The Drums of War(orgoth)

It was a peaceful night on patrol. The stars above were  met with a steady glow to the east. The sun was rising, and Lucir's shift was almost over.  He was tired, but he had to do it. The recent attack by arrancar had the seireitei on edge. Captain Reinhart had increased  the watch. With the morning sun came hope. The arrancar  wouldn't attack tonight atleast.

Ahead, Lucir spotted Alita who waved at him as she approached. Lucir returned the gesture, but stopped  mid wave, as he spotted movement. Before he could speak, an arrancar hit Alita from the side, cleaving her inhalf with an oversized sword. The  creature hadn't made a sound. Lucir opened his mouth to cry out, when a hand covered his mouth, Long red hair flashed in his vision, as a sword burst through his chest.

Ariel dragged the body aside and pulled her sword free, dropping him in the grass. The Arrancar moved with graze and speed, to take cover. Ariel turned to watch Azazael stroll along the road towards the gate into the Seireitei, his new protege next to him. More arrancar moved ahead, a small, well trained force of assassins. They were  at the gates. Once the attack began, she was to slip of and wait until the fight was almost over.


Azazael spotted Ariel make vanish into the night, according to plan. He glanced at Elsa. She had come around the idea of this attack pretty quickly. He had fed her the hints until she finally suggested it. He had reluctantly agreed that it was for their own welbeing. A quick, decisive strike to kill Jensen and Grainne, weakening the gotei to the point where they wouldn't be able to cause them any harm. Of course he didn't plan on stopping with just those two dead. If this worked, the main force would deploy and the fighting wouldn't end until he was standing on the ruins of the seireitei.

They reached the gates. He'd planned this carefully. Reinhart would be here first, most likely. he'd responded faster than Grainne during the first attack, and he seemed like the type to not rest when there was danger. Grainne  wouldn't be to far behind, considering her speed. "Begin the bombardment. Blow those gates away!" He shouted. His call was followed by a sudden roar as the small force of arrancar opened fire on the mighty gates of the seireitei. The wood burst, cracked and caught fire, the heavy doors quickly succumbed to the onslaught of cero. There was shouts of alarm  from within the walls. And then shinigami rushed to meet the attacking arrancar.


Jensen paced the length of his small office. He had been on edge for days, sleeping sparingly, sparing regularly. He was full of pent up energy and anger. He wouldn't let the idea that an attack coming out of his mind. Despite the claims of the arrancar currently locked in the maggots nest that Azazael wasn't behind the last attack he didn't believe her. Clara had been in agreement on that. She went into hueco mundo to gather information.

Jensen continued to pace back and forth infront of his window, watching. And then he seen it. Red flair kido. Allot. east gate. He had been right. Jensen burst out the door and grabbed the closest messanger. "Inform Captain Commander Xios that the attack is happening, and be fast!" He said, and with that he was gone, shunpo taking him across the distance in a few minutes.

He had to give it to Azazael. With the sun just rising, half the gotei wouldn't see those flairs rising. When Jensen arrived though, he hadn't been expecting to see Azazael himself there. And Elsa. "Captain Reinhart, your here. Now we just need Grainne. I do hope you sent for her." The mocking bastard said, grinning. Jensen ignored him and looked at Elsa. "Elsa... Why?"

Though the land was peaceful for now, Gráinne Xios still felt uneasy. There was a tension in the air that permeated the whole of Soul Society, chilling everyone to the bone. Ever since the encounter Jensen and Clara had with Azazael in Hueco Mundo, where the human Elsa Arendelle, child of Arngrim from his human life, had been corrupted by Azazael's poisonous words and joined the Cero King, the consensus amog the leaders of the Gotei was that a fight was coming. From Jensen's accounts, Elsa possessed ungodly amounts of spiritual power and now had the benefit of formal weapon training from possibly the most accomplished swordsman in existence. If Azazael had truly gotten to her, she could inflict untold devastation on whomever he saw fit. It was that looming possibility that stopped her from sleeping, knowing that a darkness was waiting for the moment to strike.

Gráinne stood at her window, cup of tea in hand, watching over Seireitei. Then, she saw the red flare kido. The red flash was almost undetectable against the red sky of sunrise, but Gráinne had been blessed with incredible vision from her avian nature. She ran to her desk and grabbed her sword, then took off downstairs. Outside, she encountered a young recruit approaching her out-of-breath. He conveyed Jensen's message to her and she nodded and looked around. "I saw the kido. Go to the barracks and tell everyone to gather at the main gate, then go to the hospital and tell Marie we're under attack and to prepare for wounded. Go now." The recruit bowed and took off. Gráinne sped at top speed to the crisis zone, preparing herself for what was to come. She found out in a couple of short moments.


The attack was going as predicted. Elsa stalked after Azazael, not even batting an eye at the poor unfortunates who had been on guard duty that night. The battalion of Arrancar that were in charge of getting them inside assembled in front of the gate and opened fire at Azazael's command. The gates put up a stalwart defence, but in the end were no match for the sheer numbers and power of the bombardment. The gates splintered away and collapsed and the Arrancar vanguard rushed in, meeting the assembled Shinigami defence. Then, a familiar form arrived and cut his way to where Azazael and Elsa were as they entered Seireitei. Azazael taunted the warrior, but Jensen's attention was on Elsa. Elsa responded with a flat, emotionless, inflection-less voice. "This is the only way to bring peace for my family. Please do not resist. I don't want to have to hurt you."

Then, a black raven landed on the ground next to Jensen, and then transformed into the Captain-Commander of the Gotei. Gráinne pointed her sword at Azazael. "Azazael Darkmoon, you have one chance to stop this assault before I destroy you." She then looked at Elsa, a slightly forlorn look in her eye. "Elsa, I don't want you to get hurt. I am sorry for what happened to your sister, but you must see that no-one wins here. People only get hurt and that helps nothing. Please, come back and end this before he gets himself and you killed." Whatever Elsa thought was not apparent on her face. She stepped in front of Azazael and formed her ice sword. "I am sorry, Captain-Commander, but if we are to have any peace, you must die." Without warning, Elsa fired her Frost Beam at Gráinne. She cried out as the beam hit her directly in the chest, sending her flying through a building. Elsa then swept the beam at Jensen, trying to do the same to him.

