Blood on the Sand
Volume 1: The Broken Crown
Part 1
"Imperium cupientibus nihil medium inter summa et præcipitia."
(In the struggle between those seeking power there is no middle course.)
-Tacitus, Annales, II.74
Chapter 1: Beneath the Moon
The ever-present crescent moon looked down upon Hueco Mundo, cold and distant from the plights of those who suffered beneath her gaze. Her light shone on the crystalline trees that jutted through the bone dust sands from the Menos Forest far below the Las Noches Basin. Her light shone on the crashing waves of the seas and on the serpentine rivers that wound their way through the land, creating valleys of their own. She had seen kingdoms rise and fall and powers turn like a wheel. She had seen the truth of history buried by the lies of myth. She had seen peace give way to war and war give way to peace. She saw voices rise in prayer only to be ignored by a god that was not there. She saw religions fade away like sand in the wind. She saw the good and evil present in life and did not care. She was an absolute presence in those parts of Hueco Mundo that the Soul Society mapped, and her gaze was cold.
The moon truly was a harsh mistress.
Even though Baraggan Luisenbarn was dead and the crown had not found a new head upon which to rest, life continued. But if the moon could speak she could tell what was to come: a new age of chaos. She could speak of wars that rose from the vacuum of power. She could tell of a time when there were no less than twenty kings and queens scattered throughout the lands that had been united into an Empire long ago, in an age that was now forgotten.
Yet, even in times of chaos, there were places where the chaos did not reach. There were places that life continued, uninterrupted by the events of the world beyond their borders.
It was like this at Lobo de Plata in the Northern Lands. The events in Las Noches had barely any impact on those who lived behind its stone walls. The blacksmiths were at work hammering metal into tools, and horseshoes. The lower Arrancars emerged from their stone and wood huts to work the fields as they had always done. The Master at Arms, Guerra Gordav, was in the practice yard with some of the House Guards, making them practice. Conall Starrk, the youngest son of Chancellor Lupos Starrk watched from his perch atop the stables.
"There you are," someone called.
Conall looked over the edge and saw the youngest Starrk daughter, Lyanna, starting to climb up the stable wall. She had a pouch slung over one shoulder and he was not surprised to see her dressed in a set of the stable boy's old clothes. Her mask fragment, a necklace shaped like a wolf's jaw with small fangs, shone slightly in the moonlight. Conall felt a pang of jealousy.
"I can't wait until I become an Arrancar," he said.
"Dad said that it will be pretty soon," Lyanna said as she clambered to the roof. She caught her breath and looked at her brother. "I got you something from the kitchens." She unslung the pouch and opened it. She brought out two sweet-spice rolls and tossed one to Conall who caught it eagerly in his mouth. "You know you won't be able to do that when you become an Arrancar."
"I know," Conall said, his wolf-like ears drooped. "I'm just glad that I don't have to go around on all fours anymore, but I want hands. It'll make the climbing easier."
Lyanna let out a soft snort as she bit into her roll.
"Hands are over-rated," she said as she chewed. "As soon as you get them you have more responsibilities."
"Oh," Conall said, looking crestfallen. He hated the idea of having more chores. He looked down at the practice yard and frowned. "Where's dad? He's usually at the practice yard by now to spar with Guerra."
"Dad's in some boring meeting," Lyanna said. "Some of the other lords arrived earlier along with a representative from House Schiffer."
"Huh…I wonder if he and Schiffer are gonna make up or something."
"I hope not," Lyanna said. "It would mean dumb Sarra coming back. And it would mean that Selena would have to leave."
"Maybe she doesn't have to. She could officially be father's new ward. I mean, Eldir has been father's ward for years."
"That's different and you know it. Eldir's father rebelled against the Empire. Father took him as ward so that the Old Kraken wouldn't rebel again."
Conall looked down at the practice yard and saw Eldir Korson, the heir to the Kraken Islands, come sauntering out of the main hall clad in his usual grey coat with the black kraken embroidered on his right breast. His dark purple hair hung to his shoulders and his sea-grey-green eyes seemed to laugh as though everything was some jest for his own amusement. A young serving maid giggled as she handed him his grey and pearl gloves.
Eldir grabbed her about the waist and brought her close to him. The serving maid giggled even harder and allowed one hand to drift towards his groin.
"Ugh," Lyanna said with a look of disgust on her face.
