Blood on the Sand
Chapter 9: Shape of Things to Come
Rey Tiburon continued to shun those areas that the Tiburon representatives were most likely to go to. The last thing he wanted was to encounter any of them. However, that also meant that he would have to shun any of the areas that the Harribel representatives would visit as well and that meant vacating Tia Harribel's palace with Sheelal.
"We could always go to the Starrk Palace," Sheelal suggested. "I don't think that either of the Warring Sharks would bother with them."
"Hmm, that's a possibility. I don't know though. I'm sure that Lupos and Skullak won't like being disturbed. I mean they're most likely preparing some kind of plan in case one of the other Houses attacks them."
"But…that would go against the Ancient Tradition of the Hearth Right."
Rey nodded. The Hearth Right was held to be one of the most sacred of Arrancar traditions where when one House enters another House's home, if they share a meal then the two will not attack each other during their stay. Even Houses that would normally tear each other to pieces would set aside their differences in order to maintain this sacred rite.
It was the most ancient of traditions along with the Right of the Council, which was that no House could wage any act of violent aggression against another while the Council of Houses was gathered. Of course, that did not stop the occasional assassin from slitting some noble's throat while they slept or slip some kind of poison like Fire Tears or Black Blossom in their wine or tea. But it did mean that representatives of each House could not engage in open hostility against each other while they were within sight of Las Noches.
"I'm scared," Sheelal said.
"Where did that come from?"
"Well…you know…what if we have to fight against each other?"
Rey sighed and wrapped an arm over Sheelal's shoulders.
"Are you joking? Did you forget how long I spent in Tia's company? And here I thought that you were clever."
Sheelal smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. You wouldn't try to hurt me. Well…at least not on purpose."
"When have I ever hurt you by accident?"
"You knocked me to the floor in an attempt to get at the intruders. Don't you remember? You said, 'I can't let Grimmjow or the Gilga boy take all of the good ones.'"
"That's right. Well…I did apologize to you."
The two made their way through the sands of Las Noches. The palaces showed signs of life as their Houses' retainers busied themselves with packing or making meals. The Andjo palace showed signs that all of Phayne Andjo's men had already departed to return to the Eastern Mountains while Agneaux's men looked to be preparing for one of his hunts.
"Tch…Andjos," Rey scowled. "One's off to play at war and the other's off to play at hunting. I bet you five bottles of actual wine from the World of the Living that neither will be very successful. If Phayne Andjo wants to wear a crown, he can go to the nearest brothel and have the whores crown him with flowers. Gods know that there are quite a few women around who want to do that to him anyways."
"How do you know that whores crown customers with flowers?"
Rey only smiled and gave a sly wink.
"Tia wouldn't approve and neither would Emilou."
"Oh come on, what they don't know won't hurt us." He stopped when he realized what he had just said. He looked at Sheelal who was only looking away. "I'm sorry. That was…inconsiderate of me." He sighed and scratched his head. "At least I don't have to compete with…"
"Well, what do we have here? A disgraced shark dares to swim in its House's waters, and in the company of some honorary Harribel spawn."
The two turned and Rey's face paled as he saw the stern, scowling face of his uncle, Eldan Tiburon. Eldan's pale lavender eyes glared at the two and he crossed his arms over his broad chest. His gold and black jacket hung loosely about him.
"Uncle Eldan," Rey moaned and flinched as his uncle lowered his arms.
Oh shit, this isn't good. I forgot that he would be here and he has a separate palace from the other Tiburons.
"I should gut the two of ya right here and now. But then I would be in violation of the ancient rites. Consider yourselves fortunate that I don't want to bring down the wrath of the gods on House Tiburon."
"So I take it that you're going to worry about your own vendetta against House Harribel instead of worrying about who's going to take the crown?"
"It's no concern of mine whose ass ends up on that damn thing. A crown and throne are nothing compared to family honor and House Harribel has spat upon House Tiburon's name for too long."
I wonder if either side really remembers what caused it to begin, Sheelal thought but decided to keep quiet.
"Family honor," Rey sneered. "I know what that gets you: an empty belly and an early grave. No thank you."
"Insolent little whelp. I should tan your hide here and now and be done with it. Perhaps you should let me go ahead and do that for ya anyways. I can tell the rest of the family that the Harribels ambushed ya and ya can become a hero that way."
"Hmm…tempting, but…I would rather not. I like living. If you want to call me 'craven' then go ahead. But I don't really care what you or any of the others think. Lance decided he wanted to go up against Tia Harribel for the sake of family honor and look at what that got him."
"It got him a memorial in the family's Garden of Heroes."
"And he can't even enjoy it, Uncle. What good is being a hero when all it does is get you killed for no real reason? If I'm going to die, I want to die with purpose."
"Once a fool, always a fool," Eldan snarled. "Just keep this in mind, boy, if you get in between a dispute between sharks, you'll get eaten."
"I have no intention of entering this…I suppose you can call it a 'War of Sharks'. Well, whatever you want to call it, I have no intention of entering it unless you decide to bleed your war into this Civil War."
Eldan only remained silent and he looked at Sheelal who swallowed and tried to look away.
"Tch…he's not even a real Tiburon," Eldan mumbled. "I wonder which one of those blood-starved Harribels took him in."
Rey looked at Sheelal and gestured for him to keep quiet. He knew that his uncle wouldn't care one way or the other. For him, like with most Tiburons, all Harribels were nothing but a rival that had to be completely annihilated.
"Ah, it doesn't really matter. A Harribel is a Harribel, regardless of how they got the name. And he's no Harribel. He doesn't have the blood."
Rey looked at Sheelal who looked rather sad at that simple fact. However, Rey was relieved. The last thing he wanted was for any of his family to go after him. He made a promise to the woman whom he viewed as being his true sister to protect Sheelal. But that didn't mean that he had to like the prospect of being forced to kill his own kin. His uncle's judgment on the matter would seal Sheelal's safety. Or at least, it would protect him from the Tiburons.
Starrk Palace
Lupos Starrk stood next to Skullak over the map of Las Noches. He was rather surprised that Skullak had asked him to become one of his highest commanders, but it made sense. Most of the Houses that pledged to support Skullak in his claim did so because House Starrk had led the way for them and they respected House Starrk.
"The intruders came in through here," Skullak said and pointed to a spot on the South-Eastern side of Las Noches. "The hole has been patched-up thanks to Rudobon and the Exequias."
"Yes, and then there are the spots from Mordrath's Rebellion," Rudobon said and pointed to the North-Western side. "His forces blew several holes in the walls to make their escape, but most of it was concentrated there. The Western side of Las Noches is devoid of a large number of palaces, thus giving us a clear view from the Five Towers."
