5/8

What had drawn her gaze was a scene composed of six figures, with five of them kneeling before the last one. It was difficult to make out any identifying attributes; whoever or whatever had defaced these murals had gouged out the bits where their heads would've been, and chips and fragments were missing from other parts of the scene too. There was an underlying script, but that was damaged as well, and only short bits of it were still legible.

Yoruichi leaned closer as she took it all in. Something about this felt familiar. Had she seen this image somewhere else? Had she read a historical reference to the events being portrayed here somewhere in her past? Upon more thorough inspection, she was able to discern that the five kneeling figures all appeared to be wearing armor. Meanwhile, the figure they were bowing before was wearing what were either robes or a dress, and she began to suspect that the person was actually a woman.

A chill went down her spine as she recalled one of the lessons her private tutors had given her long ago. A dark pit began to grow in her stomach, and she swiftly turned her gaze towards the fragments of script, desperately hoping for some sign that she was misinterpreting the mural, because if her suspicions were right then things here were much worse than she'd initially believed.

Let me be wrong, she thought as she worked to translate the engraved words, I really want to be wrong about this…

Alas, her fears were not allayed as she worked her way through the fragments of text. Only a handful of words and bits of sentences could still be made out, but what little she could translate did not serve to comfort her.

And then there was the last bit of the inscription, which she could read very clearly.

"…Servant of Midnight."

"Shit…" she hissed under her breath.

Her two companions instantly realized something was up. Both Itachi and Soi-Fon immediately turned to her, and while they remained calm for the most part Yoruichi was still more than capable of reading the concern that was just below the surface.

"Lady Yoruichi, are you all right?" asked Soi-Fon.

"You've found something," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "You know what lies ahead, don't you?"

Yoruichi gave the two of them a grim nod. "I have an idea, but we still need confirmation. Listen, both of you… stay close to me, all right? If my suspicions are proven right, then the… thing at the heart of all this is not to be taken lightly. More importantly, it might summon company, and I'll need the two of you to watch my back. You got that?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi."

"We'll be right behind you," said Itachi.

Yoruichi took a deep breath as she looked down the corridor. If her worst fears were indeed realized down here…

…then the three of them would be in for one hell of a fight.

….

If the corrupting energy flowing through the Moon Tower had been thick before, that had been nothing compared to what it felt like down in the depths of the citadel. As Itachi followed Yoruichi and Soi-Fon through the corridor, the dark power that had Menar Issilaya in its grasp made the air itself oppressively heavy. There was no doubt in his mind that the source was at the end of the hallway, and if Yoruichi's reaction to the image carved on the wall was any indication, then whatever lay ahead had to be a major threat.

This has definitely shaped out to be more than a typical scouting mission, Itachi mused, I wonder if we really will have to recommend the Head Captain's intervention when it's over…

Imagining worst-case scenarios was something he'd gotten pretty good at during his time as a Shinobi, but it was harder to do that now because he still had no idea as to what was ultimately at the heart of all this. Yoruichi seemed to be leaning towards one particular conclusion, but she was unwilling to say what it was without supporting evidence. Itachi could appreciate the desire to have proof before making any sort of judgment, but it would've been nice to at least have a hint as to what might await them.

Perhaps the nature of her division meant that Yoruichi had gotten into the habit of keeping her cards very close to her chest. Either that, or the potential threat up ahead had her so unnerved that she was unwilling to give voice to its true nature and was feverishly hoping that her conclusion was a mistake.

The latter was by far the more disturbing of the two possibilities.

What in the name of the Soul King could spook a Captain? Granted, Itachi hadn't seen anything close to approaching Yoruichi's full power, but what he had witnessed and experienced in his time with her had given him a good teaser as to what she was capable of. She'd always carried herself with confidence born from skill and experience in the field, and this was the first time that Itachi had seen her look genuinely uneasy during a mission. He wasn't the only one that had picked up on it; from the way that Soi-Fon was looking at her, it was clear that Yoruichi's bodyguard was more concerned about her than usual.

Itachi looked back and forth between the engraved murals on both walls as the trio possessed, searching for any sort of clue that might give him insight into what had spooked the Captain earlier. He cursed his inability to read the script of the old kingdom and made a mental note to ask Yoruichi for some lessons once the mission was done, either directly from her or a subordinate such as Kisuke. The images weren't very helpful either; even if they hadn't been vandalized by whatever had claimed Menar Issilaya for itself, it was entirely possible that they depicted scenes Itachi would've had no way to put into proper context. The expedition to the barrow of the old kingdom during his Academy days had given him a good general outline as to the Soul Society's ancient history, but he knew that his understanding was still far from comprehensive.

His mind went back to the image that had shaken Yoruichi. Five armored figures bowing before one that wore what was either a robe or a dress… at least five males and likely one female… what did it mean? Obviously, the figure that the five were bowing to was important, but in what way? Was she royalty or nobility? Perhaps a revolutionary? A powerful sorceress? After all he had seen in both his first life and thus far in his afterlife, Itachi wasn't about to rule anything out.

This place is quite fascinating, the spirit of his Zanpakutō mused aloud, Menar Issilaya… perhaps the radiant moonlight it was once known for was merely cover for the dark secrets it housed. I wonder what sort of test awaits us in its foul heart.

I suspect we're about to find out. Are you ready?

Are you?

I have no choice.

Then neither do I.

