The Darkness In Our Hearts (TDiOH Bk1)

Chapter 21: Criminals and Saviours

Yesss, the blue dragon hissed in my head and my stomach rolled in terror. When had her voice become so creepy?

"You bloody-- Kera! You're going to pay for that!" Renji roared, coming at me with his sword.

What little bravado had flooded my veins with adrenaline just froze in terror at my impending doom. He had a weapon and I had just stepped into the heat of battle with only my bare hands. The ground between us was closing and for the first time in my life, I hesitated in battle. Too late, I made up my mind, my feet stumbling backwards, to dodge the reach of his sword.

But it was too late.

Across my chest, starting from my left shoulder to my right hip; one giant slash. Renji's momentum carried him into me, causing us both to fall on the ground, struggling. Pain, hot, burning pain ruptured along my skin; throbbing. For a second, the pain overwhelmed everything and I forgot how to breath, gasping for air as my hands grabbed the wound.

Get a hold of yourself! Pathetic! It's only a flesh wound – get back up and fight, the blue dragon snarled, her voice echoing in my head.

"Really? That's all?" My eyes darted to Renji standing above me, tip of his sword at my throat. "Are you not the same Kera who versed Kenpachi and almost beat him? Did you not defeat a Level 5 Hollow in this same world?" Barking laughter left his mouth and a kernel of anger flared within me. "Let me guess, they were all rumours."

Air hissed from between my clenched teeth as I raised myself onto my elbows and forearms. Blood pumped out of the wound, soaking my clothing, in time with my heart beat. "They weren't rumours," I seethed.

"Then maybe fanatical tales? They would have to be; you're barely stronger than-"

Flattening my palms on the ground, bending a knee and planting it on the ground, I pushed off the heel, bringing my other leg up, knee in his groin. He stumbled away, cursing in pain, while I pushed myself to my feet.

Blood gushed out of the wound now, pooling at my feet and slicking my hands brilliant red. Both shoulders ached now and it hurt to shift my weight onto my right leg. Teeth clenched, I tried to think through the pain fogging my brain.

Find a weapon.

Find a weapon.

A white stick, dazzling white like bone, sat in the shadow of a tree. I hobbled over quickly, knowing that I didn't have that much time. My hand wrapped around the rough wood just as I felt the shift in the air. I rolled to my right, eyes widening at the distance between me and Renji's blade. My reflection stared back at me for a millisecond before it hit the ground and I was rolling away, stick in hand.

Getting to my knees, I coughed heavy, chest heaving. I didn't even sense him coming until the last second.

"What's wrong? Getting slow?" Renji asked, glaring down at me. Gone was the smirk from before. "You know what, Kera? You're a disgrace to all soul reapers. I can't believe you would do that to your own lieutenant."

Yachiru, mouth slack, eyes widening. Fear stricken as blood blossomed on her clothing and on the ground at her little feet.

"Shut your mouth," I growled, pushing myself to my feet. Swaying, I levelled the stick in front of me. "You don't know a damn thing."

"And here you are, trying to protect a criminal," he continued.

"I fight for what I believe in and what you're doing is wrong!" I shouted at him. "She's still a part of the soul society; she's still fighting Hollows, even if she is getting someone else to help her!"

"So she did transfer her powers? Guess surveillance wasn't lying about that," Renji muttered, his grip tightening on his zanpakuto.

My blood ran cold at his swords. I had basically just ensured Rukia's death myself with my foolishness. Guilty, I ran at Renji and prayed the stick could withstand the pressure of a real weapon.

Our weapons clashed, his zanpakuto sinking into the wood of my stick and in desperation, I lashed out with my fist. He dodged my fist and allowed me to rip the stick from his zanpakuto. Again I attacked, using the stick like a zanpakuto; but it was useless. I couldn't land any life threatening blows and I was always sent retreating when he used his spiritual pressure to amplify his attacks.

Soon, my back was to a wall, literally. The stick, now snapped in two, was held in both hands. Blood kept flowing into my eyes from a wound on my forehead and it hurt to breath, my throat bruised from Renji's hilt jab. My chest, shoulders and right hip were completely numb, cold even and hated to think of what that meant.

"Renji," Byukya's voice rang out. Renji turned to face his captain, leaving himself open. But my body wouldn't move, finally giving up on me. All I could do was tremble with exhaustion and pain; I had already lost. My body's given up. "I think it's time to finish this up."

Grimly, Renji turned back to face me while my eyes locked onto Byukya. I hadn't seen him since the beginning of this whole mess, but I had felt his eyes on me the whole time. He just stared at me, as if he was staring down at the filth on his sandals. With disdain, hate and annoyance. 

You truly are pathetic, Kera, whispered the blue dragon. 

"I guess this is the end, Kera," Renji noted, raising his sword. "Say goodbye!"

Flinching my head away, eyes squeezed shut, I waited for the final blow. But none came, except the clashing of weapons and Renji grunting. The ground rumbled underneath my feet and my eyes opened to see....

Ichigo.

Standing off against Renji.

Protecting me.

Relief washed through me, at this orange haired boy, before my limbs went cold and they dropped from underneath me. I collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily.

"Kera!" Ichigo called out, glancing over his shoulder quickly, dragging his gaze away.

"No, don't!" I cried hoarsely. My voice was overcome with coughing and blood running over my lips. "Don't take your eyes off him."

My vision began to tunnel, to spin and whirl, distorting Ichigo's concerned face, then his back and Renji's angry snarl. Soon, it all began to flicker, white, black, white, black. Before I blacked out, a final thought came to me and it filled me with both fear and gratitude.

Am I finally going to die for my actions?