I DON'T OWN BLEACH

Ok my newest offering. I hope you like it and review/alert. It'll be a longer one. HUGS Fuzzi

Nephilim

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." William Shakespeare

Chapter 1; The lines are drawn

Commander Kuchiki walks through the battlefield with his long silver blade drawn at his side. The smell of blood and the sounds of death are all around him as his men dispatch the enemies running toward them. His eyes taking in the process of life being taken from friend or foe without difference, narrow noticing the lines of units still in a holding pattern. Why aren't they fighting? Has Commander Aizen fallen in battle? Just then, the sun streaks out from behind a large cloud to the center of the skirmish and the fighter stepping into the center of a circle of men. Mud, blood and her sword is added to the air as she cuts down her opponents, her face is taut with focus. Long locks of vivid orange hair lifting with each motion catch the sun tricking the eye into thinking it is made of fire, only serve to mesmerize him further. Without hesitation the edge of her dark blade cuts an arm away, her left foot moves in a semi-circle, her hips turning so her katana can connect with the next dead man. Her voice is only one of rage. Her hand tightly joined to her blade by a simple black rag.

Byakuya has heard of her. The Nephilim, Ichigo Kurosaki. But he has just set eyes on her flaming hair and amber eyes for the very first time. The three men drop to the mud around her and an arrow cuts into her shoulder. She takes a step back from the impact. His own men hold up arms around him to block stray projectiles from striking him. He pays no attention. Instead his eyes are on the woman warrior breaking the arrow in her arm and pulling out the remains. Her eyes lift in his direction. They briefly meet his. His body freezes mid step watching the smirk appear on her sun kissed lips. "Yo! About time you guys arrived." With that she turns toward the men on horses with blades drawn, their steeds pounding bodies into the mud in their unforgiving wake. Byakuya watches her dart toward them fearless and quick. Her feet stepping on body after body clothed only in light tan armor that covers her waist and chest. The boots are laced up to mid thigh caked in mud and crimson with blood. Ichigo's sword swings in a wide arc, the motion blocked by a chain wrapping around it and jerking her into the air.

Byakuya's eyes narrow at the foolish blunder. The woman won't drop her blade. It would seem the woman made an error and will be dragged and trampled to death. However just as he is about to signal the charge Aizen appears on a white steed on the hill and orders the charge. "Don't just stand there. Assist the Nephilim." Byakuya orders his own division lifting a hand up. "We must make our mark on these lands."

Ichigo is too preoccupied with her current predicament to notice the a new Commander arriving on the scene. The first horseman grabs her blade with his chain and jerks her up in the air. His sword makes a direct target for her gut and she twists her body sideways landing two feet on the horses backside knocking it and the rider to the ground. The action loosens the chain around her blade and it slips free. Tumbling to her feet on solid ground she gains the advantage and strikes down the man. Her legs wrap around the horses saddles and she clicks her tongue. "Yaaah!"

The horse responds lifting from the mud to its feet. Charging toward the two remaining riders, her amber eyes see one is wearing a bone mask indicating he is high ranking. That one will give her a challenge. Ducking down to the horse's neck she dodges a pole arm heading for her and it strikes her mount making her and the animal drop to the ground. "You bastard!" she yells out as the second rider laughs loudly. Putting her fingers to her mouth she makes a loud whistle calling her back up. The only support she trusts implicitly.

Suddenly a loud growl is heard, a swirl of ash gathers a few feet behind Ichigo. From the smoke a furry gray head of an animal appears. Four black clawed feet squish down on the muddy earth and with a howl the air around it vanishes. The beast roars calling everyone to to turn in surprise. Short black hair and a long tail shake as the animal wakes from it's slumber.

"Starrk..." she points to the fallen horse then to the rider who took it's life. "have fun."

The animal responds with it's fur turning a light blue, the tiny hairs lifting it and glowing with a bright blue hue. Faster than light it appears attacking the man from his horse, it's jaws opening to reveal vicious points of bone.

"Cute puppy." The leader of the demon army says with a chuckle, getting off his horse. He will kill the Nephilim and collect the reward from his lord. His name will be carved on a key to the underworld and hung on the wall above the King. He can taste the victory. He can taste the blood he will spill out of this traitor.

"He is a Totem. " she responds swiping the back of her hand over her chin to wipe some blood away. "Starrk, has dominion over animal spirits, and when they are killed in battle he comes."

"A Nephilim that has tamed an animal spirit. You are impressive." He watches the beasts jaw bite through the demon armor like butter and begin to devour his soul.

"I didn't tame him. He and I just have... an understanding." she watches the man's eyes change to gold. The pain in her stomach makes her bite at her lower lip. It's always like this around the demons. "Quit it."

He is using his blood magic to make the demon in her boil. Ichigo is slowly getting used to the pain since taking up her sword to fight in this holy war. A war that she didn't even care to fight. But choices a luxary for meek people who turn a blind eye to suffering. "I will not die until I finish this. I will put an end to this cycle of war."

"Hehe, I just wanted to see if the rumors are true is all. Looks like you really are a Nephilim." Lifting up his short blade it glints a pale yellow. "Ready?"

"Yeah." she finally jumps at the leader man. The sword comes up connecting with her black blade as a shroud of dark haze surrounds her shoulders. Metal meets metal in a thunderclap above their heads. It's always like this when two beings of power meet, the sky groans in fear. The force sends them propelling apart. Ichigo lands on her two soft soled boots with her blade raising behind her, the tip pointing to the rocks behind her.

"Gotta do better than that traitor." He lifts his helmet from his head and drops it to the muddy ground. "I won't go easy on you just because you are a woman."

