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The Snow Citadel And The Fire King	By : Snowway32 Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female > Ichigo/Rukia Views: 4682 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters there within, it all belongs to Kubo Tite. This is purely written for my own pleasure, I make no money from this.

Chapter List
- 1-The Snow Citadel And The Fire King
- 2-Chapter 1: Disillusioned Shades Of Black
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- 2
Right my honeys, I apologize that it took me so long for this update but I'm taking a break right now and I'm having some laptop troubles so I can't say when and what will update next. This is an idea that has been forming in the back of my mind for a long time now and it's about time that I take a break from all my Yaoi pieces. It's been a while since I've written het but this is a long multi-chapter fic...this is only the prologue remember.

This story will have some warnings so please heed them now:

The Snow Citadel And The Fire King will contain: M/F lemons, Heavy Angst, Dark Themes, AU Setting (a different take on the creation of the Bleach Universe), Canon Divergence or Completely Canon setting after the Prologue, Tragedy, Death, Reincarnation, Spoilers for the newer chapter of Bleach. My writing, as a warning, is very intensely descriptive so do NOT tell me to 'lessen' my prose. I write how I write, you either like it or you do not.

The set pairings is: Kurosaki Ichigo (黒崎一護) x Kuchiki Rukia (朽木ルキア)

Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress piece and may be a bit slow in the updates but I've started it off now and if I can find enough inspiration I'll write Chapter 1 as soon as I am able to.

Please enjoy for now...

Prologue: The White Haze And Crimson Tears

If I could weep undying tears of tainted crimson to ease the pain of your loss within, then I beseech the rain locked heavens to hear my sorrowful cries and inconsolable anguish. For whispered within the misty breaths that tumble dejectedly from frozen lips, I plead with the silenced winds to grant my eternal wish to never again leave your side. Upon this dim and sunless day, I yield my transcendent soul to awaken the eternal rays of the Fire King's merciful and celestial light. As I howl despairingly, I lament my sealed secrets to feel the whisper of your undying illumination upon frosted and cold skin. I beg of you! Breathe life into this cold and dark existence where only the forlorn shadows may dance to the melancholy of the Moon Maiden's desolate dusk. Whisper to me, my Awakening King, ever so softly; the fable of how you, the valiant Black Sun, loved his treasured White Moon so much...he sacrificed his life each rising eventide to endow her sublime and everlasting breath.

For never again shall there be told such a bittersweet story of yearning love bold enough to eclipse the very shackles of fate...

The birth of the esteemed and treasured Fire King several uncountable millennia before, later cited as the Saisho no Reiou (1*) by the Monk of Perception, had laid the unshakable foundations for the most powerful Kingdom in the primordial and still developing Three Worlds. The encompassing and transcendent strength he had been revered for, was said to have engulfed a far reaching horizon in a depthless ocean of pitch black fire so intense that it could crush any soul brave enough to step into the tiniest sliver of its casted off shadows. He was hailed fearfully as the sun that locked the heavens, his power born solely to illuminate a world where only dark obscurity, fallen souls, barren sands, frozen fields of forgotten ice and harsh, unscalable, mountain tops existed. He was a deity that breathed human life into existence, birthed souls into every living being, dead or alive, and balanced three dimensions that would later become known as Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the Human World. He was not immune to death himself however, he was the personification of death...the first Balancer, the first Shinigami to walk the earth without fear and the first and only soul that reincarnated whenever there was need for his power to illuminate the heavens and balance the Scales of Existence when life and death intermingled far too closely.