The end of the long corridor was finally in sight, and just from the doorway alone Itachi could tell that they were in for something nasty. The remains of two heavy wooden doors with steel bracing lay on the ground, and he instantly realized that they'd been broken open from the inside of the room beyond. At least two dozen armored skeletons lay just outside the entrance, swords clasped in ancient death-grips that refused to loosen and great gouges in the plating that had so dearly failed to protect them. Two stone statues of armored men flanked the doorway, the torches that their now-empty hands had once grasped long gone and their faces as marred as those upon the murals that lined the corridor. The icy blue energy that dominated the Moon Tower was flowing out of the chamber beyond like a river, testament to the raw power of whatever was waiting for them.

The trio stopped just outside the doorway and looked through it. Beyond was a vast circular chamber, surprisingly spacious given the fact that it was built underground and beneath a structure as heavy as the Moon Tower. At the center of the room, Itachi spotted a stone sarcophagus. Broken chains lay on the floor around it, along with the shattered fragments of what must've been the slab that had once covered it. In sharp contrast to the energy that illuminated the rest of the citadel, the very far end of the chamber was shrouded in shadow, and Itachi could immediately tell that it wasn't a natural darkness. It was a swirling black mass, with only faint flickers of light breaking free. That was the epicenter of the unholy power that held Menar Issilaya in its grip.

They were on the precipice now, metaphorically and literally. Standing so close to the source of the power that had corrupted Menar Issilaya, Itachi's gaze turned to Yoruichi. Her golden eyes had hardened in firm resolve; whatever misgivings she had were forced to submit to her dedication to seeing her mission through. The same went for Soi-Fon, who looked ready to follow her Captain into Hell itself. Itachi took one final moment to steel himself with the full understanding that whatever was waiting for them in the chamber beyond was certainly more powerful than him and likely Soi-Fon as well. He wouldn't be the star of this fight; that honor would belong to Yoruichi. It would fall to him and Soi-Fon to support her, looking for openings in the enemy's defenses while keeping an eye out for traps and ambushes.

Yoruichi looked over her shoulder at him, and after regarding him for a moment surprised him with a small smile. "I was going to tell you that if you wanted to head back upstairs, you could, but that look in your eyes… you wouldn't do that even if it were a direct order, would you?"

"We've come this far," Itachi replied, "I'm not abandoning you now. Besides, having two people watch your back is better than one, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "It is. I've got faith in your skills, Itachi, and high hopes for your future. Prove to me that you're as good as I think you are and more. Consider that to be an order."

"Understood," he answered.

She then turned to Soi-Fon and gave her a confident smirk. "Well, you know what they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained. Shall we take a good kick at this hornets' nest?"

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Yes. If it's stings the enemy wants, I'm more than ready to deliver."

"Now that's what I like to hear," said Yoruichi as she turned back towards the doorway, "All right, then. Let's go say hello."

She led them into the chamber, and the atmosphere changed as soon as the three of them crossed the threshold. A fresh chill swept over them, emanating from the dark mass at the far end of the room. The icy blue light coming from the rest of the chamber intensified to the point that one could forget that they were underground; the room was now so well illuminated that it might as well have been open-air under broad daylight. This renewed light did not provide any sort of reassurance or comfort, though. Far from it; in Itachi's eyes, it was just another hint as to the true power of what they were going up against.

Giving the chamber a fresh look now that they were actually inside it, Itachi realized that it was even larger than he'd initially guessed. The training yard of Squad Two's barracks could fit comfortably inside here several times over, and apart from the stone sarcophagus in the center there were no obstructions. Several hollow sections were carved into the encircling wall, each one with a dark blue crystal sitting inside it. The individual crystals were about as large as a person, and their facades were marred with fractures. Quickly counting them up, Itachi found that there were thirty-six of them in total.

A multiple of nine, the spirit of his Zanpakutō noted, I should've expected as much, given where we are.

What do you mean?

Remember that little history lesson we got for the barrow mission? The number nine was significant for the old kingdom. The island they once called home was in the rough shape of a nine-pointed star, for starters.

With that reminder now in his mind, Itachi gave the crystals a second glance. It was possible that they were simply decorative, but that conclusion didn't sit right with him. The presence of the sarcophagus meant that one would be forgiven for thinking of this place as just an elaborate tomb, yet Itachi suspected that wasn't accurate. If the number of long-dead guards just outside the chamber along with the doors that had been busted from the inside were any indication, this room had once been something more akin to a prison than a tomb.

The crystals… they were anchors for a seal.

My thoughts exactly. A very powerful seal, I'd imagine.

Clearly not powerful enough.

All too true.

Glancing up at the ceiling, he saw a surprisingly elaborate mural etched into it. There were four nine-pointed stars, each one corresponding with a cardinal direction. At the center was an image of the Moon Tower, with the citadel oriented so that the top was facing the star representing the north. Four crescent moons were etched as well, these ones lining up with the northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Just below the image of the citadel there was an image of what appeared to be an armored figure, but it had been defaced just like the murals out in the hallway. What was still quite visible, though, were the series of chains that descended from the base of the Moon Tower to wrap around the figure, further reinforcing Itachi's guess that they were standing in an elaborate cell rather than an honored and revered tomb.

As fascinating as the ceiling mural was, though, Itachi couldn't spare it further study. More light was beginning to seep out from the swirling mass of shadows at the far end of the chamber, and he sensed that the thing at the heart of all this was finally going to reveal itself.

Here we go.

"Itachi," said Yoruichi, "Remember what happened when you were brought back into your Realm of the Living? The effect it had on your presence in the Soul Society?"

