Corroded Spirits

Corroded Spirits: 44

Chapter 44: The Corroded Spirits

 It had stopped. The creature had suddenly stopped from its attack with a cry that they weren't so sure to classify as a growl or lament. It seemed evident that it was about to initiate another catastrophic attack, but its lance had slipped away from its grasp and it exploded in a far away area from the group... "Wha-what's going on?" Ichigo voiced out as he watched the creature suddenly freeze in place.

 The creature let out a broken sob in Orihime's voice, and all the sudden its dark features softened and there were tears forming in its eyes. "That..That's right... He killed you....he killed you dead... And..." Orihime stuttered, shaking horribly as the creature's hands went up to its face. "He tore you apart... He ripped you into pieces.." 

 To everyone, they were seeing a two-soul fused entity, with the beginnings of an extreme mental breakdown. But to the creature, Orihime was falling apart inside, while Ulquiorra tried to shroud around her in order to keep her together. But he was failing.

 "Orihime, calm down... Don't think it.. Don't remember!" He tried. But she already has, and so has he. The memory had already returned the moment they released Aizen from his imprisonment. "Yeah... He killed you... Killed us...." The aforementioned  traitor smiled from his place, and it made the creature unconsciously give out another burst of Reiatsu.

 Toshiro got knocked back down into the ground. He cursed under his breath. "This is the most powerful release it's ever made... What's gonna try to do now?!" Kisuke's expression grew dark. "If it's initiating another attack...at this intensity, half of Soul Society will be destroyed.." He said, adding up to everyone's already dilemma.

 Ichigo was keeping ground, trying to understand what was happening before his eyes. "Inoue..." He heard himself whisper in a heart-broken tone. The creature gave a howl again, but this time it was sorrowful and not out of rage. "Orihime please!" Ulquiorra, consoled still, trying to overcome the girl's despair. "This is exactly what he wants.. Don't do this for him.. Don't!" He pleaded and Aizen laughed wickedly. 

 "Ah.. Don't cry, dearest Orihime-chan.." The creature's face snapped up to the traitor. "That is you in there, isn't it, Orihime-chan? The one crying out while Ulquiorra is trying to calm you down?" 

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF HIS NAME!"

"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF MY NAME!"

 The two voices colliding made everyone, even Aizen, widen their eyes in  surprise. Almost instantly, the bereavement fell away from the creature's face and a new lance formed in its hand. "It's Ulquiorra now." It said, eyes glowing in a great viridian brilliance. The creature stood up weakly, blood flowing in many thick streams along its body. "You cannot last much longer... You're gonna die in a matter of minutes." Aizen pointed out. The creature gave a weak scoff. "I only need one second to kill you."

 And then the creature gave a mad dash straight towards the traitor. "WhT would killing me prove? It won't bring  either of you back.." Aizen said dangerously. But the two spirits wouldn't have it.. And when it finally reached its mark, it swung its arm and slashed away.

 Blood splattered everywhere, decorating the mass of havoc that was already there. Everyone stared in shock and confusion. "It...it.." Aizen himself looked puzzled for a moment. "Wh-what did you just do?" Ichigo murmured as he looked on in horror at the creature, who had run its lance through its chest.

 "Orihime?" Ulquiorra's voice called out weakly. The creature's hands came upon the lance through its chest. "Why... Why did you?" The  creature took several steps back, creating a long red trail i n its wake. "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra..." Orihime's voice came now, tearing the creature's face in two halves of apathy and agony. "But... I... Can't do this.." She said tearfully. The creature hung its head, struggling to keep breathing. "I know that we....wanted this... But I can't.. We can't...we'd be no different from him.."  ItS hands wound themselves Round the lance protruding from its chest.  "Don't do this Orihime.. Don't.. We  promised." 

 A sob erupted in the air. "I k ow." Orihime said. "But a promise takes two people..." She sobbed again, a d the desperation was so evident, everyone present felt it in sympathetic union. "And you were never real." And with a heart-wrenching cry of pain, the creature, with Orihime's full control, pulled out and dispersed the lance.

 Everyone gasped at the creature's sudden actions. "What did you do creature?" Kisuke inquired warily. The entity shifted in place and glanced at the shady man. Then out of nowhere, it suddenly smiled. "I'm sorry, Urahar-san.." Orihime said. She then glanced at everyone else. "I'm sorry evrryone... We.. We're sorry."

 The creature then looked at Ichigo fnally. "We just wanted to make things right..But I guess Ulquiorra and I went too far." Ichigo couldn't say anything back. He was far too fixated on the lRge, gaping hole that now decorated the creature's chest.    

 Then, when no one said a word, the creature disappeared in an echoing flash, leaving behind one last word. ""GOodbye." And it was Gone..