BFV Fan Fic: World's Rebirth

[Bacon]

I wanted my posts to count! xD

Actual Name: World's Rebirth (Failed title is fail)

Read spoiler if you aren't familiar with Bleach terminology.

Spoiler:

Before you read this, I'd just like to explain a few terms.

Reiatsu = Similar to chakra, it's the life force of the Bleach world.

Zanpaktou: Main weapon in Bleach, a sword that holds hidden powers.

Shikai and Bankai: The states of the released zanpakotu, shikai being the first and bankai being the second.

Well, I hope you enjoy the story, it's my first try at making a fanfic in a long time. Do note that this fictional story has bleach terminology,but the characters and plot are completely separate from the bleach series. No Copyrighted characters will be included.

***
Prologue:Civil war

The regulator, a soldier who fights on behalf of the soul society to maintain the balance of all worlds. These soldiers can wield inhuman strength,speed, and manifest what could only be the powers of a higher being, into reality. All was well for centuries, as the humans progressed and the lost souls, also known as hollow increased in number; the regulators worked ever diligently to prevent a cataclysm. However, the regulators were once human, despite being the spirits of the dead. These people retained their human nature, the likes of which eventually lead to an irreconcilable divide in their ranks. These people came to call themselves lmatores lucem.

In an attempt to prevent a civil war amongst the divided regulators, the head captain Schillender allowed them to secede without a fight. With time the two factions were able to reconcile their differences and become a loose alliance between the two when faced with an unprecedented hollow threat. But human nature took control of both sides once the threat was minimized, which lead to open warefare between the factions. Upon the imaginary battle line that officially was named Terra nulla humana, an unprecedented war raged on. Despite the precautions taken by both sides, crops were periodically burned and an unsustainable loss of life continued to weighed heavily upon the minds of the people. Thus, multiple temporary cease fires were drafted time and time again, but the soul society's very foundation was slowly becoming being torn asunder by the warefare. Yet, the leaders on either side would not let their pride go and kept the fighting going until Captain tokogora took it upon himself to negotiate with the lmatora lucem.

It was the dead of night when Captain Tokogora tried to leave without a trace,but he could not fool his most loyal subordinates. A women stood outside his house, her hair cascaded down her shoulders while her kimono tightly hugged her curved physique. With the slightest smile when he realized that he wasn't leaving alone, " Captain you didn't think you could simply walk out on us, did you"? Tokogora felt a little frustrated,but he never let anyone know how he was feeling as he confidently said," Oh hey, you guys got me. I was just going to, go find some honeys before the big fight"! Without any real warning, a fully cloaked man appeared out of nowhere as he balanced on the captain's shoulder on his toes. Unlike the other reapers, this man chose to cover his entire body including his zanpaktou in a pitch black cloak. He quickly replied to the captain in the same informal manner, " We all know you would pursue any woman other than the lieutenant. What's your real errand at this time of night, sir"? The captain replied hastily while his cheeks grew red, " You know, I outta punish you nimrods when you address with in such a manner! Since I know you won't leave me be, I'm going to other faction to negotiate a permanent peace treaty." The woman who was rather relaxed up until that point sternly replied, " That's considered treason sir, you shouldn't go without the Head captain's permission. I know you won't falter in your decision, so let's head out while we have the cover of darkness. The Mid night patrol won't have their guard dogs because they in the getting their annual check ups".

With that, the trio set off towards the other encampment with little to no difficulty. The once lush fields of the soul society were now stark wastelands. First off, the moment you leave the protection of the outer settlements, the air becomes increasingly unbearable to breath in, the ever present stench of the dead permanently pervades the air. With the vacuum of vegetation, the once soothing winds now drew up lethal amounts of debris in the frequent and erratic dust storms. For the average soul society citizen, these conditions were lethal. As for the regulators, it was often an inconvenience that often lead distractions during combat, once fatigue sunk in. Normally the trip for high ranking officers would be rather short,but the need to conceal their energies made the trip an over night endeavor.