"True," Lupos said. "That would be a good place for any army to launch an attack, but it would also be extremely risky for them precisely because of the open land. I think they would want to attack where they could have the most cover." Lupos tapped the area on the south-side. "This area has the most palaces. They wouldn't want to attack the main gate because it would be well-defended anyways. And we don't have the sand giants to help us, do we?"
Rudobon shook his head.
"My brother had control over them and he's the only one who can make them. But he has to be completely in tack for that to happen and we're lucky that the eye that the Usurper, Aizen, had forced him to surrender is lost."
"I hope that you mean that it's gone for good and not merely misplaced," Skullak said.
Rudobon stayed silent. Skullak wished that Rudobon's mask didn't cover his entire face.
Well, you know what they say, 'If wishes were fishes than even the beggars would eat their fill.'
He sighed.
"Well, it can't be helped. If your brother does return, then…"
"About that," Lupos whispered. "I received word from the Western Watch. Their scouts reported seeing a large host moving in the foothills of the Western Waste. They carried the standard of the crimson dragon."
"Mordrath," Skullak whispered.
"It only makes sense that he would join in the battle as well," Antonin Schiffer whispered.
"Yes, but…none of the other combatants know about that bit," Skullak said, smiling. "Keep it that way. Perhaps Mordrath will do us the favor of eliminating some of our rivals."
"You know he won't," Gantenbainne whispered. "I knew him while he was still an Espada. He won't wait. At least, he won't wait to probe Las Noches. He'll wait before he makes his main moves, but any moves he makes prior to that is a way of getting to know his enemy. He's clever and he's patient and he's ruthless. Those three things make him more dangerous than any of the others. House Rureaux and Phayne Andjo would dismiss him out-of-hand because the South and the East believes that the Western Wastes only teach an Arrancar how to die."
"However, the Western Wastes can also teach an Arrancar how to survive," Lupos said. "In any land where life and death is determined by a single footstep, those who survive and thrive have an advantage over those who live in leisure. We cannot afford to under-estimate any of the others. Phayne Andjo is not his uncle and Barrcae Rureaux is not his brother."
Skullak nodded. However, he wondered where the biggest threat would come from.
Nido De Víboras
Barrcae Rureaux read the message that his representative sent him. He gritted his teeth and crumpled the paper in his hand.
"Damn it," he growled. His dark eyes blazed with hatred. "So, some of the Houses I thought safely in my clutches abandoned me for the sake of House Marceaux. Damn you, Leonisra."
He leaned back in the hot water. The heat helped a little, but it did nothing for the fury he felt mounting. He had trusted Lords Persivus and Taora to side with him by selling them more of those whom the Slavers caught than to any other House. Their Houses had the best trained soldiers and cavalry in the Southern Plains, aside from the Amazonians, and he needed their forces to have a chance. However, they had decided to side with House Marceaux.
They most likely want to curry favor with House Leonisra.
However, he was pleased to see that he did have House Kufang. Even though they were a Minor House within the Eastern Mountains, they were notorious for being among the best archers in Hueco Mundo and, if the rumors were true, among the best assassins in the Eastern Mountains with only Tyanna Luna's Black Adders outranking them.
Then there were the cities and towns he had conquered. He could force them to pay tributes either in supplies that he could use to barter to hire mercenaries and bandits or supply him in Hollows and Arrancars to build his armies. But there was always a risk. Those whose loyalty is solely to whoever gives them enough coin is not someone to trust your life to. Barrcae hated the very idea of having to worry about a possible knife in his back if one of his foes paid more gold or silver or gems or women than he could provide.
"Yet, it may be the only way. Damn it."
He was at a disadvantage, but perhaps he could use it to his advantage. He could make it seem as though he was too weak to do anything. But his reputation for conquest had spread.
I can only hope that they'll believe that I'll stay in the South and not do anything against them. They'll want to go up against those who are most likely to be their most dangerous opponent before those whom they'll view as the weakest.
He closed his eyes and smiled. He knew that he would appear as the weakest claimant, but considering some of the others who laid claim, he had a feeling that was a good position to be in. First, he would have to do something about those Houses who dared to defy him for the sake of becoming Leonisra lapdogs.
Las Noches
Friia watched as Skullak and Lupos dueled. The other Arrancars in Las Noches watched as the two men clashed. Friia hoped that she would be sent to train with Skullak and she realized that she was tapping her foot in anticipation.
"Are you nervous?" Wonderweiss asked from beside her.
"No es exacto," she replied. "I just can't wait to get started training."
Wonderweiss sighed and looked at the two men. It was obvious that they were holding so much back. And yet they both knew that going all-out could be catastrophic. Their Reiatsu seemed to pulsate with the deep under-currents that were being restrained. Wonderweiss knew that his own Reiatsu would not measure-up to either of them, despite his precognition. He had a feeling that his precognition would hinder his abilities as an Arrancar.
The swords clashed against each other a final time and the two stepped away from each other.
"Well, that was fun," Lupos said, smiling.
"Yes," Skullak answered and turned to those present. "Fighting isn't just about strength, but endurance and foot-work. If you can force your opponent to tire himself then you've as good as defeated them. However, if you grow tired before they do…well that means that you're dead."
"Dordoni, I want you to take those with the blue armbands to practice with you. Gantenbainne, you'll get those with the red armbands."
His two officers nodded as Skullak and Lupos walked off.
"Damn it," Friia moaned. "I can't believe this. He's not going to lead in practice exercises."
"He's probably too busy with planning stuff," Wonderweiss said and shrugged.
"Humph." Friia pouted and looked at the blue armband just above her left elbow. "I don't feel like practicing today," she whispered and was about to rip the piece of cloth off when Dordoni saw them.
"You two Niños better get over here before I report you," he said.
Friia muttered something and grabbed Wonderweiss's hand.
"Come on, we better… HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"Forget that, I'm going to talk to Skullak," Friia snarled. "Are you going to give me any problems?"
"N-no?"
"Exacta. Come on."
Outside Las Noches
Phayne Andjo watched as his retainers and escort guards made their way carefully over the dunes. A dry wind was picking up and he could see the sands being blown around. He could make out the shapes of Tyanna Luna's procession marching in the distance, ignoring the wind.
"What is that woman up to?" he growled. "Is she keeping track of me for Marceaux?"
He never trusted that woman. Her eyes saw too much and her ears had a tendency to perk-up at any information that caught her interest. Then there was the matter of her taking over El Cráneo from one of his closest allies and actually promising to turn the Hollows there into Arrancars.
Any talk of the Hogyoku technology that had made their way into the rest of the Empire during Mordrath's Rebellion made him uneasy. He heard rumors that some Houses were using such technology to turn ordinary Hollows into foot soldiers or mounted warriors. Others were trying to find ways of using the Hogyoku to strengthen their Balas and Ceros.