"This is foolishness! Elsa listen to me, this isn't something you can take back. Win or lose, you will regret this for the rest of your life. Don't ruin your life for this warmonger. Don't dishonor Anna's memory fighting for him!" He said. he hoped he would get through to her, but somehow he knew it wouldn't be that simple. Not with Azazael so close.

Grainne showed up and adressed the cero king. "Destroy me? Grainne you can try. I'm counting on it." Grainne also tried to reach Elsa. "You see? they will stop at nothing, use anything they can to get to you." He said with a grimace. "Well, no time like the present. Elsa, now." As he spoke,  she stepped infront of him and fired the attack he taught to her, hitting Grainne and sending her flying. "Grainne!" Jensen shouted, and with a roar he entered toukai and tanked the ice beam with his shield, charging in to meet Elsa.

He took the bait, because Azazael used the opening to get passed him and rush down Grainne. The cero king aimed a rib crushing stomp, when there was a flash of white and Grainne was gone. The ground exploded under the cero king's foot. Azazael turned to face Elayne who stood between him and a recovering Grainne. "That is Irksome, little arrancar." There was a flash of  red, and Azazael had a hold of her by the throat faster than she could react. He  looked at Grainne and smiled. "Olivia likes this one. I'll keep her alive." He said. He pulled a black cube from his pocket and popped it into elayne's hollow hole, dropping her.

Elayne vanished and Azazael drew his Zanpakuto. As fast as she was gone, he attempted to catch hold of grainne by the arm, and popped a similar cube into his hollow hole if he did. There was a crackle of power and both Azazael and Grainne vanished. Jensen turned back to elsa. "He will kill her, you know that right? you say you don't want to hurt me, well you already hove. So you have two choices. Stand down now, or steel your resolve, because one way or another, your not leaving soul society a free woman unless you kill me."


Azazael and grainne found themselves in a vast stretch of darkness, that went on for miles. It was dark, but their vision wasn't obscured by it, light came from somewhere though there was no shadows or bright lights in the dark. This was the abyss, similar to the one he'd created in hell to protect the sinners from hell's will. The cube he used was similar to a negation cube, but he could leave at anytime. Grainne could potentially break free, but unless he left she would have trouble doing so.

"Well, here we are again. Just the two of us. no interuptions, no back up. Fairer for both of us than you expected right?" He said smiling as he paced infront of her. "Its time for us to end this little game. The gotei needs to fall here. I can't have you interfering with my plans for earth." He said to her. "Its really nothing personal though. I am still quite fond of you." He said.

"But all things turn to dust in the end. All things fall. Fall from grace, Belial!" As he spoke the last part, his power surged and he entered Segunda. He let out a blood thirsty growl. "All things die. Which of us will it be!"

Elsa watched as Jensen blocked the beam and charged her, leaving Azazael to move around and target Gráinne. The young Captain-Commander rolled onto her back and coughed as she tried to fill her lungs with air. In an instant Azazael was towering over her, attempting to bring his foot down on her to finish the fight before it had even begun. She flinched, but in a flash of white light she was in the arms of Elayne. The white-haired former Vizard placed Gráinne gently on the ground and turned to face Azazael. Gráinne stooped to catch her breath. "Elayne? Thank you, but you must-" Gráinne's words were cut off by the flash of red as Azazael sped forward and grabbed Elayne by the throat. She cried out in protest. "No!" But it was too late, Elayne disappeared. Then Azazael caught Gráinne's arm as she swung her sword at him, and put a cube in his own hollow hole. They disappeared too.

Elsa looked to Jensen as this all transpired. Jensen offered an ultimatum to her, that she would only leave a free woman if she killed him. Elsa did not respond verbally, but assumed a combat stance. Her decision was clear.


Gráinne quickly absorbed the supernatural qualities of the realm she now found herself in. Azazael stood before her, smiling evilly. He informed her of his purpose, and of his intentions here. Gráinne took a slight step back when Azazael entered Segunda, the unnatural light of the abyss bringing each horrifying detail into hideous relief. Gráinne bowed, then assumed a combat stance. "Even if I fall here, you will still not succeed in destroying Gotei. Because I will make you pay for every drop of my blood and that of my people you spill. I may die, but I will make sure I take some of you with me. So prepare yourself. Time to fly, Amee!" The area was filled with light as Gráinne entered Toukai. She readied herself for the onslaught.

Elsa made her decision clear when she did not respond, and Jensen was forced to steel his resolve. He lunged at the girl lashing his sword upwards trying to catch her under her shield before she could react. He followed the attack up with a heavy shield bash, hoping that if he failed to hit with his sword the strike would at least unbalance her guard, and knock her flat with the follow up.

Regardless, his next move was to activate Ultimate black hole behind Elsa. If the shield bash worked, she would hopefully lose balance and get sucked backwards into it along with any debri left over from the ruined gates of the gotei. After a few  seconds it exploded in a 50ft radius with the force of a gran rey, shooting out anything caught in the centre along with shrapnel. Jensen jumped back at that point and threw up his shield to bat away a large chunk of wood launched his way.


The game had begun. Grainne entered Toukai and as soon as she was done he launched at her creating twin blades of energy to match her own swords. He sprang into the offensive, attacking with a flurry of fast heavy blows as he attempted to slice her up bit by bit. He pushed her hard, then when she least expected it he set off a cryo blast point blank, attempting to blast her with a cone of ice the power and speed of a cero.

Elsa narrowed her eyes as Jensen charged forward and tried a blade uppercut up under the shield. Elsa followed the strike up and somersaulted over Jensen. Elsa landed deftly, but Jensen was a step ahead, turning swiftly and shield-bashing at her. Elsa got her shield up and managed to block, but the force knocked her sliding backwards. Jensen then activated his Ultimate Black Hole behind her. Elsa was unable to resist the gravitational pull, so she quickly conjured a small wall of ice out of the floor behind her and used it to stop her from being sucked in. The attack detonated then, shattering the ice and knocking her forward slightly. She looked up to see Jensen bat away a large chunk of wood that flew out of the collapsing black hole.

Elsa spun her sword and charged towards Jensen. "My turn." Elsa hurled her Frost Core at Jensen, but the aim was not to hit with it. She then launched a Icicle Point Mk II at him, wherever he ended up. The attack would penetrate his armour if it hit and explode with the force of a cero. She would then engage him in melee, trying to drive him toward the core that she had launched an instant earlier with sweep slashes and shield swings. Just as the core detonated, Elsa activated her Ice Shield and tanked the explosion, but the surrounding area and anybody in it was devastated. She then back-flipped away and readied for the rebuke.


