Post by temple on Nov 29, 2009 5:11:12 GMT -5
A shadowy figure watched from the treeline, his black eyes taking in every detail of the tomb at the bottom of the hill. Although his masters resting place had been hidden deep in the forests surrounding Karakura, its special seals and wards had kept it hidden from even Aizen's prying eyes. In fact, if it hadn't been for the traitorous shinigami, then the being hiding in the shadows would have never even found the tomb.
Billions of years ago, at the dawning of the shinigami an evil presence had made itself known. A massive heavenly war waged between the Spirit Kings very first Shinigami, and the very first Hollows. However, these Hollows were far stronger than modern days counterparts, and far more numerous. The Shinigami and Hollows of old had fought to a standstill. It was then that the process of Hollowfication came to be known. While the Spirit King was a being of ultimate good, he could not exist without an equal but opposite force. The yin to his yang. This Hollow King, named Kubo Ouja, created the first Vizards. Using his twisted powers he corrupted Shinigami, both willing and unwilling. On the converse, the Spirit King created the very first Arrancar to combat the new threat.
Eventually, Kubo Ouja was imprisoned in a tomb deep in the forests of what is now Karakura, along with his most faithful servants. All save one. The tomb is guarded by select Shinigami, whom never age. The leader of this special group, called Head Warden, is able to pluck select shinigami from the reincarnation process and give them a chance to serve their king once more.
One could wonder the forests of Karakura for ages and never find the tomb. It had been concealed by numerous kidou spells and powerful seals. Ensuring that nobody ever found the ancient evil trapped within. But the massive conflict, called The Sword Wars, put a small crack in the magical barrier surrounding the tomb. Just small enough to be detected.
And that's exactly what Akira had done. As the only survivor of his Lords personal guard, he had spent every waking moment of his existence searching for his fallen master. And after aeons of fruitless effort, he had succeeded. As soon as the crack had appeared in the magical defenses he had headed for the forest. Of course, the shinigami in charge of its maintenance eventually noticed the small faltering in their defenses. But from Akira's own surveillance, it seemed like they were unable to replicate the effects the original designers had used. Excellent.
Akira waited silently on the perimeter of the Tomb, like he had been for the past week, observing. Studying. Analyzing. Just as his master had taught him. Two recent arrivals had prevented previous action from the evil Vizard, not that he couldn't handle them. Well maybe not the Captain. Not without his zanpakutou at least. But the two were set to leave for Soul Society, he could make out that much by using a listening spell on a few of the outer guards. Apparently the Wardens needed outside help to recreate their defensive barrier.
The departure of the two newest shinigami would make freeing Kubo Ouja a cakewalk. So, Akira waited. Soon afternoon turned to night, and night turned to morning, and before he knew it the two most recent Wardens were ready to depart. The two shinigami bid their comrades farewell, promising them hope. Fools.
Akira waited until the procession seeing them off had reentered the underground tomb, through the simple looking shrine above it. Now was the time. Running his left hand over his right arm, he muttered forgotten words to an ancient kidou spell. His right arm took on a brilliant blue glow, revealing his black robes, hood concealing his head.
With a whisper of shunpo he was in front of the two shrine guards. A swift movement of his right arm created a deadly gash across the first mans chest, spraying blood across the grassy floor. Before the next could turn to face him, he found Akira's right hand cleanly slicing his head in two.
Not missing a beat, the Vizard kicked open the door leading down into the tomb, startling a shinigami at the bottom floor. With a flick of his wrist, the blue glow enshrouding his arm bolted outwards, blowing the man in two. Swiftly he moved through the corridors, using kidou ancient and modern to kill everyone in his path. After a few short minutes, he reached the prison seal. Black eyes glinted with barely suppressed excitement, as he accessed his repertoire of ancient kidou spells. Among his Lords Lieutenants, he was the most proficient with kidou and Hollow techniques, excluding Kubo of course.
Setting up a barrier behind him, he began his horrendous work. He could feel the reitsu of the Wardens coming. They had heard the commotion and obviously found the dismembered corpses of their brothers. But by the time they reached the prison chambers it would be far too late.
“Are you sure this is a good idea Captain?'
“Of course it is Kaien, besides, don't you miss Kuchiki?”
“Well yeah, but ya know...The whole being dead thing...”
“Come now Kaien, you don't think our friends will -Oh hello Jidanbou!”
Said Guardian looked as though he had seen a ghost, eyes wide, and body visibly shaking. After all, these two men were dead. As in no longer among the living. As in they should not be here.
