Despite the ancient look of the chamber, the dungeon-like room was surprisingly sound proof, so as to make sure no one could hear what was going on inside. It also helped that the door was currently locked from the inside, so there was no risk anyone would walk in on whatever was taking place within.
This was the same room where a traitorous butler and his fellow robber had died, yet it looked somewhat different than it did then. Everything was pulled aside, so the altar was isolated from the rest of the objects in the chamber. Several lit candles decorated the room, both on the altar and around it. The candles on the floor were arranged so as to make certain types of shapes and symbols.
Kneeling in front of the altar, where the idol of the fish and human hybrid rested, was Ada, her body in foul display since she lacked the proper clothing for the rituals, and the Count did not allow her to acquire them. After all, she was already lucky enough for him to allow her to do these rituals on certain nights of the year.
Taking full advantage of the sound proof nature of the room, Ada let out several chants and ritualistic cries praising the being depicted with the idol. She then called forth a god which was alien to the region, and one that the Count dismissed as simple foolishness, but a foolishness he was generous enough to let her indulge in. After all, as much as it had surprised him, this simple freedom seemed to give her an impressive boost in her disposition and morale.
Ada had bowed several times before the figure, and the exposed tattoo on her back reacting to every motion of her body, acting more like it was a true part of her, and not just a simple foreign marking. Her upper body raised, her head lowered, and her hands came together to mimic the same pose as the statue. Now her prayers were silent.
This was a special night, one where her god was closer to its people, and one where she prayed to it in what one could say was an almost apologetic and regretful expression.
Juno slept soundly on her bed, as this was something that had only just become routine rather recently. In the first few nights she could not either sleep, or when she did, she would wake up with terrible night terrors. With time things got a little better. She had begun to eat decently, and managed to regain some of her lost weight.
She also took the initiative to ask for a sword, saying that she wanted to train. The maid whom she asked this of seemed lost, so the subject ended there. That was until Aizen himself came to the room, with a wooden sword in his hand. He gave it to her saying that for the moment this was the best they could do. Juno simply accepted it, making the best of the wooden sword and her missing hand. Whatever progress she actually made no one really knows since she never told anyone.
Juno was brought back from sleep by the unfiltered presence of two individuals in the room. Lazily opening her eyes, she scanned her surroundings, and it didn't take long to see who the intruders were. Indeed, they were anything but intruders, as standing near the door were Amelia and Aizen, both fully clothed as if going somewhere.
The realization dawned on her almost immediately. The time had come. For what she was not certain, but it had come. Pushing herself up, so she was sitting on the bed, the duo approached her. As a sign of proper politeness she went to exit her bed so as to properly welcome them, but Aizen stopped her with a raised hand.
"As you know, the time span that I gave you is coming to an end, and today, I come to you with what I offered you one month ago." Aizen calmly said, stopping at her side.
"I-I'm ready." Juno pointed out, earning her a curious expression from Aizen.
"Before you can properly decide, I have to fully inform you on what will happen tonight, if you agree to do so. I do this so you can understand what will be happening to you."
Juno did not fully grasp the meaning behind his words. Had she not already agreed to this one month ago? If so, why was he insisting on seemingly dissuading her from doing something she had already decided? These feelings only made her to want to know more as she responded.
"I understand." She said, with a nod.
"Very well." Aizen remarked, taking a seat next to her.
"In the most basic of terms, the process I will be using, will fuse your body with that of another being."
Her heart sank at the sound of his words. The prospect of something further altering her body terrified her. The thought alone made her second guess her decision. What would he do to her? What would this fusing imply. Would it somehow change the way she looked? Would she still be herself after it? As if sensing those questions Aizen spoke once more.
"The fusion will not be a visible one, for the most part. You will keep your appearance, even if I must warn you that some changes are possible, yet from experience I can say that these won't be too dramatic…" Aizen continued, when she interrupted him.
"What about my hand!?" Juno growled almost in desperation.