Gráinne winced as Azazael charged at her with his own energy blades. He rained down heavy, punishing blows on her, going for victory from the off. He knew she was hurt and smelled blood. Gráinne used her speed advantage to evade as best she could, but her movement was hampered. She was just about holding the line, when a particularly heavy blow broke her guard and Azazael followed up with a Cryo Blast at point-blank range. The blast caught her square in the chest, and she cried out in pain as she again felt the biting cold combine with the force of a hammer. Gráinne landed on her back and tried to get up swiftly, but was stopped by severe pain in her torso. She surmised that she had at least four cracked ribs.

The Captain-Commander staggered to her feet, fixing her gaze on Azazael. She coughed as her lungs tried to get oxygen to her vital systems. She charged at him, firing her Twin Fireballs at him, each exploding with the force of a Gran Rey Cero. She then zoomed around him and sprayed him with Rapid-Fire Fireballs, comprising of fifteen bala-powered blasts. She then landed and held her damaged anatomy, waiting for the retort.

Jensen dodged the frost core and used the momentum to reposition himself around Elsa as she launched her ice spikes, deflecting each one away with his shield. Elsa shielded up and Jensen followed her Que using his own pulse shield to block the ice cores blast. He wouldn't have expected that since this was not one of her normal attacks. Given that it had been surrounded in darkness, she probably learned a thing or two from Azazael, which made this fight more interesing. The level that arrancar had currupted her to in such a short time said something about how twisted and dangerous he was.

Jensen dropped his pulse shield and moved in close, throwing out his Twin celestial slash, the first as he moved in to attack, followed shortly by the second as he gauged her reaction and attacked her mid dodge with it. Each slash hit with the power of a gran rey cero but were easy to get out of range of if the person was quick enough. Jensen again waited for her to dodge or get hit, before rushing in with a sword skill of his own making, boar rushes down hill. He aimed to hit with a shield bash that would project a shield shaped blast of air capable of knocking most foes back with ease. If he struck with this he would follow up with Leaf on the Breeze, he went into a 360 spin with his sword that sent out a cutting wave of air that hit with the force of 3 bala and extended 30ft. After that he took a defensive stance and waited.


Azazael dodged her fireball only to dodge right into its twin, which he hadn't seen. Two things happened then. The first, was that a ball of energy suddenly burst into life above him and shot at Grainne. With the power of a Gran rey cero, it would hound her until it was destroyed with a blast or shield of equal power. The second thing was that he absorbed the energy from the attack and taking additional damage to absorb its power, the fire's life getting sucked from the air as Grainne watched. She followed up with a barrage of rapid fireballs that he countered with a barrage of bala before sending out 10 black snake bala to distract and harass her. As the snakes chased the injured gotei commander, Azazael charged up his frost core and fired it, adding the damaged he'd taken from the fireball to his attack.

It Shot forth directly for her, but should it miss, the first layer of the attack would disperse, and the ice core detonated soon after with a vicious blast radius and dealing 2 gran rey cero worth of damage to anyone caught in the blast. Azazael used the delay to flee the radius and hoped Grainne didn't even notice the attack.

Elsa's face remained impassive as Jensen deftly smashed away her icicles and manoeuvred to a new position. Elsa shielded but Jensen did the same as the attack went off and the two combatants were unarmed. Jensen then moved in, launching his Celestial Slash at her as he went. The first one came in as he approached. Elsa jumped up and twisted over it landing expertly. The second one came in almost immediately after and Elsa had no choice but to try and block with her shield. She was not entirely successful. The slash impacted and knocked her off her feet. Reeling, she kipped-up as she slid back along the floor and prepared for what was next. Jensen bore down on her, and she prepared to deal with the impact. But Jensen stopped short and his shield-bash sent a blast of air at her. Elsa got her shield up, but she was still sent hurtling through a building. She got back up in time to see the cutting wave come at her.

Relying once again on instinct, Elsa ran towards Jensen and slid under the wave on her knees, then continued on. She hurled activated her Keen Edge, her sword glistening with enhanced sharpness. She got to within 15 ft and hurled a Shredder Ball at Jensen. She fully expected him the dodge or block it. When he did, she would reach him and she unleashed a frenzied attack on him with rapid but deadly slashes from all angles. Her anger took over as she peppered the great warrior from head to toe with slashes from her sword.


Gráinne watched in despair as Azazael fired an orb of energy at her while also absorbing the fireball that hit. Gráinne dealt with the orb first. She put her hands up towards it. "Bakudo #81, Danku!" A rectangular barrier popped up in front of the Captain-Commander and it took the ball into its embrace, disappearing again instantly. Gráinne then saw the 10 black snakes hurtling towards her. As she moved away from them, she sensed a build-up of energy and saw Azazael charging up an attack. Gráinne sped towards him, drawing the snakes after her. She got to within 30 ft, dodging the large projectile he hurled at her. She then jumped up, soaring over her enemy and hurling her Ultimte fireball at him. The blast would damage him if he got caught in it, but she would be unharmed.

Landing on the other side and skidding back a bit, Gráinne began her incantation, raising her arms over her head. "This is the end! By the flames that fuel me, the flames of justice, and the beauty that exists in this world! I shall bring some color to this field of battle! I shall strike you down! MAAAASENKOOOOO, HA!" She brought her hands down to point at Azazael. The massive yellow beam short forth. This was Gráinne's last gambit. They would both be consumed.

Azazael's attack ripped past Grainne and speed off into the darkness, exploding with an icy blast not long after. She shot at him, trying to lure his snakes into hitting him but they diverted and followed her. She fired a fire ball directly down upon him and the attack consumed the snakes. Azazael let out a roar of challenge as his body started to ice over. Before the fireball reached him a powerful blast of ice the strength of a cero oscuros exploded from him in a 100yard radius, the fireball was wiped out, but the blast was stopped in its tracks and came no where near Grainne as the forces of fire and ice met and died.

