Speaker of the Dead [Cinematic, DE]

[Douma]

Thread Title: Speaker of the Dead
Participants: Himitsu Misute, Kagami Murai (Douma)
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non-Death Enabled
Rating: R
Location: A half-abandoned, crime-infested Rukongai town with many ramshackle buildings nearby and several thin, narrow allies connected to main dirt roads.
Special Conditions: None
Circumstances: Himitsu had just recently been promoted to the position of Squad 6 Vice Captain when he received a mission to investigate and eliminate the new threat affiliated with the Black Market. He was given a description of a masked man who went by the name of Douma, who had just finished ambushing and sabotaging a shipment of black market goods traveling through the area. Himitsu's goal is to kill the villain causing Soul Society such trouble. Douma seeks to defeat, but not kill, Himitsu and leave a message on his body for Soul Society to retrieve.

[Douma]

Blood stained the ground, forming small puddles that trickled along the dirt road. The source of the blood was three bodies, all of which lay collapsed on the ground. Two were lifeless and limp with empty eyes still staring straight forward. The other, however, wasn’t quiet dead yet. He trembled as he held onto his last few breaths of life, just a few words caught in his throat that he was struggling to release. His gaze was focused with shock and terror on a man standing right above him. “You son of a b-“

Shink…

A black blade went straight through the man’s forehead, penetrating his brain and exiting through the opposite end of his skull before burying its first few inches into the ground. Its wielder let the blade sit for a second before pulling it out of his victim’s head and wiping the blood off on the dead men’s clothes. He wore a black trench coat with black jeans and a similarly colored shirt. Other than the black blade he held, he was equipped with a sword concealed by his trench coat sitting in its dark green scabbard at his hip. His mask had three circles and three evenly spaced tear openings. Two of those openings revealed his eyes, one of which was crimson red with tear-shaped marks around the pupil and the other which had a similar circular pattern as the mask.

He was an interesting sight, but not one any man would be eager to see. His presence became an omen for death, like the raven. Whether you’re a ‘good guy’ or a ‘bad guy’ doesn’t matter, for this man didn’t discriminate. That’s why he took on the name of an angel: because any divinity that may exist is passive and indiscriminate. The life of a hero was the same as the life of trash. The life of a child the same as the life of an adult. The life of a woman the same as the life of a man. And in the end, they would all be silenced.

Douma. The Angel of Silence. The Bringer of Death. And now, he would be taking on a new role: the Speaker of the Dead. Kagami had a message, something he had been preparing to send for a long time. It all happened when he finally unlocked his bankai, drawing closer to his Zanpakuto spirit that went by the name of Mai. And she told him of a technique more powerful than any destructive force Kagami could imagine. It was one perfectly designed for him and let him use his skills to the fullest. It was a technique that destroyed him, but gave him so much in exchange.

Four Days Ago. Soul Society Wilderness 50 miles away from the nearest Rukongai district.

Kagami stood in a danke cave at the base of a mountain range. It had been his center for mediation and personal training for months, but now, Kagami used it for other means. He needed to activate his bankai away from all other souls. He needed isolation. It was pouring rain outside, and the heavy pitter pattern of the droplets falling against the hard stone echoed through the deep chasm.

The sillhoute of a man bent over, his arm extended before him. His other arm, however, pressed a blade to the inside of his arm. In one fluid motion, he sliced a major blood vessel open, letting the warm liquid seem out of the wound, crawl down his arm, and drop into a bowl waiting to catch the blood just beneath him. Kagami didn’t flinch at all. He calmly took a towel and started to stop the bleeding once the bowl was nearly filled. He wrapped a bandage around the arm to stop the bleeding and proceeded to lie down beside the bowl of blood.

Kagami then spoke the faint words, his left hand instinctively settling on the hilt of his Zanpakuto sheathed at his waist. "Show them their dark sides, and show them ours'. Karai Shinkiro Mai!" Suddenly, the world around Kagami for a mile everywhere became encompassed by a huge reflective dome. The floor even turned into a mirror. However, Kagami himself passed out, causing his bankai to suddenly vanish as quickly as it had appeared. However, not all was unchanged. The unconscious Shinigami lay beside a glass of blood that appeared to have the image of a mirror.