Concealed in the drawn up hood of regal black and gold robes; a cascading waterfall of orange hair, the exact same colour as the setting sun, trailed in a vast array of unseen colour down a straightened back. It was brushing absently against the backs of the Fire King's thighs, his lithe frame draped in evocative silks that dragged several meters behind him to symbolize a transcendent soul descendent of noble birth. Even though his true name was as long forgotten as his appearance was to the growing population of souls that occupied Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the Human World alike; black geta clad feet were still leading him steadfastly in the direction of a forgotten fortress made up entirely of snow and ice. Several leaps and bounds of high level shunpo were hastening the path towards his forlorn destination. The howl of an unexpectedly heavy wind chasing through a battle torn Seireitei, the only notable sensation of his concealed presence as deeply contemplative crimson orbs blinked away the harsh sting of regret that was searing painfully into the backs of pale eyelids. Thick, curling lashes, the same spun gold as the rays of the sun, was slowly fading lash-by-lash to coal black as long and messy orange bangs also lost its ethereal lustre to begin reflecting the darkened pitch of a moonless sky.

'Tch,' A pained hiss spilled despairingly from pale lips, black nailed fingertips lifting absently to capture several miscoloured strands as a deep sense of dread settled painfully in the pit of an anxiety riddled stomach. Eventually brushing away black and orange locks that fell forward to conceal smouldering red eyes in dancing shadows, previously controlled breaths seemed to become more and more laboured the closer that the Fire King drew to the Moon Maiden's Snow Citadel. 'It's time, Zangetsu.' He whispered quietly, the depths of his waning soul reaching out valiantly to draw strength from both the dense reishi that was present in the air and the irrevocable soul tie that bound his powers to his predominant Shinigami form. Suspended from a thick golden sash by several black twining chains, the menacing form of a strangely shaped Zanpactō was concealed in a unique white saya. The unusual and continually released blade, becoming a mere prelude to its much larger and more deadly twin. The more powerful of the dual black blades was draped across the orange haired being's back, the humming presence carefully concealed in binding silks woven from his own hair so that its power could not accidentally alter and change the weaker souls that were spread across the depths of Soul Society and even the Reiōkyū a mere dimension away.

Sadly though, his power and life was spent. Time was coming to a halt for the Fire King and after he had gifted a small portion of the sun's fire he had been born from to the man that would become the leader of the Gotei-13, he knew that he couldn't stay much longer in this realm. His power was too vast to contain and the worlds were balanced once more after that man had been sealed away and Shigekuni Yamamoto had sculpted a structured system that would establish a flowing equilibrium of souls into the Human World and Soul Society without the Saisho no Reiou's interference. The day that a defiant and false Reiou had allowed the Emperor of Obscurity to come into existence with a power similar to the deities of old, was the day that the Fire King cursed the seals that had been placed upon his own soul so that he could coexist beside his treasured White Moon through the passage of time. This would not be his last incarnation, he noted mournfully. The instant that the Soutaichō's life was marked by approaching death, was the day that the Fire King would be reborn once again. Whether it was a hundred years from now, a thousand or more...he would still have to carry out the duty that he had be born to carry out...

For the cruel threads of fate he danced to...it did not matter how much his anguished soul yearned for his painful and repeated existence to come to a merciful end.

It was impossible however; the Prime Balancer had to die whenever the eventide rose across the Three Worlds so that he could awaken his beloved's soul from her sleep. There was no equilibrium if the Moon Maiden's eternal light was not roused close to his death and the Fire King was not sacrificed by her blade. This was the price of their love. He had to endure death continually just as it was his White Moon's burden to bear the blood of her beloved on the end of her sword and the pain of his loss eternally. Having been cursed by the forbearers of fate, the Fire King and Moon Maiden were little more than marionettes dancing to the strings of a blood stained destiny and bound by the shackles of undeserved despair. There was a melancholic smile curling across pale lips, contemplative crimson eyes gazing sorrowfully upon the vast, towering Snow Citadel that his White Moon had built. Countless spires of jagged ice were reaching boldly for the heavens, the isolated and forgotten palace suspended from high mountaintops and black rock that was surrounded by no life except for falling snow and howling winds. Black geta clad feet were throwing up a spray of powdery snow as the orange haired being come to a halt, his heart slowing further into inactiveness as he watched the sun's diming rays reflect hauntingly through several layers of impenetrable ice.

