Chapter 87 : Between Life and Death.
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\Īsan POV/
I was levitating... In a completely dark place... There was a fog in this place... It seemed that from this fog, voices came but they were from mamy people, masculine and feminine voices saying many things. I did not recognized them.
"Join us.
Give in.
Let youself rest.
You have done enough.
You can close your eyes now.
There is no need to continue fighting.
Your fate is already decided.
Come with us.
You have to.
Come.
Come.
Come.
Come." After that it began to call me repeatedly.
'Where am I?' I was really confused.
"You said that my fate is decided. No, it is not. I am the Master of my own fate. No one will deny me that. I will not be controlled by rage and I will not be controlled by you." I told the Fog.
The Fog, then condensed and took a human shape. It had arms, legs and a face, but it's face did not had eyes, mouth or ears. Then the Fog came closer to me, entended its hands, grabbed my neck and lifted me up, I tried to break free from its grasp but it was too strong.
"Shhhhhhh. You can go now... Leave everything to me. I will make good use of it. I will kill Aizen, Consume the Soul King and Yjwach too. Don't worry, I will help the girls and everyone you love to grow stronger while you rest." The Fog said while increasing the strength of its grip, when its stremgth increased, mine decreased. It was trying to suffocate me.
'Well, if you said that you will help them and avenge me... Then I think I can... Go without... Any remorse... I can... Die... Happily.' My thoughts were beginning to slow down and my consciousness slip.
But after it said those things, I noticed that there was something strange with the Fog's voice. It was... Enchanting. Like it was the most beautiful lullaby. It almost made me give up when it said the first sentence.
When only a thread of my conscious remained, I suddenly remembered why I wanted to be strong. I wanted... I want to be feared, I want to be remembered. But, will I complete my wish If I die? Of course not!
My eyes that were losing focus, regained it and looked directly at the Fog. My hands that have become limp, regained its movements and I grabbed the Fog's arms that were holding my neck.
"Let everything to you? Why would I? I would not gain any type of recognition from killing Aizen and Yhwach, how can I let you gain it, while I die? No one will ever control me." I said when suddenly my entire body hurt, it was like I got the most heavy beatening. "Aaarrggg! Trying to use pain? No matter how much pain I'm feeling, I will not let you do as you please. Nothing will stand in the way of my ambition." While I said this, I regained my strength while the Fog became weaker and weaker.
When suddenly it dropped on its knees and I waa the one grabbing its neck with my left hand.
"It seems that the tables have turned." I told the Fog.
Suddenly, from my right arm, a golden fire came from it. It did not burned but it was conforting... Relaxing even. I saw that the Fog was trying to escape from my grasp by hitting my arm. Then, I moved my right arm and grabbed the Fog's face.
The golden fire passed to the Fog's body then it began to dissolve. But before it was gone, it said.
"Verywell, Īsan Shiruba. When you least expect, we will come back."
"If you do show up again, I just have to put you in your place or destroy you." I warned it.
Then, I looked around me and saw the dark place.
"Now... How the fuck do I get out of here? That Fog should have left instructions to leave this place." I wondered before I began to walk.
After walking for a few minutes, suddenly there was a blinding light on my left. Turning to see it, it was a really far away from me.
"Well... This is my only change of getting out of here." I shrugged and went to the light's direction.
On the way, I saw that the light was doing the same, it was coming to my direction. The closer it got, even more blinding it became. When it was close enough, it was so powerful that if I looked at it for more than a few seconds, I'm sure I would be blind. Suddenly.
"You have done a great job defeating the Fears inside of you." A voice said... Or should I say two?
In the middle of its phrase, the previously female voice, turned into a male's one. I tried to look at what or who it was but I could not.
"It is too soon for you to manage to look at me directly. You are way too weak." The voice said.
I had my hand on my face to protect my eyes from the light. "What do you mean by Fears?" I asked.
"I can't give you a detailed explanation. However, the Fears live deep inside of you and they are stopping you from unlocking your true potential. But now, you have weakened them enough. Now, you have unlocked one of the two locks that stop you from attain you true potential." The voice said.
"So... What is the next lock?" I asked.
"I cannot tell you. You must find that by yourself as the locks are completely different from each being. But be advised. Should you ever dominate the Ancient Power that is the Fears, you will become stronger than no one ever has. However, you should be warned that no one has ever managed to dominate them. They always corrupt their targets. Each and every single time you get angry and give in to your emotions. The Fears will become stronger and stronger... A pity. It seems that our time is running out. You must leave." It said.
"How do I leave and... Where the hell am I?"
"Currently... You are in a state between life and death. Aizen has perfurated you heart. Your body stopped breathing and died but your Soul refuses to get out of it... It is amusing in a certain way. "The vocie commented.
Looking at my chest, I saw the hole that Aizen left in it.
"Now I will give you a choice. Will you go the After Life and give up of your fight like a coward? Or will you come back and get stronger. Dominate the Fears and become the strongest?" The voices asked.
"Do you truly think of me as a coward? What do you think I will do? Of course I will come back!" I screamed back at the voice. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" My chest burned but I felt that the hole in it healed.
Suddenly, I opened my eyes.
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\Nemu POV/
Aizen's Reiatsu is leaving him.
"It is time for me to complete my mission..." I turned to Orihime. "Orihime, you have a mission to accomplish too." I told her.
When I said that, she did not answered and just stared at me but at least there was resolution in her eyes. Looking around, I saw Harribel, Sun, Rose, Apacci and Menoly. All of them minus Menoly were unconscious.
"This is pathetic. They always brag about being Father's first subordinates but when he requires assistance the most, they are down. Well, this doesn't matter. In the end, it changes nothing, our plan will continue. Orihime, Menoly. Collect all of our unconscious allies and bring them back to our Headquarters." I told them.
"I will get Rukia and Yoruichi." Orihime said.
"I will stay with Kūkaku, Nelliel and Cirucci." Meboly said.
I only nodded before dashing to where Father and Aizen fought. Once I reached there, I saw Father. He was heavily injured. There was cracks on his skin, he was lying in a pool of red blood while there was a hole in his chest.
Then I got near him to carry his body, but suddenly, I saw his finger twitching. Then his hand clenched and the hole in his chest healed.
"Hmm? Things did not went according to the plan." I wondered.
Then he opened his eyes.
"I did not expected to not be able to lift my body after dealing with Aizen. Well... It doesn't matter, the plan proceeds. Nemu, help me get up." Father asked.
"Of course, Father." I obliged and helped him get up.
Then, after he got up, I helped him go all the way to the Headquarters while feeling giddy that I was helping him, in this war, I only stood back and was not useful to him. I have been on the conference before the war and when I heard that Father would trust me the most important part of the plan, I felt so happy. But I almost passed out when he asked for my help.
When I sat him on a chair in the Headquarters, I said. "Father, everything is in their places."
"Good. Begin Operation God's Fall immeadiately." Father ordered.
"Yes, Father."