End Flashback

He’s here Kagami felt a familiar reiatsu presence approaching. It was one he felt once before during a Quincy attack on the wedding of a certain Central 46 member. It was one he hadn’t felt since he disappeared from Soul Society almost a year ago. So Soul Society sends Himitsu Misute after me… heh Kagami new that the other Shinigami was in way over his head, but he’d have fun with the guy before killing him and leaving the message on his body for Soul Society to find. Douma stood to meet the man from across the road, waiting in silence.

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Himitsu hadn’t even moved in yet and he was sent on a mission. His stuff was still in his old Squad 9 Third Seat quarters, though he really didn’t have much stuff to move. He wanted a day—no, a few hours to get settled into his new home in the Squad 6 Barracks. As the Vice Captain, it would be his job to figure out how things are supposed to run and make sure they run that way, considering that his Captain, Sozenm would be spending most of his time at the Kuchiki Mansion. But no, Himitsu wasn’t allowed any time to get comfortable. The instant he received word of his transfer to Squad 6 and promotion to Vice Captain, he was sent off on a mission.

It was a test, and that was clear as day. There was a new big name out there that had been making some noise for the past year. Soul Society didn’t have much information on the man known as Douma. He was causing a bit of havoc in the outer Rukongai districts where Seireitei’s influence was lacking. And to counter this threat to Soul Society’s stability, the newly appointed Vice Captain of Squad 6 was sent into the scene. The second hand of Sozen Kuchiki, just upon receiving his position, would be put on his first notably operation.

Soul Society’s finest in Squad 9, Himitsu’s old division, had detailed a possible targets for Douma to pursue over the past two weeks, and Himitsu had traveled between all of those locations until five days after his deployment. And, finally, one lucky day, Himitsu made it to the scene just in time. “Just in time” wasn’t at the perfect moment to prevent Douma from taking any lives. In fact, Himitsu was glad to feel the reiatsu signatures of those criminals fading into the void. It was better for them to take each other out and save Himitsu the work of doing it later.

When Himitsu arrived on the scene with the use of Shunpo, he found Douma waiting for him. They stood about fifty meters from each other along a dirt road of the poor, outer Rukongai district. The other man looked as intimidating as the few witnesses of his crimes described him. That mask. Those eyes. That sword. Douma was just as bad as Himitsu hoped. It’d be worth the trouble of killing him. The Vice Captain drew his Zanpakuto, holding it comfortably in his right hand. He wasn’t going to hold back.

“Scream, Karaitami.” With a booming thunder and flash of lightning, Himitsu’s Zanpakuto had transformed from a blade into a shield strapped to his right arm. He extended his left hand, pointing it directly at the masked man. A thin bolt of lightning shot out of his palm, moving at a rapid speed toward the man’s chest. Himitsu would wait for the man to dodge Byakurai before creating six rays of light that would converge upon Douma from all direction as he was off balance from avoiding Byakurai. Whether or not Douma escaped the Bakudo, Himitsu would direct the Byakurai back at Douma. His ultimate goal was to vaporize his enemy and leave nothing left but ashes.

Reiatsu Remaining: 2575/3000 (-200 for Shikai, -25 for Byakurai, -150 for Rikonjuku, -50 for redirection of Byakurai)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}

Strength - [100] Points (60)

Speed - [300] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [300] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400] Points (700)

Light Aura - [90] Points

Dark Aura - [10] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [150] Points

Energy sensory - [50] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

Total SP: [1400] Points

Abilities

• Mental Incantation Level 3

• Calm Mind Level 3

• Battle Analysis Level 3

• Battle Skill: Kido Level 3

[Douma]

Two Days Ago

There were two of him. The same dark silhouette in the same distant cave. Two days earlier, he had been all alone. No, however, he had a companion. Not a friend. The bond was far more intimate than that they were connected. They were one in the same. But one was Kagami Murai, and the other was Douma.

And now a third was in the making. One Kagami figure cut the other and collected the blood. Just a cupful was all that Kagami needed. And suddenly, upon activation of bankai, one Kagami had suddenly collapsed limp. The counterpart caught him and set his body gently on the ground while the cup of blood lay coated in a mirror.

End Flashback

It was too easy for Douma. He was going to make this quick so that he didn’t have to bother dealing with too much trouble. After all, his task was simple. Himitsu had to be brought down. Douma moved quickly, so when Himitsu began charging his reiatsu for Byakurai, Douma had already moved out of the way at an incredible speed. He was no longer running on the ground but rather gliding on it, letting him move at a ridiculous pace of 1000. Himitsu couldn’t keep up very well. The byakurai missed, and Himitsu wouldn’t have time to redirect it before Kagami had already set up and sprung his trap.

