Bleach: The Exiled Captain

Chapter Eight: Merciless Death

The group of four walked up the hill in which their camp laid. It wasn't much, there were four small tents formed in a circle, in the middle was a camp fire where they would tell stories if bored. Sure it wasn't the best conditions to live in but one thing made up for that. It was the sight of the moon watching over them and protecting them.

As Marcos got the fire started he asked Kevin, "Hey can you go get some more firewood please, we're running low."

"Ugh do I have to?" He groaned

"Yes, you do, you rarely help around the camp, now get off your lazy behind and get the wood!"

"Psh, your not the boss of me."He argued.

"What was that!!"

"You heard me!"

They continued to bark at each other when Ash, tired of all the shouting, simply replied, "You guys are annoying, Nozomi and I will go and get the wood. Lets go sis'."

She nodded in agreement, she had enough of a headache for one day, this would do her good.

They walked for a couple of minutes, collecting fire wood as they walked inside the forest. The only sound one could hear were the sounds of an owl and crickets chirping in their luscious habitat.

Nozomi was the one to break the peaceful silence when she asked, "Do you think we'll ever see them again?"

"What are you trying to say?" Ash replied, hoping not to have this conversation again. His sister may have tried to act tough on the outside, but he knew, that as soon as he was mentioned she would break down in tears.

"You know who I'm talking about, Jason and his Grandfather."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't know."

"What if we were to go look for them, I mean its been six years and we haven't found our parents. I'm sure they would enjoy the company of Kevin and Marcos." She smiled at the thought.

"Nozomi, please, stop." He replied coldly.

"What do you mean to st-"

"I said stop!" He snapped.

"Our parents are still alive! I know it! They're more important than them!" He raged. "So just stop!"

She didn't reply. Her eye's began to water at her brother's harsh words. She knew her parent's were more important, but she also knew it would be impossible to find them in this big place.

"Look sis, I'm sorry but its the truth." He began to try and comfort her, seeing that he had gone too far... again.

They then heard laughing, not a joyful laugh, but a laugh of a merciless killer. The both saw flames starting up. Starting up in their camp. Quickly they dropped everything and began jumping on the trees in a rush to help there friends.

*

"Looks like your two friends aren't coming to save the two of you worms." The leader said.

He had a mohawk with red hair and tattoos all over his body. There were five other men and in the group was an angered store owner.

"You kids are going to die for all the stolen goods!" He angrily yelled.

"Oh, come on, you can always restock, can't we go off with a warning?" Marcos pleaded.

"You see, normally we would, but he is our client, he pays us to protect him and his store." The leader explained.

"Well, you're doing a bad job at that." Kevin taunted.

This angered the leader, who now proceeded to punch the boy in the stomach, making him gush out blood. He threw another punch, more blood gushed out. Continuing his punches to the teen, each with more force, this leader was having fun.

Meanwhile, on a tree nearby, Ash and Nozomi had just came, only to witness their friends being beaten to death.

"We have to help them." Nozomi muttered, trying to not lose her cool.

"Sorry, there's no way we can, they outnumber us. Plus they have weapons, we wouldn't last a minute." He grinded his teeth.

He wished he could do something but he knew he had to protect his sister first.

"How can you be so cold." The girl replied. "We trained for six months, no, we continued that training for six years to protect others-"

Her words were cut off by the leader pulling out a sharp, steel katana.

"Well, I gave them enough time, plus I'm bored, we'll catch them eventually." Smirking he slit Kevin's throat, his life ending quickly.

Marcos screamed, but only for a second, for he was next. A subordinate stabbed him in his chest.

The two teens couldn't believe their eyes, the friends they had been with were now dead. Ash almost lost his cool, but quickly contained his fury. He saw that his sister was about to scream and knew that if she did, they would be next.

So he proceed to pressure point her to the point where she was knocked out.

"Sorry sis, I know you'll be mad at me."

Then, saying a quick prayer for his fallen friends, he carried his sister out into the woods, away from the mercenaries.

I have to take her to a safe place, but where? He thought as he jumped from tree to tree.

He remembered that there was a place called the soul academy, that's where he would take his sister. Away from the dangers of Rukongai.