Bleach: Fall and Rise

172: First-hand horrors

6 weeks later, Aida's POV

It's been 6 weeks since we got to western Poland and people that are spiritually aware have been guiding souls to us so there not eaten by the hollow hoard or taken down to hell by the demons to come when the attack came, the rest of the time before Gabriel trained me hard wanting to know how good I was but called me weak after days of the arduous sessions but I still got stronger.

Gunshots, marching, and screaming snapped me out of my thought and the sounds assaulted my ears as I looked over to Gabriel as his hand goes to his sword, wings slowly spreading" they're coming, I can sense them." He said.

"The soldiers are coming, is the town going to be burned to the ground..." I said then trailed off remembering that every other soul reaper here is a seasoned soldier and I haven't seen an ounce of the battlefield and I haven't seen anything close to war as I gulped" did you realize what you were about to say?" Gabriel asked.

"I did, everyone here are seasoned soldiers and I haven't seen an ounce of the battlefield the living create, unlike you who must've seen a lot of it through the ages," I said," that's true and I even acted as a guardian angel to a few people I deemed that deserved a second chance or weren't ready to die," Gabriel said, I nodded.

As the day went on I could smell burning bodies, the buildings were on fire as the chaos raged below as I killed hollow after hollow as if they were an endless hoard, mentally thanking Gabriel for that training or I'd end up dead a few hours ago, people are risking there lives to bring souls to us to pass on to heaven, soldiers that were killed are left safely waiting for there guardian angel.

It felt like the day went on for an eternity shooting between buildings to save soldiers who couldn't see us or the threat of having their souls torn out of their bodies and devoured, by the end of the day I was crying my eyes out but a little wiser of having gained experience as I wander the decimated ruins and trying not to puke when I saw the bodies littered everywhere.

"What the hell are you?" I looked over to a German soldier who looks horrified" I'm...here to protect you from having your soul ripped out of by a demon and devoured, I'm a soul reaper or as you call us grim reapers." I said, his eyes widened" please don't kill me." He said," I won't kill you, just help us purify the demons with holes in their chests and guide what souls you can to us all around the city." I said wearily, and he nodded.

"What's your name?" He asked," Aida, can anyone else see souls like you been attacking the demons?" I asked" 60 others yes, they were shooting at the air but I could hear the howling, I guess we're making your job easier." He said" yes." I said then we fell silent keeping the young soldier silent when a garganta opened and several hollows charged out.

"Rise Mizu Kanketsusen." I commanded, the sword transformed into water, and then shot it at the group of hollows and purifying them to the astonishment of the soldier" what was that?" He asked," that was my sword's ability, when we get them, we imprint on them, understand them and use them when dealing with long-range attacks like the gun." I said when we heard a souls scream.

 A few seconds later the young girl's soul came racing toward us, a hollow hoard on her tail, the soldier took aim and shot them all" thank you so much, now get me out of here!" She said, stamping her forehead she sunk into the portal and the soul butterfly rose" amazing, is that how a soul gets to heaven?" The soldier asked.

"Yes, you're not going to go to heaven yet, if you're killed you'll be going to purgatory to atone for your sins, so please survive." I said I said, he nodded" oi! Kid! What the hell are you going to just stand there like a target waiting to be gunned down!? let's go!" His cmdr yelled" yes sir! Bye." He said, the last part quietly, and ran off.