Itachi nodded, wondering why she would bring that up now. "The soul fracture... what about it?"

Yoruichi gestured at the writhing mass of shadows and fell light. "What do you suppose happens when it's the other way around?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly at the implication. "You mean if someone was revived in the Soul Society after already reincarnating in a Realm of the Living?"

Soi-Fon's already-pale face became nearly snow-white, clearly grasping something that Itachi was missing. "No… don't tell me…"

Yoruichi's gaze hardened. "You're about to see the result, and it won't be pretty, I promise you that."

The maelstrom of shadow and light at the far end of the chamber intensified, and the pulses of foul energy coming from it grew in power. With one last burst of energy, the shadows were dispelled completely…

…and what they had concealed was something straight out of a nightmare.

Adorned in ornate full-body plate armor and a cloak descending from its shoulders, the figure was certainly imposing on a physical level, and the straight sword sheathed at its waist was definitely larger than any sealed Zanpakutō Itachi had seen so far. However, it wasn't the armor it wore or the weapon it possessed that was the source of its terror. That came from the only unarmored part of it; its face.

It looked almost mummified or severely emaciated, with what skin remained clinging so tightly and stretched so thin that the outlines of its skull were painfully visible. Thin strands of hair fell to its shoulders, tossed about by the waves of power emanating from it. Worse by far were its eyes, with irises as pale as the energy it radiated, colder than death itself. Its expression seemed to be twisted into a permanent state of agony and hatred, locked in perpetual torment and looking to make the rest of the world share in its suffering. A crown with three upraised spires was upon its head, with the base encrusted in jewels and lined with ancient script.

The crown wasn't the only elaborate accessory the monstrous being wore. An amulet hung from its neck, with an icy-blue gem embedded in a silver triangle at the heart of it. Both hands were clad in gauntlets, but Itachi caught sight of an enlarged ring worn upon the right one, a dark green gem embedded in the band while the rest was carved with what appeared to be the scene of some ancient battle. The crown, amulet and ring all resonated with power that blended together into one malevolent storm. Itachi couldn't discern their exact nature; where they mere trinkets that gave the creature a simple boost in strength, or was there more to it?

Much to Itachi's surprise, he realized that the creature wasn't actually standing at the far end of the room but was in fact sitting in an elaborate throne. The design-style of said throne was rather crude when compared to rest of the chamber, and in fact it looked like the being had simply carved it up out of what had once been a chunk of the wall after it had escaped the sarcophagus. The arms of the chair both ended in stone skulls, with two real skulls sitting atop of those. Itachi had no idea who they might've belonged to, but from the way the being's hands rested atop them almost possessively it seemed to regard them as a pair of prized trophies.

However, now that Squad Two's Captain and her subordinates were in the room, the creature seemed to decide that it had more important things to worry about than two ancient skulls. It rose from its throne, but rather than walk it glided across the floor. The gaze it fixed Yoruichi with was one of utter loathing and malice, even more intense than its already anguished and hatred expression had been before. Did it recognize her specifically, or did it just reserve this kind of look for any exceptionally powerful intruder?

Itachi was still analyzing the creature when he heard Soi-Fon gasp, and when he glanced at her he actually saw a glimmer of genuine fear in her eyes. "A wraith…"

Still quite some distance away from the three Soul Reapers, the 'wraith' drew its sword. Its black guard had three diamonds imbedded in them, and pale blue light danced within them before running up from the handle to the blade itself, enshrouding the weapon with fell flames. Gripping the weapon in both hands, it thrust the sword down into the floor. There was a great ripple effect as fresh energy radiated from the point of impact, coursing along the floor and the walls. The thirty-six fractured crystals Itachi had spotted earlier now pulsed as they were overtaken by the corrupt power, and looking over his shoulder he saw that the exit was now sealed by a barrier.

It's repurposed the anchors of its old seal, thought Itachi as he drew his Zanpakutō, Will destroying the crystals take down the barrier, or will we have to eliminate the wraith itself in order to escape?

Soi-Fon had drawn her blade as well, yet Yoruichi's remained sealed. Her gaze remained locked with that of the wraith, an unspoken challenge passing between them. Itachi could sense her spiritual pressure gradually increasing in output, and he knew that she was ready to pounce into action at any moment.

Four beams of deathly pale blue light suddenly shot out of the crystals towards the exit of the chamber and struck the floor. Itachi and Soi-Fon whirled around and witnessed a square seal outlined in the same light appear on the floor where the four beams had hit. Inside the square, the light took on a patter reminiscent of a pair of doors… doors that opened a moment later. A chorus of inhuman screeches rang out, and a fresh parade of nightmares came forth.

Dozens of figures appeared, clasping swords, daggers, maces, and more. All of them were shrouded in the same tainted light that the wraith had brought to Menar Issilaya, and all of them had a similar look to them. Their bodies might be human, but like the wraith they clearly were no longer that in mind and spirit. The flesh that clung to them was patchy and revealed sinew and bone in many places. Mouths were twisted in cruel sneers, as if they were looking forward to inflicting torment upon the three Soul Reapers.

"What are these things?" asked Itachi as the creatures began to fan out.

"Wights," Yoruichi grimly answered, her focus still on the Wraith at the other end of the chamber, "They're what the three of us will become if we die here."

"That's not going to happen," Soi-Fon growled, "I'm not letting these abominations have the satisfaction of a kill!"