"I wonder if she knows that she's the seventh this month," Conall muttered.
"Seventh what?"
"I don't know. I only know that Eldir's grabbed six other women by their waists like that. I don't know what it means."
"Huh." Lyanna finished off her roll and licked her fingers. Conall's focus returned to the soldiers in the practice yard. He looked forward to being able to train with them. He wondered what form his Resurrección would take. He knew that a sword was the usual form, but it wasn't unheard for it to be another form.
I bet it'll be a sword. I hope that it'll have a wolf's head for a pommel or a wolf engraved on the blade. I hope that its command will be "Climb". Yeah, "Climb", that sounds right.
"Hey, I wonder what's going on."
Conall shook himself from his thoughts. The practice yard became filled with excitement. He watched as Harietta Olmson, Mistress of the Gates, escorted a tall and muscular Arrancar clad in white with black embroidery lining the collar and twin black stripes running diagonally from left shoulder to right hip.
Harietta was short and thin. Her hair was golden red on the right side and lilac on the right. Her mask fragment resembled a thin row of scales beneath her pale green eyes. She wore black jodhpurs tucked in silvery-grey boots and a long white riding coat with silvery wolves embroidered on the collar. Her Resurrección was concealed in a riding crop with a silver and ivory handle.
"What news from Las Noches?" Guerra Gordov asked in his gruff voice.
Guerra was tall and muscular. His bald head gleamed in the moonlight. His mask fragment resembled the upper face of a roaring tiger. His white whiskers only added to his resemblance to a tiger. The long sword strapped to his back seemed to pulse with the power of his Resurrección, waiting to be unleashed.
"Joyful news and yet sorrowful," the messenger said. "Word will spread quickly and I must ensure that your lord is the first to know."
"Of course," Harietta said. "Please, follow me. He is in the main hall with some of the other lords."
Harietta escorted the messenger to the twin doors that led into the main hall. Twin stone wolves stood on guard on either side. Conall and Lyanna watched the two enter the main hall.
"I wonder what happened," Lyanna said. "You don't think something bad happed to Uncle Coyote, do you?"
"I don't know."
Lupos Starrk
Lupos Starrk, Chancellor of the Northern Lands and Lord of Wolves, sat on his seat beneath a stained-glass window that depicted Beolf Starrüch slaying Fendro, the White Wolf of the Night, with his sword that was named Himmelys as it was said that the metal came from a fallen star. The other lords summoned for this meeting sat in their regular positions and he wasn't surprised to see that some of the seats were vacant.
The messenger knelt on one knee, his head bowed and his right hand pressed to his left breast. Lupos was not surprised to see the heraldry of House Schiffer, a winged woman with spear in hand, embroidered on his jerkin. Two of House Starrk's guards stood on either side of the kneeling messenger while two more waited on either side of Lupos's seat to protect their lord.
"I trust that Lord Schiffer has decided to accept our proposal to him in exchange for making certain that the peace is maintained," Lupos said.
"Chancellor Starrk, Lord Schiffer has looked over the proposal and was initially ready to refuse," the messenger said. There were mutterings at that. Lupos held up a hand to silence the assembled lords.
"It would be a shame for him to plunge the Northern Lands into chaos. Our precious wards would have been the first victims."
"He would rather avoid an unnecessary war, Chancellor," the messenger said. "He was prepared to refuse as your offer would have further diminished his authority on his own lands."
"Which are the Chancellor's lands," one of the lords said. There were more mutterings at that and Lupos had to raise his hand again to quiet them.
"So, he would have offered different terms before declaring war against his lord?" Lupos asked.
"That is correct," the messenger said. "Lord Schiffer loves his daughter and would make sure that no harm came to her. He made certain that diplomacy was always at the forefront as a course of action because of it."
"Yet he would betray me and declare himself Chancellor," Lupos said. "The other regions may have more than one Chancellor to them now, but the Northern Lands will always have one Chancellor. He needs to agree to cease his claim to the Chancellery or else these negotiations may fall apart."
"He is prepared to do so, but some of the other lords do not wish him to. They fear reprisals."
"Then their fears will become reality," Lupos said. "Loyalty is what is needed. Loyalty to the old ways and loyalty to the Throne in Las Noches."
"Would you really have us serve a Shinigami?" one of the other lords asked. "He usurped the throne and therefore has no right to demand obedience from us."