"It will grow back. I have experience with similar cases, and that much is a constant. In addition, your lost body mass will return, possibly even better than before. That is the main point of the procedure. It will return to you the ability that you lost. Not only that, but it will also give you power beyond that which is yours, and that of the other being."
Juno's left hand went to her stump, grabbing on to it tightly. Her breath then became shallow with anxiety. This sounded too good to be true. She could gain all of that and just risk slight physical changes? It sounded too good. It almost brought tears to her eyes knowing that with this she could regain her life.
Not only that but who knows? Maybe even go beyond what she already was. Perhaps go beyond the bastard who took her hand, and after that, she would get them back for everything she went through.
"Of course, I can only offer this to you. Remember that I will give you nothing but the opportunity. That is why I once again much ask if you want to go through with this?"
"Yes. I accept your offer. P-Please give me my life back." Juno replied with her head lowered.
"Very well. I'll give you 5 minutes to get changed." Aizen said as Juno immediately bolted from the bed and into her closet.
After the 5 minutes had passed, the Shinigami simply motioned both women to follow him as he walked to the middle of the room. When they joined him, he clasped his hands together vertically, before parting them and filling the chamber in a green light. Light so bright it forced both women to shield their eyes from its intensity.
When they looked back at the Shinigami, the trio was no longer in the room. They were in fact in the middle of a forest, with a cold wind passing through them, chilling both women to the bone.
"Ugh. Unpleasant." Amelia growled in annoyance.
"Please, bear with it." Aizen calmly remarked.
"Fine. Anyway, where did you bring us?"
"We're north of E-Rantel."
Juno's attention went to the Shinigami, then to some other direction in the forest. She had not stopped counting the days after she got rescued. She had gotten familiar with Kalvyn's schedule, meaning she knew exactly what was happening today and most likely where he would be. She wondered what she would be able to do after going through the fusing process. Perhaps she would be able to make a little detour and settle things with him.
"Juno, after we are done here I would like you to stay with us some more time. Just to make sure everything is fine." Aizen spoke up in a concerned tone.
"U-Understood."
Aizen's attention then went to a large pile of dirt which in front had large amounts of vegetation pilled up. The Shinigami easily pushed it aside, and revealed a large opening leading underground, from where now a low sound echoed from, it was similar to a hiss.
"Both of you wait here for a moment." Aizen instructed.
"Will you need any assistance?" Juno asked, but no reply came.
Making his way down the hole, Aizen stepped over several fragments of bone, some which were very fresh. However, he wasn't focused on these. He already had enough time to study the beast that lived here. From what he knew it was among the mightiest in the region, thus making it the perfect subject for this phase in his experiments.
Arriving at the base of the hole, from where some moonlight still broke through, the Shinigami stopped and waited. The low hiss stopped, being replaced by an annoyed, bestial growl. The ground shook slightly as the cavern dweller rose from its resting position within the shadows.
As much as he wanted more time to study the creature, especially up close, Aizen found himself limited by his current goal. Meaning he would have to bypass any sort of admiration he might have for it, in order to get to his current objective. It did not take long for the creature, a female Gigant Basilisk that was large even for its kind, to break through the shadows, it's lips curled into a snarl.
The beast was indeed magnificent, showing little wear and tear from what was also a rather advanced age, one that not many of its kind ever hoped to reach. This proved how tenacious and ferocious this individual beast was, which meant it was the perfect candidate for what Aizen was planning to do.
Spending only a brief moment to admire the Basilisk while it was alive, Aizen lifted his hand his index finger pointed at the aggressive beast.
"Hadō #4: Byakurai."
The bolt shot out of Aizen's fingertip, hitting the creature in the forehead, before easily going through and emerging from the other side. The Basilisk only had the chance to let out one final roar, stumbling forwards and ultimately collapsing before Aizen. A single, yet precise, blow to the creature's brain, which would normally be protected by a thick skull, was enough to kill it. Especially when one used the kind of power Aizen did.
"It's now clear to come in." He announced.