"I expect nothing less," Yoruichi replied, and Itachi sensed that the show was about to kick off, "You two focus on them; keep those things off my back. If you can thin them out, see if you can take a shot at those crystals and try to break the barrier that's locking us in here. I'll take the wraith. Better keep some distance from me so you don't get caught in the middle. Above all else, survive. Got that?"

Itachi nodded firmly. "Understood."

Soi-Fon's eyes gleamed with determination. "Yes, Lady Yoruichi."

Glancing over his shoulder, Itachi saw the Captain turn to the wraith, finally drawing her Zanpakutō. "And as for you…"

The light of cold fury harnessed for battle blazed in her eyes. "…you should've stayed dead."

….

It had been quite some time since Soi-Fon had last seen Yoruichi display anything approaching genuine anger, but the harshness of the glare she gave the wraith chilled her almost as much as the nature of the enemy they were up against. She could sense her Captain's spiritual pressure rising rapidly, and that quickly manifested itself physically as a white aura surrounded her. Sparks danced along her drawn blade, and Soi-Fon knew full-well what that meant; Yoruichi wouldn't be toying with her prey today, but would come out swinging hard.

"Unleash divine fury," she commanded, "Inazuma On'na!"

Bolts of white lightning flew out in all directions as Yoruichi brought forth her Shikai. When the glare faded just enough for Soi-Fon to see her Captain again, the short sword that Yoruichi had grasped earlier had vanished. In its place was a pair of silver gauntlets, each one enclosing her hands and going up her forearms almost to her elbows. White sparks crackled up and down the gauntlets, and the forearm sections were wrapped in a series of chains. Small retractable claws emerged from the tips of each finger, bits of light flickering around them. Yoruichi had already adjusted her stance to account for the transformation her weapon had undergone; instead of a traditional Zanjutsu posture, hers was now one more in line with Hakuda, which was quite fitting given her preferred method of fighting.

Wasting no time with boasts or pleasantries, Yoruichi formed a fist with the right gauntlet and punched. She was well out of range of her foe, but it wasn't her fist she sought to slam into the wraith; it was the blast of white spirit energy that shot forth from her gauntlet instead. The attack was nearly blinding, but much to Soi-Fon's surprise it didn't connect; the wraith was able to dodge the strike despite its incredible speed, and instead the energy slammed into the throne it had recently occupied, reducing the hideous chair to a pile of rubble.

"Soi-Fon," said Itachi, "We've got incoming."

Forcing her gaze away from Yoruichi as the Captain and the wraith moved in for close-quarters-combat, Soi-Fon saw that the wights were advancing. She refrained from unleashing her Shikai; in situations such as this, its sealed blade form was actually the better option. She didn't know if its poison would work on beings like this, and she didn't feel like taking any chances.

"Keep them away from Lady Yoruichi no matter what!" she commanded.

Itachi was already on it. "Hadō 20: Tenkū no Myaku!"

A broad pulse of invisible energy caused the air to ripple, and the first wave of wights was caught by the tide of power and thrown to the ground. Itachi immediately sprang forward, carving into the dazed and disoriented monstrosities with his Zanpakutō. Fortunately for him and Soi-Fon, the cleansing powers of the Soul Reapers' traditional weapon worked on undead abominations just as well as it did on Hollows, and each wight struck by Itachi's blade dissolved into little more than specs of spirit energy.

Not to be outdone, Soi-Fon decided to unleash an attack spell of her own. Raising her Zanpakutō horizontally in front of her, she gathered the necessary energy as a fresh wave of wights rapidly approached.

"Hadō 32: Ōkasen!" she cried out.

A yellow orb of energy materialized and the spread across the width of Soi-Fon's sword. It then shot out as an arc, knocking several of the wights back and momentarily stunning them. That was all the opening Soi-Fon needed to Flash Step forward and strike them down before they had the chance to recover.

She wanted to make for one of the crystals that was generating the portal the wights were using, but she still didn't have an opening; more wights had already come through and were blocking her way. Glancing over at Itachi, she saw that the Sixteenth Seat had the same problem. Neither of them had room to fire off Kidō spells now, forcing them to rely on their Zanjutsu and Hakuda skills from here on out.

Fortunately, the wights didn't make for particularly skilled combatants. They weren't exactly slow, but their movements came across as somewhat stiff and jerky, as if the power that had brought the poor souls into service of the wraith was incapable of providing them with the full range of motion that a human or regular soul would be capable of. The abominations also appeared to lack much in the way of tactical ability, instead relying on simple numbers. Their individual combat abilities left much to be desired, so as long as Soi-Fon and Itachi could manage the flow coming out of the portal they'd at least be able to maintain a solid defense for a while.

Defense alone won't be enough for victory, she thought bitterly as she thrust her Zanpakutō through a wight's skull, Lady Yoruichi's counting on us to deal with these things, and the best way to do that is to eliminate the portal. We need to break through and target the crystals anchoring it, and we need to do it fast!

….

Itachi had seen more than his fair share of horrors during his time as a Shinobi, but none of them came close to matching what he was facing now. Not even the most twisted of experiments that the likes of Orochimaru or Kabuto could come up with would have a chance of measuring up to the tortured and twisted beings that he and Soi-Fon were facing now, let alone the abomination that Yoruichi was fighting. The Captain did not have time to elaborate on the nature of the wights or why the three of them would join their horrendous ranks if they fell here before her clash with the wraith had begun, but based on the similarities between these lesser nightmares and their master Itachi had already developed a theory.