'So the time has come once more, Beloved.' A haunting baritone noted sorrowfully, black nailed fingertips reaching out in front of him almost as if to grasp a hold of the fading sun and brighten its dying celestial body. 'May your life be blessed beyond the reach of my protection this time...my light (2*). My beautiful White Moon...' Dusk was falling hard and thick across unreachable planes, bathing the world in the oncoming shadows of the night as absent fingertips drew back the hood of immaculate black robes and the Fire King paid no mind to the increasing pain that was saturating the beat of his slowing heart. Thigh-length locks were free to spill evocatively down his back by now, swaying restlessly with every resigned step that he took forward as the first of the rising moon's rays illuminated thin threads of bright orange that were still woven between a mass of midnight pitch black waves. The vibrant colour was fading quickly though, an indication that he was nearing the last of his power as the Fire King hastened his steps into the imposing and terrifying depths of the still-standing ice structure. Her presence was saturating the very walls of this forlorn palace, tenderly guiding the Black Sun forward as his vision began to blur and laboured, short, breaths misted frostily before dulling crimson eyes.

The companionable hum of his dual blades was filling up the frozen silence of the Moon Maiden's home, shattering the night with an awakening call to her soul that he knew could no longer be ignored. With her awakening presence and the silver orb brightening in the night sky the further that he stepped into the Snow Citadel, the easier it became to find the resting place of the Fire King's treasured and most beloved White Moon. She was asleep on a large throne of white snow, surrounded in a garden of ice flowers and bathed in the silvery light of her awakening powers. A pure white circle was encompassing the raised dais where she slept, the first dance of her Zanpactō: tsukishiro (3*), protecting her defenceless form against attackers as a field of frosted white camellias (4*) spread outwards endlessly from the edges of the snowy sphere. A petite, feminine figure was curled gracefully upon the seat of power. Her beautiful form draped in flowing white robes that were lined warmly with soft fur on the inside and thin, curvaceous, hips became accentuated by a thick violet and silver obi that was trailing meters and meters of patterned silk upon the icy floors beneath small white geta clad feet.

The only touch of colour upon her robes was the exact same hue as her eyes. A soft glowing violet that fluttered open from behind thick, pure white lashes the instant that the Fire King drew his black blades and buried their tips as an offering in the centre of her field of snow. It was a nonchalant act, subtly neutralizing the range of her Zanpactō's power as a haunting echo of icy cold reiatsu rocked deeply into the distance. The Snow Citadel was rumbling with power beneath the black haired King's feet, the quiet call of his beloved's true name falling pleadingly from parted lips as he struggled to close the considerable distance separating them with controlled and even footsteps. His White Moon, the beloved of his soul...the contrasting counterpart to his power...she needed to wake up and take over his duties to protect this world where he couldn't. The sound of breaking flowers never once deterred him from his task, the pain of ice flooding his veins not enough to halt his steps as the glowing embers of power, present within sharp crimson eyes, began to dull and fade considerably. The breaths that were falling raggedly and painfully from his lips, misting the air in a stream of white, ceased completely as a contrasting gasp of gifted life was tugged into the Moon Maiden's lungs several seconds later.

Fluid movements was guiding his beloved to her feet, expressionless and hauntingly beautiful features turning towards him as the ringing echo of a silver bell resounded powerfully through the reiatsu heavy air. Accentuated by the flutter of a several metre long white sleeve, a pale hand reached expectantly to the petite female's side as elegant fingertips curled gracefully around the hilt of an astonishing pure white katana. A twirling ribbon was flowing regally from the pommel of the hilt, the source of the bell indicating the rippling silk's movement as luscious petal pink lips parted for a slow and controlled breath that hazed the air misty white in front of quiet and emotionless features. A thick lock of white hair was falling evocatively between vibrant violet eyes, the White Moon's first steps forward allowing for cropped and short white locks to brush playfully across pale cheeks that were starting to colour slightly as her blood heated from the proximity of her Black Sun's intensifying power. Crimson orbs were following her every move carefully though, searing the sight that she made into the backs of a spinning mind as the black haired and near powerless King offered his beloved a wan smile and regretful bow that spoke volumes of the pain and internal anguish that was taking over the depths of his heart.