Shortly after both women entered the hole, Amelia showing some difficulty making it down the treacherous opening. Both reacted in the same manner, upon seeing a dead Gigant Basilisk after only having witnessed a flash of light from outside. This was a feat that in Amelia's mind easily overshadowed his defeat of that group of men so long ago. Indeed, it felt like an eternity since that happened, when compared to now.
In her mind, this easily confirmed her suspicions that he was at least capable enough to challenge Adamantite ranked adventurers. No, thinking about this now was futile. She already had similar thoughts before, and in what she knew of him, and what she felt from him, in her limited grasp of how to accurately judge one's power, he felt beyond such simple ranks. This much proved it, as he has easily dispatched such a feared being with what had felt like a simple attack. After all she had only seen a light.
Juno thought the same thing. She had never imagined herself being able to accomplish such a feat, and she doubted all of the people she had faced could do it. Not even the detestable Logan, who held himself so highly, should be able to replicate this.
"Juno, approach if you will. I will begin preparations shortly."
With a hand motion, the Shinigami motioned her to sit near the fallen beast, all the while he materialized a large piece of cloth from one of his pockets. Even if it looked like any ordinary, oversized, piece of cloth, it was in fact carefully made out of normal matter and Reishi. Its purpose was to function as the connector between Juno and the dead Basilisk, from where Reiatsu would be poured into, flow through, and eventually join both individuals.
Motioning Juno to hold her hand and stump together, Aizen wrapped part of the cloth around her arms, effectively restraining them. He then proceeded to wrap the cloth around part of the beast, which given its size he only did so around part of the snout and lower jaw. The objective was to create a connection between the two bodies, a connection that would be both physical and spiritual. The Reishi would then be used to connect both souls, so the process could be successful.
Yet, there was an issue. The dead Basilisk had no soul to be used. That was on one side necessary, since due to the differing nature of souls in this world, the presence of two souls in the same body would cause a clash between them, which could lead to horrible results. This meant Aizen had to add something else for the process to work. After all, what he truly wanted was something to prompt the physical fusion between them.
Placing a hand on the creature's side, the air around Aizen began to get hotter, heavier, and thicker, and the corpse itself seemed to vibrate after his touch. What was actually happening was that Aizen was pouring his Reiatsu into the body, energy that would later be used to mimic the presence of a soul in the body and prompt the fusion to be successful.
Having infused the body with his energy, Aizen's hand fell to his side, as he then began to make his way to a position in-between Juno and the Basilisk. Grabbing on to the cloth, he gave her one final look, to which Juno replied with a nod, before directing his attention back to his other hand, as a glow began to break through his clothing. The glow came from the jewel in his lower chest, the Hōgyoku, which hummed with energy as Aizen evoked its powers.
Amelia could only place her hands in front of her face, to shield her eyes from the ever growing blinding glow that soon engulfed the cavern. It wasn't only the light, she also felt unwavering heat, and the air grew thicker making it difficult for her to breath. The change was so sudden, that she began to feel weak, almost light headed. So much so, she began to stumble almost falling to her knees. Then Aizen appeared in front of her, preventing her from falling.
"W-What…" She mumbled.
"Perhaps it is better that you go outside. This place is far too cramped, and this is just beginning." Aizen remarked.
"W-What d-do you mean?" Amelia asked, using the Shinigami to hold herself up.
Looking past him, she saw that the light and the strange feeling was now coming from where she had seen Amelia, and that now the light was changing. No longer was the light a shining white, it slowly turned green. However, she only had a small chance to witness as Aizen almost immediately moved her and himself out of the cavern, keeping a good distance from it.
The green light grew larger and larger, until ultimately a large pillar erupted from the ground and into the sky, trembling the forest around them. The display was so overwhelming, Amelia wondered why she no longer felt affected by it. In fact, it took her a moment to notice Aizen had created a barrier around them, to shield her from the event.
"I-Is this b-barrier for m-me?" She asked, slowly regaining her composure.
"Yes. I can't have my right hand die so early on, now can I?" He replied with a wry smirk.
"How considerate of you." Amelia replied in kind.