According to Yoruichi, the wraith was a byproduct of someone attempting to bring a person back from a Realm of the Living to the Soul Society after they'd already entered the cycle of reincarnation, he thought as his sword danced through the air on instinct and struck down his foes, I have no proof, but I'm willing to bet that these 'wights' owe their existence to a similar process. Perhaps anyone slain by the wraith has their soul pulled from the reincarnation cycle and is trapped in such a tormented state, bound to the creature that's taken this city. A horrific fate indeed if that's truly what happened here…

His swordplay was precise and tight, focused on maintain the delicate balance between protecting himself while proactively engaging the enemy and keeping them as far away from Yoruichi as possible. Soi-Fon was engaged in a similar dance, her Zanpakutō flashing through the air in silver streaks as she cut down any wight that either got to close to her or threatened to slip past and go after Yoruichi. As a result, the two of them were holding the line but accomplishing little else.

Thanks to the pressure he and Soi-Fon were under, Itachi didn't have many opportunities to check on Yoruichi's progress. That was a real shame, because the few glances he was able to steal in between slicing and dicing wights had shown him brilliant displays of the Captain's power the likes of which he'd never seen before.

He now understood why Yoruichi didn't unleash her Shikai for just any mission; it's raw power and flashiness actually ran counter to the more stealth-based nature of Squad Two. It was a real spectacle to behold, with the air around her constantly crackling with white sparks as she duked it out with the wraith. For all her skill with Zanjutsu, Hakuda and Hohō were where Yoruichi really shone, and her Shikai emphasized those strengths perfectly. The strikes she was unleashing on the wraith were almost too fast for Itachi to follow, and each one left a trail of blazing white sparks in its wake. Occasionally, she would clench a fist and fire off a blast of energy like she had at the start of the clash, but for the most part she was clearly focused on punishing her foe through brutal melee combat.

Blocking the wraith's sword with her left gauntlet, she made an openhanded swipe across its chest with her right. The clawed tips of her fingers raked the abomination, and Itachi saw yet more lightning coursing along the chest of her foe. The blow didn't appear to break through the wraith's armor, but it still gave Itachi a good appreciation for what that move was capable of.

If she struck an unarmored foe with that attack, any physical tears in their flesh from her claws would then be flooded with the lightning coming from her Shikai, he thought, Her spirit energy would assault her foe from within even as she continued to pummel them from the outside.

The open-handed strikes were actually in the minority for this fight, though. Instead, Yoruichi was clearly favoring blindingly fast and ferocious punches, along with some sweeps and kicks thrown in to keep the wraith guessing. Small shockwaves would ripple through the air with each strike, with lighting constantly flowing from the chains wrapped around her forearms to her fists and imbuing her attacks with phenomenal power. However, the lightning wasn't strictly concentrated in the gauntlets; large bolts would occasionally fly forth and random, striking the walls, floor and ceiling with enough force to not only leave scorch marks but also rip chunks from stone. That, Itachi realized, was likely another reason why Yoruichi didn't use her Shikai very often; those stray bursts of power could likely cause serious damage to any ally that didn't have sufficiently high levels of spirit energy to properly protect themselves with. It was no doubt part of her cause for moving forward to solo the wraith while leaving Itachi and Soi-Fon to tend to the wights coming from the rear.

Of course, the wraith was hardly taking these attacks lying down. Now that it was engaged in open combat its spirit energy was a storm unleashed, easily rivaling the power Yoruichi was throwing at it. It didn't appear to be as fast as Squad Two's Captain, but its swordsmanship was top notch. The creature could shift seamlessly from attack and defense, gliding back and forth across the chamber as it exchanged blows with Yoruichi. Its blows were powerful, and more than once Itachi saw Yoruichi being forced to block them with both of her gauntlets at the same time rather than deflect with just one. The wraith appeared to favor a two-handed grip for its fighting style, which would better facilitate strong overhand blows and a tough defense focused on protecting its center.

The blade itself was not the only weapon the wraith had at its disposal. Just as Yoruichi was capable of unleashing blasts of energy with her Shikai, the wraith had its own ranged attacks. Occasionally the pale blue flames that ran up and down the blade would suddenly surge forward and attempt to consume the Captain, only for Yoruichi to either disperse them with a burst of lightning from her Shikai or simply Flash Step out of the way. It didn't use this attack too often though; either its focus was primarily on engaging with just its sword or Yoruichi wasn't giving it the necessary time to build up for that kind of a strike.

Itachi was torn. Intellectually, he knew that moving to engage the wraith with Yoruichi would do her no favors. It would leave Soi-Fon alone to fend off the wights and would only distract the Captain, increasing her concern for both her bodyguard and her Sixteenth Seat. That logic didn't change the desire burning in his heart to rush to Yoruichi's aid.

He shook his head as he blocked a strike from a wight before putting the poor creature out of its misery. If they were going to make it through this nightmare alive, he needed to trust his Captain and carry out his duty. Itachi was right where her battle plan needed him to be, and he had no right to throw it out the window just because he wanted to support her directly against her foe rather than play the role of rear guard.

You have your mission, he silently told himself as he struck down another wight, so carry it out. Breaking formation, even out of a desire to help her, won't do any real good. Focus on your part of the fight and trust that she knows what she's doing.

It was the logical decision, one that would apply whether he was a Soul Reaper or a Shinobi, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

….