'Are you awake finally awake, my White Moon?' The Fire King breathed quietly, his voice shattering the static state of power that had fallen around them as he was forced to capture the refined swing of a deadly Zanpactō with the palm of his hand. Halting the white blade mere inches from sweeping deeply across his chest, the Moon Maiden's unseen movement stilled in a flurry of spraying snow and swaying white silk. Cropped white bangs was dancing playfully across pale cheeks, deadened violet eyes seeming to gaze right through his soul as petal pink lips parted lips for a sobbed and anguished cry of his name. The white haired maiden was leaning towards his inherent warmth though, vibrant orbs fluttering shut half-mast as the Fire King reached gentle fingertips upwards to caress the corner of infinitely soft lips. Dull crimson eyes were gazing sorrowfully into violet depths, waiting patiently as the frosted and icy gaze melted away to display emotive and sorrow torn purple eyes. So beautiful, he thought to himself quietly. He was memorising the sight of her features carefully, tracing black nailed fingertips across a pale cheek that was colouring ever so slightly as thick, white eyelashes fluttered lazily at his touch before the small sound of tinkling ice entered the range of his trained hearing.

She was bowing her head downwards shamefully, the ice flower settled against the left side of her head, the origin of the sound, before the black haired Fire King sighed softly and drew her into the range of his comforting embrace. 'Please...' A small voice pleaded mournfully, the beginnings of crimson tears tainting curling white lashes as violet orbs widened with a deep and uncontained fear. 'Please...please...please...' The White Moon chanted over and over again. 'Please...not again...please...Ichigo...please...not again...please don't make me do this...' There was no choice though, they both knew that intimately. Sode No Shirayuki moved on its own, like it always did. The deadly white tip resting against the black haired being's heart before a quiet endearment of love fell from pale lips mere seconds before the last of his power and strength pulled the white maiden forward into a tight and restrictive embrace. He did not cry out, he did not flinch...he merely welcomed the sensation of a blade sinking into the depths of his heart as a bubble of blood fell from the corner of his mouth and dripped onto snow coloured robes and silky white strands. The last of his breath echoed the words that he repeated every time that a cycle of his life came to an end, a quiet whisper resounding through the air as a ripple of eternal power passed from his soul into hers.

'I'm sorry, Rukia...n-next time...my B-Beloved...next time...my b-blade will be strong enough to shatter fate...' The first of despaired tears that tainted pale cheeks was a small prelude to the anguished screams of her beloved's name that echoed deeply into the night for hours afterwards, a bloodstained white blade tumbling numbly from the palm of her hand as desperate fingertips grasped onto long black locks that had tumbled around her like a shield of protection. Not again, she wailed deafeningly. Her beloved's life was staining her robes in the crimson of his lifeblood, flowing onto the ice beneath her feet as her own carmine tears personified the grief and shock that was settling around her soul. The pain, like always, was as eternal as their cursed existence of giving and taking each other's lives were. She was the Moon Maiden, the bringer of fertility and life. The White Moon, the starting point of the harvest and light. Her beloved...he was the Black Sun. The bringer of death, the balancer of souls and the Three World's eternal protector. Their destiny was cruel, their power in contrast to one another eternally but yet...their love had never waned. His loss shattered a piece of her existence every time it happened, carrying away more and more of her own will to keep breathing as Rukia lost her strength to stand and sank to the floor helplessly.

