiled as he blinked away his tears. “I don’t want to find out. I’m glad she’s back.”

After a few moments of celebration, they went back to work. They wanted everything to be ready
should the injured come their way. While they still hadn’t received anyone, it was better to be prepared
than caught by surprise.

*******

Rin looked at Alanna’s back and gasped. “There are no holes in her clothing. How’s that possible?”

Aicerno touched his vice captain’s back and looked shocked. “This is chainmail. She should have some
sort of burns since this is metal. Yet she doesn’t. This is… it’s impossible….”

“Nothing’s impossible,” a muffled voiced said. Slowly Alanna began to move, turning onto her back.
“That attack hit harder than I thought it would.”

Romi put her hands on Alanna’s shoulders. “Lolo, you shouldn’t be moving yet. Let Aicerno check you
out.”
Alanna removed her sister’s hands from where they rested and sat up. “There’s no need. I’m perfectly
fine.”

Aicerno watched his vice captain stand. “All the same to you, I want to check you out. You did get
knocked 10 feet away from us.”

“Okay, if you insist. You won’t find anything though.” Alanna smiled and remained still for Aicerno.

Aicerno placed his hands on the younger woman’s shoulders and began the reiatsu scan. After a few
moments, he removed them. “There’s nothing wrong,” he said in a quiet voice.

“I told you,” Alanna replied in a gentle voice. She smiled and then walked toward where her zanpakuto
lay only a few feet away. She knelt down and picked up her weapon in a swift motion before looking at
those with her. “I felt the attack and created a barrier to block most of it before it could reach me. That’s
why I’m not harmed to the point of needing assistance.”

“I see. That was a smart move, Lolo,” Aicerno said with a smile.

Rin stood and moved closer, grateful that her aunt was okay. “So this is it? This is the final battle?”

Alanna turned to answer when you noticed how Rin’s outfit looked. Smiling, she placed a hand on her
niece’s shoulders. “Before that, I think you could use some fresh clothes. There’s a shihakushou in
Aicerno’s backpack for you.”

Rin blushed. “Okay.” She turned to get the item when she saw Aicerno already had it in his hands. She
picked them up and bowed slightly. “Thanks.” With that, she took the shihakushou and moved toward
the tree line.

Romi moved closer herself. “Are you sure you’re ok, Lolo?”

Alanna nodded slightly. “Yes, I’m fine.” She turned to the fight. “Guess we’ll be joining them soon.”

“You can always sit out, Lolo,” Romi replied.

“No, I can’t and won’t sit out. So much is riding on mine and Ogi’s shoulders.” Alanna sighed. “Too much
is at stake for that.”

Romi sighed. “Well, I know how you get when you set your mind to something. There’s no use in me
trying to talk you out of it.”

Aicerno unsheathed his zanpakuto and smiled. “I’m off to join the fight.” Without waiting, he shunpo’d
away.

Alanna shook her head with a chuckle. “Men, they never wait.”

Romi laughed as Rin walked up in her new shihakushou. She looked at the two. “What’s so funny?”

“Lolo was commenting on how men can never wait,” Romi replied.
“Well, it’s true.” Alanna giggled. “It’s all we can do to get them to wait for us to get dressed.”

Rin laughed. “Well, let’s not keep them waiting. I want to get a few licks in too.”

Without another word, the women took off toward the fight. They held their zanpakuto ready for
attack. Gone were the happy faces and the laughter. In its place were looks of determination.

*******

Deumos growled as she knocked one of her opponents off to the side. So far the fight was an even
match. She wanted to hold off her powerful attacks until Alanna and the others off to the side could
join. She wanted to kill them off in one attack. Yet getting cut in various places was starting to piss her
off.

‘How could these insects hurt me? I have hundreds of dragons within me. Their powers should be making
it impossible for them to leave even a mark. Yet here I am with cuts all over.’ Deumos growled again.
‘What the hell is going on?’

The demon noticed Ogihci aiming an attack at her left leg and brought it up to knock him away. Ogihci
dodged the counterattack and sliced deeply into her leg. Deumos roared in pain before backhanding him
to the ground.

“You bastard! How dare you!” Deumos glared at her opponents. “I’ve been going easy on you, but no
more.”

Before anyone could attack, a black shield formed around Deumos blocking her from view. Unsure of
what to do, the group stopped and backed up a few feet, assisting Ogihci as they went. Ogihci was not
hurt so was able to move around without problems. It was during this that Aicerno joined them followed
shortly thereafter by Romi, Rin, and Alanna.

“What’s going on?” Aicerno asked. ‘Why aren’t you attacking?”

“We don’t know what that barrier can do,” Kyo answered as he moved to Rin’s side.

“But you can allow her to become stronger?” The anger was clear in Aicerno’s voice. “Why didn’t you
stop her before this happened?”

“Because they couldn’t,” Alanna replied calmly. “Besides, this was supposed to happen.”

Aicerno glared at Alanna. “Supposed to happen? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I’m sorry, but
our chances have diminished greatly now.”

Alanna smiled softly and placed a hand on her captain’s arm. “On the contrary, our chances are the
same as before Deumos did this if not better. Trust me. Things are going as planned.”

For a few moments, Aicerno continued to glare at Alanna. Then slowly the anger left his face. He sighed.
“I trust you, Lolo.”
Ogihci moved over to Alanna’s side as he began to remove his mask when she stopped him. “Wait, Ogi.
You need to remain in Vaizard form.”

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep it up, Lolo,” Ogihci replied. “It’s better that I take it off now
instead of it vanishing during the fight.”

Alanna reached up and placed her forefinger on the mask over where his forehead would be. It glowed
briefly before vanishing. She took her finger off the mask and smiled. “There. You can remain in that
form until the final battle is over.”

Ogihci nodded though he wish he could show her the smile he had on his face. “I understand. Thanks,
Lolo. What about you?”

Alanna placed her hand before her face. In moments, the mask was completed. “Is this better?”

Ogihci laughed. “I prefer you without the mask, but for this, it is best.”

Kyo took a moment to sneak a kiss from Rin before looking at his sister. She reminded him of the fabled
dragons of ages past, beautiful and graceful. The way Alanna looked now suited her well in his opinion.
“So, what do we do now?”