Aika and Visaelya's orders might've been to stand outside the observation room and keep an eye out for potential threats, but those orders went right out the window the second they felt twin surges of power. One was coming from far below, and Visaelya instantly recognized it as Yoruichi's spirit energy; no doubt the Captain had finally found whatever foul being was at the heart of the city's corruption and was cutting loose. The other was much closer to home, though. In fact, it was coming from inside the observation room.

Visaelya turned to Aika, and the two of them shared a quick nod. Orders be damned; they needed to know what the hell was going on.

"Shisui!" she cried out as the two of them burst into the room, "What…"

The remainder of her words died on her tongue as her eyes widened at the sight before her. There was the Tenth Seat, the relaxed and friendly young man who had saved her life and welcomed her so readily into Squad Two, holding the Nalatarin in his left hand. The air around him pulsed with energy, and she realized it was a mixture of his own and that of the artifact. What really floored her, though, were Shisui's eyes. Rather than the warm and easy-going black eyes that Visaelya was used to, they were now blazing scarlet gems, each one with three black tomoe orbiting the pupil. Those eyes were fixed on the Nalatarin, and Visaelya's first horrified thought was that he was actually trying to use it.

The last thing she wanted was for him to be rendered catatonic, yet as she and Aika continued to stare at him it became clear that wasn't the case. His footing was sure and strong; he didn't seem to be in any immediate danger of keeling over. Studying the situation more closely, Visaelya was shocked to realize that Shisui's and the Nalatarin's spirit energy actually appeared to be in synch, or very close to it. It was as if the Soul Reaper and the ancient artifact were engaged in some sort of unspoken dialogue, or perhaps mutually evaluating each other.

"Tenth Seat Uchiha… are you all right?" asked Aika nervously.

Shisui pulled his gaze away from the Nalatarin, although his eyes remained scarlet. "What are you two doing here?"

Visaelya stepped forward. "Forgive us for disobeying your orders, but we couldn't remain outside when we felt that spike in spiritual pressure. We thought you were in danger!"

"We're all in danger right now," Shisui curtly replied as he stuffed the artifact into a satchel, "I take it you also felt the spike coming from below, right?"

Visaelya nodded. "Of course."

"The Captain's fighting," murmured Aika, "She has to be…"

"We need to link up with the others immediately," said Shisui as he led the way towards the door, "What lies beneath this citadel is worse than anything we could've imagined."

Visaelya gasped as the implication sunk in. "You used the artifact, didn't you? That should've been impossible!"

Shisui shook his head. "You're mistaken. I didn't attempt to use it. It was… well, it's more like I communicated with it and it decided to show me something important. It's kind of hard to describe, and we don't really have time for it right now anyway. I'll give you the full rundown later."

There was a hellish screech as the three of them approached the doorway, and waves of icy blue light began to pulse outwards from the walls of the Moon Tower. Sparks of energy raced along the marble surfaces and converged on the doorway, forming a barrier. The energy then flowed back out across the observation room again, this time forming seals over the windows and firmly locking the trio in the chamber.

"A trap!" cried Aika.

"Impossible," said Shisui as he turned back towards the pedestal where the Nalatarin had once stood, "I swept the whole room for traps with my Sharingan and didn't detect any potential triggers!"

Visaelya's eyes widened. "Sharingan? Is that what's turned your eyes red?"

"It's an Uchiha thing," Shisui replied, "I'll explain later, but it has to stay between the three of us, you got that?"

"O-of course!" Aika stammered, clearly more concerned with what was happening with the Moon Tower than Shisui's strange eyes at the moment.

Visaelya couldn't blame her there. Frantically looking around the room, she couldn't discern the source of the power freshly coursing through the chamber or why it had chosen now to act. What was much more concerning to her were the tendrils of eerie pale blue power that began to emanate from the walls and ceiling. They began to converge near the doorway, forcing the three of them to fall back towards the middle of the room. The trio drew their swords, tensing for what Visaelya sensed was imminent battle.

Her fears were quickly realized as the swirling tendrils of energy formed a portal of sorts, and her already pale face went almost pure white when she saw the nightmarish forms that began to come forth. Her mind flashed back to old bedtime stories and legends that she thought she'd forgotten years ago, ones that she'd hoped were merely myths and fables. Yet as she looked on at the gradually growing assembly of horrors confronting them, she knew in her gut that those old tales unfortunately had had more than a bit of truth to them.

"Wights," she hissed, "Here, of all places…"

"W-what?" Aika yelped, "These things… they can't be…"

"Never seen 'em before," said Shisui as he grimly assessed the situation, "We don't have time for details, so just tell me this; can they be killed?"

Visaelya nodded firmly; on that point, at least, the legends of old had been quite clear. "Yes. They're vulnerable to our Zanpakutō."

She felt another surge of power, but this one wasn't coming from either the Moon Tower or the source of its corruption far below; it was coming from Shisui. His already-blazing crimson eyes seemed to glow even brighter, and his blade was bathed in his spirit energy.

"Good," he said with a smile, "In that case, I'll take point. You two watch my back and look for a way out of here, you got that?"

"Understood," said Visaelya, steeling herself for the clash.

"Right," said Aika, and much to Visaelya's relief she saw that the Twentieth Seat at least had a firm grip on her weapon.

I hope our training sessions on the road with her were enough to boost her confidence. She's going to need it.

For his part, Shisui had raised his Zanpakutō, and Visaelya knew what was coming. "Playtime, Kage no Kodomo!"

