11: Entrance
Hueco Mundo was truly the realm of hollows. The land itself was vacant, lifeless, soulless. Great clouds of pearly white sand whipped about in the wild winds in the great wilderness. Dead crystalized trees swayed morosely. The eternal darkness of perpetual night devoured the sky, a permanently full moon watching over the land and the accursed creatures that dwelled within.
Amidst it all four men wandered the ocean of sand in search of their lost friends. They knew not where to go nor what to search for. There were no real clues to present themself. They searched aimlessly, wandering in unsteady circles with nothing to guide them.
It seemed their journey was all for nought. It took courage to come here, but they had been caught up in the moment. They had not thought out their plan, nor even stopped to think about where to go. Now they were stuck here...
Meanwhile, trapped in her cell in the great palace of Las Noches, Eve awaited help that would not arrive. She stared down at her pale hands, shivering and cold. Blood had soaked through her tattered and filthy dress, the same one she had worn when she was brought here some time ago.
She had lost track of the days. Time had no meaning when the only thing to look forward to was the arrival of the most despicable demon in all existence, a creature more terrible than the monsters in any tale. Ulquiorra was the personification of pure evil. He was remorseless, brutal and cold. For her entire time here, whether the pallid beast was beside her or not, she had suffered the worst of his tortures. He had not held back. He was relentless.
The bruises on her cheeks had not healed, consistently being re-created from fresh bludgeoning's. Crusted wounds all over her arms and back and legs and neck had become constant sources of excruciating pain. He had cut her badly, and though he showed no signs, he seemed to relish in her agony. The pain made her scream, made her cry, but that only drove him on. It was an endless cycle of violence, a nightmare from which there was no known escape.
It had come to a point where Eve wished for death. She had never thought she would do so, had always held out hope for Train to save her...But now even that hope, her belief in her companions...It had faded into nothingness, a hollow, vacant dream...Now she wished for her life to end, for Ulquiorra to finish her off once and for all and end the misery and torment. She was disgusted in herself for even thinking such thoughts but she knew no matter how much she protested her body cried out for release, a release that would only end in the eternal numbness of death's cold embrace.
She spent another day sobbing, cradling her wounds and listening to Rukia through the walls. She had always tried to console her, had even tried to talk her out of her cruel thoughts, but it meant nothing. Rukia's voice was comforting, but it was not a bandage thick enough to stop the bleeding. It was not an anaesthetic strong enough to stop the pain.
Without another person's comforting touch she felt so terribly alone. She couldn't cope with it. She had spent long times alone when she lived with the military, but after Sven had saved her, she suddenly grew accustomed to human company. She had become dependent upon it to the point that she was feeling withdrawal symptoms just from being isolated from her friends for so long. She had not even seen Rukia's face all those times she had spoken to her. How was she to know it was really her? Aizen had tricked Sven with his dark magic; surely he could be doing the same to her...
The poor young girl glanced up at the big bright moon outside. It provided no heat or warmth and its light was weak. She stared at it for a long time, a time she could not measure. She stared deep into the heartless moon and then she whispered ever so softly...
"Please...End this pain..." Tears started to flow down her bruised cheeks. It stung terribly and so she curled up in a ball and squeezed her eyes shut and begged, "End this nightmare..." She could barely breathe, her breaths coming in ragged painful gasps from her damaged lungs. "End it...End..." Eve took one last laboured breath and collapsed into a heap. She hugged her knees and buried her head between them. And as she shivered and sobbed and ached, she uttered one last thing...
"Please...End my life..."
From a distant room in the Palace, Ulquiorra watched the fragile young blonde as she begged for death. His face was as ever a blank slate of utter indifference. He felt nothing. Not even a sliver of guilt over this young life, broken from his cruel deeds. No, he did not care.
"She's rather upset now isn't she?" A sickeningly calm voice uttered from the hall.
Ulquiorra turned to face the bespectacled scientist. "Szayel...If you are here then that must mean it is ready."