Alanna focused her attention on the large black barrier that surrounded Deumos. “We need to stay
focused and ready for her attack.”

Rin gripped her zanpakuto a little tighter. “When that barrier comes down, what should we do?”

For a few moments, Alanna was quiet as if lost in thought. She took a deep breath. “Use your shikai. We
need to work together in this. While the prophecy says Ogi and I are very important, we can’t do this
alone.”

Anna smiled while her eyes remained on the barrier. “Tell us what to do to bring this bitch down.”

Alanna chuckled. “Here’s what we’re going to do.”

*******

Darkness surrounded her. Pain filled every fiber of her being. Silence was driving her mad. Deumos
didn’t know what was going on outside the barrier. All that mattered was what was going on with her
now.

She had never thought she would have to resort to this. Yet the battle had forced her to this point. The
demon smiled inwardly even if she couldn’t do so outwardly. After the transformation was complete,
they would regret facing her.

Deumos was about to go mad with the pain and darkness when a pinpoint of life appeared. She focused
her attention on it. The crack began to widen. The demon empress smiled. Soon they would all die.
 Chapter 51

Throughout history as known by Anna, prophetic heroes fell into two categories: the egotist loners and
the team players. The majority seemed to fall into the former category unfortunately. These would be
the guys and gals who would deny their destiny at first and then take it up with a passion that would
often pushed comrades away. Quite a few ‘heroes’ fought and died in the last battle alone.

The minority group were the team players. When they found out they were the chosen one of some
prophecy, they would immediately accept it even though they were confused about it all. They sought
out help from friends, family, and the ones that labeled them the hero. At the final battle, they would
fight side by side those who dedicated themselves to the cause and to the hero.

Anna was pleased beyond belief that Alanna and Ogihci were in the latter group. She had grown close to
them during their time together. She didn’t want either of them to do this battle alone. A brief memory
of AJ crept into her mind, but Anna quickly put it back in its place. She didn’t need to get emotional right
now.

As Alanna finished going over the plan with everyone, Lathos moved closer to Anna. “You look happy,
Anna.”

Anna glanced briefly at Lathos before returning her gaze to Alanna. “I am for many reasons, Lathos. The
main one is that Deumos’ end is coming soon.”

Lathos turned and stared at the black barrier that surround his former empress and now enemy. Though
he knew this was the final battle, he felt uneasy at what they faced. “I’m glad too, but something is
making me uneasy.”

Anna took a deep breath. “I believe we all feel it. We don’t know what to expect from Deumos after she
comes out of her shell.”

“I wish it was that simple for me,” Lathos replied. “I can’t seem to place this nagging feeling. I’m actually
scared.”’

Anna faced Lathos and saw the hint of fear in his eyes. “Have you seen this before?”

“I… I don’t know.” Before Anna could say another world, Lathos closed his eyes. Slowly he began to play
his memories in his mind. All of the seemingly good times with Deumos played on his heartstrings. For a
time, he had thought she felt the same way for him as he did for her. Then reality hit him hard.

With Deumos’ first contact with dragons of ancient Earth, she began to change. She wanted more
power, their power. Lathos found himself taking a back seat to her plans to gain the ultimate power
though he still tried to get her to love him. He even did things he didn’t want to do to try and get her to
fall for him. It was for naught as Deumos’ goals took control of her life. Within months Deumos had
captured and absorbed her first dragon even though it was just a young one. From there, things got
worse.
Months passed by like a river flowing to the sea. Lathos continued his pursuit even though he knew it
was in vain. Deumos continued hers as well, capturing and absorbing more dragons until only a few
were left. One of them nearly killed Deumos for what she had done, but Deumos had managed to
mortally wound the dragon before fleeing to safety. Not long after she had recovered from the battle,
the empress made plans to invade Heru.

Lathos’ eyes shot open. “This is bad, really bad.”

Anna raised her eyebrows. “How is this bad? You remember something?”

Lathos looked at Anna and nodded. “Yes, she’s done this once before, right before she came to Heru and
killed the king and queen. It was the only way she could defeat them.” He took a deep breath to try and
settle his nerves. “Deumos is transforming into her most powerful form.”

Anna huffed. “It’s no big deal. We still have the advantage and can deal with her easily.”

Before Lathos could respond, Aicerno walked up. “What are you two discussing?”

“Lathos is telling me that Deumos is transforming into a more powerful form,” Anna replied with a
dismissed wave. “I’m not worried. Deumos will not survive the day.”

“You don’t understand,” Lathos said quickly before anyone could interrupt him further. “When the
barrier falls, Deumos will be in her ultimate form. Her power will be at least a thousand times stronger
than before if not more.”

Aicerno was silent as he thought about what Lathos revealed. This could change things for everyone. “It
sounds like she is using her bankai if she was a shinigami. Though I am not worried about it, I think I will
inform Lolo of what you have told me.” He bowed. “Please excuse me.” With that, he walked off to find
Alanna.

Lathos sighed. “Why is no one but me worried about this? Don’t you understand that she….”

“Is getting stronger, yes we understand it perfectly,” Anna replied. “You have to understand that I’ve
read the prophecies dealing with this. Today, Deumos will receive what she deserves and the nightmare
will be over.”

Lathos looked at Anna and noticed the confidence in her eyes, in her entire body. He took a deep
breath. “You have a lot of faith in the prophecies.”

Anna nodded. “I do. I’ve lived my life to make sure that this day came to fruition.” She looked at Lathos.
“Don’t worry. We have an advantage over Deumos.”

“What is that?” Lathos asked curious.

“We have everyone working together to make this work. Deumos is a loner and that will be her
downfall.”
 ********

The crack stopped moving after a bit, becoming only wide enough for a sliver of pale light to come into
the dark sphere. Deumos knew that she wasn’t strong enough yet to break free with such a small
opening. She wanted the transformation to hurry so she could kill all of the fools that dared to stop her.

Deumos sighed. She didn’t remember the transformation taking this long before. From what she could
remember, it was nearly instantaneous the first time. It didn’t bother her that much though. After all,
when it was said and done, she would be in her ultimate form.

Suddenly a wave of pain wrecked her body causing Deumos to clench her teeth. She held the scream in
as it rolled through her body. Again, she didn’t remember the transformation being painful the first
time. Something was definitely different now, but it mattered little to Deumos. She would endure it as
long as she became stronger.