He gritted his teeth. He would have to make sure that the Luna woman was made a top priority for his spies and assassins.
He saw two riders approaching. One was carrying a banner of a golden ram on a crimson field and the other had shortly cropped turquoise hair and had his hand raise in a salute.
Phayne watched as the two riders slowed and the young man got down from his mount and knelt.
"Hail, Lord Andjo of the Eastern Flame, I, Ropera Tu Odelschwank, wish to swear my allegiance to you."
Phayne looked at the young man and frowned. He had seen him at the Council of Houses, but he had only remained silent and had been one of those to abstain while most of the other Houses swore their allegiances.
"Why are you coming to me now?"
"Sir, I…I just…"
Phayne sighed and glared at the boy who was desperately trying to find an answer.
"I don't need any who hesitate in my service."
"Please, sir, it's just that I'm young and…and I want to make a name for myself and I…I wanted to think long and hard before making any oaths."
Phayne looked at him.
"Why did it take you so long?"
"Sir, I've been taught that oaths made in haste are either made by fools or by those who you can't trust and I…I don't want to be either of those things."
"Why didn't you swear allegiance to Tuma or Marceaux?"
"Sir, neither of them is from the Eastern Mountains. My loyalty is to the Mountains and the House that rules the Mountains should…"
"Enough of your pretty words," Phayne said as he held up his hand. "What's your true reason?"
Ropera bowed his head and sighed.
"It's because you look like a true knight from the songs of old. I admit I would have followed Tuma, but his family is long past its prime. I would have sworn an oath to Lupos Starrk except that he bent the knee to Tuma and I…I just can't stand such a sight. It's not how it's done in the songs."
"Life is not a song, boy. Too often, the songs lead young boys and maidens down paths that lead to their shame. You need to do more thinking before you make a final decision."
"But I have made a final decision."
Phayne Andjo sighed and shook his head. He put a hand on Ropera's cheek and brushed it.
I don't want to be responsible for the death of someone so young, he thought in sorrow. He suddenly realized what he was doing and pulled his hand away.
"I don't take the oaths of a young boy who hasn't come into his inheritance. Too often the eagerness of youth leads them to destruction. Go home and talk it over with your parents. If you still wish to swear allegiance to me, then you can find me at the banks of the Silver River. I'm sure I can find a place for your service."
Ropera Tu Odelschwank watched as Phayne rode off. His face was red but he knew that Phayne had a good point.
"Young Master," his retainer said. "Shall we head home?"
Ropera nodded.
Breakwater
Cebra Harribel read the report on how the Council of Houses progressed.
"Four laid claim to the Throne," she said as she handed the letter to Latro.
He took it and read it over.
"I see that the Tiburons have not sworn any allegiance to anyone and I'm glad to see that neither have we."
"We should have told our representatives to swear allegiance to Rureaux. He'll never forgive any of the Houses who dared to deny him their loyalty."
"I doubt he'll worry about us. It says here that some of the Houses that swore allegiance to him prior to the Council have changed their minds. They're now backing the Marceaux claim. I think that the Old Lion's behind that."
"He must have promised them very prestigious titles and wealth for them to defy the Horned Viper."
"My dear sister, this is good for us. As long as we lay low and appear to be scheming only against House Tiburon, then we still have a chance."
"What good is a crown? Look at who else laid claim. How long do you think we can continue our ruse? Of course, House Tiburon is too stubborn in our little vendetta to allow us to maneuver freely."
"What of it? House Tiburon is weak."
"Our spies are saying that they're making plans with the Kraken King."
"The Kraken Islands are too far to the North for us to bother with. The Kraken Fleet has never sailed this far south and they never will."
"Don't underestimate the Kraken King. If he thinks he has something to gain from attacking us then he will attack us."
"The Crossing stands in his way."
"Do you think that the Old Scorpion will stop him? We have to pay that old bastard a heavy price to keep any of the Tiburons from sailing further south. It's the only stranglehold we've been able to put on them. And you know the old saying, 'Never trust a Gilga.' There's a reason for that."
"I know, dear sister." Latro looked at the letter again and frowned. "House Starrk sided with House Tuma? I'm surprised."
"Those two Houses have a common understanding with each other. Even when they fought against each other they still honored the other."
"HA! That means we won't have to worry about the Gladiator Espada then. House Starrk has rarely ever backed the winner of any conflict."
"Don't underestimate House Starrk. They have allies and Tuma has gained the backing of three of the Border Guardian families."
"What of it? None of them is House Gilga. Tell me, have you ever seen how big House Gilga has become? It's common knowledge that he and Agneaux Andjo are the only Lords who have summoned entire armies from their trousers."
He burst out laughing at that.
"And yet, Phayne Andjo has declared himself."
"Again, what of it? Agneaux will not stir to support his darling nephew. He would rather hunt and feast and fuck than fight in a war."
Cebra nodded. Everyone knew that Agneaux and most of House Andjo had become hedonistic as they wallowed in their wealth. However, Phayne and his sister were a different matter. They were ambitious and were always plotting something either together or separate.
Phayne was known to scoff at songs of heroism and honor and knights who never lost a battle and yet his vanity seemed to cause him to put on such a mantle for himself. He was always parading around, showing off how better he was than everyone else. It was said that his armor showed off his wealth for everyone to see with the fleurs-de-lys in amethysts and a buckle made of a solid diamond with emeralds and rubies running down the scabbard for his Zanpakuto.
She had even heard many of the ladies who had seen him call him "Fair Prince Phayne" or "The Fairest Knight" and even muttered about how they wanted to have his children. She wished those foolish women "Good luck" on that one.
"So, what's the plan?" Latro asked.
Cebra thought about it and then shook her head.
"We need to take care of House Tiburon first. They're the only House who's paying any attention to us. The other Houses will just let us try to slaughter each other and it's important that the other Houses pay us no heed. Let them fight each other for their precious 'Kings.'"
She turned and walked towards the porch that overlooked the ocean. Latro frowned. He had heard rumors that something was happening in the Western Wastes. There were rumors of refugees trying to flee and whole villages that were discovered with the inhabitants hacked into pieces and laid out in strange symbols and rumors of shadows with eyes of ice and fire.
Only rumors, he thought. But rumors had a way of taking on a life of their own and some proved to be true.
Las Noches
"SKULLAK!"
Oh no, Skullak thought as he turned his head slightly and saw Friia running towards him, dragging Wonderweiss. What does she want now?
"It would appear as though you have a fan," Lupos whispered, smiling.
"More like a stalker. I hope Cirucci isn't around. She gets rather scary when she gets frustrated."
"I'm sure she does. Well, good luck."
"Don't leave me here. I can handle facing Felix Marceaux or even Mordrath Luisenbarn when he decides to return but not some crazed fan girl."
Lupos chuckled slightly.