At dawn, the trio came within the city limits of lmatores lucem,but things were not as they seemed. At the half way mark, they sensed a spike in energy that lead them to believe that the lcumen were conducting training exercises. However, they would be greeted by a ravaged settlement. On the outskirts of the citadel, lied the towering gate of Amirith. It once stood proudly in the sun's rays, with it's excellent crafted emblem shimmering in the day. Now, the once gate's doors was shattered and strewn about a field of ligaments, muscle, and blood.

Still to come: Chapter 1: Rebirth

[Devroux]

O>O

Bacon's a good writer.

[Bacon]

:3 Thanks Devvy.

[Bacon]

***
Chapter 1:Rebirth

The City of Civitatem super montem was once a proud bustling city that stretch for miles, one could say that it was just as big, if not larger than the seireitei. The inhabitants of this city all revolved around a vast market square, which served primarily as the focal point for the small farmers and artisans who produced various goods, such as clothing and gourmet foods. Now, all that remained was a mass of seemingly deserted ruins. What separated the city from others was the way it was built. The Towering citadel was built directly into the neighboring mountain. What's more are the levels and subterranean network of tunnels that stretched for hundreds, if not thousands of miles east. Although, one would not notice this because the higher levels were int he heart of the city and the tunnels were well guarded. For the opposing military government, the 13 court guard squads, this tunnel system always made them leery. This is because the true nature of the network is unknown, rumor has it that it held the lmatores lucem's most guarded secrets.

Tokogara and his subordinates found themselves amidst a disturbing scene when they reached the Market square. Tokogara addressed his lieutenant with a sense of much disbelief in his voice, " What do you make of this Meiling? I find it hard to believe that there is no sign of life anywhere in this damned city". Meiling, at that moment was kneeling down next to a trail of blood, " Captain, it seems there was a struggle here. But you know as well as I do, that their presence could be masked. I'll need a few minutes to find them". Tokogara knew that she was anything but slow, her sensory skills were nearly unmatched. While she regained her grip, tokogara addressed his 3rd seat, Exotor, " You've been awfully quiet, what's got your attention"? Before Exotor could respond, Meiling said, " Captain, I found something towards the citadel. It's faint, but there is definitely something worth investigating up there". With a nod of acknowledgement, the trio headed toward the towering Citadel; the likes of which seemed to flirt with the clouds and go on into the heavens,forever.

Since there seemed to be no opposition, they ramped up the pace and used Shunpu, also known as the flash step technique to move faster. This technique works by concentrating one's reiatsu towards the user's heel and quickly releasing it simultaneously to travel faster. Using this short burst technique is not meant for long distances,but rather for short distances when not in combat. This is because the technique actually drains the user because it takes a lot of physical stamina to maintain their pace, even for an officer. After a few minutes, they arrived upon a stairway which seemed to have hundreds of steps as it climbed up to the main plateau leading into the citadel. There they witnessed a shrouded regulator, who besieged the structure.

From the guard tower a woman gave orders to her subordinates," Don't give an inch fellas, fight back"! Her voice was rather distressed and rightly so, with but a swing of his arm,the lone regulator unleashed an appendage with a dark,erratic amorphous form. It unleashed what sounded like incessant screams of people in agony, while various heads poked their heads out from the main mass. This appendage was stopped in its tracks by a translucent wall of light, which seemed to actually crack under the stress the of attack. Out of nowhere, a woman leaped from a higher window in the towering structure and dived through the recovering wall of light. It was at this moment that her subjects cried out to her, " No, your highness! What are you doing"?! However, it was already too late because the mysterious woman left.

Towards the end of her arc, she past the attacker while quickly thrusting her zanpaktou into his skull. Afterwards she kneeled for a moment to regain her balance. Her hair was kept in an elaborate braid, her kimono had a rather loose fit,but it still failed to completely hide her feminine figure. The most intriguing feature she had was her flawless skin,which had an alabaster look to it. As she stood up, she smirked at the trio who were surprised to see someone of royalty with the ability to fight.All the while, her subjects briefly celebrated her victory. However, their cheers quickly soured into cries of despair, because the demonic being was not vanquished.