As the pain lessened, the cracking noise drew Deumos’ attention. She watched as the crack before her
widen a little and noticed how more cracks started to appear. Soon, she would break free of her self-
imposed prison and destroy her enemies.

******

Kyo walked over to where Rin knelt. He couldn’t help but smile as he looked at her beautiful face.
Determination was very clear in her features. He was overjoyed to have her back safe and sound. He
hoped he never had to face losing her again. Yet he know that in their line of work it would always be a
possibility.

Kyo stopped and knelt down next to her. “How are you feeling, Rin?”

Rin turned her attention to Kyo and smiled. “Physically, I’m fine and ready to fight. Emotionally, I’m
nervous.”

Kyo’s eyebrows lift. “Why are you nervous?”

Rin sighed. “What if I mess up and make things worse instead of better? I don’t want to let anyone
down.”

Kyo placed a gentle hand on her arm and smiled softly. “You’re not going to let anyone down. We all
have faith in your abilities.”

Rin stared into Kyo’s eyes. She saw the deep and intense love he held for her and knew he saw it in her
eyes too. She wanted to pull him into her arms and kiss him, but she didn’t. Now wasn’t the time to get
lost in passion. “Thank you, hun,” the young woman replied with a smile.

Kyo blinked a few times when she spoke. He had been lost in her beautiful eyes. “You’re welcome, hime-
chan.”

Rin blushed. “I’m your princess?”

Kyo nodded. “Now and always.”

“Aww, that is so cute,” Nikki said, ending the moment. “I can’t wait for the grandkids. I hope you have a
boy and a girl.”

Jessy smacked Nikki’s arm hard as she and Romi stopped next to Nikki. “Stop embarrassing them, Nikki.
That’s my job.”

Romi noticed how much Kyo and Rin were blushing and looking uncomfortable with the new arrivals.
She sighed. “You two sure know how to ruin a private moment.”

“Thank you,” Jessy and Nikki said in unison.

“That wasn’t a compliment,” Romi remarked with an ‘dear lord why me’ look.

Kyo stood and cleared his throat. “I… umm… I have to talk to oneechan about the… umm… yeah….”
Without waiting for a reply, he left to find Alanna.

Rin sighed. She had wanted to spend more time with Kyo before the fight. Now that was impossible. She
glared at Nikki. “Mom, why did you do that?”

“Do what?” Nikki asked trying to look innocent.

“Interrupt my time with Kyo. How could you?” Rin felt ready to cry or scream or both.

“But you two were just so cute. I couldn’t resist,” Nikki replied with a fake pout. “Can you forgive me?”

“You know we needed to spend time together after what we’ve been through.” Rin looked down at the
ground. “I wanted to be with him alone before the fight started.”

Nikki saw how sad her daughter looked and sighed. “I’m sorry, dear, but as your mother I have to watch
out for your well-being.”

“In other words, she was nosey,” Jessy stated. “She wanted to know what you two were doing.”

“We were doing nothing but talking, and you ruined it,” Rin replied in a sad tone.

Romi sighed again. “I told you to leave them alone. Now you’ve made Rin sad.” She grabbed her sisters
by the arm. “Come on, you busy bodies. We got to get ready.”

While Romi dragged off the complaining sisters, Rin sighed again and looked up to see if she could find
Kyo. She wanted to get him to come back and spend more time with her. Yet, she couldn’t find him
anywhere nearby. She looked back down to the ground at her zanpakuto laying there. “Well, I guess I’ll
get to test my shikai out under combat conditions,” Rin said quietly. “Hope everything goes well.”

*********
Ogihci paced back and forth. He hated to wait for Deumos to emerge. He wanted to get this fight over
with so they could go back to their normal lives. With each pass, he wanted to break the barrier and
drag the demon out.

He turned again and screamed. “Uggh! This is taking too long.”

“Patience, Ogi dear,” Alanna said as she walked up to him. “She’ll be out soon enough. Why not enjoy
this calm with me?”

Ogihci glanced at Alanna and then back to the barrier. “How can you be so calm right now? That bitch is
transforming and gaining more power while we just stand around.” He turned again and continued his
walking. “She’s put us through a lot of pain and disrupted our lives. I want to make her pay.”

“I’m calm because I know she has no choice but to fight us,” Alanna replied. “I’m calm because it is a
waste of energy to pace and be angry.”

“Easy for you.” Ogihci growled behind his mask as he stopped before Alanna. “I want this over with so
we can get back to our lives.”

Alanna placed a hand on his shoulder. “It will be over soon, Ogi. Then we can get back to Soul Society
and plan our wedding.”

Before Ogihci replied, Aicerno walked up. “Excuse me for interrupting, but I have so information that
you may want to here.”

Kyo appeared at this time as well. He still looked a little frustrated with what happened earlier.
“Oneechan, how do you deal with annoying sisters?”

Alanna closed her eyes behind her mask and giggled. “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” She took a deep
breath and opened her eyes. “First things first, for Nikki and Jessy, well sometimes you just have to roll
with the punches with them until you can figure out a way to prank them back.”

Kyo sighed. “I guess you’re right about it. Thanks, oneechan.”

Alanna looked toward Aicerno. “Now, how about you tell me this new information?”

Aicerno nodded. “According to Lathos, Deumos is indeed becoming stronger and gaining her most
powerful form. I think it would be similar to bankai. Lathos stated that she will be at least a thousand
times stronger than she was before.”

“Good,” Ogihci replied. “It will make it more fun instead of an easy win.”

Alanna was silent a few moments as she considered the news. There was only one option now. “Tell
everyone to go with plan B.”

Kyo looked a little shocked. “Plan B? Are you sure?”

Alanna nodded. “Yes, I am. Spread the word immediately. We don’t have much time before Deumos
breaks free from the orb.”

Kyo and Aicerno nodded and took off to tell the others. Ogihci turned and looked at Alanna. “Lolo, are
you sure about this? You know what will happen with that plan.”

Alanna nodded and walked away from the barrier. “I’m sure. It’s the only way to ensure that Deumos is
taken care of and for good.”

Ogihci caught up with her. “But how will that leave you? You said that you don’t know what will happen
after it is over.”