The pillar began to fade, and ultimately dispersing completely, leaving nothing but a smoldering crater where the cavern once rested. In the center was still the kneeling figure of Juno. The barrier dropped, and Aizen began to approach her, his attention no longer on Amelia.
"How do you feel?" He asked, still at some distance from her.
"I-I… T-Those words…" she mumbled in confusion.
"Words?" Aizen asked, intrigued by the direction things were taking.
"Y-Yes. Those… two words, that echoed through my mind…" Juno replied, going to all fours.
It didn't take long for Aizen to understand what this was. It was an unexpected surprise, but a welcome one. Until now he had only experimented on animals and other lower beings. None of them had showed any signs of this, but of course they couldn't think or talk, so that could explain it.
Even so, none of them had showcased it, so Aizen believed that these words were her command phrase. The one that much like a Resurrección, would give her access to untapped power, that normally was kept sealed. Noting the lack of any new items on her, he assumed this power was actually sealed within herself, a byproduct of using a similar procedure he had used in the past in his world.
"You must not say those words. Not until your life depends on it. Those words, hold your greatest trump card, and your true power."
Juno was left baffled by his statement. She felt so strange. It was as if she was both a stranger in her own body, and yet nothing felt out of place. Her body seemed to pulsate from the aftershocks of the process, and she felt as if she could do anything, take on anyone, fight anyone, and even kill anyone.
Her eyes looked all around her, first falling on her hair, which under the moonlight she could see that it had gone from gray to white. Being moved by a subconscious need to touch it, Juno found herself raising her right arm. That was when her attention fell on it, and a loud gasp filled the air.
Tears fell from her eyes, when before her was a right hand. She couldn't believe it. It was actually there, and no longer was a phantom feeling. It was real. Indeed it was not the same hand, nor was it fully human, as it was covered in smooth scales, assuring that it wouldn't be fully uncomfortable to the touch.
The proportions however were correct. It was neither over or undersized, and the structure was human. So at first glance one could think it was a glove of sorts. The fingers ended in small talons, which could be made to look like overgrown fingernails.
Despite these alterations, she cried all the same. It was HER hand. One of the things that showed how Kalvyn owned her was gone for good. Looking down her hands went to her body, feeling every inch of it over her clothing. Her body felt fuller and fitter than it had ever felt before, and it matched how she herself felt. Once more, her fingers traced a few irregularities under the clothing, perhaps some scales, yet they felt small and relatively smooth, so at the moment all of this could be overlooked.
What mattered was that all she had lost was back, pushing herself back to her feet, her tear-filled face managed to contort into something resembling a genuine, happy smile.
"Your hand… This is troubling…" Aizen mumbled to himself, standing next to her.
It seemed the fusion had not been perfect. Her hand, the change in hair color, and her now jade colored eyes told him this much. He also assumed other changes might have occurred, even if they didn't seem to bother her. There was not a doubt that she was a success, but there was still much room to improve.
Juno was about to say something, but her mind drifted elsewhere, being distracted by a previous powerful thought: Kalvyn. Like a machine she began to turn, getting a sense of her location, and then she stopped, her eyes empty and emotionless.
"Juno…" Aizen was about to say, when she vanished.
The female warrior had just started running into the forest, at speeds so great Amelia could no longer see her. Speed that Aizen was almost certain Juno herself was not even aware of either.
"Aaah.~ There she goes. All going according to plan. Right, Aizen?" Amelia asked, to which he gave a confident smile.
"Let's leave her to it. We should go and set your part of the plan into motion."
On this specific night, even if it had large significance for some, for Kalvyn it was one of the nights where his business wasn't in operation. Instead of staying at his official residence, he came to the manor where the events were held, since there he could indulge in all the pleasures his flesh craved. No guards were stationed outside of the building, so as to make it look vacant. However, guards were placed inside, and in most cases also partaking in whatever remained from the events.
Meaning, it wasn't surprising when they were completely caught off guard by the main door being kicked in and into the floor. The men stumbled to their feet, some having to go through the extra step of putting their pants back on, none of them mentally ready to face any type of threat. Of course, this much was expected, that being the reason why Logan and his men enjoyed this free time under Kalvyn's watch, where they could be controlled, as the rest were but fodder.