By silently releasing his Zanpakuto, he was able to summon two mirrors that were made invisible by linking each side of the mirror to its opposite. One was made directly behind Himitsu while the other was just in front of him. It was a simple matter for Kagami to let the mirrors swing toward Himitsu, initially letting him pass through them. The mirrors stopped when one was parallel to his body and the other was parallel to his arm. Douma then prevented him from passing through them, binding the Vice Captain in an invisible mirror trap.

The next parts are where it got brutal. Himitsu didn’t stand a chance. Blades emerged everywhere. One appeared through his arm and went up the length, cracking the bone in two while shredding muscles, tendons, and ligaments. That wasn’t the worst of it, however. Douma was just getting started. Another jumped out of the right side of his chest, piercing straight through his lung. His abdomen had a heavy cut slicing through it. His other arm was suddenly impaled. Himitsu wouldn’t be able to even tell where those blades came from. It would all be over soon.

Kagami pulled his pouch out and held it against the chest wound of the bleeding, immobile, and undoubtedly barely conscious Himitsu. He would collect as much blood as the pouch could fit, and that would be more than enough. From that point on, he would go to Himitsu’s back and cut the clothes off with one clean swipe. Himitsu would barely be aware of his surroundings by this point, but he would feel Douma’s fingers trace over his back. Line by line. Letter by letter. The entire phrase written in Himitsu’s blood.

Reiatsu Remaining: 7350/8000 (-200 for shikai, -300 for Shunkashou, -50 for two mirrors, -100 for two image links)

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Himitsu didn’t know what was going on at first. It was incredible. The man reacted to byakurai right before it was fired, dodging to the side with rapid speed and closing the distance. Himitsu tried to redirect the byakurai, but it missed. After all, he couldn’t compete with that speed. The Vice Captain’s mind screamed at him to get to safety. To run. But his body was frozen. But he wasn’t just paralyzed by fear. It was like something was anchoring him, preventing him from escaping. And the whole time, those two eyes… the red and white… they stared at him, burning a deep, dark hole through him. Himitsu hadn’t felt so weak since that time…

Flashback

Himitsu lay on the ground, his body burned to a crisp. Every inch of him hurt. Part of him just wanted to die, but that was the weak part. The part he needed to suppress. His Zanpakuto was in hand, and the other part of him wanted to fight so dearly. But he couldn’t stand up. His body refused his calls. His muscles cried. His skin burned. The blood of his fellow Shinigami settled in pools around him, but he couldn’t move. He was useless.

But those shoes in front of his face mocked him. The man in the shoes mocked him. Kuroi Nato. Himitsu never stood a chance. It was mere bad luck that he ran into the Segunda Espada, and he clearly tried to put up a fight. He really did, but he couldn’t stand a chance? He was just a weak Shinigami incapable of anything but watching. Watching the Segunda Espada stand over his burnt body. Watching Kuroi kill the squadron of Shinigami that came to rescue him. Watching Kuroi take the life of the woman with red hair… the woman who looked exactly like Ayumi. Watching the Hollow kill Ayumi. Watching hell beings storm Karakura and take lives. Watching a chimera man standing over the unconscious body of a little girl. Watching Discord put a bullet in that chimera’s head.

End Flashback

All you do is watch… You’re weak… You’re not fit to command me… Let this man kill you and end your petty life…

It was that ominous, familiar female voice that rang through Himitsu’s mind. His own Zanpakuto spirit turned on him. He was truly alone. Against his will, his lightning-infused shield stopped its sizzling and humming. In a matter of seconds, its energy was released harmlessly, causing the metal to fall to the ground as a simple katana. It was nothing more than that for Himitsu. Just a katana. He had no Zanpakuto. He wasn’t a real Shinigami. And now Douma was going to take his life.

Blood splattered everywhere, and Himitsu found that he lacked the breath to scream in pain. The wave of agony almost knocked him unconscious, but his foggy vision could still make out the shadow of Douma’s body standing beside him. Himitsu may have been taller, but he knew he was being looked down on. He was a Vice Captain, yet he didn’t stand a chance. He was weak. Karaitami was right, for she had reason to abandon him. His weakness lost his Zanpakuto. His weakness killed the humans in Karakura. His weakness let the Hyogukou get stolen by the Quincy. His weakness killed those Shinigami. His weakness killed Ayumi. He was nothing.

