Artist: UI-70 - Song: Hartmann's Youkai Girl - Words: 10,780
The skies were all sorts of distorted colors, while the air was a bizarre mixture of blazing hots suns and frigid cold winters. Indeed, the balance was certainly becoming contorted, twisted and overall broken. However, when you are dealing with a creature that seeks to destroy this equilibrium? It only comes with the terrority with how far this war had truly spiraled out of control. What started off as just a mere grunt invasion had evolved, morphed and became known as one of the most lethal Shadow Fall operations in the Soul Society to date. The dawn of the Shadow Throne, Khala Asthavon, was certainly coming to rise as her cult-like followers used suicidal tactics, crazed assaults and mass numbers to outright inflict significant damage upon the Seireitei and Soul Society as a whole. So as more smoke, explosions and fire rose in the distance; the elements of chaos, discord, death and despair were all enveloping The Heart of Deveta like a sinister blanket of pain as she relished in the agony of the world and the release of her fragile selves being freed from this torment.
And no such agony was as painful as the one Khala observed of Unohana Retsu, The First Kenpachi. Indeed, both physical and mental, the scars of her past were coming to the surface and taking full form as these ghost of days long gone came to reclaim The Lone Maiden. It nagged at her, consumed her and almost overwhelmed her if it weren't for a pesky thing known as willpower. The salvation was almost had, the saving of this soul's cursed lifetime stained in this existence had been nearly cured -- yet -- the stubbornness within her soul was still very much intact. Further observation of Unohana's struggle made Khala question why she was so determined to fight through this suffering. What was her exit plan? Even with her being able to cut through all the obstacles thrown in her way, the futility of it all would surely come full circle if she was focused on defeating the root cause of it: Khala herself.
Gazing into her otherworldly perception, The Heart of Deveta did indeed see a timeline, an alternative universe, if you all, where she was soundly defeated by this trio of powerful Shinigami. Yet, in spite of the fact that all three of them were able to defeat this Demon Goddess in that one probable timeline -- there was still much hell to pay. Countless others rose up behind Khala's call, more powerful foes came from the abyss and the inner hearts, minds and turmoils of their lives all came full circle. A person may be able to delay the inevitable by stoning a beast like The Shadow Throne -- but in Khala's mind -- it was all a futile effort to put off an unavoidable end. All universes die, all timelines end and the sweet embrace of death will eventually embrace all creatures to allow them their salivation. No matter how long it takes; even if it should overlap into trillions of years, that persistence and determination of the afterlife Khala yearns for would eventually come true. Rather it comes in the form of the heat death of the universe, the destruction of all life by an unforeseen force or the gradual decay of the known dimensions: it. Has. To. Come. True.
So as Unohana was in the process of shattering the dimension Khala had enforced around her body, The Shadow Throne's own energy finally started to come to the surface. Rubbing in the lands echoed, the skies trembled and a source of golden light started to envelop her eyes. In fact? The very third eye attached to Khala's chest was even seen pulsating as this was a signal this creature's heart was beginning to come to life. Gritting her teeth and sensing all the disturbances in the land, Khala was injecting all of these experiences into herself, amplifying her DE Force and becoming one with the torment, decay and sorrow expressed all throughout this war. Although the cluster of force within this child-like being was hard to measure, it was certain she was ready and armed to do something dangerous given the correct agitation -- and boy was she about to receive one hell of an irritation.
"Enough? I KNOW IT'S ENOUGH! WE BOTH KNOW IT'S ENOUGH!"That is the words that Khala chose to scream out as the world around them started to shatter, break and quiver in fear at the hollering of her voice. Just in that mere shockwave rows of tens of thousands of Shinigami and Demon alike were killed, obliterated and turned to dust in the wind as their bodies broke down and were sucked into the abysmal pit of Death itself to be processed and birthed into their new world of pure bliss. The resistance of her perceived selves were growing on her patience, but that was just out of her own love, her own worry and the sensation that the pain Unohana was going through could all but be alleviated if she just gave into this new world. It was maddening, it was infuriating; but Khala had to fight through it! It was an eternal and endless battle into the deepest shades of madness itself that this Demon God was willing to battle in her own deluded and crazed sense of morality!
"So why can't you comprehend it?! I'm just trying to save the both of us any further torture, suffering and misery this corrupted universe has imposed on us. You are me, I am you and we can both free ourselves of this struggle if you only accept me into your heart so we can become whole again!" Voice choking up, but face full of fury and sadness; Khala could only have a golden tears drip from her eye sockets. Words could not convey it perhaps, so she was forced to begin gritting her teeth out of malice, bawling her fist filled with contempt and hardening her stance to endure the next wave of pain coming her way. This influx in her energy had caused The Shadow Throne's hair to begin standing on it's ends; resulting in the black and golden hued hat she so boldly worn to become dissipated into the wind.
Snarling furiously at the leap Unohana took forward towards her, Khala let out another yell before deciding to let loose with the heavy handed hits. Therefore, before Unohana could even touch her, an invisible and condensed force had all but blocked the blade. Being that the attributes to Deveta's Heart were slowly, but surely awakening and coming to life, it was influencing the very gravity around them to be at her utter disposal. By doing this maneuver, she harnessed this power to make the gravitational pull one hundred times denser and harder than Earth's gravity within this contained region of Unohana's bladed assault to avoid getting hit by The Kenpachi's Zanpakutō.
Even if it didn't successfully stop the blade, it would certainly dramatically slow down the speed of Unohana; if it didn't outright crush her hand and sword. Understanding its effects, she may very well lose that arm with the amount of pressure that was fixated to that singular area where all of The Kenpachi's sword strikes were aimed. This may even lead to damage to her Zanpakutō in the form of it snapping it half, dents to be inflicted upon it or it outright being snatched out of her hands by the amount of impact behind this blow. Indeed, this would cause quite the significant blow to her battle if it were allowed to be processed as a good chunk of energy could be felt surging outwards to outright consume and break the whole of Unohana's body as it exploded in a gravitational bomb meant to impose that sort of damage throughout her body within a confined region of twenty meters.