The guards managed to assemble themselves in front of the intruder, an expressionless and unknown woman, who seemed to be looking beyond them at something in the distance.
"W-Who are you?" The main guard asked with his sword raised.
No reply came. Only a blood curdling cry echoed through the air, as the intruder's right hand easily slashed through the guard's neck, and her other hand easily taking his blade away from him. Given their less than stable state, the men weren't ready to act right away, so no one acted as the woman cut down several others, before finally one swung his blade at her. Much to his horror, she used her now free left hand to stop his attack, followed by beheading him.
As a few others tried and failed to stop her, some had just dropped their weapons, running past her and into the exit. While one managed to use the carnage to run away and warn his boss, who he ended up meeting without announcing himself, as he pushed the doors of Kalvyn's office open, interrupting the depravities that were going on within.
"S-Sir, we're being attacked!" He announced, falling onto his knees.
"Heh. We know. You lot were screaming pretty loudly." Razor chuckled, pulling the girl that was servicing him aside.
"T-Then we were left to die?"
"You can't expect us to take care of everything." Kevel growled, getting back to his feet.
"Kevel, Razor. Handle this. Now." Logan ordered with an annoyed growl.
"If you insist, Boss." Kevel sighed, picking up his weapon and placing it over his shoulder.
"I was getting bored of this girl anyway." Razor added, jumping back to his feet.
"Oh. And clean up that trash there." Kalvyn coldly said, motioning to the guard.
"W…" was all the young man managed to say, before a toothpick pierced his brain.
Juno looked around her. In her hand was the blood-stained sword which she had used to slaughter all of those who attacked or failed to get away from her. Around her were the mutilated bodies of the poor men, who were in the end just miserable pawns too insignificant for their own good. Beings that in her current state Juno would not spare.
Making her way to the second section of the building, 5 metallic toothpicks landed in front of her, in an obvious warning sign. Her eyes went from the projectiles to the center of the room, where the duo of Kevel and Razor were waiting, both looking rather bored by the situation.
"Yo." Razor greeted in a friendly manner.
"Oy. What a mess." Kevel sighed, looking at her bloodied figure.
"What's your name, little girl?" Razor asked, taking a toothpick out of his mouth.
"Juno. Juno Ulmeyda." The intruder replied, in an empty tone.
Both men looked at each other with shocked, unbelieving faces, and then back at her for examination. Then again back at each other, before breaking down laughing.
"S-Sure. Last I heard about it, you were missing a hand!" Kevel laughed.
He looked down at Razor, waiting for some reply, however his comrade seemed to be taking some more time to examine her. His keen eyes managing to see through the blood covered hand.
"Where did you get a thing like that?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" His taller companion remarked.
"That thing looks like lizard skin."
Kevel looked at it, but this was far beyond his interest, and this abnormality had completely lost him, meaning he now just wanted to get this over with and go choose the next girl to keep him company.
"Let's just get this over with. I hope you're ready, you vanilla midget."
He began to make his way towards her, who much to his surprise did nothing in order to prepare for the incoming attack. Letting out an annoyed growl, Kevel then charged, angered by her apparent calmness before him. He decided to put some extra punch behind his attack.
Activating his martial arts [Body Strengthening], [Ability Boost], and [Slash], Kevel brought his axe down on his smaller opponent, with enough momentum behind him to easily cut her in twain.
Then, at the last possible moment Juno reacted. She threw herself back so the mighty blow hit the floor full force, sending it crashing through the floorboard and effectively immobilizing Kevel. The big man only had a moment to look in front of him, before a sword was sent flying through his forehead. With such a simple trick the mighty Kevel had fallen.
Juno was about to go remove the blade from the man's skull, when Razor had appeared next to her, using his great speed to try and land a slash at her. Luckily for her, her keen senses were enough to allow her to avoid the blow and put some distance between them.