“It’s better to take a chance and end this here and now that to allow Deumos to live,” Alanna replied.
“You yourself should understand that. It’s the only way to get back to our normal lives.”

Ogihci knew when it wasn’t a good idea to argue with Alanna and now was one of those times. “Okay,
Lolo, plan B it is. Just make sure you come back to me.”

Alanna stopped and turned in place until she faced Ogihci. “You know I will. Now go and get ready.”

Ogihci wished he could kiss her, but he just nodded. “Understood. See you afterward.” With that he
moved into place much like the others.

Alanna took a deep breath and looked around. She saw her friends and family ready to fight and help
defeat Deumos. It was a good thing. “Time for waiting is over.”

Suddenly a loud crack filled the air followed by a horrendous smell. If Alanna could have held her nose,
she would have. The smell was like a mixture of rotten eggs and decaying flesh, only a thousand times
worse.

The cracking sound got louder and more frequent. Soon more cracks were visible in the barrier. The
smell got worse as well as if it had been festering for a hundred years. Alanna wished she had some air
freshener to help with the odor.

Without warning, the barrier exploded outward causing everyone to duck. Dust kicked up and filled the
air. After a few moments, the dust began to settle. Alanna stood fully and waited.

When the air finally cleared, they got their first glimpse of Deumos. She was no long the huge dragon.
She now stood on two legs about 7 feet tall and appeared almost human. Her entire body was cover
with black scales with patches of gray that made it look as if she was slowly decaying. On her back were
wings similar to those Alanna had only black. In places they appeared paper-thin and ready to fall off.
Her feet and hands ended in claws and in her left hand was a trident. Her eyes were red with black slits
for irises. Her lips were a dark gray with streaks of red.

Deumos flexed her wings and cracked her neck. Her gaze fell upon Alanna, and a smirk crossed her face.
“So who’s stronger now?” She lifted her trident and pointed it at Alanna. “Come and meet your death.”
Alanna held her weapon parallel to the ground. “So you gained some confidence and some power. You
seem sure that you will win.”

“Of course I will win. This is my ultimate form. I’m stronger than you can ever hope to be,” Deumos
replied. “Give up now, and I’ll make your death quick and painless.”

“I’m sorry, but I must decline,” Alanna replied as she raised her sword over her head.

The moment Rin saw Alanna raise her zanpakuto, she activated her shikai. “Unlock the Forbidden,
Kagitsuki.” Her zanpakuto vanished and reappeared as a ring on her left hand. She waited for Alanna’s
signal as she placed her hand on the ground.

Kyo unsheathed his twin Chinese swords and held them at read. Time to make this demon pay for
everything she’s done, especially to Rin.

Ogihci was in his battle stance, his zanpakuto in his hands. He too waited for the signal like everyone
else. He wanted to make the demon feel the anger he had pent up inside. He felt his muscles tense in
anticipation.

One by one the rest of the group prepared for the battle to come. This was the last stand, and it was
time to stop Deumos once and for all. Each watched Alanna intently while at the same time keeping an
eye on Deumos.

Deumos raised an eyebrow and then laughed. “Is that it? You’re just going to point that sword into the
air? Oh this is just rich.”

Alanna closed her eyes behind her mask and took several deep breaths. She opened her eyes to reveal
them glowing silver. When she spoke, her voice was different than before. It was as if someone was
speaking through her.

“Deumos, you stand before us accused of mass murder on multiple accounts, torture on innocents,
invasion and corruption of a land not your own, treason on multiple accounts, and attempting to
become a God. How do you plead?”

Everyone including Deumos looked completely confused. It was strange to hear this voice coming out of
Alanna like that. It definitely wasn’t the inner hollow’s voice.

Deumos rolled her eyes after regaining her composure. “Don’t tell me. I’m on trial, and you’re here to
give judgment.”

“HOW DO YOU PLEAD?” Alanna roared.

Deumos growled in response. “How do you think? Yes, I’ve done everything you have said and more. I’m
guilty and proud of it. What does that have to do with anything?”

Alanna’s eyes flashed brightly behind the mask. “It has everything to do with it. You have signed your
own death warrant.” Swiftly, she swung her blade downward.
With the signal given, Aicerno stepped forward and chanted in a low voice. “Carriage of thunder, Bridge
of a spinning wheel. With Light, divide this into six. Bakudou 61 Rikujokoro.”

Before Deumos could react, six thin but wide beams of light slammed into her midsection. She found
herself unable to move any. “What the hell? How dare you!”

Rin didn’t waste any time as she glared at her former captor. “Might of the earth and stone, please lend
me your strength.” Suddenly a circle with various markings appeared on the ground to encompass
Deumos. Out of the ground multiple rock spikes lifted up and impaled Deumos in multiple places. Once
that was completed, Rin activated another circle, this one causing rock walls to rise from the ground
around everyone except Alanna. It rose a hundred feet into the air before it stopped.

Not wasting time, Kyo went into action. “Leave your mark, Hiro.”

Instantly his blades vanished and filled the air with reishi. Kyo lifted his hands and held them slightly
apart. He concentrated and in moments a greatsword appeared in his hands. It was blade was the fabled
Ultima Weapon, its outer blade almost completely transparent. Kyo tested its weight quickly before
moving in for the attack.

At the same time Jessy and Nikki went on the attack as well. They aimed their attacks at Deumos’ wings,
injuring them enough to make it difficult to fly. When that was done they moved back to their original
positions and prepared for their next attack.

Kyo moved in front of Deumos and swung the greatsword left to right, leaving a wound one inch deep
across the demon’s chest. He pivoted on the ball of his left foot and brought the weapon around to slice
her stomach. He wanted to inflict pain on Deumos before she was destroyed completely. When that
attack was finished, he leapt backward out of her reach.

Romi moved forward from behind Deumos and raised her hands. “Mask of Flesh and Bone, all Creation,
the fluttering of Wings, Ye who bestows the name of Man. I engrave the Twin Lotuses into the Wall of
Blue Fire. In the Distant Heavens, I await the Abyss of Great Fire. Hadou 73 Soren sokatsu.”

Twin blue fire attacks slammed into Deumos, burning her severely. Deumos roared in pain and anger.
How dare these insects harm her like this! She released her energy and broke free of the kidou and the
rock spears that held her in place. She stood there a few moments breathing heavily before roaring in
anger again.