"Traitor? I think you are mistaken." Ichigo glances up at his short white hair with a scoff. "The lines were drawn for me the moment my family was... taken from me." Enough of this talking, Ichigo isn't a patient woman. She expands her power suddenly, her sword moving though the air to collide violently into the gold one. Lightening flashes forking down to her opponents blade, without warning he points his sword at her and the streak of blue light blasts out wrapping around her blade like a chain.

"Kensei... is my name woman. Remember it when you visit me in hell." With her sword crackling under the force of his power he pulls out a second blade from it's holster on his hip. This one is a short dagger black with a deep etchings in gold on the curving blade. Lifting it to his chest he flicks it quickly sending it toward her chest and the rapidly beating heart. "Not even a challenge."

Ichigo shuts her eyes, the blade coming at her in slow motion. The bright blue lightening spell has shifted into a cord wrapping around her body immobilizing her movements. She begins to let it out... just a tad, that power in her blood clawing through her skin so eager to rip the white haired demons throat out. Pain streaks down her spine as the bold black mark appears on her forehead near her hairline. The arching lines circle her brow, jagged and winding like a wreath of thorns down to two arching points under her eyes.

"What is that around her?" Byakuya's aide, Renji asks wiping a hand over his sweaty brow. "I have never seen anything like it..."

"Abarai, The Nephilim... dwells half in the presence of God and half in the shadow of the Wicked One. The black swirl of mist is the dark half, the hopeless, cursed half." Byakuya answers lifting his sword up, when she dies he will be the one to finish that demon off. "At least that is what I have been told."

"Right, most die before maturity." Renji adds, watching the woman fade from sight, her back to them. "Make you wonder how she survived, Right Commander?"

"Hmm."

She uses it then, her bloodline power welling up lava hot and forcing it's way through her veins. Black... all she sees is the utter darkness and as she opens her eyes a black arc of power streaks out from her blade ripping through the lightening cords holding her.

Everyone on the hill stops to watch the black mist radiate from her. Byakuya's eyes follow her movements as she fades from sight only to reappear in front of the demon, her blade slicing through him in one black wave. "So she finally used her demon powers." he ponders to himself, her head turns looking up the hill directly at him as if she heard his thoughts. Strange black marks like twisted wire slowly fade from her face, and her eyes... fierce with hatred, demonically golden change back to brown. "Those black lines? What are they?"

Byakuya can't help be curious. Watching her out of the corner of a smoky blue eye, the battlefield is soon emptied. The defeat of the leader has driven the lesser demon horde back. It will be several days before another will rise up and become a problem for the Heavenly Host.

"Commander Kuchiki." Aizen strolls over to Byakuya with a satisfied grin. "You're squad is to report to Jericho, and you are to take possession of the Nephilim until further notice."

"Very well." he says careful to keep his back from facing Aizen. This man is not to be trusted, he would sacrifice is own lieutenant for one victory on the battlefield. Such prices do not equal out in the end to Byakuya.

"Oh, and this is from the Head Commander. It's directions on how to best use the Nephilim." Sosuke hands Kuchiki the scroll with a wide smile. "If I might add one more recommendation?" Without waiting for Byakuya's response he tilts his head up to look at the muddy woman with the feral beast next to her as she sheathes her blade. "Use her well... in any manner you see fit. She is merely a tool to serve out her small existence for our desires. She isn't allowed to deny us anything. We have something she wants and that thing means the world to her."

Shutting his eyes Byakuya understands Aizen's meaning all too well. So there is a reason for her joining the angels side in the battle. It's no surprise, everyone is uses someones else on earth. Why should this demon be any different?

With the battle over, Aizen's group moves out and Kuchiki tells Renji to make camp across the river. After his evening meal he opens the missive from the commander and with a wide eye reads the answer to many questions and finds many more questions without answers at all. "Ichigo Kurosaki, sired of The Isshin and birthed by Heaven's Beloved Princess." Sighing to himself he tosses the scroll in the fire, the flames burning away a reality that the Nephilim may not even know. Her lineage is very old to have one name instead of two. Even he has two names now, although his own clan name is still a sacred title only a few call him. It's clear whomever Heaven's Beloved Princess was, she was important enough to wipe from the history books. Bloodlines are important in the Heavenly Host. To clear any knowledge of a clan in almost unheard of. "The mother... was someone significant. What blood flows through this Nephilim's veins?"

Finishing the last of his drink, he sets the cup on his makeshift desk which consists on a piece of wood set on top of a barrel and walks over to peek through the flap of his tent. His blue eye moves around the grassy area littered with tents and many soldiers walking to and fro. In the faint distance he sees a small fire. Pale light shimmers in his eyes as he extends his vision and zeroes in on the orange haired woman.

He observes her companion the Totem wolf Starrk emerging from the forest beyond her with a fresh kill. The animal sets it down near the fire and is rewarded with a scratching on his neck.

"Bunny stew tonight?" Ichigo picks up the rabbit by the ears and pulls out a small blade she keeps tied near her thigh. Just as she is about to strike the final blow her knees buckle and she drops to the palet on the ground. "Sorry Starrk, you go ahead and eat tonight. I'm just going to sleep for a bit longer." she tells him.

Byakuya watches the wolf's teeth bite at a thin pelt tugging it over the woman's body. Suddenly the wolf's demeanor changes, it's eyes glowing crimson as he seemingly looks straight at Byakuya.

"Stay away from her." It's voice growls in Byakuya's mind, he feels a sharp pain through his eye. Taking a step back he lifts a hand to his eye. "That wolf is no Totem." he says turning around and walking out the other side of the tent.

Hope you like it so far^^ Fuzzi I wasn't sure on the rating at first. I'm not positive where to draw the line on violence. If you find it needs changed please PM me and I will change it =) HUGS YOU ALL Fuzzi

Review alert please! chuu~uuu!