Instantly all eyes and ears were on the regulator, who causally pulled the elegantly crafted blade from his skull. He gazed at it for a moment and then spontaneously laughed by himself. As he turned, he addressed his audience, " I'm not laughing at you for futilely attacking me, but I was thinking of this funny joke with a turtle and icecrea--". In the middle of the fiend's rambling, Tokogara interrupted him, " Brother, is that really you"? In an insincere tone, he said, " I thought we were close brother, how could you not recognize me"?

In response to this, Tokogara said, " You are obviously the one who massacred this city. Your reiatsu signature is altered, your ability to hide your presence is the same, and your face is that of my brother. Even if the facts are inconsistent, it was actually inappropriate laughter and explanation about a joke that set me off". Why, why did you do this?! Please tell me that I am wrong in assuming it was you"! The alleged kin of tokogara's countenance became stern before he replied, " It is me brother, but I have merely decided to purge this world and rebuild it from the ground up. For me to do this, one must destroy before the healing can begin". Now angered by this madness, Tokogara replied, " Who do you think you are brother, what makes you think you are fit to judge others? You talk as if you are doing the world a favor,but in reality you are simply slaughtering indiscriminately". Before replying, the shrouded figure laughed briefly," Brother, I am beyond your comprehension. For you see, every person assimilated in my body will be reborn. They will ultimately retain their personalities,but their ideals, philosophies, and prerogatives on live will be uniform. With uniformity, there will be no conflict if there are no differences amongst each other, thus true peace will finally come to pass". Tokogara replied, " That isn't peace,it is madness! Even if you could bring back those who were slaughtered today, what makes you think that it is right to force your way of life on others"?

Without warning, the shrouded figure grasped his cloak and pulled it open. Underneath was a stitch that lined the center of his torso, that seemingly separated of its own accord. In the intricate network of organs and blood vessels, the stomach seemed to stand out from the rest. Unlike the other putrid organs, the stomach pulsated while faces of what could only be described banshees and specters bulged out. Just as quickly as he revealed himself, he concealed himself just as swiftly. The alleged brother responded with, " Brother, their souls linger in a never ending vortex in the depths of my stomach. They will be reborn in time". To demonstrate his abilities, he held his arms out while a dark mass that radiated with reiatsu sat upon his palms. Within moments, the amorpheus mass took the shape of a baby. it did what you could expect a newborn to do, it cried out uncontrollably. Without hesitation, he said to his audience ," Go ahead and sense its vitals. It is a child that I hold in my hand". Tokogara and his companions stared in awe, for it did have that crucial sign of life that only regulators could sense. Still, he was not satisfied to simply gape at the miracle," Brother, do you think you are god? People do not need to be need changed, because it is diversity that makes us human".

Quickly absorbing the child back into his pores, tokogara's brother replied," It is those differences that are the root of all evil. I will give you one chance, join me now and be apart of something larger than yourself, Or be forcefully assimilated".

Still to come:

Chapter 2: Encounter

[Devroux]

Your imagery is really well done. Vivid.

[Bacon]

:3 Thanks dev,but it feels incomplete though. V_V

[Lone_Espada]

Loved it.

[Bacon]

Thanks Lone, I'm working on Chapter 2. :3

[Lone_Espada]

Can't wait for it!

[Bacon]

Chapter 2: Encounter
***

I felt that there was no reason for words anymore, so I let my actions speak from themselves by taking an aggressive fighting stance. By flicking my zanpaktou's hilt with my thumb, I loosened it and made it easier to draw at a moment's notice. At the same time, I crouched slightly while focusing almost exclusively on my brother,but something would disrupt thickened atmosphere. At first it was but a gurgle coming from my brother's stomach, but then that sound instantly became more reminiscent of someone in a desperate struggle. From the looks of things, it was not only a surprise to us,but to my brother as well. For he looked a little sick for a moment. That is, until a familiar face pried my brother's torso open; there he fell to the ground exhausted and distraught. His breathing was labored and much of his body was without form. One half looked human and the other looked like a writhing mass of muscle, which looked as if dozens of people were trying to escape. Their featureless bodies were merely a silhouette of their former selves, bulging from the main mass and quickly retracting afterwards. Yet the most trouble features were the mutations that surfaced throughout his body, jagged scales lined his right arm. Normally this feature would be of no consequence, for this was an espada. The imperfect product of regulators and those souless beings, known as Hollow. Yet, there was something more elusive going on here.

