The Fallen Keep

**The Fallen Keep** is the fourteenth episode of the Bleached Wolf's Rain series.

The group, as well as Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Quent all converge on Darcia's keep, leading Ichigo and Kiba to face him to rescue Cheza.

## Summary

Moving through a snowstorm, the group is making their way for Darcia's keep. However, Ichigo sees that the storm is affecting Toboe and Blue, so he calls out to Kiba, who doesn't seem to hear him. When he tries to get his attention again, he gets the same thing, until finally Hige gets Kiba to stop, telling him the storm is having an affect on some of them. While Blue replies that she can handle herself, Toboe says he wants to keep going. But Hige disagrees, and suggests that they need to stop for a while. All Kiba does is inform him they don't have time for that, until Tsume tries convincing him that they won't be able to get through the snowstorm at their rate, so they should rest for a while. Ichigo is the one who sees a sheltered structure that he points out to, saying that they could take shelter there until the storm dies down.

So the group reaches the sheltered structure, Kiba watching the snowstorm. When Toboe tells him that when it ends, they can continue towards the keep, but he believes it already has. He says that it'll be fine, but Hige thinks otherwise. Kiba tells him that he's going, Renji stating that isn't a good idea, and that they shouldn't try to push themselves because it won't do them any good trying to rescue Cheza. Understanding, Kiba take off into the storm, no one saying anything, when Ichigo decides to go after him. This worries Toboe, but he assures him that he'll be alright, and tells the others to catch up when they can. After he takes off, Blue asks Hige about Kiba, to which he admits he thinks the only thing he can see at the moment is Cheza.

Catching up with him, Ichigo tells him to stop, prompting Kiba to ask if he plans on stopping him. However, Ichigo answers that he's not going to save Cheza alone; they'll stop whatever Darcia is planning. Seemingly convinced by this, they both continue onward for the keep.

Also on their way to Darcia's keep, Kisuke makes about the scarf he got Yoruichi, although he thinks maybe he doest have bad taste. She laughs otherwise, then she reveals that Cheza was created from a lunar flower that Darcia The First had to use to find Paradise, a world that is ruled by wolves. Kisuke realizes something in that moment, asking Yoruichi if that's why they're going to Darcia's keep. It's then that Quent, who was awake in the backseat the entire time, says that hell would be a better place for him than a paradise with wolves, and that he won't stop until he's taken out every last one.

Outside, Ichigo and Kiba have managed to reach the keep. Inside, he is still affected by Hamona's death. Neige informs him that they have arrived, but he already knows this, until he says that with Hamona gone, Paradise means nothing to him. But despite that, Darcia feels that his wolf's eye is trying to tell him otherwise, making him wonder what he should do.

Finally the others reach Darcia's keep. As Hige messes with Toboe about their being ghosts within, Tsume notices the car parked near the entrance. Blue thinks nothing of it at first, until she suddenly runs over to the vehicle. After taking a few whiffs, she recognizes one of the scents to be Quent's, taking Hige by surprise. When they enter inside the keep, they wonder where Ichigo and Kiba could be, picking up their scents.

While Toboe starts worrying about them, Renji believes they can handle themselves, when Hige asks Blue if she's worried about Quent. She tells him that she isn't sure, although she admits that she still doesn't think that she can go back to him.

Somewhere else within the keep, Kisuke is with Yoruichi, who is deciphering an ancient hieroglyph. It turns out that it foretells of the Darcia family, from their rise of nobility, to their ruin. Kisuke questions it, while Quent believes that it has something to do with the blood-red moon, and that he'll do everything he can to find the wolves and wipe them out. Curious, Kisuke asks if he still plans on finding them, he assures him that he's intent, so he thinks of trying to search elsewhere, Yoruichi brringing her attention back at the hieroglyph.

Getting to the audience chamber, Ichigo and Kiba find Cheza there, who is happy to see Kiba as she start to make her way over to him. Before she can get any further, Darcia rushes over to her, grabbing her by the throat, causing her to cry out in surprise.