She was cradling a black haloed head in her lap, violet eyes gazing sorrowfully up at the moonlight that was distorting through the layers of ice as trembling fingertips carded tenderly through long black locks to ease the pain her beloved must have felt on the tip of her icy blade. The remains of his heated power was lingering lovingly upon her skin however, moulding seamlessly with her soul as she tried in vain to use her strength and voice to call Ichigo back to her. She was calling his name over and over again, sinking into the frosted cold of forlorn despair when there was no returning answer. Not even the vast power flooding through her veins could call back the essence of his existence from the cycle of rebirth that he had entered. It would never be enough, the White Moon realized. She was a merely pale reflection of her beloved's eternal rays after all; she could not live without his life merging with her own. Why were they never allowed to walk the earth beside each other at the same time? They always met when either one of them had to die. That was how fate ordained it. But this time, Rukia believed that perhaps her blade was strong enough to shatter that repeated and dark fate.

'Guide me, Ichigo...please...I am unfamiliar with death's touch. ' Clinging onto the last of her beloved Black Sun's radiating warmth; pale fingertips, marked by pure white nails, tenderly brushed locks of pitch black hair away from closed eyelids and laid Ichigo on the throne that she always occupied. Several drops of cooling blood was still falling from the tip of her blade, freezing midair as the temperatures plummeted when her power rose exponentially within her and she picked up Sode No Shirayuki again. Curling a trembling grip around a pure white hilt, this time a different and previously unheard name fell hauntingly passed petal pink lips. A haze of white snow and deadly ice was enveloping her form in a vast explosion of power, shattering most of the Snow Citadel around her as the White Moon felt her own life halting and the cells in her body freezing painfully. She was encasing her beloved's body in a shield of impenetrable ice, protecting him from the darkness of the earth and the influence of her death as she took one last look at his form before a blade constructed purely from white ice rested on the snow beneath her feet. The dual black blades that had been offered to her in surrender were silent by now, hollow and devoid of any life and power as they too shattered at the transcendent power that rippled into the distance.

'A blade that is held in the hands of someone who is about to die, beloved...' Rukia called softly, whispering the last of her words that she knew only he would be able to hear. 'Cannot protect anything, that is the price I pay for the true release of Hakka No Togame (5*). Since I cannot control it when it is turned upon myself, I only have one wish to beseech of the forbearers of fate. And that is to awaken by your side next time...without having to take your own life so that I may breathe.' Only the howling winds of the night was witness to the beautiful and cold Moon's Maiden's demise, not a single drop of her own blood staining immaculate white robes as it became frozen and unmoveable within her veins. Violet eyes were fading to reflect a mirror of lifeless, her movements stilling as a darkness, thick and heavy with despair, engulfed her consciousness and time came to a startling halt. It did not matter that the Three Worlds would be left in a state of unbalance; the bearer of the world would change. And until the both of them awoke once more to right that balance, Rukia could isolate herself in her pain and grief with only one hope...that the two of them could exist together for once and find gentle reprieve from nothing but pain and forlorn sacrifice.

In the stillness of her fall, a crown of ice settled upon her forehead crumbled away so that only half of it was drawn around the back of her head and one last thought stained the void of her death...

'Wait for me...'

1* - Saisho No Reiou – The First Reiou

2* - My Light – Rukia's name, according to Kubo Tite, means 'Light'

3* - Tsukishiro – White Moon (The first dance of Sode No Shirayuki)

4* - White Camellia – In the Japanese language of flowers 'Hanakotoba', a white camellia means 'waiting'

5* - Hakka No Togame – Censure of the White Haze

Right, there you have it my honeys. Thank you for reading, I really appreciate it. I'm still not sure if this will be completely AU or Canon Divergence from Chapter 1 but we'll have to see. I don't know when I'll update next but a few reviews of encouragement will help me immensely. I would also appreciate it very much.

Until next time,

Chocolate Carnival
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The Snow Citadel And The Fire King