"Skullak, I thought that you were going to be leading the training session," Friia said pouting.
"I don't remember saying anything like that," Skullak replied as patiently as he could. "Perhaps someone told you that to actually get you to practice."
"But I wanna train with you."
"Unfortunately, young lady," Lupos said, "Skullak and I have things to discuss right now. Perhaps later on…"
"What are you doing?" Skullak hissed.
"I don't want a girl crying because her hero won't make time to teach her how to fight. It's bad enough she doesn't have much control over her Sonído."
Skullak wanted to groan in disgust but saw Friia looking at him with the saddest puppy-dog look she could muster. He sighed.
"Fine. I suppose I can show her some fighting techniques that I picked up."
Friia let out a cry of joy. Skullak looked at Wonderweiss who looked as though something was bothering him. Skullak wondered what that was about, but before he could say anything he felt something strike him and Friia was clutching him like he was her favorite stuffed bear.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you," she said.
"Uh…you're welcome."
Gods, I hope I'm not the only one who has to put up with this.
Soul Society
Ukitake sneezed and wiped his nose with one of his handkerchief.
"CAPTAIN UKITAKE! Are you alright?" Sentaro and Kiyone shouted.
"I just sneezed. That's all. There's nothing to…"
"Do you need some tea?"
"I'll get you a warm blanket."
"No, I'll do that."
"No I will and I'll get his tea too."
"Not before I do."
Ukitake rolled his eyes as the two subordinates got into another one of their fights about who was worthy of taking care of their Captain as they always did whenever he got a case of the Cold or the Flu.
Agh, I hope I'm not the only one who has to put up with this, Ukitake thought.
Las Noches
"I wish that you hadn't done that. Now she'll be begging for me to give her lessons every time she wants to see me," Skullak moaned as he and Lupos walked up the steps to their meeting room.
"Oh come on, we're about to enter dark times again. We need to make sure that everyone remains optimistic."
"So, what did you wish to speak to me about? And don't tell me that it's to make arrangements for your son's Becoming. All of that has already been arranged."
"I know. My wife and daughter will be coming here soon to bear witness. No, this is a matter about the Northern Wolves. Their patrols have found that some of the tribes are gathering."
"Like the crows on a battlefield."
"Yes. But that's not all. The number of refugees from the Far North and the Western Wastes has increased more than ever before. They speak of villages that were either found completely abandoned or with the corpses butchered and laid out in odd symbols. Some of the patrols have mentioned the same thing."
"Bandits."
"Bandits don't leave bodies out in strange designs."
Skullak frowned.
"One such village," Lupos continued, "was completely deserted except for a message written out in blood on a stone. It was a single word, but it is cause for concern."
"What was the message?"
"As I said before, it was only four words and those words were…"
The Far North
"The night is getting colder," Reisa Chelute whispered.
The small band of the Northern Wolves who went with her kept close. The thick forest of stones and Crystalline Trees seemed to crowd in around them. They were following a raiding party that had decided to come south and the light of the fires could be seen flickering in the distance.
"I don't like this," one of the others whispered. "It's much colder than usual."
Reisa could see the steams of breath coming out of their mouths and she had to agree. Despite the endless night, it never got this cold in Hueco Mundo unless one traveled into the Icy Sea that lay far north of even the Kraken Islands.
She kept her focus on the flickering fires.
Something's wrong, she thought. But what's wrong?
"Greystone, get Terral. I need his eyes up here with me."
"As you wish," Greystone replied and rushed off.
Reisa peered into the darkness. She was trying to figure out what was wrong with this picture when Greystone returned with a young Arrancar girl with black hair and eyes that seemed to glow.
"You called," Terral whispered as her fox ears twitched slightly.
"I did. I need to know what you see and hear from the direction of the fires."
Terral looked at the camps. Her sharp eyes looked from flame-to-flame and her ears twitched. She looked at Reisa and shook her head.
"There's nothing, but I see that the raiders are still there."
Reisa frowned. That was what was wrong. There was no movement and there was no sound and yet they had kept careful watch over the camp even while the raiders were setting up. She bit her lower lip.
"Also, there are no birds," Terral whispered. "I came up here once with my father, long ago, and there were birds here. But…"
"But there are no birds singing," Reisa whispered as she stirred from her position. "Greystone, Vaughn, come with me. Terral, you stay here. Give the Night-song bird's call if anything changes."
Terral nodded.
Reisa led the two other Northern Wolves with her as carefully as they could to the camp. She saw some of the others stirring and gave soft animal cries to inform them not to follow unless they came under attack. However, as the flames got closer, she began to wonder. Her first thought was always that the raiders had planned some kind of ambush, but then she began to think that perhaps they had fled before they could encircle the camp.
She stopped and held up a hand when she saw the figure leaning against a tree.
A sentry, she thought. That means that they must still be here.
She watched the figure and saw that it wasn't moving.
"Shall I silence him?" Greystone asked as he brought out his dagger.
Reisa shook her head. That was when she noticed that the silence wasn't the only thing that was wrong.
Is it my imagination or is it colder?
She noticed that the puffs their breaths formed in the icy air was thicker and she noticed the dancing glimmers of air crystals.
This can't be right. This just can't…
She crept her way forward. Her mind was trying to understand what was going on but an old song kept coming to her mind.
Cold be heart and hand and bone
Cold be wanderers all alone
Cold be the eyes of ice and fire
Cold be your funeral pyre.
This can't be. They're just myths. This can't be right. This can't be right.
She crept forward and stopped when she saw the sentry. The others stopped and she could feel their terror. The sentry's skin was completely icy blue. The eyes had become completely white. His mouth was open as though trying to cry out and she saw how black his tongue looked.
"What…what did this?" Vaughn asked.
"No force of Arrancars or Hollows or Soul Reapers," she muttered as she tried to suppress her terror.
They walked forward and stopped at the edge of the glade.
"Vaughn, Greystone, call the others. We need to burn everything here," she whispered as she saw the butchered remains of the raiders.
The bodies had all been stripped naked except for the sentry and were neatly cut. There was no blood on the ground for it seemed to have frozen inside the bodies. The entrails were laid out to form smaller symbols while the torsos and arms and legs formed various shapes. The heads were placed in a perfect circle about the camp and on a flat stump near the center of the camp she could see the four words blazing like fiery ice carved into the bark.
It was a short message, but it was all that was needed. She knew the myths, but she had always suspected that the myths concerning them had been wrong on some accounts. The others came forward and she instructed them what to do. She watched as they used Balas to set everything ablaze. She watched as the words flared up before being wiped out by purifying fire.
But it still remained.
"What did this?" one of the others asked her.
She could only say the words engraved on the stump in response: "The Potestas Come Again."
