Chapter 3 - Into the Fire 

   Katsumi makes her way carefully down a set of steep, narrow steps which drop several feet into the densely compacted earth. What meets her at the bottom is quite a sight - a room about 2 foot by 4 foot wide, with a roof of corrugated iron, rusted through in spots allowing snarling roots to weave through; capped with dirt like creeping tendrils. 

   Lining the walls reside several beds, or at least the metal frames of beds, as there are no sheets to be seen. The only source of light in this underworld radiates from a flickering wax candle on a flimsy table by the wall. There is a distinct smell down here of stagnant water, of bodily stench, oil and grease.

   Following just behind her comes the lone Soul Reaper from above ground. He slips past the young girl to take off his large brown over-cloak, hanging it up on a nail driven into the wall before sitting down at the small table. 

   “You must be the local Soul Reaper for this sector?” Katsumi states as she continues to look around the abysmal subterranean dwelling. 

   “Nakagawa Goru, at your service. I’m afraid I don't have much to offer you Officer.”

   “That's fine, thank you. Do you live down here?” Katsumi asks, examining a pile of tins stacked up at the foot of one of the beds.

   “For now. The previous human inhabitants… passed on. All of them. I imagine there will be new ones coming to take their place soon. Then I’ll just find some place new.”

   “Why? They can’t see us.” Katsumi says, slightly confused. 

   “True. But it is still awkward being around them in that way. So, what brings you here, Officer Shinobu?” Goru asks, leaning back against the creaking wooden wall.

   “There was an incident in the Seireitei last night. I’m here to ask some questions. Did you see anything unusual happen here? Did any senkaimons open? Were there any Soul Reapers you didn't recognise pass through?”

   “Ohh, well… No, no I can't say so. Nothing like that. So you’re conducting an investigation?” Goru replies after taking a moment to think it over. 

   “It's… an official - unofficial sort of thing, if you know what I mean. I would appreciate it if you would keep our meeting between us Mr. Goru.”

   “That's fine by me. I don't really care. It's just nice to have someone to talk to for a little while. You know the soul syphon squads that come through don't even stop by to say hello. You're the first other Soul Reaper I’ve spoken with in maybe two months.”

   “That's quite a long deployment. Sounds unbearable. I’m sorry.” says Katsumi. Indeed it's quite tough to imagine; being stuck in this muddy hole for months on end, surrounded by people who are simply unable to interact with you, no matter how lonely it gets. 

   “Well I was told this was a “quiet” section of the human’s war. I don't know what other places are like, but if this is quiet I’d hate to be in a loud section. You know, before I came here I never believed just quite what the humans were capable of.”

   “Yes, I was the same. A few months out of the Academy and this all kicks off. It's affecting everyone back in the Soul Society, even the old timers. They’ve never seen anything like this before.” Katsumi sighs. An air of silence falls over the two Soul Reapers, as if the weight of the earth above them has crashed down. Of course the Soul Society has dealt with the aftermath of countless human wars in the past, Katsumi even learnt about a few, but this is on another level entirely.

   “I try to perform konso’s when I can. I know we're supposed to leave it to the syphon squads now, but… sometimes… Like, the other day… there was a boy, I don't know how old, he was sliced clean in two. A chunk of metal just… When his soul appeared he was so confused. I sent him on his way. It… brought some comfort.” Goru says quietly, as if fighting himself to merely explain what he’s witnessed . 

   “You did a good thing.” reassures Katsumi, moving to sit down next to Goru at the table, the candle light reflecting in her brown eyes almost turning them a shiny golden hue. 

   “We're supposed to be Shinigami, Gods of Death. Were trained to not care for the humans, to just do our job. Sometimes I wonder why that is, then I think it's for situations like this. When the humans just… butcher one another. I’m sorry, I should get back on track. I didn't see anything suspicious last night, Officer.” Says Goru, returning to the subject at hand.

   “Hmmm. The thieves exited the Dangai in this area. Where could they have gone?” ponders Katsumi. Both Soul Reapers sit quietly for a minute or two. Outside the sounds of soldiers passing by the dugout echo down the entry tunnel, and the subtle scratching of rats hidden in the dark spaces behind the walls becomes evident. The candle flickers as a breeze whisps through the shelter, seemingly bringing a hint of inspiration to Goru, who suddenly perks up.

   “Actually there might be something. I didn't see anything, but in the last ten hours or so I have seen more Hollows in this sector than in the past few weeks. I’ve slain several, but some didn't seem all that interested in staying. Like they were moving somewhere else.”

   “Really? Maybe something is drawing the Hollows in? Hmmm.” Katsumi says, thinking hard about this conundrum. “Wait… Soul Reapers are experts in detecting spiritual pressure, but Hollows are even better! They’re predators, they hunt via it. If those thieves came through here carrying two thousand odd human souls all at one time, that must have left behind a lot of spiritual pressure.”

   “Like a trail, a trail the Hollows are following!” Goru gestures wildly, excited at the possibility. 

   “And if they can follow it, I just need to follow them! Yes! Thank you Nakagawa.” Katsumi smiles, standing up from the table quickly.