Grainne began an incantation as he had dealt with the fireball. it was far to late for him to counter, his final had no chance of stopping the Attack that followed. As the indomitable wall of yellow energy sped towards him. Azazael felt a moment of panic. But then he grinned wildly. If he was going to die, he was going to make sure allot of people died along with him, rather than both of them dying in this blackness. Azazael disolved the pocket dimension, bringing himself, Grainne and the attack back into soul society.


Jensen blocked the shredder ball with his shield, dispersing the icy energy upon it. Elsa was there a second later, and she unleashed a furious barrage of slashes as she tried to pepper him from head to toe. Jensen kept his head level and counted her blows, turning them away with sword and shield, attacking back when she left an opening. Her form was not perfect, and he knew some of her faults from their training together. And so the fight turned into a bladestorm, a furious and unending stream of sparks as steel and ice collided.

There seemed to be no end, until it seemed the world around them suddenly shattered and was filled with yellow light. Time seemed to slow, as he sensed grainne and Azazael return, along with a great deal of energy. He knew that level of power, a hyper masenko, and he instinctively threw himself between the blast and else, shield raised to protect both of them as much as possible. As much as she was his enemy, she was his student and his friend, and he had no intention of her dying, even if it meant he lost their fight.

Time moved again, and the blast hit him, sending him flying back into Elsa as the world around them was consumed by yellow death.


Azazael threw up an ice balwark as the blast hit. The shield held for a second before it was consumed, negating some of the damage that followed. but then the blast hit and he was thrown back as it caused devestation in the area of its blast radius. He healed almost as fast as he burned in the yellow energy, resulting in excruciating pain. A lesser man would have wished for death. But he enjoyed every moment of it. Then the energy subsided, and Azazael lay in a heap of rubble, his body responding to the burns and wounds by continuing to heal. He was back on his feel, looking ragged and torn, but still grinning like a madman, eyes glowing in the dust.

He laughed manically as he dragged himself from the Rubble. "Stop holding your breath Grainne, I'm not dead!" He shouted into the destruction. Where was she? He jumped, into the air, and looked for the captain commander.

The gigantic golden beam steamed towards Azazael like a wave. Gráinne saw a fleeting look of panic on the Arrancar's face, before it was replaced with an evil grin. The look chilled Gráinne to the bone, but she did not realise immediately what the Arrancar was plotting. Suddenly, it was obvious. She yelled in panic, but it was too late. "Noooo!" Azazael dissolved the pocket dimension they were in, and Gráinne's world caved in around her in a sea of yellow energy.


Elsa traded blows with Jensen in a furious shower of sparks. Hits were scored on both sides, but Elsa was definitely on the back foot. She was using a mixture of techniques she had learned from both Azazael and Jensen himself, and because she wasn't making any real headway her frustration was rising rapidly. Which meant that she was making more and more mistakes. Her blows were losing effectiveness and she was taking more and more damage as she left bigger openings.

The dynamic changed however, as Azazael and Gráinne reappeared with the Captain-Commander's strongest attack in tow. Elsa turned in disbelief at the sheer power, but then Jensen dived in front of her and stuck his shield up. She reflexively put up her own shield, her last thought questioning why Jensen tried to protect her when she had attacked and injured the Captain-Commander, and then tried to kill him. The blast hit Jensen first, knocking him backwards into her, and then the blast hit her and they flew backwards through a building, knocking her out cold.


Gráinne opened her eyes and saw darkness. She felt the familiar feeling of rubble crushing her all over and attempted to push some of it off her. She cried out in pain as she attempted to move her left arm. Judging by the blinding pain, it was severely broken. She tried to shift to use her right arm, but there was another piercing pain in her side. There was something lodged in her side. Her options limited, Gráinne did the only thing she could think of. She mumbled the words of the kidou and directed it ahead of her with her mind.

"Hado #1, Shō!" The rubble on top of her blasted apart, and sunlight beamed down on her. Gráinne rolled carefully to her side and stood up very gingerly, wincing and groaning the whole way. She looked down to survey the damage. Her left arm hung limply, shattered in Mew knows how many places. She also saw the piece of metal sticking out of her left side. She grabbed it, resigned to her fate, and yanked. She screamed out in pain, but kept her composure enough to tear a sleeve from her mangled haori and wrapped it one-handed around her torso to temporarily bind the wound, but she saw from the pit that she escaped from that she had lost a lot of blood already. Looking around with horror at the scene of devastation around her, she gasped in shock. The fighting that was raging before Azazael sent her to the pocket dimension had subsided as it was replaced by eerie quiet. The area was a wasteland, with the gate lying in ruins.

Then Gráinne's fears were confirmed when she heard Azazael's voice cut through the air. She looked up and saw him scanning the debris for her. Even though he looked badly damaged, he still found time to laugh. He found her immediately, and she flinched a little, a trickle of blood running into her eyes. She then realised abruptly that she was in her normal form, and her blade was lying on the floor nearby, broken a foot from the hilt. She picked it up sadly, knowing that her time was drawing near. She had failed for the last time. She put up a defiant expression and assumed a one-handed combat stance. He was going to have to earn this scalp.

Azazael's wounds healed as he searched, and then he spotted Grainne below, just as she'd seen him. She looked worse than he felt, though his condition was nowhere near as bad since he was still in Segunda, where as she had Reverted. He dropped down in front of her with a wicked grin. "I'm surprised your able to stand." He said. Energy, purple and white and awful started to build in his hand, as a lance of energy formed. "This is the end for you. Dont worry, I'll send your little arrancar lover after. I might torture her first, but she'll die eventually. Just like Scott." Grainne's knees buckled and she slumped to the ground head  down in defeat.

He raised his hand to throw the hollow lance, when something slammed into him hard and sent him flying. He landed on his back and flipped to his feet, as a girl in fighting leathers slid in between him and Grainne. "You will have to kill me to get to my sister!" She hissed at him. He grinned. "Not to worry I'm good at killing sisters." He said, and dashed towards her. He backhanded her aside and tried to drive the Javalin into Grainne, but a kido hit his hand. He turned to Diath as she threw her yellow spear with surprising force, catching it inches from his face.

Azazael launched the hollow lance back and it ripped a hole in the girl's side as she tried to dodge. She fell to the side, blood spraying across the debris. Azazael advanced, only to have Grainne attack from behind. He knocked her back with a kick that should have been harder, proof his power was failing now. He turned to Grainne as he held Diath's spear over her.. Diath gasped for breath and tried to move, shock overtaking her body "For the Record, this is How Anna died." He said with a grin, and drove the spear down.