"Correct Ulquiorra. She is indeed ready." The scientist bowed and uttered a dry chuckle. "Perfect timing I would say."
Ulquiorra blinked. "So you felt it then?"
"Of course. Four head-strong young boys have burst into our most precious abode in search of their stolen companions. They seem to be a little lost at the moment though. I suggest we use her to lure them closer."
"Our orders were to kill them, not play with them."
"Yes, we were ordered to kill them. And besides, it is not fun if we let her destroy them all!"
"The war shall soon be at hand. Can you really not wait?" Ulquiorra looked down at the screen and then back to his comrade, "Very well. Do as you wish. They are trash. Aizen will be in no danger."
Szayel bowed once again, "Thank you. Now I shall make my leave now. I must help her."
Ulquiorra ignored him and turned his attention back to the screen. It switched to a laboratory where the new super-weapon was lying restrained on a large stone slab. Ulquiorra studied it for a moment and then switched off the monitor.
It was time to pay Eve a visit.
"Argh! We're wandering in god damn circles!" Sven threw his suit-case to the ground and coughed as a cloud of dust was spat up into his face. A low curse rumbled out from him and he squatted in the sand, resting his aching legs.
Train rolled his eyes and scanned the vacant horizon. "We need to find a landmark or something we can use as a guide. That guy...He's referred to as 'Lord Aizen' so maybe he has a castle or something?"
"A castle?" Ichigo retorted, "Where are we going to find a castle in the middle of the bloody desert?"
"Well we have to search for something! They aren't standing around outside are they?" Train sank to his knees and groaned. "Dammit! We can't just keep wandering around like this or we will run out of time."
"But there is nothing out here...What if they were underground?"
"I doubt it." Ichigo muttered, grasping his chin.
The group looked around solemnly, unable to see any distinguishing landmarks or anything other mountains of dry sand.
"Welcome to my humble abode gentlemen," A great booming voice struck down from no-where. It was unmistakeable, that menacingly calm tone could only have come from Aizen himself!
The group panicked and scanned their surroundings hastily. Aizen just laughed mockingly from his hidden viewpoint.
"There is no need to worry. I am quite far away right now. I just wanted to give you a clue, besides; you came all this way to see me."
"AIZEN! Show yourself you bastard!" Sven roared, his heart racing. He hated that man more than anything in the world, especially after he toyed with him, fooling his grief-stricken mind and using the very girl he desired to bring about his downfall. Such dirty tactics were a disgusting and cruel act and Sven would never forgive him for what he did.
"Show myself? Very well. Behold..." In the distance the ground began to tremble and from seemingly nowhere, a great castle emerged. Great billowing clouds of dust and sand swept out from its immense stone walls and the moon in the sky was obscured by its great towers. Even from such a distance it looked huge.
The group stared in shock and awe at the mighty monument.
"This," Aizen boomed, "Is my Palace, Las Noches. I am looking forward to your arrival."
"Train?" Ichigo whispered.
"Yeah?"
"I guess you were right. He does have a castle."
"Yeah, and now at least we know where we are going."
Well then, let's go!" Sven snatched up his case and raced across the desert sands towards the looming palace on the horizon. The others followed in close pursuit.
Aizen sat upon his throne and grinned. "This is marvellous. It looks like all of Soul Society's trump cards are about to fall into my hands. With them out of the way this war shall be over before it even begins!"
"Lord Aizen," Szayel appeared through a door in the side of the expansive chamber. He bowed before him before giving his message, ""She is ready. What are your orders?"
Aizen just smiled.
It took hours, possibly even days of running to get closer to Las Noches. Determination spurred the young men on as they rushed through the vacant desert plains and it seemed the castle never got closer, but they knew...They knew they were getting there. With no sunlight there was no indication of a new day, but it felt like it had been a week at the least. Time seemed to slow, to drag on endlessly so there was no real way of knowing, but that was unimportant. The weary group shoved such thoughts to the back of their minds and focused solely on moving forward, ever forward towards Las Noches.
Occasionally Aizen would taunt them, his voice like that of a god bearing down upon his followers.