The espada did not try to stand, because his body looked worn out since the last time that I saw him. In a rather humble yet distressed tone, he said. " Tokogara, you must put aside our past transgressions and heed my warning. Your brother, he is a madman. The wretch result of a nearly perfect union between regulator and hollow". This awoke a sense of rage from the captain, who said, " You did this to my brother, didn't you"!? In an unusually weak tone, the espada replied," It is my fault, but I beg of you to hear me out. His body will only be disrupted for a few more minutes and that's it". Tokogara normally weighed his options with great care,but he had no choice in this matter. If this monster had some information about his sibling, then he had no alternative. IN response, he asked,"Alright, what can you tell me about my brother, Nithalak"? The eyes of the espada had some relief in them, perhaps he had felt some remorse or he had other reasons. His tone hastened when he said, " Your brother can assimilate live beings into self and gain their their strength. He has essentially devoured millions of hollow and upset the balance of our worlds. You could not have known this, since the change was so abrupt. Fear not, if your brother is slain; balance will be restored. One last piece of information, his zanpaktou serves as the medium between him and his hollow form. If you a---" Before he could finish, two worm like appendages shrieked while rushing from the Tokogara's bother. These appendages had a similar layer of scales and amorphous specters aligning their bodies. In addition to these features, their mouths were cylindrical in nature,each possessing a multitude of teeth which looked more akin to railroad spikes. Each of which pieced his body.

The attacked espada was pinned against the ground, frantically gasping for air. He said, "My my general Nithalak, wouldn't wanting them to find out how to kill me now. Too bad, you were the only one who knew my body's Achilles heel. You must learn your place, Fool. When Death is entreated, the battle is decided". Even when his body was in such in a weakened state, he managed to muster one last burst of strength by tossing Mei ling a lone computer chip. Unfortunately, it would be his last hurrah because he body became limp once more, leaving him pinned again.Before he was shoved into the ground, he managed to turn 180 degrees, which left him pinned on his stomach. Now, those same spikes struck every one of his organs. Even as blood flowed from his mouth, he made the effort to give his dying words he said, " Girl, your reputation as a scientist precedes you. Protect that chip with your life, it is what's left of my research. Crack the mysteries of my creation and avenge my people, I beg of you. Fighting was the only thing, the only thing that made me feel alive.... I know that I can never be forgiven, but here is a last present for you, I'll stem his regeneration"! Without warning, a hidden syringe was pulled from his sleeve using his reiatsu as strings. Immediately, he redirected those same strings to pull his arm towards the appendage that impaled him. This was done by using his shoulder as a focal point, while quickly using focus alone to slide the focal point away from one shoulder to the next.

At the point of injection, nothing seemed to happen. While slightly laughing by himself, the shrouded regulator said, " Stubborn old fool, he was being broken down in my stomach for nearly a decade. Yet he was still able to muster the strength to overpower me. He was truly worthy of the title, Fierce. Now then brother, shall we continue where we left off"? In response, Tokogara said," Mei ling run"! Now the captain drew his zanpaktou while a sudden burst of blinding light temporarily engulfed him. Once it faded, he was armed with a sword which had menacing teeth jutting from where the razor should have been. Meanwhile, his sheath had disappeared and was replaced by a kite shield that was already strapped to his left arm. It possessed an artificial exuberance. The two warriors engaged each other almost out of instinct, each trying to exploit the other person's openings. Tokogara's blade was suddenly encompassed by a shimmering aura while attempted to slash his brother. Not to be hit to easily, his brother responded by unleashing a dark aura that enshrouded his palm and allowed him to catch the blade with his bare hand. Once the two opposing powers collided, the harsh shrill of 1000 thousand souls was released. Not to be outdone, the rouge regulator quickly raised his free palm, while was now enshrouded by the same malevolent aura. Only this time, he was able to muster more power which caused the aura to look more like an encapsulated tempest of souls. Which he used by thrusting his arm towards his brother, who immediately swung his shield to meet the attack and nearly match its blunt force. Yet, Tokogara was not able to fully match his brother's unbridled strength and was sent careening over a nearby cliff.

