Obscaenus: The Trials of Aizen Sōsuke

♠:: Part 3: Sentenced, Immolated, Survived

Note: this chapter contains scenes of being burned alive. Discretion is advised.

CENTRAL 46, inner sanctum

"It would seem that so long as your flesh yet exists, you refuse to do the decent thing and expire," today the presiding judge was female, her voice shrill and haughty like a viola. It was clear she found this whole situation to be in very poor taste –– not least of all his refusal to die with 'dignity'.

"Hmh," he snorted loudly, the sound echoing off the dour walls of the 'sacred' hall, "This is becoming rather farcical at this stage, don't you think?" as he spoke, his gaze slid from plaque to plaque, his tone awash with mocking; assured in his own endurance and their inability to affect him.

"So do inform me, enthrall me, with details of today's murder plot."

"Murder?! This is no murder!" spat one of the wise men, probably covering the wooden board that acted to shield his face with those same words, "This is retribution! This is what you deserve, you monster!"

"The unlawful killing of a reasonable person with malice aforethought express or implied... Dress your conduct up as you wish," his gaze drifted back to the presiding judge, "But at least be direct about what you intend to do."

"Unlawful? We are the law makers of Soul Society, you insolent child. It is we who decide what crimes have been committed and what the punishment should be," the female judge's voice was tight on her lips, clearly she was doing all she could to remain composed but the facade was slipping. None of them were capable of remaining calm before him.

"Ho... That's an interesting perspective. To think such a useless rabble as you lot would deem yourselves to be the law... truly laughable," with a sneer he held his arms out, "I do not recognise the rule of weaklings and cowards."

"TAKE HIM AWAY!" the female judge's composure shattered, her voice turning from viola to broken glass, as she began to shriek for attendants to come and drag him away. As they did so she shouted after him, "AIZEN SŌSUKE! I SENTENCE YOU TO DEATH BY IMMOLATION!"

Aizen allowed himself to be dragged, but made no effort to aid his jailors; instead maintaining a steady gaze upon the congregation who were up in arms. An intensity glimmered in his eyes as he spoke, "I see... so you think that if my flesh is reduced to ash, and there's nothing left to reconstitute, that will be the end of me? What a fascinating proposition –– but I can tell you now it will not work."

"SILENCE!"

&& ~ 1 day later

SOUL SOCIETY, Rukongai wilderness

The sun was high in the sky by the time they finally paraded him out into the very rurals of Soul Society. Off to a specially-crafted execution ground that was incredibly reminiscent of the Sōkyoku Hill. A pyre had been built, surrounded by Kidō wards, and several prominent members of the Kidō corp were standing by, masters of fire Hadō or so it seemed if their reiatsu was anything to go by.

A tense air seeped through the site, everyone on tenterhooks. Except for the prison himself who radiated nothing but a cat-like amusement as he observed the situation. That seemed to cause their hackles to rise further, adding to the tension.

Good.

Once more Aizen was affixed to a structure, several restraints used to both affix him in place and suppress his powers; he continued to play along with these useless toys. In truth, he was fascinated to discover whether the Hōgyoku had any limitations. He knew it did not, but there was a profound desire to prove his own hypothesis right.

Thanks to Kurosaki Ichigo, he was assured of his own immortality. And he could use this lot to prove his theorem beyond reasonable doubt.

"Aizen Sōsuke," the leader of the Kidō Corp stepped forward, "Thus far you have resisted your fate, but by our hand your body and your soul will burn away and finally we will have given effect to the sentence passed by Central 46. I will not ask you to show remorse, nor will I invite you to say your final words. Prepare yourself."

"And what Hadō will you be using?" Aizen cocked his head to the side and studied the group of Kidō masters from his vantage point above them, "You do realise that even Kidō in the ninties has proven utterly ineffective against me, do you not?"

A palpable agitation swept over the practitioners, he could hear their jaws setting and soft hisses escaping through their tightly clenched teeth; they were just as afraid as their masters. They ought to be. His smirk grew. Suddenly the corp commander cleared his throat, "It's certainly true that thus far you've managed to weather one or two high-level Kidō but that does not mean you will survive numerous fired at you all at once... Let us begin!" the aged man clapped his hands together and began to chant.

The others around him followed suit.

"Senjū no hate, todokazaru yami no mite, utsurazaru ten no ite! Hikari wo otozu michi, hidane wo aoru kaze! Tsudoi temadō na, waga yubi wo miyo! Kōdan, hasshin, kujō, tenkei, shippō, dairin, haīro no hōtō! Yumihiku kanata, kōkō toshite kiyu! "

In perfect synchronization the commander and his officers shouted "HADŌ NO KYŪ-JŪ-ICHI –– SENJŪ KŌTEN TAIHŌ!!" the sky turned black with the force of the incantation, and was then illuminated with vivid pink light as several flaming orbs formed in the sky.

Aizen's eyes narrowed and he sneered: this was the Kidō that Urahara Kisuke had used to implant that irksome seal within him back in Karakura Town. It seemed Central 46 had poor taste when it came to selecting Kidō. Or perhaps they selected it to try and annoy him, though he doubted they were capable of such psychological warfare. They were far too simple...

The blazing orbs of fiery light struck him and the structure to which he was affixed. With alarming speed the pyre caught fire and began to burn bright; the sky turning almost blood red with the ferocity of the flames.

Initially he barely felt it, their reiatsu was nothing compared to his, even when fettered; but then they started to layer further chants on top of the original one, and as they did so the flames grew hotter and burned higher.

"T-Tch!" his eyes widened as his skin started to crackle; the flames laved away the first layer of skin and started to fray his clothes. It took mere moments for his form to wither and degrade. The sensation of burning was similar to being frozen, both ached over the skin with numbing ferocity. Slowly his body started to separate and scatter into ashes.

It was agonizing, but still not enough to give them what they wanted: he would not scream. Not for these dogs. Even as the last of his body was torn apart by tongues of flame, he would not utter a word; merely a slow, dry hiss as finally his flesh relented into nothingness.

A heavy hush fell over the execution site.

Minute flaked by, turned into 10 and then 15. Everyone stood with bated breath; the pyre continued to burn. Finally, after 20 minutes, a collective sigh was breathed out by the executioners and Central 46.

Aizen was dead.

"Leave it burning," the presiding judge said as she turned and walked away with her colleagues, "Just to be sure that every last scrap of him is burned away."

Suddenly the pyre exploded, the force of the blast knocked everyone off their feet and sent them skidding a few feet. The pink flames turned ultra violent and twisted up toward the heavens, then plummeted back down in a fierce pillar. Everyone stared, wide-eyed, quietly terrified of what might emerge.

Slowly Aizen walked out of the blaze, dusting soot off his arm, "This is rather undignified," he said with a snort, his clothes having been utterly disintegrated by the inferno, "I trust you brought a change of clothes on the off chance you failed as I knew you would..."

They were all too dumbfounded to answer him.

"No?" he clicked his tongue, "How disappointing... I suppose I'll just have to take these––" with a dark smile he reduced one of the executioners to dust using his reiatsu and picked up their Shihakushō. With a disgruntled snort he donned it and looked at the cowering members of Central 46, a vicious amusement about his features.

"What next?"

––end. (of part 3)