"Y-You monster! What did you do to yourself!?" He growled, looking down at his fallen comrade.
"I… got better." Juno replied in a haunting tone.
Gritting his teeth, Razor materialized several of his projectiles, beginning the process of pouring his [Martial Art] into them. His [Piercing Aura Weapons] enable him to raise the piercing capabilities of both his projectiles and bladed weapons. This along with his [Firing Boost], which allowed him to used his aura to send his projectiles flying, should be enough to get the job done.
With two rapid and violent movements of his hands, he sent a barrage of toothpicks darting at the thing that stood before him. Juno jumped clear over the incoming attack, going on the offensive as soon as her feet hit the floor.
Activating [Flow Acceleration] and [Pace of the Wind], Razor equipped his two daggers, making sure to pour his aura into them, as he prepared for a unavoidable clash, using these abilities only reduced the damage he would take.
Juno's right hand reached out to him, and acting quickly Razor went for an attack himself. His blade meeting her palm, led to some momentary friction before it then shattered into several pieces. He went to throw himself back, just to find this motion aided by a kick from Juno who sent him flying into the ground, rolling several times before stopping.
"D-Dammit…" Razor hissed, his entire body aching.
Managing to place himself on his stomach, Razor began to try and pushing himself back to his feet, yet his movement was drastically reduced by the pain that filled his entire frame. Before he could do anything, a foot came down on his head, forcing it back into the ground.
"W-Wait! L-Let's talk about his!" He pleaded, squirming under her foot.
"I-I didn't do anything to you…"
"You never did anything for me either." With that her foot lowered until it met no resistance.
Not much resistance met Juno's advances as she made her way to the hallway where at the end of it rested the door to Kalvyn's office. She was already soaked in blood, from all of the other guards she had met, yet her gaze was still empty, as if up till nothing of note had happened. Stopping in the center of the hallway, Juno listened and watched as the door opened and from within emerged Logan.
"I can't believe someone like you managed to make it so far." He pointed out, slowly beginning to approach her.
"So, you can tell who I am?"
"You feel different, but still familiar enough for me to know who you are."
Juno said nothing as she also began to approach him, her hands curling into fists. Logan did the same, his fists beginning to glow as he poured his Ki into them. He could get a reading on her, and it was impressive how she had managed to improve this much in one month. His mind wondered if this had really been self-improvement. After all, she had regained her hand, seemingly recovered all the strength she had lost, and even added on to it. Her overall appearance had changed, even how she felt as a living being.
This detail was enough to terrify him. He didn't know of any way one could go through such changes. Could she even be considered fully human anymore? Everything that he could see told him no, that was not the case. This much his highly trained senses told him. He doubted many others would have been able to feel this change in her.
Logan charged at Juno, as he put all of his power into this one attack. His senses told him that she wasn't at his level, yet his long years of experience told him that she was in fact holding back. How much he couldn't be sure.
That is why he decided to go for one decisive blow. Closing the distance between them, he threw himself into the air, bringing his right hand down on her. As he did so he activated his [Strike], an ability comparable to the slashes of light used in [Martial Arts], and [Natural Steel Weapon], to harden his lower right arm.
As his overwhelming attack came rushing towards its target, Juno also acted, using her right hand she grabbed on to his fist. The following clash sent a rush of wind all through out the corridor. Not letting his shock overwhelm him, Logan went for a kick, when out of nowhere his opponent's left hand went through his right elbow. Letting out a pain filled hiss, Logan threw himself backwards, managing to send himself back to the office door, and his hand holding on to his bleeding stump.
His breathing became heavier, and his visor had fallen so his aged eyes became visible for all to see. His head lowered to quickly look at the damage. He couldn't believe it. She was toying with him. This ungrateful, unworthy brat saw herself as being at a level to simply toy with him. No, he wouldn't let this stand. It pained him to have to fall so low, but he would show her what true power looked like, even if it costed him his pride.
"Shocking, isn't it? To lose a part of yourself." Juno coldly asked.
"Don't put me at the same level as you, brat! I will not be affected by something like this."
