Resurection Chapter 10: Man or Monster?

     Riusa's breathing was heavy. Surai had been a worthy opponent. The Knight's armor was cracked and shattered in many places. His helmet's faceplate had been completely decimated by Surai's uppercut, revealing the pained look on his face. Breathing was a difficult task and he held his left side with his open hand. Surai's devastating onslaught had definitely resulted in a few broken ribs. The arrancar scanned Surai's impact crater. He found no form of spiritual pressure whatsoever. He'd have to inspect further to confirm a kill.
     He landed near the edge of the large crater and began walking toward it, barely able to see through the cloud of sand. "Hold it you bastard!" he heard from behind him. Riusa slowly turned around. Keke was standing in front of him; tears ran down her face and she had her halberd at a ready position. Riusa sighed. "Stand down Soul Reaper," He said,"I'm not going to fight you." Keke gripped her weapon, but a confused look crossed her face. "Why the hell not?" Riusa looked at her with his glowing blue eyes. "Because I made a promise," he said flatly, "But you Soul Reapers wouldn't know anything about that would you? No! We hollows are evil, there's no possible way we'd understand a concept like 'honor'! We're just lowly creatures who's only desire is to consume and destroy, RIGHT??!" He pointed at her, seething with anger. "You Soul Reapers are the monsters! You hunt down all hollows, you assume that we are destructive primitive creatures! Have you even once considered that perhaps we are trying to better ourselves," He shouted, "You live up there in your Spirit Kingdom and force us into the depths of this... this wasteland!"
     Keke was stunned. Riusa continued his rant; "All hollows are not evil. True we are predatory creatures, but that is only in our base form. If you truly believe us to be evil then consider this," he said, "As a Hollow evolves, they become more human like in appearance, ultimately returning to our original human forms. On the other hand, you Soul Reapers begin in a human appearance, yet you evolve through the use of zanpakuto, you strive to acquire a form that reflects said zanpakuto, and not your human appearance. Now then, who is truly the monster? The Beast who wishes to be a man... or the Man who wishes to be a beast?"
     Keke had no reply, these thoughts ran through her head. Riusa stared her down; he could tell she was dumbstruck. "Listen Soul Reaper, take what's left of Surai and get the hell out of here." Keke lowered her weapon slightly, something over Riusa's shhoulder caught her eye, and suddenly her eyes grew wide. "Oh, God..." she whispered. Riusa was confused... but then he felt it. A monstrous energy erupted from the crater and began pouring over the surrounding area. "No...no, no, no, no, NO!!!!" Riusa said. He whipped around and pure terror crushed him.
     A humongous wave of solid red energy was rising from the crater; it was so thick it was visible. The energy warped and wavered and began taking on a form. Riusa watched as the energy changed and eventually, he found himself face to face with the energy outline of a giant, dragon-like, four-legged behemoth. As the creature emerged from the crater, Riusa could make out the figure of a man in its center rising into the air. He was around 6"4' and very muscular. His arms were crossed and his eyes were closed. The tattered remains of a Soul Reaper robe were draped around his lower body. Skin tight black armor covered most of his body, except across his torso. A deep wound extended from his right shoulder to his left hip, and the skin tight armor left this area exposed. Before Riusa's very eyes, the wound began to bubble and then closed itself, leaving a scar across the man's body. The armor followed suit and sealed itself also, covering the new scar.
     The Man appeared to be Surai at first... but his appearance began to warp in front of Riusa and Keke's very eyes. His hair slowly began to grow longer, ultimately reaching his lower back. A crown of spikes extended from the top of his skull, splitting the skin on the top of his head, and barely protruding through his hair. He exhaled, revealing a row of menacingly sharp teeth. He lifted his right hand to the center of his chest and clenched the skin tight armor. With one movement he pulled and removed it from his body. It formed into a small ball in the center of his hand. He threw it over his shoulder and it dissolved in midair. He crossed his arms and allowed his transformation to continue. A row of spikes split through his skin down either of his forearms. The corded whip of Rairyu separated at his spine began to completely retract into the bases of either of his palms, becoming a part of him. A large spike protruded from the sides of either of his knees. He was barefoot, and Riusa and Keke observed dragon-like talons split through the skin at the tip of each of his toes.
     As the man opened his eyes, the outline of the dragon pulsated and shrank, finally becoming an aura of red energy that surrounded him. His eyes were white, with red irises, and he look at the bystanders with a venomous glare. "What the HELL ARE YOU? WHY WON'T YOU F*****G DIE!!??" Shouted Riusa. The man finally spoke in a deep voice, that was not Surai's and seemed otherworldly; "Bow lesser beings. You stand in the presence of Lord Wrath; eldest and strongest of the Hellspawns." Keke stepped forward. "What are you talking about Surai? Lord Wrath? Hellspawns? What the hell does that mean?" The man continued to glare at them. "Surai... is no longer a name that matters. As I said, I am Lord Wrath. And you," He pointed at Keke and Riusa, "Are mere vermin, in the face of a God." A ball of red energy formed at the tip of his finger. Keke's eyes grew wide. Riusa moved quickly. He jumped in front of Keke, clapped his hands together, and spread his arms out, creating a barrier of pure blue energy. As he did so, the monstrous being fired a humongous wave of red energy that washed over the two.
     Riusa grimaced, this attack was like nothing he'd ever had to block before. He looked over his shoulder at Keke. She was awestruck. "He... he attacked me..." she was whispering to herself as she fell to her knees. "Snap out of it Soul Reaper!" Snapped Riusa, "Listen up, this barrier will only hold for a little while. I'll try to distract this... thing, and I want you... I want to take my family and get to safety." Keke, looked into Riusa's blue eyes. "You feel that power don't you," she said, "You're already injured, there's no way you'll survive a fight in this condition!" Riusa's grimaced again. "Not really much choice," He said, "This barrier won't hold much longer." Keke sheathed her weapon and turned. "Why are you doing this?" She asked over her shoulder. Riusa grunted, and turned back around. The strain began pressing down on him even more. "I made that bastard a promise," he said, "That you'd survive." Cracks began to spread in the wall of blue energy. "Tell Shey I'm sorry... and tell Mari that 'Daddy loves her,'" Riusa said in a quiet voice, "I'll give that child a chance for a better life." The cracks spread more and more. "Never forget that we hollows are not all monsters," He grunted in pain. "GO! NOW!!" yelled the Knight. Just as Keke flash stepped toward the dome of blue energy, she heard a loud shattering noise as the barrier was destroyed. She cringed and a tear rolled down her cheek as she heard Riusa's pained cry of anguish echo all throughout Hueco Mundo.