“You insolate fools! I’ll make you pay!” Deumos growled and prepared to attack.

Anna and Lathos moved in unison, rushing at Deumos in hopes to slice her limbs and make them
immobile. Unfortunately, Deumos was no longer pinned to one area. She waited for them to get close
enough before using her trident to knock Lathos away like a fly. She then grabbed Anna and spun her
around a few times before sending the vampire into the far wall.
Rin activated another circle. This time she transmuted the minerals in the ground into a weapon. As it
rose with her standing, it was clear to see the type of weapon she chose. It was a naginata only made
completely of stone. Grabbing it with ease, she moved forward to attack.

Kyo joined Rin at her side with a spear of his own. He spared a moment’s glance to nod and smile before
his focus returned to Deumos. He moved in front of the demon and began to make calculated thrusts at
her body. Deumos dodged most of them before one grazed her side. Growling she spun her trident
around and began to counter. Kyo dodged them with surprisingly ease.

Rin moved to Deumos’ exposed back and attacked. Her goal was simple, make sure that Deumos
couldn’t fly. She used the naginata with great skill having been trained with the weapon before. She
moved the weapon with ease as she sliced through the already damaged wings and across the demon’s
back.

Deumos screamed in pain and anger as she turned her attention to Rin. She attempted to attack the
shinigami but noticed how the naginata allowed Rin to stay out of reach of her attacks and blocked the
trident with ease, much like with Kyo. Finally having enough, Deumos vanished and reappeared to Rin’s
right. She kicked Rin in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Deumos moved to slash at the
woman’s head when Kyo’s spear connected again, this time leaving its mark in her left shoulder. As he
pulled the spear out and moved back a little , Deumos turned and began to attack him once more.

Ogihci moved in aiming an attack at Deumos’ back. At the last moment, he vanished and appeared
above Deumos with a hand aimed at the demon. “Cero.”

Kyo had managed to dodge Deumos’ attack and moved around her to grab Rin and shunpo away before
the cero slammed into the demon. He carefully placed her gently on the ground. “You okay?”

Rin stood and nodded her weapon still in her hand. “Yes, I’m fine.”

Kyo smiled as twin katanas appeared in his hands. “Ready?”

“Yes,” Rin said with a smile of her own. “I owe her a lot of pain.”

“Then let’s make sure she suffers,” Kyo replied before moving in for another attack.

“Right behind you,” Rin added as she followed him into battle.

As everyone joined into the fight, Deumos stood from the cero attack. She was still a little dazed but
extremely angry. While her body was already healing, it was doing so at a slow pace. Yet even with the
healing, Deumos was angry that they could harm her in any way. How was it possible?

Anger coursed through her body. The more she thought about it, the madder she became. She could
feel her enemies approaching for another attack. Deumos had enough. She screamed in rage and sent a
wave of energy out in all directions, slamming into everyone.
As the attack hit them, the group was knocked backward and into the far wall. They slid to the ground
dazed. Deumos brought her breathing under control and walked toward the first person she laid her
eyes on: Ogihci. She growled as she spun her trident overhead.

“You insolate pests. I’ll make sure to exterminate each one of you.” Deumos pointed the trident at
Ogihci. “Any last words before I destroy you?”

Ogihci slowly moved. “Don’t underestimate your opponents.”

Suddenly, Deumos felt her wings fall from her back, severed completely. She roared as she turned to see
who would dare take her wings from her. She came face to face with Kyo and Rin. Their faces were
identical, full of determination and anger. Though their bodies were covered in minor wounds, they
stood together with naginatas in their hands ready to fight.

“You’re going to pay for that,” Deumos growled as she brought her trident around and began to attack
them.

“Hadou 88 Hiryugekizokushintenraiha.”

From the left the massive blast of spirit energy slammed into Deumos, knocking her off her path and
burning her left side. Deumos turned to see Aicerno standing there in a similar condition as the couple.
The demon had enough. Before another attack could hit, she vanished. In moments, she appeared
behind Aicerno, slashing at his back. Before he could turn to block, he felt the tip of the weapon slice
into his flesh. Out of instinct he shunpo’d away before the wound could be worse than it was already.

Anna ran at Deumos to attack her. Lathos followed close behind. He watched as Deumos turned and
aimed a thrust at Anna. He quickly lunged at Anna and knocked her to the ground. As he fell he felt the
trident’s edge sliced across his back. He clenched his teeth to keep from screaming in pain as he landed
covering Anna.

Anna turned over on the ground and saw the pain on Lathos’ face. “Why?” she asked.

Lathos managed a smile. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

Anna blushed slightly before smiling. “Thank you.” She placed a hand on his chest. “Can you move?”

Lathos nodded and moved out of her way. “Sorry about that.”

As the two vampires stood, Jessy moved in for the attack. She swung her scythe around and knocked the
trident up and away from her friends. She then pivoted off the ball of her right foot and brought her
weapon around to hopefully impale the demon on the scythe’s blade.

Deumos spun the trident with ease and jumped over the attack. On her descent, she thrust the trident
at Jessy’s arm. She cursed silently when she saw her target move. Why did she feel like she was moving
through water for a moment there? Deumos shook her head and turned to find the closest target.
It happened to be Nikki. The shinigami ran at the demon full speed. When Deumos went to attack, Nikki
dodged and continued on her path. With her katana held at ready, Nikki moved and sliced into
Deumos’s side. She didn’t stop as she continued running past Romi.

Romi raised her hand at Deumos and pointed. “Hadou #4 Byakurai.” The lightning attack left her finger
and moved toward the demon.

Deumos saw the attack and dodge it before vanishing. When she reappeared, she stood to the left of
Romi. Before she could attack the shinigami, Romi shunpo’d out of reach. Deumos growled. What is
wrong with me? I should be able to take care of these fools without a problem. Yet I feel like I’m moving
through water and slowly.

Suddenly Ogihci stood before her, his hand raised. “Cero.”

The attack went straight through her midsection. Deumos screamed in pain as she felt her body
collapse. She felt confused beyond belief. She shouldn’t be on the losing end. She had the ultimate
power. She should be winning.