The result of the attack not only caused the captain to lose grip on his zanpaktou,but his wrist was also sprained in the process. Not to be taken out so easily, he swung his arm wielding the shield towards the cliff. This action caused a random array of chains made of what would appear to be shimmering light burst from the middle of the shield and into the cliff. After a moment or two, his chains were able to gain a hold on the cliff. Yet he was not without injury, because of the sudden action; he slammed him the side, almost becoming unconscious. He had no time to rest because a massive wave of spines flowed off the edge of the cliff like a waterfall. Being in no shape to retaliate, the captain could only wait for his imminent demise. Or so he thought, because he heard a loud roar come from the plateau. Which had caused the spines quickly retract, but who could be fighting him? Knowing he had no other choice, he ignored the sharp pain from his right wrist and grasped the cliff's edge. Using his shielded arm, he created another chain that shot onto the plateau. Even though it was risky, he hastened the pace of the ascension, which literally sent him soaring above the battle, to see the princess, Mei ling, and Exotor fighting his brother. So he not only used his reiatsu to act as a magnet and reel his sword in, but he prepared to go all out. That is, until his brother became wise to this and sent an writhing appendage straight that was on a collision course with his heart.

Chapter 3: An unforeseen complication

[-Naruto-]

Loving this.

[Bacon]

:3 Thanks Naruto.

[Bacon]

Chapter 3

***

That is, until his brother became wise to this and sent an writhing appendage straight that was on a collision course with his heart.

Tokogara froze because he knew there was nothing he could do to defend himself against his brother's worm-appendage. The appendage rapidly grew from his brother's arm, its fat ebbing and flowing as it pursued its prey.Its cylindrical mouth was lined with teeth which possessed a multitude of teeth, the likes of which seemed to be akin to railroad spikes. Amongst the ridges that form from its fat, a malevolent tumors which seemed to consist of silhouettes of people lined the worm's body. Before Tokogara could be slain, Exoter shoved him out of the way. In a selfless act of bravery, Exotor saved tokogara from a grisly death.

The worm caught exotor by his torso and pinned him into the earthen plateau with incredible force. Its head its head to scrape its prey body across the cement, leaving a grisly trial of blood in its wake. Tokogara tried to help his friend, but his legs just wouldn't respond. Was it panic, fatigue, or grief? All he knew is that he had to do something. As fast as his body would respond, he staggered to his feet and chopped down into the worm's body. The jagged teeth aligning the sword's blade while saturating his zanpaktou in reiatsu, essentially sawing through the tough carapace and searing the flesh simultaneously. The insect's head was not severed completely,but its wound was deep enough to slay it; which caused blood to flow freely from his mouth while spraying tokogara. Once it flopped to the floor, he felt his strength waning and his breathing labored.

Filled with feelings of regret and dishonor, the world melted away. All he could think about was how he had failed his friend, but something stirred from the corpse. The gaping hole in its torn chest began to fill with a fungal growth, one that seemed to repair his fallen comrades' body. While it festered and multiplied, the incessant sound of chattering insects exuded its mass. Slowly, Exotor rose to his feet. The flesh under his jaw seemed to slowly separate and take the shape of a gruesome set of mandibles. The infected man bobbed his head momentarily, but he quickly switch gears with the intent of driving its weapon into his captain's heart. Tokogara quickly reacted by using his shield to block the attack, but the possessed regulator continued with his onslaught by redirecting his blade point up while using his free hand to knock tokogara off balance. Exotor who now had his captain pinned to the floor applied continuous pressure with his right arm while raising his left hand up with the intent of killing tokogara. At the last moment, he poured reiatsu into his blade and intercepted the claw, which caused his zanpaktou to glow with great intensity. Using the momentary opening, he drove his blade into Exotor's palm and caused streams of chains to restrain him. Once he was bound, the fanatical beast struggled for a moment, roaring at the top of its lungs.

