Episode 24: Peak
The next stage of my odyssey must be above this underground forest. A pulse runs through my body, urging me to leap unto the dark heavens. Small, webbed wings form on the side of my arms and on my back. As I flap them a dust bowl forms around my body. I gain an uplifting feeling before I fly into the moonlight...The feeling of the air gliding past the tip of my feet is amazing – I cannot think of a better word to describe this pleasure of soaring above all the other insignificant creatures.
Once I penetrate the ceiling I find myself in a new world. Hueco Mundo transforms from a forest of quartz tree to an infinite desert plain, much like the Sahara only much colder and darker. How could any creature, hollow or human survive long here?
Then I see the outstanding feature of Hueco Mundo...a giant castle. It must be humongous, yet it appears to be so far away, almost unreachable...Like the moon in the sky.
Now that I know my destination I can continue my travels. The only way to go now is forward.
I feel like I've been walking for hours. Even in my new form I cannot go without food for much longer. A small hollow would do then I could set up a makeshift camp.
I notice ripples in the sand. The crystal granules form perfect dunes, seemingly untouched with no footprints. When this art-form is disturbed even slightly it stands out in this otherwise featureless plain. Curiously I grab the ripple and snatch a small lizard with a hollow mask. He's only a small critter but he will do for now. The reishi concentration is quite abundant up here so I'm guessing he survives by simply diffusing reishi into the pores of his skin.
I sit back against a small tree (well now I realise that it actually the top of a large underground tree). I form a small cero to ignite some firewood and catch some much needed rest.
Several shadows disturb my slumber and I'm almost instinctively prepared to bare my claws until I realise who they are.
It's Shrieker and the others of the former group of intelligent hollows. I notice Shrieker has transformed since last we met. Judging by his larger size though it's safe to say he is an Adjuchas so I didn't need to worry about him. Numb Chandelier and Bulbous G have also evolved over relatively short periods of time.
"Congratulations on reaching the most powerful class of hollow Banzai Benendes." Shrieker offers his hand in praise to which I cautiously return the gesture.
"Well I'm glad you have all become stringer as well." I respond.
"Ben we have a favour to ask of you." Numb Chandelier speaks. Her once tentacled body now seems to have reduced and has a more humanoid form with spider-like limbs and sharp, pointed breasts.
"Yes Ben we would greatly appreciate your leadership." Bulbous G interjects to which Numb Chandelier hushes. Bulbous G looks similar to his hollow form only with a larger mane of hair and a long spiked tail.
"We don't want to annoy him too much Bulbous G, he has no time for weaklings like us."
"Hold on..." I say back. "If your after a leader I wouldn't mind some friends to guide me to Las Noches."
Shrieker joins in the conversation. "What we should have said was that we need you to...ahem...preserve our current forms."
I'm suddenly confused. "What could you mean by that?"
He lowers down till he reaches my level and brings his arm forward. "Please devour me Banzai."
"SHREIKER!" Everyone (except the unintelligent Gillians of the group) seems to shout in unison.
"You can't be serious?" I say as he nudges his arms closer towards my mouth.
"Please do this for me...It will assure that I remain an Adjuchas."
"But you want me to eat you, how does that make sense?"
"Not all of me..." he explains that he requires a portion of his body to be sacrificed so that we will forever remain locked in Adjuchas class.
"But you will never be able to reach Vasto Lorde." I reason with him.
"When you came to us as an Adjuchas, we had already eaten over three thousand hollows. We have eaten up to a thousand Gillians since then and only recently become Adjuchas as our reward. Eating so many hollows is exhausting...and risky...as such, I would like to settle down and live the rest of my hollow life as an Adjuchas...I do not desire to become any stronger."
"I see..." I look down then press my hands on his arm. "If this is what you really want."
"That is correct."
I look at the portion of flesh offered to me and lick my lips. I feel ashamed in eating a part of him like this. It seems to easy, yet it is still vital food. So I will grant his request.
My tongue tastes the surface of his skin, its salty but tasty. As I am about to devour this former comrade a large object erupts from the surface of the sands. It moves so fast is creates a sonic boom or otherwise better known as a Sonido. The humanoid hollow pushes Shrieker aside and the others retreat when they measure the sheer size of her reatsu. When her green eyes delve into mine I'm pushed back by a tremendous reatsu. Who is this woman and how did she become so strong. Her reatsu overpowers Nel Tu's and she was an Arrancar...
"Are you a Vasto Lorde?" I ask the woman who appears to have features of a shark; a long pointed tail coming from her helmet-mask which bares jagged fangs allotted in a straight row. Her right arm appears as a devastating weapon, reminiscent of a jousting blade.
"She initially hesitates to respond and vanishes in Sonido. She reappears with her blade raised to slice off my head. I must use my own Sonido to evade the deadly strike but she has already anticipated this and so I feel the cold tip of her blade press against the small of my back. I almost forgot this feeling...the feeling of complete fear...of death approaching.
Her voice is soft yet deep. "I am a Vasto Lorde...Tia Harribel will be the last name you ever hear..."
Though I can boast my status as a Vasto Lorde it will all be worthless if I die now. If I cannot defeat one on par with my abilities then I did not deserve this title. So can I ecape from the shark's jaws? Will I end up in a tin (sorry lame fish joke)? Do NOT miss the next epic chapter!