Again the anger began to fill her. Deumos forced herself to stand, leaning slightly on her trident. She
wouldn’t let them win. She could hear them coming for an attack. Without looking, Deumos began to
spin with her trident pointing outward. Let them come. They would get caught in the whirlwind.

The group stopped when they noticed what Deumos was doing. None were going to fall for the trap.
Each of the shinigami raised a hand and began to speak in unison.

“Mask of Flesh and Bone, all Creation, the fluttering of Wings, Ye who bestows the name of Man. I
engrave the Twin Lotuses into the Wall of Blue Fire. In the Distant Heavens, I await the Abyss of Great
Fire. Hadou 73 Soren sokatsu.”

Seven kidou left the hands of their casters and headed for the intended target. Before the kidou could
touch Deumos though, they got knocked away and into the walls. Deumos began to laugh.

“It’s useless. I’m untouchable now,” Deumos said. “You’re end is at hand.”

“If we can’t touch you, you can’t touch us,” Aicerno said. “As long as you are spinning like that you can’t
attack.”

“Oh, on the contrary, I can,” Deumos replied. Suddenly black orbs shot out from the trident as it was
spinning.

The group began dodging the attacks. Kyo looked at Rin and was happy that she wasn’t hurt. He turned
toward Ogihci and yelled, “Where’s oneechan?”

The black orbs began to come faster. Ogihci dodged a few. “I don’t know. I think we should get out of
here now. One of those things hits us, and it’s over.”

Kyo nodded and moved to Rin. “You ready?”

Rin dropped her weapon and nodded. “Gather everyone together.”

Kyo nodded and moved to each of the group and told them it was time. Rin found a break in the attacks
and slid to a stop. She placed her hand on the ground and the transmutation circle appeared briefly
before a stone wall six feet long, seven feet high, and two feet wide came out of the ground. Not long
after she heard several attacks hitting the stone wall.

One by one the members of the team gathered behind the wall. When everyone was there, Rin turned
and moved to the wall behind them. She placed a hand on the wall and watched as an opening
appeared. “Quickly, everyone out.”

Without argument, they ran out the opening. Ogihci turned to the left and continued moving. He
needed to find Alanna to tell her what had happened. Yet he ran the entire way around the stone
enclosure and couldn’t find her. He slid to a stop before the group. “Has anyone seen Lolo?”

Rin moved back to the wall and closed the opening. “Sorry, Ogi, but I haven’t.”

Inside Deumos continued to spin around a few moments more before she realized that her targets were
no longer moving. She stopped and looked around. There were no bodies lying on the ground covering it
with their blood. Something wasn’t right. She turned slightly and noticed the wall that Rin had created.

“So you are all hiding behind that stone wall in hopes that I would just stop my attacks long enough to
fight back. Too bad for you.” Deumos began to gather energy at the end of her trident. The dark energy
grew until it as tall as Deumos. “Say goodbye, fools.”

With a simple flick of the wrist, Deumos sent the attack at the wall. It slammed into the stone and
engulfed it completely. In moments, the air was filled with dust and flying rock. Deumos waited until the
dust clear to move over to where the wall had been to look at the dead bodies. When she found none,
she began to shake in rage.

“WHAT! Where are you?!? How dare you trick me?” Deumos roared. “Come out and fight me!”

It was then that a roar filled the air that sent chills down Deumos’ spine. It was a sound that she hadn’t
heard in a very long time. She looked around trying to find the source but found nothing in the enclosed
ring of stone. She then heard the sound of wings beating in the air.

“No, this can’t be,” Deumos said. “They… they’re all dead except one. There is no way….”

For a moment the sky darkened more than it already was before the shadow passed. Deumos looked up
to the sky and shook her head as if in denial. “This isn’t real.”

Deumos turned around in the area and looked for anything that could be the cause of this. She found
nothing. Shaking a little in fear, Deumos tried to find a way out. Without her wings, she couldn’t escape
upward.

“Scared?” a dark voice said.

Deumos turned around to find the source. “Dark one, please help me out. Take me out of here and far
away.”

A chuckle filled the air. “I cannot.”

Deumos glared. “Why? You can save me, and then we can come back and destroy….”

“Have you forgotten that you betrayed me when I needed your help the most?” the voice asked. “You
know what they say about payback.” The chuckle filled the air again. “Besides, I’m nowhere near you.
Even if I was, I wouldn’t assist you.”

Deumos felt the last shred of hope leave her. “Please…. You have to….”

“I don’t have to do anything for you, traitor. Enjoy your last few moments of life.”

“Wait! Please… help me!” Deumos waited for a reply but there was nothing.

It was then that another roar filled the air. Swallowing Deumos turned her gaze back to the sky. She
froze in terror at what she saw. Moving its massive wings to keep in position was a large white dragon.
Its skin seemed to be glowing. The dragon looked down upon Deumos as if judging her.

Deumos fell to her knees. “No…. You’re dead. I watched you die!”

The dragon glared at the demon before speaking. “You have pled guilty for the crimes you have
committed. It is time for the sentence to be carried out.”

Deumos’ eyes went wide in shock. “What?!?! Please… spare me. I… I promise to change my ways.”

“Spare you? Like you did to all of those people you sacrificed just to regain your power? Like you did to
all of my brothers and sisters that you slew to gain more power? You will never change.” The dragon
glared at Deumos. “Request denied.”

Deumos stared. “Please….”

Without listening to Deumos’ pleads, the dragon opened its mouth and began to gather power. It aimed
its head downward and released the dragon’s fire. A massive beam of light left the dragon’s mouth and
filled the stone enclosure below.

Deumos stood paralyzed as the attack came for her. Every moment of her life flashed before her eyes.
There was no escaping punishment this time. There was no last minute assistance to be offered. “No….”
was the only word she managed to say before the attack consumed her.

Outside the enclosure, the group watched the dragon flying above as it delivered the punishment to
Deumos. They were in awe at the beauty the ancient creature held. As they watched, they felt no fear.
They knew that the dragon would never hurt them.
With the attack finished, the dragon waited for the enclosure to clear and make sure that nothing
remained. When it was satisfied, the dragon began its decent to the ground. It landed not far from the
group that had fought Deumos earlier.

Anna walked up to the massive beast and knelt down in respect. “Welcome back, wise one.”

