A mother sacrifice (99)

A few years had passed since Kaede's "death," though right now, the woman in question could be seen holding a small child in her arms, his tiny fingers curling around a lock of her hair.

His eyes were a golden color, just like hers, filled with so much innocence and longing.

It almost felt like the child had not experienced such warmth in thousands of years, even though, technically, he couldn't walk yet.

Technically, he was a small baby, though considering the time he had spent in her womb, he should have been turning three this year.

But instead, he was only one year old now.

The baby let out a small laugh, his chubby hands reaching out as if trying to pull her closer.

"You're a clingy one, huh?" she teased, gently pressing her forehead against his.

The child gurgled happily in response, his tiny hands patting her cheeks as if trying to memorize her face. There was something about the way he looked at her—so full of love, yet so desperately needing to be loved in return. A loneliness too deep for a child so young.

She felt like she was looking at a being who had not felt such emotion in so long. Yet, this was her baby. Like, yeah, he was all comfy in her womb for two years, but it wasn't reason enough to get this clingy.

Right?

She would dote on the baby like her life depended on it... because he was her baby.

One day, Kaede found herself at the Ishida household. Baby Sora, now a little older, was sitting in Ryūken Ishida's lap, pulling at the man's cheek with surprising determination.

The child could be seen tugging at the man's face, seemingly all too comfortable in his position.

Then, suddenly—

SLAP.

A tiny yet powerful hand smacked Ryūken's cheek. Hard.

Blue energy pulsed through the child's veins as he giggled, clearly enjoying himself.

Kaede pressed a hand to her mouth, barely suppressing a laugh as she watched her son smack the glasses right off Ryūken's face.

Ryūken shot her an unimpressed look as he pried the child's fingers off his face. "He's too strong for his own good."

Sora, unfazed, simply giggled before reaching for Ryūken's glasses again.

Kaede crossed her arms, smirking. "Must be a family trait. You have that same problem, don't you?"

To think that a child would have so much power...

The baby cooed, his eyes momentarily shifting—three pupils appearing within them. Then, suddenly, he looked at Ryūken and—

He cried.

As if seeing something he didn't like.

Eventually, he managed to gurgle something that sounded suspiciously like—

"My mommy. Don't wanna share."

That was Ryūken's rough guess, anyway.

Eventually, she had to leave. How unfortunate.

"Come on, little warrior. Time to go."

Sora pouted but obediently climbed into her arms. As they left, she could feel Ryūken's gaze lingering on them, his expression unreadable.

Time skip – 8 years.

Sora sat on her lap, eyes shining with excitement as she explained the history of the Quincy to him.

"And one day, you'll grow up to be strong too," she told him.

Sora puffed out his tiny chest, determination flashing across his young face. "I wanna be a proud Quincy! Just like Mommy!"

Kaede's heart clenched at his words, but she only smiled, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his forehead.

"I'm sure you will, my little warrior."

The sun shone brightly as Kaede walked through the marketplace, holding Sora's tiny hand in hers. The boy was giddy with excitement, bouncing slightly as he repeated over and over how he was going to be a strong Quincy.

She chuckled. "Oh? And how strong are you going to be?"

Sora beamed up at her, his small face full of confidence. "Super strong! Like a hero!"

She smirked. "Well then, hero, how about we celebrate your future greatness with some ice cream?"

"Yay!" Sora cheered, his small hands clapping together in joy.

But then—

A shadow passed over them.

Kaede's breath hitched.

The air shifted, thick with something ancient, something inevitable.

She snapped her head up just in time to see the sky split open.

A cold, white light.

No.

Her blood ran cold.

This wasn't just any light—this was the Auswählen.

Her heart pounded in her chest. No, no, no—why?

Then she saw it.

The light wasn't touching her.

It was touching him.

Sora.

Her son.

Her little warrior.

Kaede's entire world shattered in an instant.

"Sora, RUN!" she screamed.

But the child only looked up at her, confused.

"Mommy?"

The light wrapped around him, tightening like a noose.

Kaede didn't think. She reacted.