Although, there was an error of calculation on part of Khala. Coughing up a bit of black blood, apart of Unohana's slash and her own gravitational bomb pierced The Demoness stomach. This caused an intense burning pain for a few moments before her body swiftly went to work trying to numb that sensation. Shown on her right most stomach area, there was a burning and smoldering hit made that tore through her clothing, skinned her body and was shown to have a great impactful force. Reacting to this agony by grabbing the pulsating eye on her chest, Khala could feel something was off within her being as she started to pant out of feeling the pressures of this body slowly aching her. While Khala could attempt to indeed spread that force through a larger area, with the dawning of her powers slowly coming to fruition, The Shadow Throne was intent on making these impacts immensely strong with the grip she had on them, but condensed into smaller regions. This is due to the fact that it had been many eons since she had ever had a battle, yet alone one against multiple Shinigami in their Bankai states or higher, so it seemed to be the best bet in order not to strain her presently weakened heart. So it is on that wing and prayer that Unohana faced a critical hit while Khala echoed these words out to her presumed "self".
"I will die....for each soul I've claimed?" This caused Khala's eyes to dull, before her shoulders slumped to her sides and the sounds of a small laugh started to cackle out of her mouth. After a few seconds it got progressively louder and louder until she started outright having a laughter fit as more tears started to fall down from the lone goddess's eyes. However, they weren't tears of joy. Nay. They were those of pain as it hurt her to keep harming this vision of her soul in such a way. To see Unohana hurt like this -- made Khala hurt. Yet, she felt the need to keep pressing on and brave the weight of her heavy soul. So with a frown, a scowl and and determined resolve in her head; she'd start shouting off at the woman as The Demon Goddess felt this was all for their own benefit. As they were all in this together, they were all the same being and they had to understand just what they were!
"Listen, you haven't an inkling of what is in store for the two of us. There are an endless sea of souls that have yet to be saved, restored and made whole into our being, Unohana. Those were merely the spirits YOU killed wanting to find YOUR SALVATION." Snapping her fingers without so much as a hesitation, more energy seeped out of The Demon Goddess as she started countering the sword blows once again with her gravitational explosions; obliterating reishi, earth and even oxygen and air itself with each pocket sized explosion that rang out. What's more? She even created a whole field of these gravity bombs meant to do their damndest to obliterate any attack that came into their field. Expanding to roughly one hundred in numbers, Khala had more of her sinister laughs echo out. In this moment, at that time, her power was trying to rise to the surface and force it way out of this dark and decrepit pit to meet and outmatch the threat that was looming on the horizon. As this war was progressing further and further into the depths of hell itself, it was obvious that more strength was going to be needed to overcome this first of many battles to her utopian afterlife!
"In death? There is no pain. There is no anguish. The only thing that is an endless void of bliss, certification and wholeness that I wish to invoke across all our scattered selves thrown into sunder by this universe's cruel rules. So if you wish to stand in the way of that, I have no choice but to cut you down myself!" Having made her mantra up, it was time to unleash unholy catastrophe upon these sickened selves. Therefore, Khala had the burning mark from Unohana's earlier attack begin to be patched up. Utilizing her own high-speed regeneration, the smoke all but came to a cease around The Demoness's body. After that, the blacked blood that started to ooze out of her had halted and the significant cut that had marked her body was sealed tight. Following that was even the dematerialization of the clothing and it appeared as if Khala was all but new as the mechanisms of her body's internal structure would make her body appear as fresh as the day she was born at the cost of blowing through her energy.
Once the regeneration was done, Khala's eyes dawned on Unohana and with a few blinks of the eye, was already in front of the Kenpachi ready to strike. So without resistant, Khala amplified the strength of herself by turning releasing blow after blow of reinforced gravity upon her face. The combined impact with the motion of Khala's fist would be enough to heavily cement and reinforce the injuries Unohana may or may not have previously suffered from these barrages of assaults on Khala's end. A blow to her sternum, throat, jaws and then two tendrils piercing her sides were the first wave of seismic blows dealt by The Demon Goddess as she got a hands on approach to the situation.
Understanding that Unohana's own swordsmanship was not to be underestimated, Khala had numerous tendrils spew out of her third eye and attempted to unleash them at great speeds in order to deflect and repel any potential strikes from her blade as she attempted to outright overpower her. And being no person to ignore her environment, this more than included any assistance from her allies; as Khala's living tendrils, in this moment, were ready to eat and devour anything that came it's way or take the blow outright for The Shadow Throne. All the while, she guided her previous gravitational bombs to scatter across the area and compound the difficulty of reaching Unohana while she was busy thrashing and mauling her like a savage beast. Intermixed within them would be various sorts of inverted loops would redirect the very air around them. Since, as some would notice, various sorts of projectiles were redirected in many random locations. A large chunk of rock was seen hurling towards the west, despite coming from the north. While a blackened corpse that dropped from the sky was redirected back upwards into the air. Essentially, it was a loop meant to block out intervention until Khala was ready.
Thenceforth, she could focus on the next series of tendrils that were reinforced with this same ungodly gravitational force and meant to have five sink into Unohana's spine in order to immobilize her, drain the spiritual energy out of her and outright crush her as she did her best effort to inject this force to shatter her entire backside and leave her paralyzed on the ground; depleted of life and taken out of this fight outright if all went according to the plan. There was the potential for death, sure, but the more probable outcome would be an outright coma or unconscious more than anything else. All that mattered to her was easing the lasting moments of this woman's agony to put an end to centuries upon centuries of endless misery to release her into the embodiment of death to find her retribution for this horrid life that she has lead. And the only way Khala knew how to do that -- was through utter and complete annihilation. It was her form of love, her way of compassion and the only method that seemed to work in destroying the boundaries between bliss and despair in the world. For the universe thrived on pain, and the only way to beat it was to outmatch it in destruction! That was the kind of logic that was screaming, roaring and bouncing throughout the inner walls of Khala's mind as she thrusted forward into this burning world of hers.