While they're both completely surprised, Ichigo draws his Zangetsu, when Darcia removes his mask, then throws Cheza aside, bringing out his sword. After Ichigo and Darcia clash, he meets with Kiba's attack.

In the moment, he asks if they came for revenge, to which Kiba replies that he will not hurt Cheza. Curious, Darcia explains that she was created from a lunar flower, yet wants to know why she is so important to him. It's Ichigo who tells him that he doesn't know what the Nobles plan on doing, but he doesn't care, because Cheza is going to lead them to Paradise. Hearing this, Darcia claims that all of it first started with Kiba's "wretched breed". With that, the battle continues. Ichigo finds a chance to use his Getsuga Tensho, but Darcia uses the power of his wolf's eye to stop it, which surprises him. But this allows Kiba a chance to attack. Apparently, the commotion is heard by Quent, who takes off after the sound, Kisuke and Yoruichi following him. There's a standstill moment when Darcia tells Kiba that "his kind" stole everything from him, which resulted in his left eye turning into a wolf's eye from being cursed by Paradise. As he points his sword at Cheza, he feels that he now has nothing but despair, causing Kiba to ask him what he wants. However, Darcia merely asks him if they've found Paradise, Ichigo responding that they will no matter what. When Darcia then asks what they expect to find, Kiba revealing a future. Darcia only says that he no longer has any need for a future, until he finally drops his sword, and walks over towards Hamona's body. Just then, a shot rings out, but misses Kiba, while Ichigo doesn't expect to see that it was Quent who fired the shot.

Seeing him, he seems surprised as well, but he tells him not to get in his way again, when he cocks the rifle at Kiba, declaring that it's over. When Blue cries out for him not to shoot, she gets in front of Kiba, which Quent doesn't expect at all, taking this in. Coming into the chamber, the others see what's going on, when outside the keep, air battleships are in position. As Neige calls out to Darcia, the ships rain down with laser shots. Kiba attempts to reach Cheza, but gets cut off from her, causing him to cry out for her, while Hige calls out to Blue. Going over to her, Yoruichi tends to Cheza, while Kisuke informs Quent they have to leave as the keep is still under attack. Still confused, he asks Blue why she protected Kiba. But she only runs off as more laser shots rain down. The only thing that Darcia does during all this is pick up Hamona's body in his arms as the audience chamber's window shatters.

During that time, Kisuke and Yoruichi, who have Cheza, run into armored troops that turn out to be Jaguara's, when Renji attacks with his Zabimaru, Blue taking out one of them as she tells Kisuke and Yoruichi to move. That changes when her and Renji are overtaken by the troops. Seeing an air battleship nearby, Kiba begins to make a run for it, causing Ichigo to call out to him. On the move, Quent struggles to escape the keep.

As Cheza is being taken to one of the air battleships with Kisuke and Yoruichi, she sees Kiba, and cries out to him, causing him to do the same as he runs for the ship while it lifts off. At the top of the keep, Darcia holds Hamona, promising that they won't take her from him. Using his wolf's eye, he creates a ray of light that shines through the keep out to everywhere. After a while, Ichigo, Tsume, Hige, and Toboe see that Darcia's keep had disappeared. While Ichigo tries figuring out what happened, Toboe calls out to Kiba a few times, until finally, he lets out a howl.

## Appearances In Order

* Ichigo Kurosaki
* Toboe
* Blue
* Tsume
* Hige
* Renji Abarai
* Kisuke Urahara
* Yoruichi Shihoin
* Quent Yaiden
* Darcia The Third
* Neige
* Lady Hamona (Body)
* Cheza
* Armored Troops
* Lady Jaguara (Mentioned)

## Notes & trivia

* The origin of the Nobles is show in this episode, though it isn't thorough.
* All the main characters make an appearance.
* In this episode, Darcia uses his wolf's eye.
* There isn't an explanation on how Renji and Blue got together for when they helped Kisuke and Yoruichi.