Visaelya's mind flashed back to the joint operation the advanced track students had taken part in with Squads Two and Ten years ago. Just like back then, Shisui's blade transformed into that slender short-sword with the strange guard, and tendrils of dark blue spirit energy were already emanating from the four slits. The flow of energy rapidly escalated as those tendrils became floods of power, and mere moments later Shisui was joined by four doppelgangers. Unlike the first time she'd seen his Shikai, though, now each of those clones had crimson eyes just like what Shisui's had become.

His spiritual pressure's incredible, she thought, I can't believe he's only the Tenth Seat of Squad Two! He's severely under-ranked…

This 'Sharingan' of his had to play some sort of role in that. Visaelya had no idea what it was, but the level of power he was demonstrating now versus what she had seen from him before made it abundantly clear that he'd been keeping the true measure of his strength a secret. His personal spirit energy combined with that of his Zanpakutō felt much stronger now that it had in the past, to the point that she suspected his true power might actually be closer to that of a Lieutenant than the rank he currently held. It was a stark reminder of how little she really knew about him despite his friendly and warm demeanor towards her. She wanted to learn more, but now was hardly the time for that sort of thing.

If you want to solve the mystery of his eyes, you know what you have to do first, said the spirit of her Zanpakutō.

Visaelya nodded firmly. Indeed. I must first survive…

…and I must win!

….

Shisui had no idea what a 'wight', as Visaelya had called their new enemy, was. It sure as hell wasn't a Hollow, and while it had clearly once been human whatever humanity it once possessed was long gone. Perceiving them through both the Sharingan and by sensing their spirit energy, they struck him as something that simply should not exist. They were neither human nor Hollow, and neither living nor dead.

Coming to the Soul Society taught me that there are far worse fates than death, he mused, but I never imagined there'd be one as twisted as this out there.

As unnerving as this new kind of enemy was, Shisui could at least take comfort in the fact that Visaelya was right; they could definitely be killed. Striking them in the head with his Zanpakutō seemed to be the most effective way to take them down, but stabbing them through the chest or cutting them in half yielded good results as well. In fact, they were rather easy to eliminate, but the speed at which reinforcements came through the portal meant that victory for the three Soul Reapers was far from assured.

The formation was simple; Shisui and his Zanpakutō's version of Shadow Clones were up front and taking the fight directly to the enemy. Behind him, Visaelya and Aika were supporting with a combination of Kidō spells and their own blades. Shisui was able to keep most of the enemy's attention on himself for now, but there was no guarantee that things would stay that way.

He surged forward, his blade flashing through the air with precision and speed aided by his Sharingan. The wights unfortunate enough to face him could not withstand his attacks and were struck down almost as quickly as they could immerge from the portal. His four Shadow Clones covered the flanks, supplementing his attacks with a relentless assault of their own.

Using his Sharingan boosted the capabilities of his Shikai in a few key ways. While the doppelgangers created by his Zanpakutō couldn't use the full scope of the Kekkei Genkai's abilities, they did gain a significant increase in perception. This allowed them to fight with greater accuracy and efficiency than normal, and it also gave them an improved ability to adapt to new enemies in order to more effectively combat them. They couldn't use the power of the Eye of Hypnotism, but their limited access to the Eye of Insight made them a very effective set of bodyguards for Shisui. The doppelgangers could better replicate Shisui's fighting style when he used the Sharingan, and they had an enhanced capacity for creativity and improvisation as well. It wasn't quite the same as fighting alongside Itachi back in their Shinobi days, but right now Shisui would take what help he could get.

As he blocked a knife strike from a wight before plunging his blade through its skull and reducing it to little more than stray particles of spirit energy, Shisui's mind briefly turned towards his old friend. Itachi was with Yoruichi and Soi-Fon, and their group had gone into the depths of the citadel. He didn't even need to try to sense the spike in power from both his Captain and the foul energy at the heart of the city's corruption, and the fact that Itachi was down there caught in the middle made him worry. His faith in his friend's growing skills was strong, but Shisui wouldn't kid himself; Itachi could doubtlessly take on wights without issue, but whatever Yoruichi was dealing with was another matter entirely, and Shisui didn't like the thought of his old buddy being in the same room where a clash like that was taking place.

Itachi, watch yourself down there, he thought as he stabbed another wight through the chest, I know you feel like you owe our Captain one and want to help her, but don't do anything reckless…

Continuing to fend off the majority of the wights coming through the portal, Shisui hoped that the rest of his comrades inside the Moon Tower were holding their own and could regroup quickly. If they all got bogged down, then they'd really be in trouble.

….

"Awaken, Benihime!"

While Rija provided cover with a wave of lighting from her Zanpakutō, Kisuke's spirit energy surged as his Shikai came to life. As soon as the transformation was complete, he thrust the blade through the neck of a wight, quickly reducing the creature to mere particles of spirit energy. Up ahead, Mindiwo was still fighting with his sealed Zanpakutō; he hadn't been given any breathing room to unleash his Shikai, but the Ninth Seat of Squad Two was still a formidable combatant even with such a handicap. Besides, Kisuke knew that Mindiwo's Shikai needed more room to be effective, and the tight hallways of the Moon Tower didn't give him the proper amount of space.

The first wave of wights had struck them in the library, and the trio had fought hard just to get out of there, with Kisuke barely having time to toss the scribe's journal into a satchel before everything had gone straight to hell. Once they'd broken through, Kisuke had been faced with a tough call to make on short notice; go upstairs to find Shisui's group, or head down and rendezvous with the Soul Reapers in the entrance hall. Sensing the spike in spirit energy from below, he'd decided on the latter. He knew what Shisui's Shikai was capable of, and he would have to trust that the Tenth Seat's power would be enough to ensure his survival and that of his two subordinates. For the Third Seat, his top priority was making sure Squad Two still had a clear line of retreat on the ground floor. After that, he would head into the depths of the citadel to help out Yoruichi.