"I am loyal to the Throne," Lupos said again. "I did not say that I was loyal to the Usurper. It's as you said, he's a Shinigami and therefore has no authority over these lands. Yet, the Emperor is forced to serve him and I serve the Emperor. But someday, the Emperor will overthrow the Usurper and reclaim his rightful place on the Throne."
The assembled lords applauded and some gave cheers at that. The messenger was about to say something when the doors opened. Lupos and the other lords looked at the double moon-wood doors and saw an Arrancar running, clutching a letter.
"What is the meaning of this?" one of the lords asked as he stood to block the messenger's progress.
"A…a message…from…from Las Noches," the messenger panted. He held up the letter so that they could see the seal. It was merely a crescent moon stamped into white wax.
"Approach," Lupos said. The messenger approached, keeping his head bowed. When he was close enough he held out the envelope. One of the two guards standing next to Lupos took it and gave it to his lord. The Chancellor looked at the seal before breaking it. He unfolded the letter and looked it over.
"Are you sure of this?" he asked.
"I came from Las Noches, Chancellor Starrk. Other riders and even the lunar ravens were sent out."
Lupos stood and looked at Lord Schiffer's messenger. He wondered if he should inform the messenger or not. It took a few moments of thought before he made his decision. "Go tell your lord that things have changed. Tell him that if he agrees to meet with me in person then there will be no need for war. You are dismissed."
Lord Schiffer's messenger nodded before standing to take his leave. He looked at the messenger from Las Noches, curious as to what news he brought, but knew better than to ask. He had a task to do.
When the doors closed again Lupos looked at the assembled lords and sighed.
"The Usurper has been overthrown," he said. There were bursts of applause and cheers at the news. Yet some of the lords did not partake in the celebrations. Lupos let out a small burst of Reiatsu and the other lords took immediate notice. Those who stood in celebration sat down again and all eyes turned towards him again.
"The Usurper has been overthrown, not by Arrancars but by the Shinigami. He went to war against his own kind and… It pains me to say that the Emperor is dead."
Artur Leonisra
Artur Leonisra, eldest son of Riccar Leonisra, Chancellor of the Golden Waters, sat in the moon garden at Rugido. He listened to the sound of the river lapping against the banks and the shouts of the rivermen as they loaded their boats with goods to be delivered along the Silver River and the Dividing River. He twisted the gold lion head ring on his finger, watching the ruby eyes glitter in the moonlight. Strands of his platinum white hair hung over his golden eyes that sparkled with green flecks. His mask fragment were twin feline fangs that wrapped around his neck with the points meeting just below his Adam's apple.
He wore a red shirt with gold embroidery tucked into a pair of white pants. His black boots shone with polish and the golden buckle of his brown leather belt shone.
"Ah, there you are."
He turned and stood. The woman coming towards him had long, flowing golden hair that matched her eyes. She wore a dark blue gown embroidered with silvery ivy leaves. The broach of a silver double-headed eagle shone in the moonlight, but her gold necklace displayed a roaring lion crowned with a laurel of emerald chips. Her mask fragment was a delicate circlet with twin fangs tracing her temples.
"Lady Marceaux," he said and bowed.
"Oh please, none of that, brother. I was hoping to get a chance to see you."
"Well, here I am, Clarice. Where are your children?"
"Oh, Felix thought it best if they stayed home."
"I suppose that they do need to learn how to run things in his mountain fort."
"I suppose so, especially ever since he got word from Las Noches. Can you believe that they decided to send him a moon raven and not an actual Arrancar? It's absurd."
"Sister, Felix Marceaux is not a Chancellor."
"He might as well be. He married me didn't he? So why isn't he Chancellor of the Eastern Mountains?"
"Come now, you know why. He married into the Blood, but he isn't really of the Blood."
"That won't matter. He may not be of the Blood, but our children are. I'm sure that's what he's talking to Father about."
"So, does that mean that he intends to actually do it? I mean, now that the old bag of bones is dead and his brother lost any right to inheriting the damn thing since he's in exile."
"Of course he does. Every time he went to see that bag of bones who sat on that damn thing before he wanted it. I'm sure that with the renovating that the Usurper did only made his desire all the greater."
"If the Council does convene, I wonder what the other Houses will have to say. He's lucky that he even got to be placed on the Council."