To stop the fanatical specter from struggling further, tokogara pulled talisman out and shove it into Exotor's skull. " I know you're in there Buddy, Snap out of it" Tokogara cried out in frustration. The eyes of the once blood thirsty Exotor momentarily lost their blind rage. In a rather weak voice he said, "Captain, you must slay me before they take over my body once more. I am too far gone to be helped, please end this". Before tokogara could respond, the blood lust returned and left tokogara open for a sneak attack. The beast's tongue shot out to pierce the captain's left shoulder, it bulged and shrunk while injecting an unknown substance into the captain. With nothing left to say, the reluctant captain raised his shield and plunged the blunt face of the side arm into Exotor's skull; instantly shattering it into an unrecognizable mess.

" Brother, it was a necessary evil", said the shrouded regulator. Normally Tokogara would have responded,but his spirit and his body were shattered. Mei ling knew not to act without orders, but her captain was unable to continue any further. So she did her best to hide her nervous tendencies and addressed the shrouded figure, " Hey, if you want to continue this fight, then you're going to have to go through me". The shrouded figure was now focused on the bold woman and said, " What has sparked this sudden outburst? You who stood there while your friend was being torn to ribbons, would dare to challenge me? If you want to volunteer yourself to the void early, I'll happily oblige your eagerness to die".

Quickly, Mei ling drew upon a surprising power that no one had expected her to know, Shunko. This technique was developed centuries ago and it combined the ancient art of the Bakudo and hado techniques. In the blink of an eye, a tempest of random streams of power flowed from her body. Quickly she chanted the incantation for her spell, " I call upon thee, that which is without end! Heed my cry and lend me thy strength, bakudo 24: Natur Zorn"! Using her fist as a focal point, she thrusts her fist forward to unleash an innumerable group of ethereal trees at the figure. The Resulting attack causes the entire plateau to shake with an unreal intensity, while nailing the shrouded figure against the Citadel's illuminating barrier. Dust filled the air, obscuring the view of all those who watched in eager anticipation, hoping the attack finished the spectral being.

To their dismay, he stood there seemingly un-phased by the effects of the spell. "Ouch,aren't you quite the showstopper aren't you, my dear", he said while momentarily laughing by himself. he continued in a sadistic cheerful manner, " That is one of the few times that someone managed to actually cause me pain. No matter, there is much work to be done. The end is nigh, my friends. What kind of monster would I be if I died before the climax"? Now in a greatly disturbed manner, Mei ling said, " This isn't a game you creep, lives are on the line"! Still being jubilant, the shrouded figure said, " Patience, Patience! Soon all will come to a close. Seven Days, seven days until the grand unveiling. Until then, I bid you adieu". In the blink of an eye, a viscous tremor shook the ground so violently, that it caused everyone to lose their balance. Out of the ground, sprang a massive worm who swallowed the Tokogara's brother.

[Makoto Cifer]

This is amazing, simply amazing, bacon! You must've worked on each chapter for a long time.

[Bacon]

:3 Thanks Mako, I poured everything I had into every detail. Hopefully it will be enough when the story takes place on a grander stage.

[Makoto Cifer]

Originally Posted by Bacon

:3 Thanks Mako, I poured everything I had into every detail. Hopefully it will be enough when the story takes place on a grander stage.

Your imagery certainly proves that, bacon. Grander stage??

[Bacon]

Grander or bigger, I'm planning an invasion of sorts. Although, the amount of writing for that will give me a heartattack. xD

[Makoto Cifer]

Originally Posted by Bacon

Grander or bigger, I'm planning an invasion of sorts. Although, the amount of writing for that will give me a heartattack. xD

I think your up for the task, bacon. I'm also going to be posting my fan fic soon, after my laptop gets fixed....

[Bacon]

Good luck Mako. :P

___

***Chapter 4***

Soon all will come to a close. Seven Days, seven days until the grand unveiling. Until then, I bid you adieu". In the blink of an eye, a viscous tremor shook the ground so violently, that it caused everyone to lose their balance. Out of the ground, sprang a massive worm who swallowed the Tokogara's brother.