“Would you be so kind as to let us in, old friend?” Ukitake called up to the giant, a large friendly smile adorning his face. The only thing out of place on the old Captain was his missing hayori.
“Ya know, saving the world....Important business...That kind of stuff.” Kaien toned in lazily, offering a bored yawn to the towering figure.
Jidanbou, unsure of how to respond, but definitely able to tell that this mans reitsu matched Captain Ukitake's, stepped aside. His eyes remained transfixed on the pair as they made their way through the Seretei. Soon shinigami going about their daily business were gawking at the two as they made their way through the city of souls. Obliviously ignored by the two, once dead shinigami.
The lights in the prison chamber flared brightly, a loud humming reverberating through the chamber, blocking out the sounds of battle. While the seals had been broken a short 15 minutes prior, Akira had to hold off the remaining Wardens while his master broke free. But it was all over now. The Vizard had succeeded, and in a matter of seconds they would be reunited.
“Next we will go over the new types of pap-” Unohanna's motherly voice was cut short as the doors to the meeting hall opened, causing the gathered Captain's to turn their heads...or wake up. At first many of them were relieved for a distraction, but that relief soon turned to shock as Kaien and Ukitake walked into the room.
“Bad time?” Kaien intoned into the awkward silence.
“You've done well.” came the deep voice of Kubo Ouja, his red eyes staring down at the Vizard that had freed him.
“It was my duty, Great One.” came Akira's reply, his high pitched voice resounding off the walls. His steely black orbs facing the ground as he bowed to his god.
“And such duty...should be rewarded.” From behind him, a robed figure, dressed exactly like Akira tossed a katana onto the ground in front of the Vizard.
“K-Kisai!” the Vizard looked up to his lord for permission. The Vasto Lorde smiled and nodded, his grin widening once the Vizard picked up his ancient weapon.
“Now I think a homecoming is in order. But first....Let us stretch our....limbs.” the great lord of the hollows spoke, earning several malice filled chuckles from behind him.
“H-how is this possible?!” Renji stuttered first, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open in shock.
“I too wish to understand this.” came Byakuya's terse voice from his position, his ever judgmental eyes inspecting the pair.
“They're Wardens.”
Everyone's eyes shifted from the two Captains to the familiar voice, causing more shock and confusion in the meeting hall.
“Great, the freaks back.” Kenpachi was the first to speak, his one revealed eye rolling in irritation.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi stepped into the room, albeit missing his strange makeup and Captain's hayori. He explained to the assembled Captains how he had created a cell culture, and ordered his computer to regrow himself in the event of his death, earning horrified looks from his old colleagues.
Then, without missing a beat he continued on into an explanation of the Wardens.
“The Wardens are an ancient Shinigami order, created by the Spirit King himself to watch over his evil counterpart. The Hollow King, or Kubo Ouja. They are charged with maintaining the tomb that the king and his Lieutenants were sealed inside of. If they were to be released, the results would be catastrophic!”
“Which is why we're here, we need to access the 12th's libraries to find the spell work for the original seals. One has failed and we can't replicate it.” Ukitake chimed in, his voice pure business.
“That doesn't explain how you're here.” Byakuya this time, his eyes drilling holes into the former senior Captain.
“The Wardens have an ability to pluck souls from the reincarnation cycle, worthy shinigami that is, and give them a second chance to serve their King. How I can't wait to study you two!”
Head Warden Sasuke stared in horror at the sight before him. What he had spent the better part of eternity trying to stop, had ended up happening. And there was nothing he could do now. Slowly, almost as if they were enjoying his reaction, the deadly entourage approached him.
“Doki, show the good Warden how much we've appreciated his hospitality.” Kubo drawled, waving his hand at the most muscular of his servants.
In a whisper of Shunpo he was gone, appearing before the stunned man and burying his fist in his gut. Sasuke could do nothing but stare blankly in shock as the punch lifted him up off his feet. A split second later a knee collided with his jaw, sending teeth flying up into the air.
The Warden hit the ground hard and rolled, before shakily rising to his feet, pulling his zanpakutou from its sheath. Bravely he rushed forward, taking a swing for his opponents face, only to have the blade snap in half as soon as it connected. Sasukes sword arm was then grasped in Doki's large hand, and in an instant the bone was snapped in two, earning a loud scream. His scream was cut off by a boot to the face, caving the Head Wardens skull in.
“You enjoyed that far too much Doki.” came a shrill voice from behind Kubo.
“Shut up Bushou.”
Wordlessly, Kubo opened a large Gargantua, and led his Lieutenants through with a satisfied smirk. This time they would not fail.