Blood welled forth as he drove the spear into Diath's chest. She screamed, blood bursting from her lips as the spear head ripped through heart and lung, and for several seconds her face was pure agony. He pulled the spear free, releasing another surge of blood, before her body shuddered and went still, her eyes glazed over. Azazael smiled at Grainne, Ready to move on to her.

Gráinne watched as Azazael's surface wounds began to heal. The Arrancar found the time for a bit more taunting and humiliation as he formed a lance of malevolent energy in his hand. He stated how he was going to torture and kill Elayne next, and reminded her of Scott. She tried to hold her ground, but the combination of the damage she had sustained and the sheer despair that she could no longer defend her people, caused her stance to buckle and she slumped to her knees, head bowed in utter defeat. She waited for the cold embrace of death. It didn't come.

Gráinne looked up to see Azazael being knocked flying by an attack and there was a familiar figure standing in front of her. Her sister Diath positioned herself between Gráinne and Azazael, challenging Azazael. The Arrancar took up the challenge gleefully. He charged forward and smashed Diath out of the way and attempted to impale Gráinne again, but a kido hit his hand, spoiling his strike. Then Diath's yellow spear came out of nowhere, but he caught it just short of his face. Azazael swiftly launched the hollow lance at Diath, faster than she could dodge. The spear burst her side and she fell to the floor, blood coating the surrounding surfaces. Gráinne reacted on pure instinct on seeing her sister fall.

"Diath! You monster!" Gráinne charged Azazael from behind but the Arrancar caught her with a kick in the ribs and she landed flat on her back in a heap. She sat up gingerly to see Azazael holding the spear over Diath and grinning, before Azazael revealed his secret, the thing that allowed him to subvert young Elsa. He was the one that killed the poor Anna girl. But before she could dwell on that, she realised with horror what he was about to do. Gráinne stood and cried out in despairing protest. But before she could make it more than a step, Azazael drove the spear down into Diath's chest. Gráinne stopped dead in her tracks, and slumped her knees. The pain in her shattered arm and punctured side phased out and she couldn't even hear Azazael laughing. Azazael withdrew the spear from Diath's body, spraying a bit more blood everywhere.

Gráinne stared numbly at her sister's prone body. She had failed again. Just like she failed Scott. But a spark shot through her mind. She looked at Azazael, her usually soft features screwed up into an expression of unrestrained loathing and hatred. She had failed, but she would not let him get away with it. Not this time. Gráinne stood slowly, broken sword in hand. She let out a primal scream, and shunpo-charged at her enemy. She did not utilise strategy or form, but brute rage. The suddenness and ferocity of the assault caught Azazael off-guard as she showered him with brutal swings of her broken blade. Her lost stamina was replaced by anger and fury. Azazael thrust the spear and it punctured Gráinne's left shoulder clean through. However, the enraged girl did not register the hit at all, and used the opportunity to bring her broken sword down, cleaving the arm from the rest of the Arrancar's body. As Azazael recoiled from the wound and released the spear that was sticking through Gráinne's shoulder, she suddenly lunged and caught him in the throat with a stiff and malicious elbow strike.

Azazael fell backwards gasping for air and clutching at his stump. The severed limb fell to the ground and twitched a little before going still. Gráinne did not stop to check on her own health, though. When she re-acquired Azazael in her sights, she cast her blade to the floor and projected a set of six-inch-long talons, each as hard as zanpakuto steel, from her finger tips. She walked slowly and ominously towards the stricken Arrancar boss. When she spoke, it was short and to the point, and through gritted teeth.

"This...ends...now." Gráinne leaped onto the prone body of Azazael and began to systematically shred the man from head to toe. She tore savagely at his flesh, basking in the screams of the dying man. It was what he deserved, she told herself as she tore and rent and slashed and ripped at him. She stood up then, finally pulling the spear out of her shoulder and examined the whimpering pile of bleeding Arrancar. The spear reverted to its normal form, her sister's zanpakuto blade. She gazed at it despairingly, tears streaming from her eyes and mixing with the blood on her face. "You are pure evil. I will avenge my blood. Embrace eternity, Azazael Darkmoon." She drove the sword through his heart, all of her rage and fury flowing through the blade into her fallen foe. Azazael's eyes glassed over as he began to decompose into spirit particles which floated away on the breeze. Gráinne approached Diath's body and lay down beside her older sister, resting her head on Diath's shoulder, gripping her arm tight. She closed her eyes as her vision blurred. "I did it Diath. I beat the bad guy." She gazed up at Diath's pale face, the elder sibling's eye's staring blankly up at the sky. Gráinne squeezed her eyes shut and wept. That was all she could muster, as the blood loss and trauma caught up to her, and she lost consciousness.


Elsa came to when she heard a cry from nearby. She picked up her sword and looked out into the clearing, and her mouth fell agape. The Captain-Commander was holding her sword that was impaling a prone body. Azazael's body. She dropped her sword and clasped her hands to her mouth, tears trickling slowly down her face. She was about to go out there when she heard a stirring from nearby and saw Jensen slowly coming to. In a rage, Elsa grabbed her sword again and stormed over to the prone warrior and raised her blade to deliver a fatal blow. He had tried to interfere constantly, and now he had cost her Azazael.

But then Elsa heard a gentle crying, and she looked for the source. The Captain-Commander was lying on the ground next to a body. Elsa scanned the two faces and instantly saw the familial resemblance. It could only be Gráinne's sister. Elsa's mind was immediately filled with images of Anna, and she thought to go and console the girl. But she looked down at Jensen again, and reminded herself that they were the enemy. Her path was chosen. Elsa raised the weapon again, the blade wavering ever so slightly. It was now or never.

Azazael saw the rage in her face. Her heart was broken, a victory in his favor. However in the last moments of his life, as he faught back and impaled her, he new he had lost the gamble. Grainne cut off his arm and sent him flying to his back. He  watched as she lept on him, a savage grin on his face even as he mauled her as ferociously as a bear. Part of him was glad for this death. For Anna, and Grainne's sister. Part of him was screaming in terror and pain, a caged animal trying to escape. The last part, the former human held on tight to any attempts the body made to fight back. It had never wanted to hurt anyone but Alexai. It had seen its desire come true, revenge was sought, and it was happy to go in peace. Violently was the amalgamation of souls known as Azazael born, and violently he died. As Grainne drove the final strike home, a different look crossed Azazael's face. Peace. the Peace of a welcome death.