"Now hate me as you may, I am the only self who can stop this torment now." And with those cryptic words uttered out in a raspy voice, Khala saw forth to utterly dismantle any further resistance from Unohana. In her hand laid eons of demonic knowledge, hundreds of millennia's of knowledge and the power and energy to use it all efficiently and without error. So it is along these lines that Khala, no matter what action or reaction was given, had attempted to outright shatter and seal the root of Unohana's powers as her hand was consumed within a neon green light. Aiming directly for The Kenpachi's gut, this seal of compression was meant to attach itself to Unohana's Soul Chain and corrode it with Death Energy. By utilizing the breakdown function of her DE Force, this seal of death sought to rip the life out of The Raven Haired Maiden. Internally, it was meant to seal off her reishi by vaporizing and disintegrating each particle of energy inside of her body bit by bit until nothing remained but enough to keep her barely clinging to life.
Even with her expert kido knowledge, it would be put to the test against one of the oldest forms of demonic magic. So it would have five layers meant to be spread throughout her body in order to reinforce the chances of this succeeding and each one was doing its best effort to break the Kenpachi. Attempting to even corrode her will, delude her mind and regress her body to a state of powerlessness. In this way, Khala sucked her teeth out of distaste for having to do such a thing to someone as beautiful as this woman and resorted to letting out a quick yell out of frustration. In this moment, Khala pulled back and attempted to deliver one final smashing kick that could devastate endless city blocks across Unohana's face and intercept the next challenge overhead: The Captain known as Iriko Crow. Deciding that she didn't want any further interference from Unohana, Khala decided that before she had dealt with Iriko -- The Kenpachi was going to molded into a sound grave. Baring those thoughts in mind, Khala opened a vortex that was connected to Earth's space. From there? She'd decided to rid herself of this pest once and for all. Placing a heavily fortified dome around Unohana's vicinity, she'd then open up numerous vortexes around her and attempt to inject heat from the surface sun itself in order to order to force her to tap out until the very last drip of consciousness was exhausted from The Shinigami. In this way, no matter which colossal assault made it's impact, something was going to leave it's mark on the woman. So whenever The Demon Goddess felt The Fierce Kenpachi's energy finally drop down to her base form? The barrier itself would be shattered as Khala would take that for a means of giving up and embracing the inevitable end of her miserable life.
Cackling with disgust and delight meshed together into one eerie laugh, she'd then set her sights back on the lone Captain in the sky. It was a null feeling after having the sensation of her tendrils failing to pierce through the bubble dome, but that's simply because of Khala's own fault: she wasn't fighting with nearly enough heart or energy to pierce through it. So it was to be expected as The Demon Goddess herself noted that this strength within her was just beginning to rile, awaken and come forth to the surface to invoke these wonderful miracles to the world! Therefore, she'd disconnected most of the appendages associated with her body and cast them away as if they were nothing but canon fodder. Feeling that her body was growing, energy contorting and mind accelerating to greater heights; perhaps she was outgrowing it even as they fought now. So many centuries had passed since the last time she fought a group like this, as visions of Mana Asthavon, Nami Asthavon, Rock Asthavon and Strength Asthavon came back into her mind during the first time she was awakened from her slumber. Indeed, this fight was just like that one then and it meant that The Heart of Deveta was going to have to hit a bit harder if her goals, her dreams and hopes of unifying all her divided selves into one were going to be successful. The disease had become strong, so very strong and it wasn't anyway of getting around it anymore.
"My mind is all that matters? Yes! You are right! Our mind's do matter! We are all interconnected as one and I'm just doing my part as the one to unify our distraught self. In the arms of death, I believe the entire picture will be painted clear as to what we are, my loving self." There seemed to be a soft, caring and gentle tone to Khala's voice at this point; eyes easing over despite the fact she was become a singular powerhouse capable of mass destruction and genocide. Never once did she believe she was doing the wrong thing. Perhaps there was a passing notion that she was even doing the world a favor by accelerating the rate of death and having these factions of her wondrous mind be forced to unite under death's gloom banner. After all, the intent was to become whole, wasn't it? This is just the most swift way Khala knew to restore her own "balance".
"And of course I understand my job as the chemo to your cancer is an extremely perilous one. It's just...I haven't fought a battle such as this in many years. So perhaps, just maybe, I need to wake up a bit myself!" And those confident words spoken, another explosion of golden and white energy raptured around Khala as her eyes seemed focused, intent and gleaming full of life. They were eyes that may have been filled with delusions of grandeur, but crazed beauty that only she herself was capable of fully understanding as the cure to the sickness!
"Natural laws? Haha, Surpassing Law IS the Natural Law! I AM the natural law when Truth is not here." In this time, a menacing grin that showed rows of fanged and razor sharp teeth came across Khala's face.
"My....kin...my brother....my sister.....Truth.....we are the fundamental forces of this existence. The Soul King has his put, but he has surely been rendered silent together with my beloved kin."Lowering her head to the point of her eyes being dosed by it's shadow, there seemed to be a more somber tone to her voice now.
"So, what am I to do? Hehehe, I assume it's my time to take control of that soul cycle." Clenching her fist, the memories of her fellow godling started to flashs in her mind as many shades of blue, green, red and gold tears dropped from her cheek in light of that pain in her heart from losing communication with him. Yet -- there was still that ominous grin across her face as she braved through this sense of mental torment and performed physiological gymnastics to invoke Surpassing Law as the new Natural Law. However, if one's ability holds sway over the universe, you were born at the start of it and have powers only rivaled by two other creatures revered as "gods" in their own right: what conclusion would you be led to believe? That is the ugly notion in Khala's powers, after all.