The dragon chuckled and shook its head no. “I’m not back to stay, Anna. I am still with you now only to
tell you that Deumos is no more.”

Anna looked up at the dragon with sad eyes. “You must leave?”

The dragon nodded a motherly look in its eyes. “Yes, I must return from where I came. My life ended so
long ago. I’m still with you though only within my human reincarnation.” The dragon closed its eyes. “It
is time that we sleep.”

Before their eyes, the dragon began to shrink and transform. In moments, Alanna appeared on the
ground in deep slumber. She was back to normal except for her hair. It was a silvery white.

The mask fell from Ogihci’s face as he reached Alanna’s side. He felt himself collapse next to her as
exhaustion began to take its toll. “She did it. It’s over.”

Aicerno nodded. “We all did it. Now we can go home. You and Lolo will rest in the infirmary.” He pulled
out his phone and called the base camp.

Kyo walked over to his sister and sat down. “I can’t believe she has that kind of power, yet she thinks
she is not as strong as us.”

Rin sat down next to Kyo and leaned against him. “I don’t think she knows herself.” She noticed that
Ogihci had fell asleep holding Alanna’s hand. “I feel really exhausted.”

“We all do,” Romi stated as she, Nikki, and Jessy sat down. “We all pushed ourselves today.”

“I did more than Nikki,” Jessy said in a teasing tone before yawning.

Nikki yawned and slapped Jessy’s arm. “You did not.”

Lathos smiled at the sight. It was nice to see their moods light once more. He turned and noticed Anna
had moved off to the side. He walked over to where she now sat leaning against the stone wall. He took
a seat next to her. “Want to talk about it?”

Anna wiped the tears from her eyes. “Not really. Maybe some other time.” She sighed. “It’s really
complicated.”

Lathos wrapped an arm around Anna. “Well, I’m here if you ever want to tell me the story. I have all the
time in the world.”
Anna looked up at Lathos and smiled. She felt it was time to tell her story. “It began thousands of years
ago when I was but a little human child.”
 Chapter 52

After Deumos’ defeat, the group returned to Soul Society exhausted but happy. The biggest threat they
had faced was gone, and they were free to live their lives once more. They wanted to celebrate, but
unfortunately they couldn’t. Two of them were out cold.

Ogihci woke from his sleep two days later. He immediately went to Alanna’s side and waited for her to
wake. Unfortunately, she was out for two weeks. When she woke, she didn’t remember much of what
had happened that day. She remained in the infirmary for two more weeks under close observation. It
was during that time that she and Ogihci made their wedding plans.

Elayne and Adrian had learned of the devastation that had taken place on Heru and knew that it would
take a miracle to rebuild. With determination, they returned to their home to find that it was already
mending. Not long after they returned to Heru Elayne found her powers returning. While the couple
found it strange, they didn’t complain. It wasn’t long before immigrants from other lands came to Heru
and began to settle. Elayne and Adrian got married under the first full moon and became rulers of Heru
once more.

Anna and Lathos returned to the living world and continued with Lathos’ training. It was during this time
that Anna and Lathos found love once more. They helped each other mend old wounds and married
within a month’s time. They have helped their clan to feed less on humans and began to raise cattle to
satisfy their hunger.

Time moved on and several months passed uneventful. As the year moved from winter to spring, the
cherry blossoms once more returned and scented the air with their light fragrance. It was during this
time of the year that an important and long anticipated wedding was about to commence.

Ogihci stood in front of the mirror staring at his reflection. His palms were sweating. “I look like a dork.
Maybe I should go change.”

Kyo placed a hand on Ogihci’s shoulder and shook his head. “You don’t have time to change. You look
fine. You’re just nervous.” He handed Ogihci a drink. “Here.”

Ogihci took it and looked at Kyo. “Is it alcoholic?

Kyo laughed. “No. I don’t want to feel oneechan’s wrath for getting her husband-to-be drunk before
they say their vows.”

“I think that is a very smart idea.” Ogihci downed the drink in a few gulps. He looked in the mirror and
adjusted his tux. “I never thought I would get to see this day, and now that it’s here, I’m nervous as
hell.”

Kyo smiled and patted his soon to be brother-in-law on the back. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Ogihci made one last adjustment to his tux and sighed. He looked at the clock on the wall and then
turned to Kyo. “Thanks, Kyo, for everything. I guess we better get in place.”
“Yeah, let’s go. Don’t want you to be late for your own wedding.” Kyo opened the door and walked out.

Ogihci sighed and followed. “I hope I don’t throw up.”

*******

Alanna stood in front of the mirror and stared. “I look awful. Maybe I should redo my hair.”

Jessy smacked her sister’s hand as she reached up to fix her hair. “Leave it alone, or I’ll tie your hands
behind your back until it’s time.”

“Leave your hair alone, Lolo,” Nikki added. “It looks fine.”

Rin came up to them and handed Alanna a drink. “You look beautiful, Lolo. Here, drink this.”

Alanna took the drink. “Is it alcoholic?”

“It’s mostly sprite with a little vodka to help calm your nerves,” Rin replied.

“Thanks.” Alanna took a sip and sighed. “I’m so nervous. What if I trip and fall?”

“If you do that, I’m going to laugh my ass off,” Jessy replied.

Lori slapped Jessy’s arm. “You’re going to be fine, Lolo.” She began to hand out the bouquets. “Don’t
worry so much.”

“I can’t help it. I want everything to be as perfect as it can be.” Alanna took another drink. “We’ve been
planning this for the longest time. I want Ogi to be happy.”

“And I’m sure he will be,” Romi replied as she took her bouquet. “Lolo, don’t think about it too much.
Everything will be fine.

A change in music alerted the women that it was time. Alanna suddenly downed the rest of her drink
before standing. “Well, time to get going.”

Everyone got in place. Nikki leaned next to Rin and whispered. “You didn’t put vodka in that drink, did
you?”

Rin whispered back. “No, but don’t tell her that. She needed to relax.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t say a word,” Nikki replied as they began to exit the room.

*******

Everyone sat in place as the bride’s maids made their way to the front of the chapel. Anna and Lathos
smiled as they watched their friends move into place one by one. It was nice to see them smiling.

“This is beautiful,” Anna whispered softly. “I can’t wait to see Alanna.”