Jensen's eyes snapped open. His body hurt everywhere. His shield arm was broken, his shield gone. He suspected more than one rib was cracked, and he was bleeding from numerous cuts. He tried to move until he spotted her. Elsa stood over him, blade raised. The sound of crying hit his ears, and he knew it was Grainne. Elsa had been crying too, it appeared. And she looked like she may or may not kill him. Fear and dread filled him, but not because he might be about to die. He didn't want to ask, but had to know. Jensen simply said, "Who is she crying for?" He turned his head to his side. "You see what you've done, Elsa? I hope this is what you wanted. More bloodshed. More tears, because you listened to that Maniac." He said.

"You blame me for Anna's death. Well good for you. Now you've gotten even, at the expense of someone else's life. Just know that I blame you for her death, Elsa. So kill me, kill me now. because if you walk away and leave me alive, the next time we  meet, i will.. I Will kill you. that is a promise, princess." He stared into her eyes. The rage in his face clear. He waited for the blow to come, but instead, a redheaded vizard appeared next to Elsa. She looked at jensen, checking him for weapons, weapons that were scattered and said. "We need to leave. Reinforcements are coming, Azazael's dead and we'll be next. Finish him or leave it, but hurry up." She said. A gargantua opened nearby, and the redhead pulled on Elsa's arm to follow.

They left. Jensen found the strength to force his feet under him. His body was shaky, but he'd survived only because of his armor. He was back in his normal form, and given the amount of pain he was in, it was a miracle he managed to stand. He made it to Grainne before his legs went out from under him. His eyes watered as he seen the condition his captain commander was in, the way she clutched on to her sister's lifeless body. Jensen dug down and found the will to lift Grainne into his arms. She was tiny, broken and battered. It was a miracle she'd defeated Azazael. That she was still breathing. But then, she was a miracle. A force of overwhelming good that the gotei had needed. Seeing her like this though, it killed him to think he had pushed for her to lead, because he hadn't wanted to. She had bled for the gotei's weakness more than once, little more than a child to most of her captains. The shame he felt for allowing this to happen to her, for allowing her sister to die, was heart rending.

Jensen didn't have to carry her far. Marie was on the outskirts of the devestation left over from the battle, with others. Ready to help. She ran to him as he appeared out of the dust, concerned. Afraid. Others followed, and Jensen lay Grainne down gently on a stretcher. He turned around to go back for her. "Jensen stop you need help." Marie ordered. He groaned back, "I'm not leaving her there.." He said. He got all of two feet before he collapsed and darkness overwhelmed him.

Elsa hesitated too long with Jensen at her mercy. The warrior came to, and immediately recovered his bearings. He berated her with anger at what had happened. She lowered her gaze to the floor, tears running down her face. "I-" But before she could adequately respond, Ariel was by her side, informing her that it was time to go, as Gotei reinforcements were on the way. Elsa looked one last time into Jensen's eyes and, for the first time since she chose this path of bloodshed, her resolve faltered. She was no longer sure of her choice, the damage she had caused filling her with grief and doubt. She was stirred from her trance by Ariel tugging on her arm. She turned and followed Ariel through the Gargantua.


Gráinne Xios awoke with a start. She gazed around the hospital room as the memories began to flood back. The confrontation, the explosion, the girl's final moments, the anger, the sadness. All began to flood back to her at the same time. Gráinne wanted nothing more than to sink into the bed and never be seen again. But she knew she couldn't do that, that she couldn't run away or hide and let Diath down. But she couldn't see past her doubts. How could she continue trying to protect her people if she could not even protect those closest to her? She turned slowly to face the window. The sun was beaming through it, the serenity belying the tragedy that had occurred that day. Tears began to appear once again, though it was surprising she had any left at this stage. Gráinne looked to her bedside table and saw a bunch of flowers, and a note.

Gráinne slowly and painfully drew herself up into a sitting position. She looked at the flowers sorrowfully, thinking that it was yet another person she had let down. Her gaze was then drawn to the note, carefully folded and inviting. She reached over with her right hand as her left was in a sling. She unfolded the note and read it.

"Don't give up. You are an inspiration to us all, and you must not forget it. Dry your eyes now, broken wings won't hold you down. You'll take flight again soon. You'll be lifted up, and you'll soar."

Gráinne clutched the note tightly to her chest, trying to draw strength from it. She did not know who sent the note and flowers, but she wanted nothing more than to believe their words that everything will be okay. But she couldn't right now. She didn't know what to believe. She just felt pain and sorrow.

Elayne hadn't moved from outside Grainne's room since she'd returned. 2 days after the fight, she had finally managed to break out of that place, into a wasteland of destruction, near a pool of red that send shudders of fear through her. Fear for Grainne, who had been fighting here when Azazael sent her away. As Elayne went to dash off to find her love, she spotted him.

The large man lay on his chest in the rubble. unconsciou. Elayne was sure she was seeing things, because it was Arngrim wolfcloak. Who had died fighting Azazael. She remembered because she hadn't seen Liv since the arrancar told her the news. What ever reason he was here for, she wouldn't just leave him. Elanye didn't think about the fact that he was naked as she lifted him up and put him over her shoulder. This was far more awkward than she expected, and he was definately as heavy as he looked. Then she took off at speed towards the hospital.

She was pretty sure she was blushing as she arrived and people came to help her with the heavy load. Some of them recoiled when they realised he was an arrancar, but she tried to look as stern as possible as she said, "Help him, and someone take me to Grainne." She almost passed out at the demand in her voice. they listened to her though, they knew who she was and that, if she brought an arrancar in, it was because he was trust worthy.

Her level of panic was rising with everystep. She asked about Grainne, but was ignored. She was even stopped by two guards outside the door, who denied her entrance. She was about to barge past, when she heard jensen speak. She turned to the warrior, who's face was pale. His voice was weak, distraught. She thought the worst, and started to fall to her knees. Jensen caught her and pulled her into an embrace. "Its not what you think!" He said quickly. "Grainne's ok. It..." Elayne was crying now, which only got worse when he told her Diath had died.