"Almost there. Just a little further. I am waiting. Eve is waiting. Rukia is waiting."
It only made them move faster. They seemed to come at certain intervals; they assumed it would be a day between each little message. As the messages continued and the castle still remained out of reach hope began to dwindle, but the steely resolve of the companions burned brighter and stronger in the face of adversity. They would not back down, would not give up! They would run to the ends of the earth to bring them back...And it felt like they already had.
Eventually, at long last the castle was close enough to swallow the sky above them and take up everything in sight. When all they could see were gigantic stone pillars and solid impenetrable walls they knew they were very close. The excitement aided them in the final leg of their exhausting journey and in time they reached the walls.
The sheer achievement of being able to place a hand against the cold smooth surface was a rejuvenating accomplishment to them. It meant their journey was not for naught, that soon their beloved friends would be once again in their arms...
All they had to do was get inside.
On a count to three, all four men attacked the wall and incredibly they managed to create a dent the length of a car in the wall. On a second attempt the surrounding areas of the walls splintered and the crater grew bigger. On a third strike, it crumbled away and the four warriors stepped through into the domain of the damned...
Ichigo smiled thinly and gave a warm chuckle, "We're in! Now let's crash this party!"
They ran down a long winding corridor and entered a great chamber with a ceiling as high as the clouds. The room itself appeared to be the size of a town but was utterly bare aside from a large slab in the centre of the room. A group of hollows stood around it and all turned their heads to stare at the intruders. Dripping fangs and glowing red eyes greeted the intruders who all took up defensive stances.
"Hollows...Where are the other guys?"
"Never mind! Let's just kill them and move on!" Train dashed forth and whipped out his trusty pistol Hades. He shot off three bullets and then ran alongside them until he neared the enemy. When he was within a close range he leapt high up into the air and drew his sword. As the first few hollows started to drop the Black Cat landed before the rest and moved into a crouch. The enemy did not move. They groaned pitifully and then fell apart like cheap children's toys. They had been cut down before they could even see it coming.
Train sheathed his weapon and studied the slab. Resting upon it was an all too familiar friend. IT was Eve!
"Eve!" Sven rushed up to meet her. The other followed suit, all the while Train wrestled with the tubes sticking into her flesh and the heavy restraints around her wrists and ankles.
"Don't worry Eve! We're here to save you! We're going to break you out of here and we can all go home!" Train was unable to stop smiling and laughing. It had been so easy. So, so easy...
Eve began to stir, here eyelids opening sluggishly. Dazzling scarlet eyes settled upon the triumphant warriors who stood before her and with a frail and trembling hand she reached out to them. Her dress was torn and she looked paler than usual. She must have suffered in her time away from her adoring friends. But that was all going to change. She was going to be set free...
Sven leaned over her and smiled, "Eve..."
"Sven..." She whispered back.
The two embraced, hugging one another as tightly as they could. It felt too wonderful to be real, the warmth felt only by that of a loved one...It overcame Sven and he began to sob.
"Eve...I'm sorry...So sorry...I couldn't save you..."
"I'm sorry Sven..." The frail young girl uttered as softly as the breeze. Sven took no notice; after all she had nothing to apologize for. It was his fault entirely. She shouldn't have beaten herself up over his mistakes. He just pulled her closer and buried his head in her soft blonde hair.
"Sorry..." Eve muttered again.
In the next instant, the world was painted red. Sven saw blood, far too much blood and black splotches appeared in the corners of his vision. Pain unlike anything he had ever felt took hold and his body went rigid. He tried to cry out but a mouthful of crimson spittle was all to escape his cracked lips.
The others had no idea what had happened and before they could even think they too were cut down. Blood rained down upon the grisly scene and all four young heroes were brought down in a sickening orgy of violence. And amidst it all, Eve rose from the slab and smiled. The blades embedded in each of the young men turned back into her delicate hair and fluttered almost carelessly in the dead air of the chamber.
"Sorry..." She whispered coldly.
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