In the blink of an eye, the ground under the spectral regulator was torn asunder. From the resulting fissure sprung a gargantuan worm. Its thunderous roar resounded through the ruins of the once great city. It's fat ebbed and flowed while it writhed in place, taking a hostile stance towards the on lookers nearby. Tokogara who was thought to be a broken man sprung to his feet with is zanpaktou in hand. His charge was staggered as if he was intoxicated, but he managed to maintain his balance while extending his right arm back to sever the worm's head. A cloud of dust was thrown up due to the beast's girth,but it slowly dissipated to reveal a vulnerable captain. A rare sight to behold, because captains never showed weakness in front of their subordinates and adversaries. Always pushing themselves to their breaking point, a captain usually died due to exhaustion, rather than the blade of a foe. Despite his extensive injuries, he still tested his physical endurance and said. " Let's go Mei ling". His lieutenant was distressed by the sight and said, " Put your pride aside captain, we can't leave with your condition. You'll die just like all the others". The stubborn fool did not bother to respond and began to walk away from the group of survivors. But, Mei ling would not have this madness. In an act of treason, she struck Tokogara in the stomach with her elbow, which caused him to collapse and his taxed breathing to worsen.

From the couple's rear the princess of Civatem super montem dressed them, " Captain, it's obvious to me that you mean more to her than she lets on. Is being a captain really worth hurting her more"? In a candid tone he said, " It is my duty to stand as the pillar for my subordinates, I have no such luxury to display weakness". The princess who was now walking away paused momentarily to say, " We owe no favor to the ilk of the Seiretei,but we are in great debt to you Captain. You and your lieutenant may reside here until your brother's return". Tokogara glanced at his lieutenant and decided to step down as her captain, " I am not fit to be your superior Mei ling. I have not only failed you,but I failed our dear friend Exotor. Let's take the princess up on her offer before she changes her mind". Despite all the impending hardships they were going to face, Mei ling smile while supporting Tokogara as they made their way to the Citadel's main entrance.

Upon entering the towering structure, the two foreigners were in awe at the innovation within. Just by glancing at a nearby map, there were hundreds, if not thousands of tunnels intersecting within the mountain's domain. The walls of the structure which one expects to be riddled with stalactite, were all smoothed out by the inhabitants. Adorning even the most insignificant features of the room were elegant carvings in the rails leading up the stairs, to magnificent portraits of past heroes. The sensation of awe was short lived because the Tokagara and his companion received scowls filled with distrust and resentment. Not to linger long in one area, the couple stuck close to their host who lead them down to a secluded room. " Uh princess, what are we doing here"? tokogara asked. They stood in the command center of the structure, with several people frantically working on keeping the system from being clogged with requests. The woman responded by saying, "Call me Kae, captain. Before you check up with our medical staff, I'm sure you want to address the seireitei about your brother". This was true in a sense, he knew he would eventually have to contact them,but he was not in a hurry to do so. " Captain, you're private line will be patched in any moment", said one of the numerous attendants working on the control panels.

Turning about face, he faced the screen to see his friend Artimus reinor. in a weary voice the captain spoke with the timid fellow, " Lieutenant, patch me through to the Head captain". The fellow was a little perturbed, as if he couldn't believe his eyes,he said " Captain Tokogara, what are you doing there? You know how bad this looks don't you"? The captain took a deep breath, the likes of which conveyed a sense of impatience and said, " Arty, patch me through to the Head Captain". Not willing to pursue an answer any further, the lieutenant did as he was ordered and the screen switched to the head Captain Shliinder.