"So what constitutes as their violations of nature....doesn't apply to myself. I'll make that judgement call for myself which is natural and what isn't with Surpassing Law's gift. That is my tool to bring us back to being complete once more and freed of these shackles."Now glancing back to the vanishing hell in the distance, there was nothing but a soft chuckle emitted from Khala's being. So what if the gates of hell were opened? What point did it matter at this point? There were far too many numerous beings whom held the vessels of destruction within their veins that were capable of obliterating entire landscapes and turning them into hellish inferno's of death. Heh, didn't his Captain even show that fact? How was she any different from that? Those were some of the notions running through the mind of Khala as she could only shake her head at that rebuttal.
"My rapture leads to the saving of souls, the merging of our minds and the release of pain. We've been...suffering for so long....who wouldn't want to break free of this prison of anguish after so many eternis? Please." Moving her right hand to the side, Khala could only tilt her head before closing those golden hued eyes of hers and letting out a softened sigh to calm the uneven nerves within herself.
"I can tell that the actions I've caused are very calamitous in nature, but it's necessary to see the light of our true after life. This...this world? It's nothing more than purgatory. Just look all around you!" Motioning her arms to rise in the air, Khala referred to the entirety of the Soul Society. "The Soul King Rules Over purgatory, The Angel of Truth has domain over Heaven and I control the wickedness that is Hell and Demon World as a result." By the time that Iriko had mentioned the belief that Khala had gave up her soul, she could only let out a disenchanted sigh to that very concept.
"We were the original origins of the soul, don't you understand that? The very perception of the soul were born and crafted by our very hands. Even the very powers you wield by that Zanpakutō were made possible by The Soul King's notion of the spirit." Pointing at Iriko's bubble-dome and then his own Zanpakutō spirit by producing a holographic image of it, Khala could only scoff harshly at that logic.
"So with myself? The assumption I've given up anything is false. I am seeking to reclaim what I've lost; as I am incomplete and you are to. I yearn to make us all whole again and seek the fullness of the complete spirit as it was intended to before either of these fundamental forces were created. In the void of the unborn, there is no room for it." In that moment, the very assaults that were launched by Iriko seemed to be bouncing off The Heart of Deveta as this counter-argument was made and visually even seen coming into effect by the way in which their powers clashed.
"As for the comparison? I made that connection based on the fact that we are one in the same and I'm yearning to bring out the collective desire to find peace. From the wealth of knowledge I have, I do have enough understanding of you that you are indeed an excellent writer. So perhaps an eternity to reflect on that poetry would be best suited towards your soul's eternal nirvana."Now taking a moment to listen to the song in which The Dragon Crow quoted, Khala could only chuckle somewhat as she started to think of this reflection of herself as a masochist if he were so yearning for further punishment. In stating that, there was a line of reasoning that she could understand if one actually had grown to love the pain of this universe. A coping mechanism to deal with the harshness of this reality certainly had to be founded and perhaps that's just the trick some of these shattered sleeves used to get by. In spite of that -- he was utterly wrong about her being the disease and she'd quickly bring back her earlier point. "Did you not hear a word I spoke to you, Dragon Crow? I, Truth and Soul King were some of the first forces in existence to forge this material realm." Once finished bringing that point back up, Khala grabbed on to her golden third eye and uttered this sentence out clearly for all those to hear on the battlefield.
"In other words: I Am The Heart Of The Demon God. I am the one who bares his pain and my name is Khala Asthavon: Holder of Deveta's Soul."There was no sinister laugh, mournful tears or furious anger behind that tone of voice; it was clear, objectively and concrete resolve to speak it's name into existence and realize just the opponent they were up against.
"Although, you may otherwise know another incarnation of myself as Touketsu...." Now seeming in control of herself at this moment, it seemed that those words even reminded Khala of just who she was herself.
"...and you should understand now that I am simply cleansing the vessel we all share to be purified, cleansed and made to run as it should be under Surpassing Law."Once finished speaking those words out into the land, another heavy sigh escaped the lips of Khala as her energy was more than ready to react violently towards anyone who dared disturbed any portion of her dialogue. Even though she was indeed at the rank of "Demon God", that wouldn't stop any other creatures from trying to cease their clutches at victoires by doing their damndest to interrupt her. This was shown by ripples of blackness phasing in and out around Khala's body as it was ready to vaporize and terminate all sorts of projectiles, physical assaults, magic and anything else you could shake at this ungodly creature.
However, she was more interested in the transformation into the slug that The Crow underwent. It appeared the the innermost depths of his soul were certainly coming to the surface with this profound motorphoris. It made the third eye, nay, the Heart of The Demon God begin to slowly but surely open it's eyelid; if only ever so much. And with it came an ominous feeling was felt throughout the lands as the entire sky was blackened and shades of red and gold were now the minority on the skyline. The Demoness's own eyes then started to become devoured by darkness before her iris and pupils were a mixture between a bright halcyon hue and a onyx color; appearing as if the whites in Khala's eyes faded and all that was left was a golden stare from her.
This exchange of eyes was all that was needed in order for The Demon Goddess to acknowledge the own shift in The Dragon Crow's persona and thus matched it with her own heart steadily opening. So with a soft gaze, she observed the swift movements of Iriko's approachment to determine -- that it wasn't a threat. The intent she felt behind it was lacking in hostility; nothing like she sensed from the other two opponents who clearly were out for blood or glory in Tsubasa's case. This one seemed to invoke a calmer sense of being into Khala and one she seemed to embrace in this moment; despite those delirious ideals still spiraling about in the cluttered mess that is The Demon God's soul. Thus, when the red tattoo emerged on the hand of Khala, an exhale of breath was heard once more as she embraced his own subconscious desire to take that hand. It was a comforting feeling and one that brushed away from of the more maddening features of The Demon God's Heart -- if only for a short while.