Her Schrift—the power she had sworn to keep hidden—awakened in full force.

Using her Schrift, she made sure the attack only hit her, only her, and not her son. She poured all of her remaining Reiatsu into the child.

She poured all of her feelings, all of her emotions into him.

She didn't even see the small wheel spinning above the child's head.

She didn't want the Wandenreich to gain her memory.

She didn't want Yhwach to learn of her son.

She didn't want her son to be forced into such a life.

She wanted him to enjoy his own life.

She wanted her little boy to grow up big and strong.

Her body was fading.

No.

No, she wasn't ready.

She still had so much to do.

She had to watch him grow.

Had to see him become the hero he wanted to be.

Had to be there when he needed her.

"Mommy...?"

Kaede's fingers trembled as she wiped the tears from Sora's eyes.

"Smile for me, little warrior," she whispered.

His lip quivered, but he forced a shaky, broken smile.

She smiled too, even as her vision blurred.

Good boy.

Her body went still.

Her last thought as she died was—

'Ryūken, seems like I will have to bother you one last time. Please help raise—'

Her thoughts ended before she could finish them.

She had died.

A scream tore through the air.

Sora held his mother's lifeless body, tears streaming down his face.

"Mommy! Mommy, wake up!"

But she didn't move.

No.

No.

Not again.

Not again, watching what he held dear to him being stripped away like this.

It hurt.

He wanted his mother back.

This sense of powerlessness— he despised it.

He wanted it to go away.

This feeling of helplessness.

He despised it.

He didn't care if the world had to end.

If he had to kill every living soul in existence.

If the balance of the multiverse was damned.

He couldn't bring himself to care.

He wanted his mother.

He wanted her warmth back.

Something inside him snapped.

An explosion of power.

His small body trembled as three pupils formed in his eyes, his black hair turning white as snow... tinged with silver.

Behind him, butterfly-like wings of pure Reishi unfurled.

The very air vibrated with his grief, with his rage, with his power.

A storm of spiritual energy raged around him, shaking the earth beneath his feet.

Somewhere far away...far, far away.

A man who wasn't either dead or alive....could be seen shedding a tear...for just a second....the three realms shocked.

The king of soul...was.....c#####.

Pov change

Minutes later, footsteps approached the scene.

Ryūken Ishida stood at the edge of the devastation, his sharp eyes scanning the wreckage—until they landed on him.

A small boy, sitting in the middle of the chaos, clutching a lifeless body in his arms.

His tiny hands trembled. His white hair glowed under the fading light. His unnatural eyes stared down, empty and lost.

The boy was crying.

And in his arms—Kaede Ishida, lifeless.

Ryūken's breath caught in his throat.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then, softly—

"...Kaede."

The man could be seen punching the floor, his frustration evident on his face.....his gaze then landed on the child.

"Mom...please get up...I promise to be nice, I won't pull tricks anymore, I will be a good boy..."

"Please...you promise to watch me grow up, don't tell me you lied, you pinky promise"

...

"I want to go to the park...mommy wakes up...please wake up"

As Sora's powers spiraled out of control, he was losing himself more and more, and the entire area began to shake.

It felt as if the heavens themselves were weeping. A black substance emerged from Kaede and wrapped itself around the boy. 

Two of the boy's three pupils vanished, and his wings retracted.

Finally, Ryuken sensed the boy's Reiatsu. Previously, he had underestimated it, thinking it insignificant because the boy was just a child.

 Now, however, the energy radiating from him was double that of a captain-level Shinigami.

Nearby, the bodies of several Soldat lay on the ground, and a man with glasses observed the scene. This was his experiment: to allow Yhwach to take control, fuck no.

The man watched as the Quincy king second in command appeared in a second town away from there.

Kyoka Suigetsu worked wonders.

A/N...this should explain why he was so attached to his mother and how much her death hurt him.

Anyway, what yall think of this 5 chapter mini-arc, did you like Kaede?

Did you find her character lovable?

If yes, how did it feel like her knowing she was going to die soon? Especially when you read the chapter name.

Since the next chapter a special it will come out at 3:00 am, instead of 12:30.