   “Ha! My pleasure Officer Shinobu. I hope you find who you're looking for. And thank you for talking with me. I’m still here for another month, so…”

   “Keep performing konso’s. It’s what we're meant to do. I better get moving, who knows how long this trail will last. Good luck, Nakagawa.” Katsumi says, giving Goru a reassuring pat on the shoulder, a look of confidence and a friendly smile of comradery. She’s glad that this Soul Reaper understands the importance of caring for human souls. Maybe it's because she and him are both so young. Either way the Officer turns to quickly bolt back up the rather dangerous looking stares back to the battlefield above. 

   It doesn't take long before Katsumi locates a new Hollow skulking around the muck of no-man's-land. It appears from a dark void, crawling into the World of the Living, with a body like that of a worm or centipede, with innumerable legs tipped with disturbingly human hands. The Hollow slithers about as Katsumi takes cover behind a sandbag wall, and soon enough the creature seems to detect a powerful scent. 

   It takes off, floating through the sky to the north at high speeds. Katsumi wastes no time in leaping up to follow it, sticking within the clouds so as to not be seen. For miles and miles she shadows the Hollow, passing over the ruined landscape far below. From up here the extent of the devastation is revealed: Katsumi can see the two lines of trenches tearing their way from horizon to horizon. Between them lies a barren, brown, and dead field of churned up earth, deep holes, and pools of water.

   Occasionally she spots a gun firing, or plumes of debris shooting up into the sky. Other than this the area is strangely quiet, almost empty. There must be thousands of human soldiers in these defences, yet they hide, or sleep, for it is far too dangerous to do anything else during the day. The entire battlefield appears motionless, frozen in time. 

   Hours pass but the Hollow never gives up. It continues on its path through the empty sky, and Katsumi likewise never gives in. She wonders if perhaps the monster has sensed her? Perhaps it is leading her into a trap? She should be ready, just in case. Yet still the soul-eating creature seems much too preoccupied with reaching its destination. 

   Eventually, after a long and tiring flight Katsumi begins to notice a change. The sky begins to turn a dark grey, but highlighted with spots of orange, red, and white, like the strokes of an artist's brush against the clouds. A sound fades into hearing, the sound of cannon fire, not like the intermediate fire she had heard on her journey here, no, this is a constant, unending orchestra. Eventually the clouds break, the Hollow begins to descend, and the scene before Katsumi reveals itself in all its hellish fury.

   Below the Soul Reaper is a landscape almost alien, a battered, scared, ruined visage of a grey moonscape. Countless shell holes, gigantic mine craters, and deep trenches cut into the chalky earth, obliterating everything. Forests, or their remains, are little more than blackened stumps, splinters and twigs, blasted up by a rain of heavy artillery. As the ground is torn asunder Katsumi can see how everything is ripped apart; the bodies of the dead torn to shreds, bone and flesh scattered about the land, where they rot, and burn. 

   It seems that everything human here has been swept away - roads disappear, whole villages are just stains on the ground, only identifiable by chunks of masonry, and a little way off stands the barely visible outline of a great fortress. Nearby an entire hillside, from its foot up to the plateau, is incinerated by a raging inferno, belching thick black smoke flickering with embers high into the sky. This place has been pulverised, annihilated beyond any measure of sanity. How anything could stand to live here is unimaginable, as if nature, humanity, life itself, has been murdered. 

   Katsumi can hardly believe her sight and her eyes grow teary upon witnessing the devastation. Even a Soul Reaper would not willingly walk into this slaughter, but it seems for Hollows that is no such concern. High above the battlefield these beasts circle, like a flock of hungry birds, each Hollow uniquely detestable in its appearance. 

   Every now and then some of them swoop down and pounce upon an unfortunate human soul lost in the calamity. Katsumi sees that sometimes these Hollows fight among themselves over their prey, biting and slashing like wild dogs at one another until eventually one devours the poor human whole. If only the humans could see them, maybe they would turn their guns from one another to these demons. Even as explosions pound all around them the Hollows hunt unchecked. Where on earth are the Soul Reapers stationed here!? 

   “This can’t be real.” Katsumi says to herself as a rage builds inside her. “Why is no one stopping these Hollows!? Why did that trail lead me here?” 

   The girl wipes her eyes clear on her shihakusho’s sleeve, her teeth grinding in her jaw, her arms shaking with fury. If there is only one thing Katsumi hates most in the entire world it is Hollows.

   “Brand them! Kizuato!” the Soul Reaper screams out loud as she draws her zanpakuto. Its form shifts, the blade contorting and elongating into a pike like polearm. At its tip it forms into a rounded plate of metal set on the end of a cone which glows from its heat, and occasionally flickers with burning flames. In a dash Katsumi rockets into the midst of battle, targeting the nearest Hollow; the one she followed all the way here.

   She slams the flat surface of her weapon against the flank of the Hollow, its intense heat searing a painful branded-mark into its flesh. The monster lets out a stunned howl which draws the attention of several other Hollows. As Katsumi lands on the ground among the blasted nothingness of what was once the village of Fleury d’ Douaumont, she utters a single word, spelling the end for that Hollow in particular.

   “Repent.” she says, causing the mark burnt into the Hollows side to explode like a grenade, splitting the worm clean in two, shattering its mask and disintegrating it into dust. As it dies; other Hollows draw near, a flood of them flying through the sky towards the lone Soul Reaper. Katsumi plants her feet firmly into the muddy clay below her, pointing her brand up, ready for their onslaught. She will kill as many as she needs to rid this place of their evil.