"I...appreciate that love. Maybe there is hope for the two of us after all."There wasn't the slightest sense of struggle, resistance or fear shown in the eyes of Khala as she spoke those words out to The Dragon Crow. Nay, she almost sounded content for once out of this entire battle. Unlike the others who sought to outright kill her and never even attempt to decipher the enigma behind these actions, it seemed this one held some capacity and function to communicate with her without any over zealous ideals of conquest like so many others before her. Closing her eyes with the warmest of thoughts, The Demoness endured the brash blow of the headbutt from Iriko. And, like broken glass, the forehead of Khala shattered and nothing but -- a black void -- was left in it's place. Normally, this may hurt -- but the shift in her body's structure and alteration of her mental state more than nulled this. More importantly, there seemed to be -- something else -- within the darkness. Dawning closer and closer, the unleashing of another eye came into place where the hole in The Demoness's forehead was. Slowly, it opened up and seemed to be filled with a golden and black light behind it; much like her other set of eyes. In turn, this was her actual third eye coming into place; as the strange golden orb in her chest was the core and centermost piece of The Demon God's heart. And the more that opens -- the further this venture into the unknown will drag on. Nevertheless, the words which were uttered out of Iriko's mouth got Khala's attention and she decided to address them in a more gentle manner.
"Then I surmise you are closer to reflection of god than you give yourself credit for. As I myself felt that way since the very beginning of time. It is why I yearn to collect these pieces of ourselves for us to feel alive once more as we were when all was unified. There would be no more suffering, no more void and no more...feeling dead. A world without pain, without uncertainty -- it may not make sense to others, but I can make it reality and make it right." Eyes blinking golden hue -- something off appeared in the distance. Or rather -- a force emerged all around them. Thousands upon thousands of replicas that mimicked Khala's image started taking root all throughout the immediate war area. Appearing over the bodies of those deceased, those in pain and some spirits still fighting. It would not harm Shadow Fall, Kokuryuteshi or Monsuta operatives -- that weren't already dead. Nein. Something else was on the horizon as they all were connected to Khala's speech and reflected her words.
"Don't you understand yet? This world is overflowing with sorrow. It's inhabits are drowning within emptiness. Solitude and isolation fills their hearts. It's become too painful. So let us opt out of it and choose to run away from it. Don't you yearn to be at ease? Do you not desire peace of mind? Do you not want to become one with me? To have our bodies, spirits and minds released from this anguish? It's...simply too much." Beginning to compose the corpses of those whom had long been deceased, it mattered not what would occur after or before; as they were all the same spectrum of time. These duplicates of Khala increased to the hundreds of thousands as they broke down the bodies of those whom were deceased into a black goo. Meanwhile, while this was going, these spirits of The Demon God even went on to ask others whom were in intense psychological pain, yearned to die and sought release to take her hand to be free of this world as well.
"I admire your ability to stay sane in such a place. I admire your burden, to go on for so long without morphing your form in this tainted land, living amidst this torrential vortex of impure thought." To this end, a simply nod of the head from Khala was all that was seen as she monitoned for more of these enforcers of her will to carry out and infuse themselves with those who took this hand into the new afterlife. The influence of Khala's command was growing stronger -- and this wasn't just an illusion of her mind at this point. Surpassing Law was coming to life and it's very aura was overpowering the Soul Cycle itself. No longer having The Soul King and Truth in her way, with the additional unbalance of Hell causing a great rift within the ripples of the afterlife, most souls were being redirected straight into the embodiment of Death itself -- at the deepest and darkest pit of Hell -- one only known to The Demon God and Demon Queen. Even if she proved unable to entirely obliterated the Soul Society, the great shift in command would be felt for eons to come until Truth or the Soul King battled Khala Asthavon themselves or tried to reason with her.
"It's okay, please relax." Hugging Iriko during all this, Khala would pat his head and have more tears run down her face before gently smiling.
"I'd like to thank you for asserting yourself with all your might, expressing true feeling that can be quite the irritating endeavour. Doing all that you can to preserve with everything in this world, your spirit does not refrain from knowing true solitude." Now having a dazed look in her eyes, reddened blood oozed from Khala's mouth and throat as she started to absorb some of the very anguish felt from Iriko's display; redirecting all of the imagery into herself to get a better understanding of him and this will to continue.
"I honestly want to respond to that courage of yours by changing everyone's loneliness to happiness. The progression of evolution in this world is nothing more than degeneration from the second me and my kin spread our influence throughout the known verses. A mistake... I will rectify at all cost."Stepping away from Iriko at this point to let him descend further into spirit's own transformation, Khala was seen grabbed her hair and letting the hole in her throat regenerate itself as the blood dried across her clothing. Letting out a groan of protest, she'd then continue onward as if she were fighting off something within:
"It's detestable! It's horrible! It's the delusion of adults under the presence of philosophy! First of all, what kind of person would even desire such a thing! Even if such a void person existed, there are many others who wouldn't! There's no such person, they can't possibly EXIST as were when we were one!" Upon saying these words, the replicas of The Demon God no longer transmitted the same exact dialogue as they all faded into a pitch black vortex in the sky where Hell's Gate once so overbearing devoured the heavens. Despite all of her rebellion, she'd limp her body forward in a meek matter before letting out a sigh and hearing the words of Iriko speak out to her once more in regards to their "Captain Commander". The bars being broken yielded no significance to Khala, but it was rather obvious that he'd be such things. The only thoughts that The Demon Goddess even had of him at this point was that he was nothing more than an over glorified bouffon. Once he was made whole with death's union one day, perhaps then he would become enlightened and freed of his own suffering through ignorance.
Moreover, she was infinitely more interested in the morphing of Iriko's body at the moment. The degeneration of his own soul was steadily progressing at a swift rate and it could only bring a grim chuckle out of The Demon Goddess as she felt his Zanpakutō reaching it's peak state of being. So it was rather befitting that the whole domain would buckle under the weight of such a powerful entity -- after all -- it was only a miniature world. Though, the melody being sung by Iriko prompted Khala to produce her own song as the environment started to undergo such a profound change yet again. It was funny -- in a fight like this -- they were all equally monsters as they morphed the realm around them without a single care in the world about anyone else who got sucked in the way.