"He would have got on it even if he didn't marry me. It seems as if blood is not as important as it once was."
"Speaking of blood," Artur said and looked around to make sure that no one could hear. He got closer to his sister. "Father suspects."
"What?" Clarice asked, her face paled. "How could he?"
"He's not blind and he's not stupid. The only reason why he doesn't say anything is because he's not entirely certain."
"Can't you do something?"
"I can only keep it secret for so long. If Father does approach me about it then I don't think that I'll be able to lie."
"You must. If anyone finds out…"
"Then you need to end it. End it now. If you do then you can still have a chance to save yourself and your children. Father may remain silent because he loves his family's name, but I'm telling you this because I love you. You're my sister and I will do whatever it takes to protect you."
Clarice looked at Artur in thought and smiled.
"I can take care of myself."
"Are you sure, Clarice? Can you take care of yourself?"
"I've gotten this far without my darling husband suspecting. So long as I play the obedient and loving wife then he'll have no reason to suspect."
William Bosque
William Bosque, called "The Wolf's Bastard" in mockery, polished the practice swords. He was merely a common foot soldier in the eyes of House Starrk's officers, and having Starrk blood meant nothing. The only thing that mattered was the name Bosque that branded him as a disgrace. His very presence was a reminder of his father's failure as a husband to keep his vows of faithfulness. Yet most of the Starrk soldiers didn't seem to mind his presence.
He brushed aside a strand of black hair that fell in front of his light blue eyes.
"There you are."
William looked up and saw two young Arrancars walking towards him. One was followed by a wolf that came up to his waist. Both were clad in matching coats of tanned hides lined with silvery white fur. Their hair was dark brown but their eyes were different. Edvarrd Starrk, the eldest son of Lupos Starrk, had his father's dark blue eyes. Edmonn Starrk, the second-born son, had his mother's grey-green eyes and the hair of his chin-beard was fiery red.
"What can I do for you, my lords?" William said as he stood and bowed. The large wolf approached him and sniffed. William smiled and began to rub the wolf's soft fur. "Hello, Vulfolaic."
"Enough with the formalities," Edmonn said as he put a hand on William's shoulder and then brought him into a half hug. "We're brothers."
"Yeah," Edvarrd said as he picked up one of the practice swords. "Why can't we visit our sulking brother?"
"Who said that I was sulking?"
"I don't know. You were cleaning that blade a little too much. Were you trying to scrub a layer of steel off with the rust?"
William threw the rag at Edmonn, but laughed as he did so. Even though he did not share their name, Edmonn and Edvard treated William as though he did.
"Hey, I heard that Uncle Jäger is going to be visiting," William said. "Is it true?"
"Yeah, the Wolves decided to give him a much needed break from his ranging. Why?" Edvarrd asked. He looked at William with some suspicion.
"Well, it's been such a long time since his last visit. I wanted to know how things were going along the border."
"Yeah right," Edmonn said. "I think that you're thinking of becoming a Wilderness Wolf."
"What makes you think that?"
"Don't take us for fools, Will. We've seen you look northward. One of the stable boys had that same look before he asked father if he could join the Lobo del Desierto. Father approved and the next thing you know the stable boy's heading north…or was it west?"
"I think it was west. They needed Wolves at Vigilance."
"What happened to him?"
"He was killed on his first scouting mission," Edvarrd replied. "Trust us when we say that when you join the Lobo del Desierto expect to be miserable and an early death. Don't expect warmth and glory, because you won't find either."
"I know. But at least I won't be a bastard."
Edmonn and Edvarrd looked at each other.
"And there it is," Edvarrd said. "So that's what's been troubling you. You're a bastard and you think that you have to live a life of misery in the wilderness. Well, you're wrong. You're our brother whether you want to accept it or not."
"I know that you're my brothers, but your father…"
"Father accepts you…in his own way. He just doesn't know how to show you."
"I'm his disgrace. That's all I'll be to him. Your mother tries to treat me like a son, but I see the pain in her eyes. She looks at me and all she could see is my mother."
"So, you know who your mother was?" Edmonn asked.
William didn't reply.
"Well, you can talk to Uncle Jäger before you make any decision," Edvarrd said. "I'm sure that once you hear what he has to say about sleeping on the cold ground and having to face savages and exiles with nothing but a knife. Who knows, maybe he even encountered the Cold-Eyes."