Las Noches
Skullak sat at the table, thinking about what Lupos had told him. His father had told him stories about the Potestas when he was younger. There was a word equivalent to the Potestas in the World of the Living, but that word was "God."
The Potestas were the Powers that created the worlds, or so the legends said. They also said that eight of the Potestas rebelled and tried to create their own world in their own image. But myths were essentially history twisted by distance in time and distance and by mortal misunderstandings. Thus a regional flood could turn into a global flood or an act of nature could become divine retribution.
He heard other variations on the myth of the Potestas. But there were always things that each had in common: there were original twelve, they swore some kind of oath, and the majority broke that oath even though the number varied from six to eleven. The Faith's official stance was on the common myth, but Skullak had no use for organized religion. Religion, while useful in its own way, was no guarantee of victory.
"The gods make indifferent allies at best," he recited as he pushed such thoughts out of his mind.
He brought his attention back to the word that the Western Watch had brought about Mordrath Luisenbarn's forces going on the move. They had been surprised to hear that Mordrath had actually created his own way through the mountains, by-passing the Towers all-together. He and Lupos agreed that Mordrath was on the move and that he would be coming soon.
He knew some of Mordrath's tactics. He would always poke and prod at his enemy before launching any actual attack. He wanted to gain as much information as he could and thus send out minor skirmishes before launching any full-scale attack. Skullak wondered why he didn't incorporate such tactics in his rebellion and thought he understood it when he came to the conclusion that Mordrath never planned for his little Rebellion to succeed in overthrowing Aizen.
"Plots within plots within plots," Skullak whispered. "I just don't have the mindset to plan that way."
For Skullak, all battles should be fought with honor and courage. For him, true battles were fought with the opposing sides facing each other. Mordrath, however, preferred using schemes. He had gained victory over several of the Lords when Baraggan was establishing his power by using spies and poison and decoy attacks. He caused his enemies to become exhausted before annihilating them with a single stroke.
"He's a coward," Skullak snarled as he remembered how Mordrath helped to bring about his family's fall. "Only a coward uses such tactics."
And yet those tactics had trumped over honor.
Skullak sighed as he put the maps that he and Lupos and looked over away. Perhaps helping train Friia with her fighting skills would be a good thing. It would help him take his mind off things.
Cirucci Sanderwicci
Cirucci sighed as she ate her small meal of berries with cheese. She wished that there was some way she could help her beloved to fight, but she couldn't think of any way to help him. She couldn't go into Resurrección and she no longer possessed her whip with the spinning blade. She looked at Aisslinger who was staying in the Tuma Palace now and saw that he was just as helpless as she was, even though he had a Zanpakuto.
"So, here we are," she said. "Two Arrancars who are pretty much useless for whatever fight is to come."
"Why do you say that? We're alive."
"You know what I mean, Aisslinger. We don't have any way of going into Resurrección. All that we can do is fight with the weapons we got from the store houses."
She looked at the chain-and-sickle she picked. She was getting used to it, but it wasn't the same.
"How did you become an Arrancar?" Aisslinger asked.
"The Hogyoku," she replied. "What about you?"
"The same. I remember that by the time that Wonderweiss fellow came along very few Natural Arrancars were left in Las Noches."
Cirucci nodded. Out of all of the Espada by that point, only Coyote Starrk, Tia Harribel, Ulquiorra Schiffer, and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez were Natural Arrancars. She remembered how Baraggan yelled and struggled as he was being dragged to one of the Hogyoku generators. It was Aizen's greatest insult against him, even greater than breaking his first crown, and Baraggan never forgot it. She shivered as she remembered the sight of Mordrath's face that day and how he gave that barely-visible smile as his brother was humiliated before all assembled.
"I heard that Mordrath is on the move," Cirucci said.
"Where did you hear that from?"
"Well…a little bird told me."
"You listened in on a war council."
"I did not," Cirucci said, trying to sound indignant, but the blush gave her away. Aisslinger only shook his head.
"I'm sure that Lord Tuma would have told you anyways. The last thing he wants is for you to be hurt."
"Who should we fear more?" Cirucci asked. "Should we fear Mordrath Luisenbarn or Felix Marceaux?"
Aisslinger leaned back and closed his eyes.
"Both," he replied simply. "I don't know either man that well. However, from what I've heard of them, we need to fear both. Mordrath is ruthless and cunning while Marceaux is powerful and practical. That's why he married into the Leonisra family. He saw an opportunity to gain more wealth and power and he took it. From what I heard, he killed his rival for Clarice Leonisra's hand."
Cirucci shivered. It seemed as though out of the factions vying for the Throne, Skullak was the most honorable while the others were more adapt at treason and scheming.
"We need to make sure that every Arrancar here is loyal to Skullak. Victor Cuuhlhourne will not swear any oaths. He would rather stay out of this all-together. But I know he won't plot against Skullak for that same reason. He hates the very thought of getting involved in anything that could endanger his life. But I wonder how long he can remain neutral."
"You're afraid," Aisslinger said plainly.
Cirucci nodded her head. She was afraid of what would happen. She knew that she would have to talk to Skullak about it, but she didn't want to bother him.
I must remain strong, she thought. I can't allow my fears to take over me.
Cirucci looked at the tray and pushed it away from her.
"I'm not as hungry as I thought," she whispered as she stood.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know."
Aisslinger looked as she used Sonído to leave the room. He picked up a slice of cheese and popped it into his mouth. He knew that she wasn't joking and that answer was the most honest that anyone could give.
"Even when we know what we want to be our destination, we don't ever know if we'll get there."
The Southern Plains
Lord Rhaevern Taora tapped his fingers nervously against the cushioned floor of his palanquin. The sounds of his entourage outside brought some comfort considering that Barrcae Rureaux would have heard about his switching sides. He hoped that his forces would be enough to get him home safely. But, was there any such thing as safety anymore?
He dared to tread on the Horned Viper along with Lord Persivus who had been smarter than him and immediately head towards Rugido to seek refuge from Chancellor Riccar Leonisra. He lifted one of the silk curtains with his House's sigil of the bronze shield and spear on a purple field. He could see that the foot soldiers had their shields facing outward, surrounding him in a wall of metal. He sighed and was about to lower the curtain when he saw something coming towards his men.
The men yelled as the sounds of Ceros and Balas mixed in with the shouting. Arrows whizzed through the air. Rhaevern dropped the curtain and pressed himself as close to the floor of his palanquin as he could. He felt himself falling and was tipped forward as the palanquin bearers at the front died. The other end was dropped as well, as though those bearers had dropped him to flee for their lives. He cried out as the frame splintered and some of the wooden boards snapped from the impact.
He could hear the clash of metal and men screaming.
He struggled to reach one of the doors and heard the sounds of arrows being released. He heard the sounds of arrows striking the palanquin and saw their metal heads sprout from the roof and the left side. He screamed in terror.