"I can’t see anything in this darkness, all alone I want to feel a love, a massacre that sets my body aflame." Rising her arms in the air, Khala rapidly produced a black and gold flame upon the ice. Being powered by her ample energy reserves, it accelerated in further production with a boost from Za Kao itself and spread for as far as the ice did to counter it every step of the way.
"I don’t mind being shut away like this, I don’t need words anymore. Please tell me what do you want? Tell me what do you know? I look deep inside the mirror…" Now devouring these flames with her own influence, The Demon Goddess activated it's primary function: Existential Death. This had nothing to do with DE Force anymore, nay, this was Surpassing Law coming into play once more and erasing the reality within the ice through the inferno in the skies.
Sure, it took a toll on Khala's energy supplies to enforce such a command into the world, but it would be worth it in order to null the full frontal assault on the Soul Society where this ice had made it's impact. And granted it was also able to take out The Demon Goddess tendrils, it too would obliterate the remaining of the ice in retribution for that. This was literal Oblivion and a very real power that was wielded with caution in the hands of The Demon God. One wrong slip, one miscalculation and things could turn calamitous swiftly. Thus, golden veins appeared on her eyes as she started to harness and tap into her power further; letting out a golden steam and smashing a way of otherworldly energy against the Soul Society as her might was coming to be shown and why she was indeed at the rank where the demon's so loyally followed her. Iriko was also successful in preventing further pain and agony in their death with the layer of protection his slime provided; even going to stop the ever progressing spread of Death's Energy from their rotting corpses. But, in spite of that, Khala was equally successfully in her goal of hurling them into the abyss of death as this blackened impression on the land vaporized any remaining trace of their body and sent the remains into the jaws of Death Incarnate. Even in this dance of death and life, it seems they were equalizing each other. It fascinated Khala to an extent, as she hadn't felt this type of rush in many moons. If she had anymore blood within her heart? It would be boiling at this point from adrenalin.
"And all I’m calling is just calling love…" And In that moment, the fearsomeness of Iriko's energy clashing against her own hit Khala like a ten ton freight train. This wasn't a one-way street in the slightest; as her hair, clothing and tendrils blew in the wind of The Dragon Clow's aura as it beared down like a raging vulture. It caused golden blood to ooze out of her eyes, nose, mouth and cracks around her body; but her regeneration made sure to seal these up and the Demon God's energy reinforced the durability of her body to condense it's energy and tighten up any further cracks from opening up. And despite all that had occurred all around The Heart of Deveta? She would brave the storm to see the end of her affection come to reality. That was her desire: her messiah.
"Descending further, even in this moment though my heart is throbbing..." Not wasting anymore functions on maintaining her physical appearance, the scars of Khala's long history were slowly coming to the surface as multiple cracks started to emerge throughout her body as that regenerative facciate was short lived. It was to that where the Demon Goddess only let out a content sigh; understanding that this may very well be the appropriate display of herself. Eyes consumed by darkness, skin cracking like glass and flares of blackness and gold swirling around her body like a vortex as her remaining tendrils retracted inward into herself and towards her heart; that third eye of hers widening and feeling the intensity of this battle all too well at where things had progressed. It was quite the befitting battle of monsters: as Iriko regressed further into his disgusting slug form, while Khala's own body reflected her own mind's decay and the depravity associated with representing the embodiment of death and demonkind.
"This is not desire...SO IT IS MESSIAH!" Calling out this phrase of her long song, Khala unleashed a smoke like substance around herself as she felt Iriko going on the attack once more; causing more chunks of her skin to break and shatter in the wind as the cracks of her heart were coming forth for all to see. In one foul swoop? Khala matched the explosive power of Iriko's kido with her demon magic, but in a simplified form: outright destruction and annihilation. So in a boom that rocked the very depths of the Soul Society, hundreds of meters of the skyline around them became torched with a golden light as their forces clashed; causing Khala to be hurled back herself and slammed through pieces of debris before finally stopping herself. To have a source of power to compare it to? It yielded enough strength to be equal to two Shikōkai energy blast shot off by Tsubasa and Unohana at the same time; as this surge of energy seemed to have the power of 2/3 of this trio of Shinigami. It even yielded enough damaging capacity to it to render reishi silent and all abilities nulled within a void space in the sky as Khala eradicated it into nothingness itself.
Grimly chuckling, she felt like she was starting to have the time of her life, despite the urgency of her mission. Thus, it resulted in her face become more somber minded as she channeled into Iriko's words as the two hovered beneath the destructive results of their own lethal assaults against one another. And as much as The Dragon screeched at Khala to stop with the mind games -- she could only continue her song as it guided her towards the path of that warm, flowing love she yearned for.
"This is not desire! As I turn further into subconsciousness I look to the ecstatic pleasure I can’t find here...SO IT IS MESSIAH! In that moment where Iriko's energy sparked to life with his bubble ocean? Khala swiftly countered with a torrent of eradicating fire ready to erase the existence of the bubbles without fail; causing The Demon Goddess's eyes to come to life once more as she felt more of herself coming to forefront of this battle. And once again -- if evase maneuvers weren't put into action by Unohana and Tsubasa -- they too would likely be caught up and potentially have chunks of themselves reduced to a void. Khala was obliterating, annihilating and reverting things to a state of pure nothingness and rendering it non-existent. This was any sort of death energy, highly explosive blast or anything conventional like that; Khala was using Surpassing Law to once again erase these obstacles in her path as the cost of more energy and strain on her body. Hence, why on incantation of that song, there had been a burst of energy felt leaving The Demon Goddesses entity as fangs and claws extended from her canines and fingertips. It was certainly an accelerated awakening of her powers, but it was one that was necessary in her mind as it wasn't the time to be conservative.