But that’s the thing about despair. Only when things are the darkest does the sun start to come up. Himitsu was self-loathing. He hated Douma, as well. He envied Sozen’s strength. He wanted the power to protect the innocent and kill the wicked, as Shinigami were meant to do. So, with the last ounce of his energy, Himitsu made his final hurrah. It was one simple technique that didn’t require any aiming, but considering how close Douma was, it had to land. After all, Himitsu looked like he was knocked out. Douma wouldn’t see it coming.

Hado #48: Dendo Hoden

And with an impulse of lightning that suddenly shot out of Himitsu as Douma was writing on his back, the man would find his body covered in second degree burns and his muscles numb and unresponsive. That was all Himitsu needed. Just one hit before he faded into the black void of unconsciousness.

Reiatsu Remaining: 2475/3000 (-100 for Deno Hoden)

[Douma]

One Day Later

Kagami’s burns were gone for the most part, but that Himitsu sure did throw a low blow right at the end of the fight. It wasn’t a Hail Mary in the sense that it didn’t do much but cause Kagami some pain and numb his body. The effects didn’t last long, though. And it didn’t matter, considering that Himitsu just might be dead. Of course, if they got a medical team to him quickly enough, he would have lived, but the man suffered some heavy damage and lost a lot of blood.

And some of that blood was with Kagami. A good portion of it, actually. The masked man, Douma, was back in his cave in the outskirts of the Rukongai, where a man and a woman had been waiting for him. The man was his exact height and had the same body build. The woman, however, was shorter by a good half of a foot. She had long blond hair and an attractive, curvy body. In the dimly lit cave, his soft pink eyes brightened the chasm like stars in the night sky.

She held Kagami’s limp body after he once again passed out immediately after activating his bankai. The other Kagami sat in waiting, just watching the events transpire. He had a smug, arrogant expression on his face, one that contrasted Douma’s blank, cold face behind his white mask. He simply watched the mirror coated form around the blood. He watched the mirror blood form a bone. Then a rib. Then a ribcage. Then lungs, a stomach, an esophagus, a heart. Arms. Legs. A head. Smooth, hazel eyes. A kind, beautiful face. A thin body. And then long, red hair. If Himitsu ever came across her again in the future, he would recognize her as his friend from his time as a soul in the human world. He would recognize her as the woman who was consumed by a hollow right before his eyes. He would recognize her as the woman the Kuroi struck down while he lay helplessly on the ground.

It was Ayumi.

On the Same Day - Squad 4 Medical Facility - Seireitei

“We need to take him to see Rose ASAP.”

“He’s wheezing. Definitely has a punctured lung. He’s not gonna last long, even though we stopped all of the bleeding.”

A man and woman, clear members of the Fourth Division of the Gotei 13, were carrying Himitsu in a stretcher. Had they not luckily found him thirty minutes after he suffered his injuries, the Vice Captain would have died for sure. However, they managed to halt the majority of his bleeding, despite the wounds barely shutting. He needed an expert, like Rose. And that’s why they arranged to have him transported by to Seireitei as soon as possible.

As they carried him through the door of the medical facility, two higher-ranked members of Squad 4 ran out to relieve them of the injured Vice Captain. However, just as they were about to take Himitsu into the emergency room, the woman called out suddenly, “Wait! There’s… something you should know…” Realizing her weakness and hesitation, the man took charge. He understood, after all, why she was reluctant to share the message, but it was important, nonetheless.

“I don’t know who Misute-fukataicho got into trouble with, but the guy had to be strong if he caused this much damage. And then… there was something written on his back. I don’t… I can’t be sure that it’s true, but it’s worth taking a look at. I’ll send word to the Captain Commander himself, since he’d probably be most interested. After all… it has to do with his Vice Captain.” Curiously and skeptically, the medical team turned Himitsu over and got a glimpse of the blood red text on his back.

The two seated officers gasped at the revelation, there eyes widening suddenly. After all, their reaction was understandable. The message was truly surprising, to say the least. They leaped into a chaotic panic, screaming to all nearby Shinigami. “We have to send word to the Captain Commander about this now. Tell him what the message sent said. See if he knows who wrote it. This is urgent. Tell him the exact words on the message…”

West Rukongai District 117. Next Tuesday. Bring a Team of Shinigami

Kagami Murai is ALIVE

[Zeich Yajuu]

+300 TP to each participant.