With his Shikai now unleashed, Kisuke swiftly moved to take point before Rija was overwhelmed. When she saw him moving forward, she gave him a brief nod in gratitude before stepping aside, and that was when Kisuke decided to cut loose.

He smirked as he raised his Zanpakutō. "Sing, Benihime."

With a sweep of his sword, a torrent of crimson energy rushed forth and obliterated the wights blocking the corridor. Their path temporarily clear, the trio hurried forward, eager to make it to the next flight of stairs and descend to the entrance hall. Kisuke could sense the flaring spirit energy of the Soul Reapers down there; they were still alive and fighting to hold their position. He was determined to make sure that they stayed alive.

I can't believe I didn't piece it together sooner, he mentally chided himself, I should've recognized what was going on the instant I felt the foul energy emanating from this place.

One of the perks of his close friendship with Yoruichi was the fact that she'd given him free access to the Shihōin Clan's archives in order to advance his research. Given the practical benefits his studies had for Squad Two, along with some of the more amusing results of a few side projects, it hadn't been hard at all for him to talk her into it. Her family had raised a few eyebrows, but apart from that they hadn't made any serious moves to limit what he could examine there.

In the many hours he'd spent there over the years, he had come across accounts of wraiths. They had included information on how they were created, what they were capable of, and how they could turn those unfortunate enough to be killed by them into wights, lesser undead creatures wholly bound to their will. With the horde of wights that had attacked his group in the library, it was now painfully obvious that a wraith was at the heart of Menar Issilaya's fall, and Kisuke wanted to kick himself for not coming to that conclusion earlier.

The signs were all there, he silently fumed as he led his subordinates onward, and it makes sense that one would be here; they were probably using the Moon Tower as the primary anchor for sealing it. Those Hollow attacks mentioned in the scribe's records weakened whatever barriers were in place just enough for the damn thing to break through. That corrupt spirit energy, remains that showed signs of blade wounds, impact marks from energy attacks, the gate to the Upper City showing hints that it was ruptured from within… it was all staring us right in the face!

There was no use in further berating himself at the moment; linking up with the rest of the team and ensuring their survival was top priority. Keeping his Zanpakutō at the ready, Kisuke set a brisk pace for his group as they raced for the ground floor. They'd made quite a bit of progress already, but they still had a few levels remaining between them and their destination.

"The Captain's unleashed her Shikai," said Rija grimly, "That's never a good sign."

Mindiwo nodded. "She must be contending with the abomination at the heart of all this."

"That's where I'd place my money," Kisuke commented, "She wouldn't take any chances against something like this; of course, she came out swinging hard."

Rija chuckled. "Let's just hope she doesn't bring the citadel down on our heads. Her Shikai's powerful, but it's not exactly subtle."

"She'll be careful," said Kisuke.

Privately, he had his concerns. He knew how strong Yoruichi was, and in theory he felt that she could take on a wraith in a head-to-head fight. However, if they were fighting underground, then she would have to worry about minimizing damage to her surroundings. She was strong enough to survive a structural collapse from even a building as tall as the Moon Tower, but Itachi and Soi-Fon were another matter. The raw power of her Shikai was as much a threat as it was an asset under such circumstances.

Of course, there was more to her Shikai than brute force and flashy attacks. It played to her twin great strengths of Hakuda and Hohō, and Kisuke knew that she was much more comfortable fighting with her released Zanpakutō than she was with its sealed form. Just because she couldn't unleash its full power without putting her subordinates at risk didn't mean that she was down already; far from it. It simply meant that she'd have to get creative in order to pull out a victory.

Kisuke hoped that he would arrive in time to witness it.

….

A storm of white lightning dominated the rear portion of the chamber, and at the center of that tempest was Yoruichi. Moving with the speed that had won her the moniker of Flash Goddess and striking with the fury of a vengeful deity, she hammered her foe with an unrelenting assault. Her fists were blurs of silver and white as she unleashed blow after blow upon the wraith, while mixing in kicks at seemingly random intervals in order to keep her monstrous opponent off balance.

No matter what happens, keep his attention on you, she mentally reminded herself, Soi-Fon and Itachi don't stand a chance against this thing if it gets either of them in its sights. They'll keep the wights off you, so keep this beast off of them!

She intended to do that and much more. Yoruichi had no idea what it would take to put this thing down for good, but she was damn well going to make it regret having taken up residence in Menar Issilaya after what she assumed had been butchering its inhabitants and resurrecting them as wights following its escape from its fancy prison. She leapt into the air, flipping so that her feet touched the ceiling and then immediately pushed off, slamming into the wraith like a comet. The abomination was able to block the blow from her right fist with its sword, but the left one got through and hit it dead center in its chest. A hiss came from the monstrosity as it was pounded into the floor, but the sudden surge in its foul spirit energy told Yoruichi that it wasn't nearly ready to throw in the towel just yet.

She backflipped away from the wraith, and not a moment too soon. A column of icy blue flame shot up from the wraith's sword; if Yoruichi had lingered there just a moment longer she would've taken the blast full-on. The pillar of azure hellfire dissipated against the ceiling, leaving a broad scorched circle and causing some of the stones to crack from the intense heat.