"As I turn further into subconsciousness I look to the ecstatic pleasure I can’t find here -- So it is messiah!" Despite her efforts, some bubbles were able to break through towards Khala's erasure. Thus -- explosive burst of slashes erupted across her body and caused blood to spew out of her that was golden in color. However, Khala determined this was all apart of the give and take of combat and decided to endure it. Therefore, she focused enormous supplies of energy to harden and reinforce her body once more to weaken the last wave of slashes done to her body and still stand. The regeneration of the scars and cuts across the creature's being were rapid, but the cracks were still very much there and blood oozed from her body for a few moments before it evaporated as she pressed forward.
"I break and destroy and waste! Pulling you and me and everything down!" Around the time Iriko mentioned rendering Khala's existence into pure nothingness, the irony of this couldn't be more hilarious to her. For it was the powers of the void that were raining all around them. Nevertheless, she'd utilize her utmost controlled Shadow Movement in order to evade the slime and bubbles heading towards her way that were still being conjured up. In her place? A solidified shadow would remain and take on the damage that followed by Iriko's gruesome attack; one Khala was glad to get out of. Gasping for air for a few seconds, The Shadow Throne unleashed another burst of vaporizing flames meant to null even those out of existence to neutralize the threats.
"All I can see is stained with blood; I decided that Everything I can’t take away, I’ll shatter, just like my heart." And on that ominous timing, Khala was able to view her multi-star'd blast making it's impact into the 1st, 2nd and 3rd divisions of the Gotei 13. However -- she was going to expand it far beyond that point. On that incantation of the mantra she was uttering out with that song, Khala induced a miniature hypernova effect on the star as it died out within the barrier. The second phase of the blast's explosion expanded to cover half of the bubble dome as it rapidly increased in strength and power; being equal to three Shikōkai attacks launched at full power from Tsubasa, Iriko and Unohana at once. Therefore, it packed a daunting wallop that would surely terminate the remaining half, if not nearly seventy five percent to full destruction, of the bubble dome as it tried to reform itself. The extended damage zone was intended to melt and then disintegrate the squadrons of division to the edge of squad six to fall prey to it's horrifying carnage. The sounds of this explosion could be heard for endless millions as it banged against heaven's door itself; potentially deafening the trio of Shinigami in the process with how daunting this explosion was.
And to make matters worse? The Solar Radiation that was generated by this bombardment was enough to even wipe out most means of communication, electronically, throughout the Seireitei. This meant that a wide-range of electronic weaponry were potentially put out of commission by a colossal EMP strike that was forged by this attack's radiation reaching into the heavens and spreading throughout the atmosphere to spread it's area of effect throughout the warzone. Even Tsubasa's nanobots may very well be rendered silent by the amount of solar radiation that was produced by this assault; not to mention knocking off more of the Gotei Thirteens defenses in the process of all this.
Although, admittedly, while all this going on, however, Khala still paid heed to Iriko's words as a soft and warm smile once again enriched her face. Hearing him speak such words about her power was indeed flattering, but at the moment? The sheer scale of this battle was proving to be -- fun -- to an extent. Echoing back top the words of her most favorite follower, Mana Asthavon, Khala started to hear the ramblings of The Demon Queen going on about the sheer entertainment life had to offer. Always saying that life was a game meant to be played to the fullest pleasure until the last drip of consciousness was drained and sucked into the embodiment of death. Perhaps this slight warmth in her spirit was what Mana experianced in tenfold. But, even so, that couldn't distract her from the objective: making this unification process accelerate in development so that her shattered selves could become whole. This was just another learning process for her to absorb, process and allow for her to fully idealize what her end game would be like if it truly came to pass.
"Well, I'm much obliged to clear away some of the loneliness that rest within your soul through our waltz across death's door. It's only the first of many doors to be opened towards finding that fulfillment in this barren land." Closing her eyes and giggling to herself with the utmost of glee, there seemed to be a colossal wave of energy once again hitting the depth of the Soul Society. Something -- massive -- was coming.
"Although, I do wonder...." And like a strike of lightning igniting the night, a colossal vortex opened up as one of the suns within Demon World's vast terrain started to drop on the range and even eclipse the entire sky of the battle. In fact -- it even seemed more powerful than the last. It would take the combined efforts of all three Shinigami's maximum forms to put a dent in this golden star was it dropped; as it was ready to decimate the last of the bubble and break that shield once and for all.
"...what will you do about the second one?" To that, she finally left Iriko to his devices as this blast, even as it approached, started having parts of the ground below them become sucked into its vortex of overwhelming power. The sheer magnitude of it would cause unforetold destruction to occur across the Seventh, Ninth, Sixth and Tenth divisions to angle it intended to have it's damage zone cover. All the while, more numerous souls that could not stand the brunt of spiritual and raw energy being produced by this battle -- started dying off in droves as more of Khala's weakened replicas were seen being sucked into the sky itself; even the hail from the outside was beginning to taper off in strength.. So to stop this goliath of an attack was going to take everything they had and more in Khala's mind. This wasn't a half-hearted attempt anymore, as those tendrils were nothing more than cannon-fodder to be swatted away and she couldn't believe that such nuisances had any hope of breaking the dome. Instead -- she had to strike it with more vigor, increased determination and become ALIVE.
"I'll let my actions determine rather or not I'm dead at this point. You see me, you feel me, you smell me and you hear me: so I exist. There is a will within my heart and that will is to become whole no matter what the cost. As I've stated before, it is no mistake that I am a god with the power that beats within my heart. This means the illogical can become logical, the fantasies of the inner mind can become reality and madness can become order. That is the very definition of ascended into godhood: breaking the boundaries and understanding that which the mortal mind cannot comprehend. I see past it and know what awaits past this decrepit wall of isolation, wrath, hatred and loneliness -- and I will fight until my last breathe to destroy it." Leaving The Dragon Crow with those parting words, the next Shinigami on the agenda was Tsubasa Unabara as the pulsation of his energy was the next to come forth to the circle of fire that was Khala. The first thing that she noticed was hordes of metallic objects enchanted with the prowess of electricity coming towards her. Yet -- nothing more than an agitated and raspy sigh exited out of Khala's mouth. Holding her palm once again, Khala decided to vaporize the whole trail of metal around her with one foul explosion of Surpassing Law in order to break it down and reduce to ashes of non-existence. Although there were more cracks, blood oozing from her body and numerous golden veins popping up behind her blacked eyes; she was still hellbent on seeing this through to the bloody end.