"THEY'RE HERE! GODS HELP US! THE RED ARROW IS UPON US!"
His face paled at that. The red arrow of House Kufang had come. He opened the door to the palanquin and saw that most of his soldiers were already dead or fleeing. He tried to scurry out, like a rat trying to escape drowning. He saw men with shields with the red arrow on them fighting some of his personal guard, but it wouldn't be long before they too decided to save their own skins.
He got up, but as he rose he saw something coming towards him.
He barely felt the arrow going in through his right eye and coming out from the back of his head.
He was dead before he even touched the ground. The rest of his men, seeing that their Lord was dead, fled in terror. The archer who had brought him down moved forward, his lean, hard face only showed boredom.
"That was rather dull work," the archer murmured as he dismounted and looked down at the corpse. He shouldered the bow and unsheathed his sword. "Oh well, only one thing left to do," H'dor Kufang muttered as he knelt beside the body and pressed the blade against the dead lord's neck.
Rugido
Lord Lysander Persivus breathed in relief as he sat down.
I'm safe now, he thought. The Horned Viper won't dare touch me here.
"You seem relieved about something," Riccar Leonisra said.
"Well, I'm just relieved that I did the smart thing and come here immediately. I trust that my family is safe, as we agreed."
"They are. And also…" Riccar reached down and brought out a small chest. "…your payment."
Lysander smiled as he opened it and looked at the gold coins mixed with pearls and diamonds and emeralds.
"I see that you included some extra."
"Call it a bonus for the information you gave me on Andjo and on Rureaux."
"I'm surprised that you so readily agreed to betray Barrcae."
"We paid our debt to him for allowing us to stay here, but he broke his word by laying claim to the Throne. I intend to see one of my grandsons sitting up there and only House Marceaux has graced me with that gift."
Lysander nodded and closed the box.
"I'll count it out later."
Riccar only nodded.
"I'll have refreshment sent up to your room. Then you can make your way to the Nest where Felix Marceaux sits for right now."
Lysander nodded and walked out of the room. He made his way back to the room he had been shown shortly after he arrived. He hoped that the other nobles who went back on their word to Barrcae were doing the intelligent thing and getting out of those areas controlled by House Rureaux.
The Horned Viper may be the weakest faction, but he still has some deadly allies, he thought.
He entered the room and put the small chest on the table next to a pair of scales. He looked at the weights, licking his lips. The amount in that chest would be enough to pay off the Old Scorpion for a while without having to surrender some of the goods his ships carried for him to sell at high prices.
He opened the chest and poured the contents onto the table. He had learned to always be wary of chests filled with wealth after his uncle received a bite from a white-band adder that had been hidden away in a chest of silk and perfumes by an assassin.
His fingers hovered over the jewels and he licked his lips continuously.
There was a knock on the door.
"Enter," he said.
He turned as a young woman entered the room. Her black hair was tied back with silver rings. Her low-cut dress of green and gold silk did not leave much to the imagination and his eyes focused on the thin chain of gold that circled her waist with the chains hanging just over the lips of her sex. His eyes went up to the hardened nipples that pressed against the extremely thin fabric.
"Your wine, sir," she muttered.
There was something familiar about her, but he was too focused on her body to even pay attention.
"Thanks," he whispered as he licked his lips again.
"Shall I pour for you?"
"Yes."
She poured him some of the wine into a gold goblet and his eyes focused on the way the fabric clung to the curves of her shoulders and buttocks.
Oh gods, what a lovely dish she is.
"Your wine."
He took the goblet without even thinking and drank deeply. He ignored the rich taste as he looked her up and down and then looked at her eyes. Her grey eyes were flecked with violet. His eyes widened with recognition.
But it was too late.
He began to struggle for breath. His heart rate increased until it felt as though it would pop out of his chest. His fingers began to twitch slightly and he could feel his own fingers digging into his throat, blood flowed over them.
"Y-y-you," he gasped.
Maia Kufang, the Princess of Roses, smiled at him as she pressed against him.
"Even dying, a man can still get hard," she whispered as she caressed him. "How disgusting," she stated as she pushed him backward.
He fell to the floor. His body twitched as the poison coursed through him. His fingers dug deeper into his throat as though releasing the blood would stop the deadly cargo his blood was carrying. A dark stain spread at his crotch and the smell of shit rose as he lost all control of his bowels. She turned and left him to writhe on the floor as he died.
"Well," Riccar Leonisra said.
"He'll be dead soon. I suppose it's a good thing that he did not break bread with you. Otherwise you would be in violation of the Hearth Right."
"I never break bread with my guests in case I may end up having to kill them. As soon as you leave here, let Barrcae know that House Leonisra has repaid its debts to him."
"He knows," the Princess of Roses said. "Don't worry. He has no intention of making you a target right now. Besides, House Kufang will only remain loyal to a client as long as they pay us or remain alive. However, once an old client is of no more use to us then…"
Riccar nodded to show that he understood.
Maia smiled as she grabbed her robe and covered herself.
"It's good to see that at least some men are on their guard around beautiful girls and don't give in to their cocks."
Riccar only frowned.
"I suggest that you take your leave before I consider that an insult."
Maia only shrugged and looked back into the room.
"Don't worry about your family, Lord Persivus. You were the only target we got." She turned and walked away. "I wanted to give the fool some comfort to know that his blood line won't end with him."
"Or perhaps you wanted to remind him of his family."
"Who's to say that it wasn't both? Comfort and misery are both thorns surrounding the Rose of Life. And his Rose has just wilted."
Riccar watched as she began to walk away and something entered his mind.
"Tell me. Why did you decide to call yourself the 'Princess of Roses?' I thought that Charlotte Cuuhlhourne was supposed to be the 'Rosy Arrancar.'"
She didn't stop.
"I'm the only True Rose in all of Hueco Mundo and my thorns are deadly. Remember that, Chancellor Riccar."
She walked away and Riccar looked into the room where Lord Persivus' body lay still.
"Women are such frightening creatures," he whispered as he closed the door.
The Crescent Mountains
Mordrath Luisenbarn looked down into the Las Noches Basin. He could barely make out the shape of Las Noches in the distance, but he smiled.
He had been able to cross the Dividing River undetected thanks to some of the bridges that the warring armies had built while Las Noches was under Aizen's rule. He only had to strengthen them with the supply of wood and metal he brought with his vanguard forces. This was where he belonged: at the front and above everyone else.
He had heard Skullak Tuma whisper at how he would always hang back and he had allowed the young fool to believe that. He knew how to turn a person's strength into their weakness. But honor wasn't as much fun to manipulate as ingenuity or deception because it was always too easy to turn virtue into vice. Mordrath preferred to turn vice into virtue.