Lathos smiled and squeezed her hand. “She’s going to be beautiful too.”

Anna turned to Lathos and smiled. “Thanks for coming with me, dear. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see
you too.”

Lathos kisses her cheek. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

Suddenly the music changed again. Everyone stood and turned to face the back of the chapel. After a
few moments the song “Here Comes the Bride” began to play. Alanna stepped out from behind the wall
and began to walk forward. Her silvery white hair was up with several curls falling down around her
face. Her gown was white and simple but flowing. She carried her bouquet of red roses before her as
she moved up the aisle toward Ogihci and the wedding party.

Ogihci stared at Alanna. She looked radiant and full of life. She’s beautiful. How did I get so lucky?

As Alanna made it to the front of the chapel and into her spot, the music died down. Aicerno moved
forward and looked over the crowd. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the joining of this
man and this woman in holy matrimony. If any of you have cause for why these two should not wed,
speak now or forever hold your peace.”

The chapel was quiet as no one had a reason why the couple shouldn’t marry. In fact, they were happy
that it was finally happening. When no one spoke, Aicerno continued.

“Marriage is not something to take lightly. It is a bound between a woman and a man that will last
throughout their life. It is a journey and a test for those that step through the door into marriage. Today
you stop living separate lives and begin to live as one.”

Aicerno turned to Ogihci. “Ogihci, do you take this woman, Alanna Emiya, as your lawfully wedded wife,
for richer or poorer, through sickness and health, until death do you part.”

Ogihci smiled as he stared into Alanna’s eyes. “I do.”

Aicerno nodded and turned to Alanna. “Alanna, do you take this man, Ogihci, as your lawfully wedded
husband, for richer or poorer, through sickness and health, until death do you part.”

Alanna stared into Ogihci’s eyes and smiled. “I do.”

Aicerno turned to the best man and the maid of honor. “The rings please.”

Kyo handed Ogihci the ring. Ogihci took it and held it carefully waiting. Aicerno nodded and spoke.
“Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”

Ogihci carefully placed the ring on Alanna’s left hand. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Rin gave Alanna her ring, and Alanna waited for Aicerno. The captain smiled. “Repeat after me. With this
ring, I thee wed.”
Alanna slid the ring into place. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Aicerno smiled. “With the powers vested in me by the Central Court 46, I now pronounce you man and
wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Ogihci smiled as he pulled Alanna close. “Finally.” He kissed her passionately as the music and clapping
began. He felt Alanna return the kiss as she wrapped her arms around him. Today was a dream come
true.

*********

The wedding reception was filled with so many quests it was sometimes hard to move around to great
the newly wedded couple. It was like an obstacle course of sorts. Alanna and Ogihci were grateful for
everyone for coming out. Now they were ready to sit down and eat.

Dinner was a mixture of foods from around the living world. Everyone couldn’t believe the non-stop
feast that was before them. Many people commented on how much food there was and worried that it
would go to waste. Thankfully, Alanna had planned for the leftovers ahead of time. She made
arrangements for what was left to get handed out to the people of the Rukongai.

The first dance was set under the stars. Alanna and Ogihci moved as if they were the only ones there. It
was a magical night, and they didn’t want it to end.

After the cake and presents, Alanna and Ogihci took a break from the rest of the group and went to their
favorite spot in the park. They sat under the willow tree and looked up at the stars. Alanna rested her
head on Ogihci’s shoulder and sighed. “This has been the best day ever.”

“It definitely has,” Ogihci replied as he held her hand.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” a voice called out to them.

The couple looked around and saw no one. “Who’s there?” Ogihci asked.

A cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows. “Just someone who wishes to congratulate the saviors of
Heru and all the worlds.” Kurio bowed. “Now that I have said it, I’m afraid that we must now become
enemies once more.”

Alanna stared at the cloaked figure. “I see. If that must be, then the next time we cross paths it will be
on unfriendly terms.” Her voice was a mixture of her own and another.

Kurio nodded. “As it is that we are destined to fight, light one. Farewell.” With that, it vanished back into
the shadows.

Ogihci looked at Alanna. “What was that about?”

Alanna blinked a few times and then looked at Ogihci. “Huh? What was what about?”
“You and that cloaked guy, you two were like, ‘we’re enemies’ blah blah,” Ogihci replied. “Do you know
that thing?”

Alanna stared at Ogihci. “I’m sorry; Ogi, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ogihci was about to argue with her when he noticed her eyes. She truly didn’t know what he was talking
about. 'Her zanpakuto must have taken over briefly.' He smiled. “Never mind. It wasn’t that important.”

Alanna shrugged and then stood. “Well, we better get back inside. It’s time to through the bouquet.”

Ogihci stood and offered his arm. “Okay, Lolo. Let’s go.”

*******

All of the single ladies were gathered at one end of the reception hall. Rin was forced to be one of them
even though she wanted to be standing next to Kyo. Sighing she waited for Alanna to arrive.

Shortly after, Alanna walked into the reception hall on Ogihci’s arm. She turned and gave him a kiss
before turning her back to the girls. She giggled. “Okay, ready?”

Rin sighed. She didn’t want to do this. She knew the other girls would be fighting to get the bouquet.
She decided to stand in place.

Alanna took a deep breath and then counted. “1, 2, 3.” On three, she threw the bouquet over her
shoulder.

Most of the girls rushed forward to catch the flowers. Rin rolled her eyes and sighed. “This is childish.” It
was then that she realized the bouquet was heading straight to her. Out of reflex, she reached up and
grabbed it before it could hit her.

Alanna turned and smiled when she saw who had caught the bouquet and then looked at Kyo. He was
blushing a little. “Congratulations, Rin. Looks like you’re next.”

Rin blushed. “Umm… thanks, Lolo.” She looked at Kyo and smiled.

Ogihci moved back to Alanna’s side. “Well, I guess it’s time for us to leave, dear. Our honeymoon
awaits.”

Alanna blushed and waved goodbye to everyone. “See you all in a few weeks. Enjoy the rest of the
reception.”

Ogihci picked Alanna up and walked out of the building. He kissed her as he heard everyone wished
them well. “So, where do you want to go?”

Alanna smiled. “I don’t care as long as I’m with you.”

Ogihci smiled and nodded. He then shunpo’d away. It was time to start their new life together.