"You people just don't know when to stay down...." Muttered Khala out of irritation, but nothing more. "I do hope you aren't planning to continue this fight without going into your Shikokai, Tsubasa. It's futile." If he hadn't noticed it by now, surely The Captain Commander himself would have felt not a single trace of his "surprise" kido left after being caught up in the after-effects of Iriko and Khala's brawl. Flashing back to the moments of her Existential Death to the wide range of bubbles, slime and ice that Iriko fired off; Khala undoubtedly erased the very existence of that pesky move in the process and rendered it null and void.
"Do you intend to kill or even INJURE a god with puppet tricks that my lowest minions can perform? I have enough strength vested within me to fight my dear brothers, Truth and The Soul King you all so willing worship, and you fall under the notion that third-rate attacks like that are going to stop this?" Spitting on the ground, Khala could only look down the Captain Commander with contempt as his entire aura was beginning to agitate her being at this point. And as the conversation progressed? The utter distaste for his malicious aura did not invoke fear within Khala. No -- it outright ticked the maiden of death off. A stubborn cancer cell too thick-headed to know when to quit.
"Don't get arrogant, boy. If you aren't prepared to go all the way like your subordinate has, then it just ends here. First I'll end you, then your friends and then this worthless realm so we can finally bring an end to this nonsense. "When finished speaking, these were no idle threats to scoff at either. With the sum total of the DE Force pulsating within her body, the assortment of Hell's MIsama integrated into her being and the connection to Za Koa -- things weren't looking too hot for him with the way The Shadow Throne played her cards. Neglecting to even mention the vessel of power that laid within Khala by herself without any of these enhancements. If he wasn't willing to step it up, then she'd just send him to a one way trip to her satanic heaven. Having residue leftover from her voiding fire, Khala once again started vaporizing the next rounds of metallic and electricity that were spewing forth from all directions at her. Although it fizzled out, it was enough to leave her unharmed for the moment as she ran out of fuel to throw at it.
"Don't. Be. Absurd. Do you still believe you are going to materialize any dream with THAT effort? Not happening, boy. Just let the warmth of death's embrace free you from the pain of ignorance. It's the only salvation i see for you at this point." Having uttered those words out, the next burst of attacks from the tigers served to do nothing but forge a scowl across Khala's face. For this? She'd dispense of toys with her own trinkets. Engulfing her tendrils within the wealth of DE Force pulsating within The Demon Goddess, Khala launched numerous rows of these monstrous tendrils at the tigers. Of course, some were able to bite through Khala's defenses and BLAST the ever living hell out of the girl -- but she remained tall.
Although there was a hole in her shoulder being shown -- it quickly reformed itself due to her high speed regeneration and nothing but Khala dusting herself off was shown when the smoke settled; her tendrils being influenced by Surpassing Law and eradicating the existence of The Tigers existence to prevent them from removing. There was a bit of damage and lowering of her health sensed, but by no means was she remotely done at this point. The only one of this group that Khala estimated had the potential to defeat her was Iriko and these amaeture assaults by Tsubasa were only serving to agitate her at this point as a human would to a mosquito. So his words of not comparing himself to Yamamoto were admirable to others, but fell on Khala's deaf ears as she had enough of this game of cat and mouse.
But, in spite of that line of thought, it seemed Tsubasa leapt to the punch and was already off enchanting row after row of fearsome kido attacks at The Demon Goddess. Chuckling with a grim tone to her voice, this would at least prove interesting in terms of magic to magic based combat. Understanding the formation of Rikujōkōrō from her knowledge of Shinigami over observing the many hundreds of centuries of their existence, Khala knew what to expect from this attack from the get-go. Therefore, with her energy still flaring with valor, she canceled out the first wave of the kido by producing her own pillars of DE Force rods to destroy the six pillars of light meant to entrap her. Destroying each other in a burst of white, black and gold light; Khala started moving like a mad woman after that point.
Sensing a spacial distortion around her chest area moments before the final seal attempted to come out, Khala's eyes flashed a bright shade of gold before forcing the hole to close by patching up the dimensions around her. Similar to sealing up a hole in the wall, Khala's extrasensory skills were being put to the test and she was able to utilize Surpassing Law in another quick burst in order to rectify this and have the seal's formation from hopefully coming to a realization. However, she was unfortunate enough to be caught up in the chains that followed and went falling into the ground with a defying roar as the weight of them was not enough to support her body in the air any longer. There was certainly a pain, but it was the dull sort of ache that is associated with the decaying of old age within a human.
"Enough of this." With another explosion of energy surging around Khala, although she was momentarily subdued, the weight of her spiritual energy outmatched the pressure and restraint of the restrictive chains and swiftly broke them before sweat started to drip from her body. Taking a soft exhale, Khala's eyes pulsated once more as her senses were becoming clearer and she went forward with sending out her own shockwave of energy to neutralize the Kierudo Style of killing before spitting out black blood from her mouth. And with that, Khala's eyes zoomed in on the likes of Tsubasa. Producing a dagger roughly the size of a grain of rice, Khala sought to play the same trick he did -- but to a whole another level. By infusing this microscopic weapon with DE Force, she sought to inject it into his being unnoticed, potentially, and then have it pierce his Soul Chain. Once there? It would corrupt the bounds in it and seal off that power in order to force him back into a base state and put an end to any further resistance. For now, however, she was at her limit. She'd hope that would leave it's mark, but Khala was seen leaning backwards as black circles came froth around her eyes and she awaited to witness the uttermost terror she had unleashed against the Soul Society.