His eyes took in the landscape and he began to set up a plan for the decoy attack he would be launching soon. In the meantime, he would allow the forces under Chelute to have some fun in the western portions of the Northern Lands and the Southern Plains while his Dragons would make their way towards the agreed meeting place.
I'll take my time, he thought. Let them grow weak as they fight among themselves. Let them see how many times a warrior will shit themselves as they die. Let the romantics sing their songs to the moans of the dying and the smell of blood and shit that are the true songs and smells of war. Those who boast of courage shall become craven and those who worship honor shall betray their lords so that way they and their families can live.
War is the greatest expression of Darwinism and the fools who worship it are the ones who deserve to be locked away. Even I don't sing war's glory, but I do use it to my advantage. That fact alone makes me worthy to be Emperor.
Mordrath walked back to his forces that were camped at the mouth of one of the routes he had used to escape after his rebellion. Soon, they would be within the Basin, but he had no intention of taking over Las Noches yet. He would wait and see what happened. But that didn't mean that he wouldn't keep them on their toes.
Las Noches
"Try it again," Skullak said.
Friia readied her dagger and the practice sword. She had been surprised that Selena Schiffer and Lianna Starrk had joined them and now she was facing the two girls.
"What do you think, Lianna? Left or right?"
"Hmm…are you sure you should be asking that? We're giving too much of our tactics away."
Skullak smirked at that. He knew that the girls were having fun at Friia's expense. They were going easy on the poor girl and he just couldn't help but smile.
"WILL YOU ATTACK ME ALREADY?" Friia shouted.
"No es exacto," Selena replied, mimicking Friia perfectly.
Friia became flustered.
"NO ES EXACTO YOURSELF!" she cried and attacked.
It did not last long as Selena, who was the object of Friia's rage dodged easily and Lianna tapped Friia in the back.
"Tag, you're dead," Lianna said and laughed.
Friia snarled and lunged at her.
"Whoa," Lianna said, easily dodging. "I thought I was supposed to be the Wolf Girl. Don't snarl. You're stepping on my territory."
Selena laughed at that and Friia tried to suppress her smile.
"So long as Bat Girl here doesn't tread on my own territory," Friia said, smirking.
"Wait, I'm Bat Girl, Lianna's Wolf Girl. Does that make you Lobster Girl?"
"Exacta. So you better watch out for my pincers."
"And you better watch out for my claws and Selena's…wait…what does a bat use for weapons?"
"We have wings. That means that I'll just fly away if a larger beast tries to get me," Selena said proudly.
The three girls laughed at that and Skullak could only shake his head. He looked over at Wonderweiss and saw that the boy must have become exhausted from his own practice session since he was sleeping.
"How are they doing?" Lupos asked.
"I think they're mistaking practice-time for play-time."
"I don't know. Children's games are good for training. I have my own beginning soldiers play tag to help train their speed and reflexes and statues to help with their balance."
"You actually use children's game for practice?" Skullak asked, rather surprised at the idea.
"Of course," Starrk replied. "It helps to keep them in shape and to train their bodies to react properly when they're put in certain circumstances."
Skullak thought about that and saw that Starrk had a point. He looked over at Wonderweiss and wondered what he was dreaming about.
Wonderweiss
As he slept, he had another vision.
He saw Friia fighting in a desperate attempt to escape. She was grabbed by Arrancars in chainmail and leather. She tried to break free from their grip, but could not. The Arrancars were laughing as a banner, obscured by smoke, was raised. He watched in horror as heads were cut off and raised on pikes to form a forest of heads. He tried to look at the figure with a crown of gold and gems sitting on the throne. He couldn't see who it was, but it wasn't Skullak.
Then he saw Friia being flung into a Slaver's cart to be sold to some brothel or a noble's stronghold.
Then the vision gave rise to banners being raised and crowns being forged or found in hidden caches to where Hueco Mundo was divided into ten kingdoms. Cries rose up.
"HAIL THE WOLF KING!"
"HAIL THE EAGLE KING!"
"HAIL THE DRAGON EMPEROR!"
"HAIL THE QUEEN OF THE GROVES!"
"HAIL THE QUEEN OF THE EAST!"
And more such shouts were raised, only to give rise to wails as blood flowed. Great armies met each other on fields of battle and nearly wipe each other out and others were consumed by flames coming from canon-like weapons with the heads of roaring dragons.
He saw a man in bandages laughing maniacally as he declared himself god while sitting on a throne made of heads and those who followed his fevered dreams were cut down by his insanity.
He saw a bird wearing a crown being strangled by a rose bush as he was being showered with gold coins that scorched its feathers.
He saw a figure with the head of a wolf, wearing a crown, howling in sorrow as the wolves around him were being cut down by a man with blood-stained hands or being stung by scorpions and bitten by spiders. He saw a Nightingale lying on the sand, dead, with an arrow through its heart and an armored skeleton trying to fight against a dragon, but then its sword was broken.
"Only Chaos truly rules," a voice said.
"Fly or Die," a raven said from the cross-beam of a gallows. "Fly or Die. Chaos rules. Chaos rules."
Wonderweiss tried to cry out as he saw Arrancars he had come to know being hung or torn to pieces or beheaded. He watched as others fell in battle and others were forced into brothels or to wander the world with no place to call "Home."
But everywhere, there were mounds of corpses with large rat-like figures crawling over them, searching for scraps or anything of value to sell. Wonderweiss looked at the corpses and knew that he was too late to save those who owned those faces.
He reached down to look at one in particular, but as his fingers closed around the blood-stained hair…
"What are you doing here?" someone shouted in rage.
He turned and saw a woman, completely naked, glaring at him. Her eyes were like fire and her fiery hair waved around her like flames with shadows dancing in their tangles. She looked at him and smiled.
"So, there's a Margelain in the moon-lit lands as well."
"Who are you?"
"I am the Priestess of the Dawn. I am the Chief Servant of the God of the Fiery Heavens. The True King shall return, little Margelain. The Sword of the Sun shall once more shine in Hueco Mundo when 'The King of the Dawn' returns."
Wonderweiss looked at her in surprise. He did not understand what she was talking about and then she grabbed hold of him.
"You wish to know then know," she said, smiling.
She turned him to face the farthest regions of the East. He could see a land shrouded, not in night, but in dawn. The lands looked as though they were drenched in blood and fire and he saw a great temple where the woman was on the ground, trembling and covered in sweat. Shadowy figures and threads of fire crawled over her naked body as a man dressed in ornate armor and a golden crown stood looking down at her. His olive-colored eyes burned with fire and he clutched the hilt of his sword. His stern face did not betray any emotion and his closely-cropped golden-red hair seemed to blaze.
"The King of the Dawn," she whispered. "The True King, regardless of how many false kings may rise. He is God's anointed and he will cover the land in purifying fire and Day shall overcome the Night. The Night is Dark and full of Terrors, but the Day is Bright and full of Grace.
