The portal takes them right back to the throne room of Hell's Castle. So fair, nothing looks out of place. For the lack of trust in the entire situation, Ichigo is going to assume something is wrong. Nothing is as it seems. The Quincy of Yhwach could have already infiltrated Hell's Army.
Rukia takes Ichigo's hand to anchor him in the situation. They survey the room, and the clansmen check their backs. The dais is void, the room is quiet. There is simply no one here. While Masaki didn't spend all of her time in the throne room, it is unusually quiet in here.
"Where is everyone?" Rukia whispers, like being louder will shatter the calm.
"I don't know, but I don't like this," Omor murmurs back.
Ichigo, with Rukia in tow, inches forward. They approach the dais, waiting for someone to jump out at them. Nothing happens.
"Well this is anticlimactic," Ichigo huffs.
Hell's Prince slips out of his wife's hold. He spins around, his eyes bleeding yellow to help his attention to detail. He scours around the room with hopes that something will stick out to him. His team watches in silent patience. He clicks his tongue in annoyance. Rukia nods in understanding. She knows he found nothing.
They head for the back of the dais to search for some sense of life in the castle. Ichigo keeps his Hollows eyes active in search for anything awry. His spirits slither underneath his skin in agitation. Something feels so, so wrong here.
They leave the throne room for the halls. Again, it's quiet. The silence screams in Ichigo's ears. He can't tell if it's paranoia that's eating him alive, or if something really bad is going on. Souls of the damned rush through these velvet and gold halls like flies on the wall. Paintings watch the team trek by, and their eyes follow.
Nothing is as it seems.
The mute castle leaves Ichigo covered in gooseflesh, which that in of itself is an accomplishment because it's too hot in Hell for gooseflesh. The group go through the large fortress they call home, and each step only adds to the agony at the thought of losing their home.
Rukia comes to an abrupt stop. "What the hell are we doing?"
The rest of the group skid to a halt at her words. They glance between each other for a moment, unsure what she's referring to.
"What?" Ichigo replies dumbly.
"Why are we running around like headless chickens in our castle? We should know this place better than most. Yet here we are, possibly running into a trap that we could see coming if we just stop and think."
"What are you suggesting, your highness?" Sara asks.
"Let's go to Masaki-sama's chambers. That's where she met your grandfather, right?" Rukia asks Ichigo.
Ichigo nods. "Good idea."
They split up on the way to Masaki's chambers in case there is something going on in the castle. If someone intercepts a person in their group, everyone else will still be able to make their way to Masaki. They need to find Masaki.
Ichigo runs down a corridor alone. Rukia insisted on going her own way. Knowing Rukia, she probably knows more about the secret tunnels in and under the castle than Ichigo does. She undoubtedly will get to Masaki before anyone else does. Of course, assuming no one stops her. If Yhwach's Quincys are in the tunnels, Ichigo doesn't know what they're going to do. Those tunnels have always been the last resort to any contingency plan Masaki has made.
The red velvet rugs that adorn the dark flooring are as clean as always. Painted portraits and canvases cover the walls, no empty space is spared. The paintings hold ancestors he's never known or scenes of battles between demons and angels. The Quincy are always portrayed as angels in Hell. It's obviously Hollows that are the demons, their faces twisted, pale and bloody.
YOU ARE READING
THE HITS KEEP COMING
ספרות חובביםIchigo finally has everything he's ever wanted. Rukia is his wife, his sisters are safe, his mother is back in his life. Everything is going so well for him. Until, of course, it isn't. Rumor has it that Hueco Mundo is under attack. Ichigo and his n...