Elayne broke from his arms and went for the door. The guards tried to stop her but lighting zapped out of her body and they moved away. She burst in and ran to Grainne's side, crying and holding her friend. No one tried to drag her away. Grainne didn't wake up. After Elayne finally calmed down, She left the room and stood guard, since Jensen had sent the guards away. She hadn't moved since. Until she heard movement in the room. She went in. As soon as their gazes met, she felt tears welling up, responding to her freinds pain and sorrow. She embraced Grainne again without a word.

Gráinne looked up when she heard the door open, and her gaze met that of Elayne's. In that single moment, Gráinne and Elayne both knew what the other was feeling. The eyes are the window to the soul they say, and in this case it was proven emphatically. Elayne moved forward, and their embrace was infinite. The two lovers cried inconsolably, the need for words gone. They remained like this for long moments. When Gráinne felt she could finally speak, she looked directly into Elayne's eyes, her voice wavering. "I've l-l-let her down! I've let you d-d-down. I've let everybody down! I'm supposed to protect Soul Society. But I can't even protect my sister!" She collapsed into a mess of tears and sobs, the nagging pain of her arm and side only serving to fuel her anguish.

This went on for some time. Gráinne was distraught, despairing and inconsolable. The only thing that helped was having Elayne with her, holding her close and never letting go. But a thought suddenly occurred to her and she pushed Elayne away weakly. "Elayne, I love you. I love you so much. I can't bear the thought of something happening to you too. But I've proven I can't protect you if you get into danger. You should go. Being around me is unsafe. I will only bring you pain, and I will not allow that. Please..." She trailed off slightly, her gaze leaving Elayne's. This was the best choice, she thought, it will be better for her this way.

Elayne shook her head. Grainne hadn't failed them. She had saved them. If Azazael had killed her, then he'd probably have brought the rest of his forces in, and that would have been that. But she'd killed him and sent Elsa, the vizard and the rest of the arrancar still alive running. "No you didn't." She wispered. "You saved us all. You and Diath. I failed you. If I hadn't been trapped by Azazael, I would have been here when you needed me most. If. If i was still a vizard, There is no way he'd have trapped me. I... Let You and Diath down." She said to Grainne.

But Grainne wouldn't accept it, and tried to push her away, to  drive her away because she thought being near her wasn't safe. Elayne grabbed her chin, something she wasn't used to doing, and forced Grainne to look her in the eyes. "I would rather die at your side tomorrow than spend the rest of my life without you. I love you too, and nothing will ever change that." She kissed Grainne. "You are mine and I am yours. Try all you like to drive me away, I'll keep coming back. I've run away from allot of things in my life, but I will never leave you." She said, stepping back slightly.

She had never been so forward in her life. But Grainne meant the world to her. She felt silent, suddenly unsure of what to say. There was so much sadness. Even if she tried, there was nothing to be happy about. She sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a knock on the door, and Jensen came in after a moment. He looked to be back at full since she last seen him, his sword strapped at his side and his hoari clean. But his eyes spoke of grief.

It was not entirely because of Diath's death. The grief he felt only intensified when he looked at Grainne. And shame, too. But he smiled softly. "I'm glad your ok." He said to Grainne. He didn't speak the words he was thinking. Telling her he had failed her,  that they had all failed her right now, wouldn't help. He didn't want to speak of her sister. He thought to mention Elsa but the thought made his blood boil.

He had no speech, or pep talk or anything he could think of that would make her feel better. So he told of what she had done. "Arngrim wolfcloak is alive. Elayne brought him here. It seems that when you killed Azazael, he had just enough strength to pull himself back together. He's still unconscious. But because of you, he gets to go back to Olivia and Clara... You saved him.. And you saved me Grainne.. You saved us all from Azazael, and I am so proud of you."

Elayne shook her head at Gráinne's expression of guilt. She attempted to take responsibility herself but Gráinne wasn't having it and she tried to push Elayne away, for her safety. Elayne had no intention of leaving however. She grabbed Gráinne's chin softly and tilted her head up until they were looking eye-to-eye. Gráinne 's tears coated Elayne's hand as the Arrancar explained why she wasn't just going to go away. Then she kissed Gráinne, a move which seemed to surprise both of them. Elayne spoke with such confidence and belief that Gráinne was speechless. The Captain-Commander sat up slowly and Elayne sat down on the bed beside her. There was no more need for words between them now. Their destinies were now inextricably linked. Gráinne closed her eyes and softly nestled her head on Elayne's shoulder, holding on to her arm tightly with her undamaged arm.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door, and Jensen walked in. He looked physically fine, but when Gráinne looked up at him, there was an unmistakable sadness in behind his assured gaze. He smiled softly and expressed his relief that she was okay, and although he did not immediately say anything more, Gráinne could read him without words in that moment. There was a soothing but poignant silence between them, all three knowing what the others were thinking. Gráinne stood up and wrapped her good arm around Jensen, embracing him tightly. She had long considered Jensen to be like the father she was deprived of early in her life. Though she had never told him directly, she got the feeling he knew of her respect and love for him. She released him and bowed respectfully.

Jensen then spoke again, and this time Gráinne was not expecting what he said. Arngrim? Alive? It was unthinkable. But then she smiled knowingly as she wiped her wet face. "I always figured he'd be too stubborn to die permanently." She went to control panel and buzzed for a nurse. When the nurse arrived, Gráinne asked to be notified as soon as Arngrim was conscious. The nurse informed her that he already was, so Gráinne asked for the room and then let the nurse go. She looked to Jensen and Elayne.

"I'm going to go and talk to him. See what he remembers. But I must get dressed. Jensen, thank you for coming to visit me, and for everything else. I want to convene a meeting soon with the Captains. We need to assess the situation. Figure out what our next step is. We just need to keep moving forward. Elayne, I'm afraid I will need your help..." When Jensen left, Gráinne applied her uniform to herself with Elayne's help, the Arrancar carefully slipping the garments over Gráinne's injured parts.

When dressed, Gráinne thanked her and went to leave, but then she wheeled around and kissed Elayne with unexpected passion. In that moment, there was only love. Gráinne released Elayne from the kiss and took the Arrancar's hands in her own. "Thank you for everything, Elayne. I am so grateful for you and I love you. Thank you. Come with me now? Arngrim should have a chance to thank you for rescuing him." That's all she could do in the end. Just keep moving forward.