"This is True Grace."
She opened her mouth wide and fiery light burst from her mouth and maggots squirmed from her nostrils.
"The Power of the Spirit King," she whispered and laughed. "THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT KING IS SALVATION!"
Wonderweiss tried to scream as the shadow fell upon him and he saw the true face of the Spirit King. It wasn't the face that the Gotei and the Soul Society saw. It wasn't the face that told Central 46 to maintain order by all means necessary. That was only one half of its face. The other half was that of a rotting corpse gone insane as maggots squirmed from the corners of its glazed eye like tears.
The Royal Court
The sounds of screaming spread throughout the palace of gold and crystal. The Royal Guard stationed outside of the large gold-and-gem-covered doors began to bang on the doors. Their ornate armor glittered in the light.
"YOUR MAJESTY! YOUR MAJESTY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"
"SOMEONE SAW ME! SOMEONE SAW ME!" a hoarse voice cried out.
The two looked at each other in surprise.
"I'm alright now," the voice from the other side said. "I just had a nightmare."
"Will you need anything, Your Majesty?"
"NO! NOW GET OUT!"
The two Royal Guards looked at each other again and shrugged.
"His Majesty commands us."
"And we must obey."
But the two felt a chill run down their spine. There had been rumors spreading among the Royal Guard that the Spirit King's health had been declining. It seemed as though those rumors were correct, especially on his mental health. The idea of an insane god running things frightened them. But they had made vows to serve the Royal Family, regardless of the Spirit King's state. Now, some in the Royal Guard were regretting taking those oaths.
And there was even talk that perhaps Aizen had the right idea in rebelling against the Spirit King.
The Farthest East
Far beyond the most eastern regions of the Eastern Mountains laid the Waste Sea, a great desert where even Hollows feared to tread. Many who travelled there called it "The Death Lands" for there was nothing that could be used to survive and what little fruit grew there was poisonous. Merchants who sold poisons to the Assassins would send out gangs of slaves and prisoners and debtors to those lands to gather the lethal crops and most of those died during their time of service.
Many Arrancars deemed this land to be "World's End" but they were wrong. If one was able to continue travelling east, they would notice the sky becoming lighter and lighter until it took on a light indigo hue and then they would see a line of pink and orange on the horizon. If they continued onward, they would come to fields of green and crimson grass with trees bearing edible fruit. The sky would look as though it was on fire with the eternal dawn that covered these lands. Thus, the natives to these lands called it, "The Lands of the Dawn."
Many who lived in these lands remembered the ancient rites that were long forgotten by the Arrancars in the Hueco Mundo Empire. They remembered the words that were given to them by the Twelve before they departed after waging the War of Devastation that tore the worlds that became Hueco Mundo, Hell, the World of the Living, and the Soul Society asunder. They remembered the true stories of the Potestas of Shadow and the Potestas of Fire and Ice and how each side had twelve members who alternated between walking the World and sleeping in the Void.
In the World of the Living, their kind would be called "Sorcerers" and "Alchemists" and "Diviners." Here, they were called "Margelain" and the only faith in the Moon-lit Lands that retained some of their practices was the Faith of the Huntress.
It was to these lands that the old House whose words had been "By Divine Right" had fled as their great Empire was torn asunder to be re-forged by Arturos Leonisra. They were forced to flee because the last of the Divine Emperors only had bastard children and many of them were killed in the Chaotic Era, but the survivors of this "Bastard House" had fled to where none would follow and most of them had died on the journey.
However, some did survive and thrived in the Lands of the Dawn. They waited for their time to come again. As time went on, much of their true name was forgotten to where only one part remained, Aizha.
The King of the Dawn, Ishamael Aizha, stood over his personal Margelain as she moaned and writhed as the Shadow Oracles squirmed over her and into her through her orifices. The Margelain knew of two ways to see into the Future: sleep and sex. When sleep and sex were brought together this way, their Third Eye became even more powerful as the Shadow Oracles offered their sight in exchange for the Margelain's body.
This was the most sacred of rites of a Margelain for it was said to give them the sight of the Spirit King and of the Lord of Hell.
Heaven and Hell united in this act, he thought as he watched the threads of fire caress the Priestess's body with the Shadow Oracles. And seeing the future is only one power that this act can bring.
He watched as the Shadows and Fire dissipated from her as she came out of her drug-induced stupor. She let out a cry as she climaxed and the forces that opened her third eye fled from her. Her breasts heaved as she labored for breath. She looked up at him and smiled.
"Well, what did you see, Margelain?"
"I saw much," she whispered. "I saw one of my kin there and I showed him much."
He frowned at that.
"Do not worry," the Priestess of the Dawn whispered as she stroked his cheek. "He's too late to stop the Chaos that will herald your return. He's too late to stop much of what will happen because of the Soul Reaper fool who took away his far more superior gifts than the ones the Orb of Souls gave him. That is the price that the Unfaithful must pay for daring to defy the Will of the God of the Fiery Dawn."
"Then…I can still move forward without fear?"
"The God of Light still shines upon you and you alone."
Aizha smiled.
"When will I be able to move, Mardara?"
"Soon, Beloved of the Light, we can march soon. And the Dawn shall follow."
End of Chapter 9
A.N.: This chapter sets up a lot of things that will be explored in greater detail in the planned sequel, especially the whole thing with The Potestas and what I have planned for the yet unseen-in-canon Spirit King. I picture the Spirit King as being insane and able to hide it under a masque of order, sort of like the Angel in "Black Butler" or like R'hllor, the God of Flame and Shadow, in George R. R. Martin's epic series, "A Song of Ice and Fire."
It also sets up a few things that I have in mind for later on in this story and there will be a lot of deaths. Likewise, I am a believer that all magic comes with some kind of price, so expect for some good old Blood Magic to become involved.
Likewise, I'm also getting into some of the more "A Song of Ice and Fire"-influenced parts. Mardara the Margelain is partially based off of Melisandre, the Red Priestess of Asshai, and Ishamael Aizha (the name after Ishamael from "The Wheel of Time", Ishmael from the Bible, and the last name from Asshai-by-the-Shadow) is partially based on a combination of Stannis Baratheon and the Targaryens.
I know that some may say, "Wait a minute, there's no day in Hueco Mundo." But I decided that it would be rather interesting if the world of Hueco Mundo doesn't really rotate on an axis and so one side would always be in day and the other in night and we've only seen a small portion of it in the actual manga/anime.
Anyways, I'm counting down the days until Season 2 of "Game of Thrones" (A.K.A.: "A Clash of Kings") premiers on HBO.
Next chapter will have a special guest appearance from three former Espada.
Until then…
Thank you for reading and please review.