There stood the head of the Seireitei, Shillinder. His shoulders broad and his facial features rough.His eyes were the most striking feature about him though, possessing a strained quality. This man has been has been ravaged by war, which has not only left his body scarred, but his psyche was affected too. No longer the confident leader he once was, he carries a deep sense of guilt and is quick to suspicion and anger. His gaze was set upon the captain as he said, " What are you doing in the Lmatore's command center, boy"? Now taking a submissive tone, Tokogara said, " That is not important captain, I have dire news". His audience was not pleased, as was evident by the anger within his tone. He pursued his question, " What are you doing there, Boy"? Tokogara who was known never to lie, complied and said, " I came to the capital city to seek negotiations of peace without informing any higher command". The head captain now seemed to be a bit hysterical, chuckling briefly to himself. He responded with a stern tone, " What news do ye have traitor"? Now a bit distressed, the accused said, " Stop this nonsense captain, you have known me since I was a child. I came here voluntarily to seek a peaceful resolution to our long standing war with out cousins, nothing more and nothing less". Still unconvinced, the head captain responded frankly by saying, " You are hereby exiled from the Seireitai Tokogara. I cannot trust the garbage that you spew, begone from us or suffer the capital punishment". Before Tokogara could respond, he reached forward to shut the channel off. Not knowing what to say, Kae broke the silence by saying, " Let's get you checked up captain". The woman proceeded to give the couple a nudge away from the room,but tokogara was resistant. He said, " I have to try reason with somebody, there's too much riding on the line here". Now a little frustrated with him, Kae struck his neck to knock him unconscious temporarily.

He awoke in a daze, already lying in a hospital bed. Feeling a little dizzy, he tried to get up. However, he was stopped by the Iv that was at struck in his right arm. No one was in the room except Kai was examining some X-rays taken while he was unconscious. She didn't look too happy when she turned towards him. Which in itself worried Tokogara, so he asked, " How long do I have Kae"? She took a seat next to his bed and tried to exude some confidence, but her tone was rather grim when she said, " Captain, you're body is being ravaged by tumors lodged within your heart. This is either coincidence or your brother is a meticulous mastermind.Even with drugs to inhibit the foreign growth, you may not live longer than 8 or 9 days". In that moment, Kae couldn't figure out if his change in attitude was a facade or something genuine, " Heh, than I suppose my job is to stop my brother on the 7th day. Wait, where's mei ling"? She felt a bit confused, but she went along with the sudden change and answered his question, " She's anaylizing Nithalak's data to uncover your brother's true nature. I must say, she's really dedicated to her task, sometimes ceasing to blink". Now in a calmer tone he said, " That's Mei ling alright, she's a dedicated scientist". With that said, Kae left the room to let the captain rest.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the seemingly perpetual wasteland on the outskirts of the rival civilizations, the crazed sibling festered beneath the surface. Because of Nithalak, his body was deteriorating faster than he had anticipated. What he was residing in was a gargantuan mass of ever changing flesh. It center is a spherical in shape, but almost entirely made of liquid. Extending from the center mass is a network of tentacles who were reminiscent of pulsating veins. Within all this bodily fluid, the phantom slumbered until week's end. Yet, his mind was not one to be idle during this time of rest. Using his reiatsu as a medium for communicating with his queens, he contacted them all at once psionically, " Andriel, Lillith, Serenthia"! Moments later, two of the three queens responded to his call, " Master Tal Rasha"! Feeling his anger boiling over, Tal inquired about Andriel, " Where's Andriel, she should have started her metamorphisis". Lillith was quick to answer, " Please do not be angry master, she is playing with her prey. I have taken over her portion until she returns". Adding to the desperate plea, Serenthia added her two cents, " I have been helping as well master Tal"! Tal Calmed himself down before replying, " Well then, how is your progress"? In a more joyous tone Serenthia said, " Everything is going according to plan, safe for Andreil's slack. We have already begun to sew our presence into the districts of the Seireitei's civilian populace. However, there is a complication being caused by one of the patrol groups". Tal laughed momentarily before pursuing an explanation, " What could this lowly regulator do to inhibit the infestation"? Lillith replied swiftly by saying, " One of the Lieutenants from seireitei has voluntarily taken up a patrol assignment due to Tokogara's absence. What's most troubling about him is the fact that he can sense our minute presence with stunning accuracy, our element of surprise would be gone if we out right killed him". " Very well then, I'll leave up to you to solve this dilemma" Tal said before resuming his slumber.

Andriel what have you done!?

Still to come: Chapter 5 The infestation