Jensen nodded. "Yeah I don't think he understands the meaning." He said as he leaned on the door. Grainne decided she wanted to go visit him, so Jensen left the  room. Elayne stayed and helped Grainne with her clothes. Back in her shinigami robes she looked better. Stronger. But she still hard that air of sadness. It probably wasn't going to pass for a long long time. They went to leave, when Grainne suddenly turned and kissed her far more passionately then she expected. When she pulled away Elayne was blushing. She stared at the door for a few seconds. "I'm sorry what I didn't hear you..." She said as Grainne spoke. Then she smiled, and they left the room to go visit the hollow king.


Something rumbled in the sands. Arngrim watched as it surged upwards, a power so fierce he could barely stand against it. The ground before him exploded, ice and fire exploding from the depths. The dark visage of the arrancar who had eaten him appeared, his eyes blazing blue and cold. He opened his mouth and laughed, as the girl arngrim remembered from his human life lay dead at azazael's face. Arngrim looked into her lifeless eyes and roared at Azazael. He charged.

And woke up. He lay in a bed. A very small bed. The room was bright, and the robe he wore was clearly not made in his size. He could barely move, and he felt very exposed. And tired. So Gods Damned tired. It took a minute for him remember the battle in his throne room when he returned from Bogata. The destruction caused, half the tower destroyed before he was finally subdued by the beast known as Azazael. He never really died. Part of him was there, during the last few months. There when Azazael interupted the meeting between Kai and Grainne, when they faught Alexai, when he sent forces to the gotei and killed... His daughter. He'd been there, screaming with rage, demanding Azazael to stop, as they drove a blade into the child he hadn't seen for over 900 years.

And then he was there when Grainne and Azazael faught, when they destroyed the gate of the seireitei  in their powerfilled struggle. He tried to stop Azazael. Him and the hollow faught tooth and nail together to try and stop the evil, to escape. But Azazael  drove  the spear into Grainne's sister. Arngrim shuddered with the surge of memories. Had Grainne lived? She'd killed Azazael and.. Arngrim didn't know what happened after that.

But then there was a knock on the door. And Grainne walked in. Arngrim forced himself upright. He would not lie in bed while he spoke to her. He would look her in the eye when he apologized. His body had other plans. As soon as he put pressure on his legs they buckled. He stumped and righted himself, hitting the wall and denting it with his shoulder. It shook with a loud bang. He held up a hand to stop anyone from helping, as he braced himself on the back of a chair, using it for support. He looked at Grainne and dropped his gaze almost instantly as he filled with shame.

Gráinne reached Arngrim's room, knocked, and walked in quietly. She watched in both awe and guilt as the huge red-haired man saw her enter and attempted to stand, despite his injuries. After some stumbling, Arngrim managed to right himself by propping himself up with a chair which groaned but held firm. Gráinne shook her head, feeling guilty at Arngrim's attempt at manners. "Please, rest in your bed. Don't risk more injury on my account." She knew his pride was such that returning to bed was impossible for him. She saw as he made eye-contact with her, but immediately dropped his gaze to the floor, a look of shame on his rugged features. The Captain-Commander, brushing her hair behind her ears, walked up to him until she looked up directly into his eyes.

"There is nothing for you to feel shame for. You were attacked because you got hurt stopping me. For everything that happened after, everything that monster did, there is no blame for you to take. If anything it is me who owes you. While you were Cero King you had no reason to trust me or react in any way but hostility to me. But you showed me both respect and even friendship. Without you along with everyone else, I would not be here now. So thank you. For everything. No more shame. Please talk to me." Gráinne took one of his massive hands and squeezed it gently. Whatever he was supposed to have been to her, Arngrim Wolfcloak was her friend now.

Arngrim grumbled as she tried to get him back into bed. "I'm not injured.." he said, his voice gravel. She walked right up to him and took his hand. The fact that she could look in his eyes when he should be held responsible for her sister's death was a testament to how forgiving she was. She told him exactly how she felt. She hadn't even hesitated to forgive him. If he was in her position he wouldn't care if he'd been a part of azazael willingly or not. He'd kill himself... or.. no...

His head was so gods damned fussy. Still he gave Grainne's hand a little squeese. She'd saved him, mistake or on purpose when she cut azazael with her zan it had freeded enough of him to get a handle on his own power. It had taken ages to reform himself from that scrap of power, and he was weaker now, but maybe that was a good thing. The arrancar didn't need him leading. Nor would they probably want him back when he had been defeated. Honestly that was a big a mar on his pride as being part of azazael and allowing all the atrocities the Arrancar had commited to happen.

He raised his chin slightly. "The two times we faught, I always thought you weaker. I never expected you to actually defeat Azazael... You have proved me wrong, Grainne. And you have proved to Kai, and anyone else who questions your power that you are not to be messed with..." He said. But her forgiveness or not, it didn't change what had happened. "I have proven myself weak.. Stopping you that day was right, but that was a fight I never should have lost. Losing to that hollow, Sen and whoever was fighting with him for control, that was my fault. My weakness.. And that weakness cost me a child I haven't seen in more than 900 years. And it cost you your sister...How can i not be ashamed of that?"

Gráinne watched as Arngrim absorbed her words. He raised his chin a bit and responded, stating that she had proved herself to be more powerful than he had given her credit for. He then went on to berate himself for being weak and allowing himself to be defeated. Gráinne cocked her head slightly upon mention of the loss of Arngrim's own daughter, the result of a successful plot to turn his other daughter to his will. That only made her even more willing to keep him as a friend and ally, because they both were enduring pain, and they also understood each other. She looked up at him again.

"It's true we have both experience losses, but..." Gráinne stopped for a moment and considered her next words carefully. While she was still struggling to deal with the recent events herself, she knew that the only way forward was to look forward. "We have to accept what has happened and move on I guess. If you go around blaming yourself and Elayne blames herself and Jensen blames himself, we're not getting anywhere. I've learned this and I'm still learning this the hard way." She released his hand and straightened her haori. "We'll get through this, and we'll become stronger. I have you, Jensen, and Elayne to thank for that." Gráinne bowed, at least, the best she could do, and headed for the door. "We are convening a meeting soon to discuss our next move. I want you to be there, if you don't mind. I am not giving up on Elsa. We will get your daughter back. Rest up now. Goodbye, Arngrim."