"Don't be ridiculous. Cold-Eyes only exist in the stories that Ol' Bakhita told us when we were yearlings," William said.
"Hey, have you ever been to the Wastes or to the Far North?"
"No, have you?"
"Of course we haven't," Edmonn said and nudged William's shoulder. "If you decide to go, then let us know if you see an Ice Maiden."
"I'll be sure to let you know, after I've warmed her up a bit."
The three laughed like true brothers.
The Renewed
What was this new experience?
He didn't know. All that he could think of was a flurry of words he heard that could be joined with the sensation travelling through his body. Should he call it "pain"? Should he call it "ache"? Should he call it "stiff"? Should he call it "smooth"? He supposed that the words "ache" and "stiff" could apply to the sensation.
As an Arrancar he could not feel or think or speak or do anything other than fight. He had been transformed for a single purpose: to counter Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka. Yet even in his previous life a part of him had been aware. A part of him knew what would occur and wished to stop it, but he had been unable to take control.
Where am I? How did I get here?
He couldn't remember anything concrete. There were flashes of images. He remembered a tall dark-skinned blind man named Tosen. He remembered being wrapped up and a bright light. He remembered the old Captain-Commander of the Gotei, but only briefly. Some images were clearer than others.
He looked up at the crescent moon and held up his hands.
Who am I?
"Why are we here?"
"The Commander said that we should be on the lookout for other survivors."
Who is that? Are they friends or foe? Does it matter? I suppose it should, but do I really care?
"I don't know. We found one where Corridor Twenty-Two was, lucky bastard."
"I know. The other stationed there wasn't so lucky."
"Don't remind me. I had to be in charge of clean-up for that mess. I still can't get the smell off of me."
"Glad I wasn't there."
"I say that we should just report to Rudobon and tell him that we won't be finding anyone else out here. It wasn't exactly…"
"Hey, I sense someone."
"What?"
"I swear, I felt someone."
He could hear footsteps coming closer to him. He heard voices raise in excitement and saw two figures looking down at him. They were clad in matching white and black uniforms and their heads were skulls.
Exequias, he thought. He didn't know why he thought of the word, but it seemed to fit them.
"Holy shit," one of them said. "It's that one the Usurper made before the eyes of the Espada. Uh…what was his name?"
Suddenly a word came to his mind. He didn't know where it came from or how he knew that it was his name. But a part of him began to remember. Images became accompanied by sounds and the scenes that played in his mind became longer. It was as though memories began to fill his mind again, but not what happened after Yamamoto killed him or how he got back to Hueco Mundo. But his name was a good place to start.
"Wonderweiss…Margela," he said.
"Summon the Equipo Médico. We have another one."
Wonderweiss closed his bright purple eyes and waited. He would let his memories come back, and he wondered if that would be a good thing.
End of Chapter 1
Encyclopedia Imperium:
House Starrk: One of the oldest houses in Hueco Mundo, House Starrk can trace its bloodline back to Beolf Starrüch, one of the most prominent heroes of Arrancar mythology, and a woman who was only known as the Moon Huntress (perhaps a precursor to The Huntress of the Old Ways who was eventually added into the pantheon of The Faith during its spread into the Northern Lands). The Starrks reigned over the North and the Far North for about 3,000 years and were called "The Wolf Kings" until the North was conquered by King Artur, who is called "The Conqueror". King Roland Starrk, who is called "The Wolf who bowed", surrendered to The Conqueror and was granted the title of Chancellor. The Starrks held the title of Chancellor of the North since.
Sigil: A silver wolf on a black field
Words: For the Pack
Alliances: House Tuma (through marriage), House Leonisra (through marriage), House Andjo (through treaty), House Marceaux (through treaty), the Amazonians (through treaty)
Banners: House Schiffer and their banners, House Apacci and their banners, House Merryvale and their banners
A.N.: Most of the characters from the original version will be kept, but there will be new characters as well. The reason why I felt that a rewrite was necessary was because some elements from the original version were running into dead-ends or were turning out to not be as important as I initially thought they would be. Since formulating the overall mythology, I realized that there were areas that both "Blood on the Sand" and "Tamashi no Kiri" had to be changed in order to maintain continuity and be more impactful.
Next chapter will feature the biggest change that I've made thus far.
Thank you for reading and please review.