Taking a deep breath, Logan clenched his fist and took his stance, closing his eyes as if in meditation, paying no attention to this Juno simply continued to advance forward. That was until he violently opened his eyes, letting out a war cry. A blue aura erupted from his body, sending large gusts of hot wind in all directions, finally getting her attention.
"[Gate: Release-1]!"
Activating the same abilities as before, Logan closed the distance between them once more, doing so much faster than the first time he did so. His sudden burst of strength managed to surprise Juno, and with this giving him a much needed opening, one that allowed him to hit a clean blow to her face.
Before his eyes he saw the woman being sent flying into the ground, rolling a couple of times. However, this victory was not long-lived, as Juno found a way to get back to her feet as she was rolling across the floor, managing to gracefully get back to her feet.
Letting out a frustrated roar, Logan went for another blow, taking the naturally created opening by the moment a warrior recovered from a blow to when he was ready to act once more to this advantage. Going for an upper cut this time around, the path seemed open for another clean blow, until his eyes meet hers. It was as if all the weight of the world had fallen on him, restraining even his now limit breaking body. Much to his horror Logan felt as if he was frozen.
"A decent effort, child." Juno said in empty tones, emulating the same words Logan had told her when he took her hand.
Her right fist landed on him, and what followed was a macabre display of gore, where what was left of Logan was sent flying through the office door, clearing the way for Juno's entry. When this happened, Kalvyn and Castro stared on in shock and disbelief, before Kalvyn then composed himself and grit his teeth.
"W-What are you standing around for!? Do something, you fool!" Kalvyn roared, at a frozen Castro.
"B-But sir… Look at w-what she did to Logan…" Castro argued back.
Kalvyn's face distorted in both absolute rage and absolute fear, as the strangely familiar looking stranger walked into the room, effectively cornering him. Much to his, and the surprise of all of those present, she seemed to force a smile, as her eyes fell on him.
"I'm back, master."
His heart sank as his eyes widened to the size of saucers. The voice was the same, even if she now looked vastly different, it was Juno. No, surely that was impossible. There was no way it was her. After all this woman looked so different from her. She had a hand, her hair was different, as were her eyes. She couldn't have possibly done this to Logan. He knew perfectly well that she wasn't at that level.
Juno's eyes went to Castro, and the man shook in place, his hand reluctantly moving to his whip. That was the last thing he did, as Juno appeared in front of him delivering a quick blow to his chest, shattering his insides immediately.
"W-Wait! T-There's no need to do this. Surely we can work something out." Kalvyn argued, as her gaze went back to him.
The woman said nothing, as she rushed towards him, jumping over his desk and tackling him onto the ground. Kalvyn hit his head hard, momentarily stunning him. His eyes weakly went up to the intruder that was now straddling him, one hand grabbing on to his collar. What happened next he couldn't understand, her scaly right hand went to his face, seemingly caressing his cheek.
"Am I beautiful now, master?~" She asked with a twisted expression adorning her face.
"W-What?" The fat noble mumbled in confusion.
"Can't you see? I have a hand now." Juno explained, showcasing her bloodied hand to him, a few drops falling on his face.
"He he. I-I see." He replied with a delirious laugh.
Her expression turned to one of doubt, then to a mischievous smile, as her right hand went to his mid section.
"W-What are you doing?" He asked, frightened by her touch.
"Do you not like this, master?"
Kalvyn had no time to reply, as her grip on him tightened drawing a painfilled cry from him, which ultimately opened the gates to his anger.
"W-What are you doing, you bitch!? Let go of me. Do…" He went silent, as the grip on his neck tightened.
"Don't you find me beautiful? Am I still not allowed to be presented to others, just like any other woman?" She hissed.
No answer came, as her grip was too tightened to allow him to say anything, yet it was as if she had gotten an answer given what happened next. Her right hand closed fully around his midsection, prompting an agonized scream from her former superior, as this only got worse.
Not lifting her grip, Juno forcefully lifted her right hand, ignoring the sounds coming from the thrashing form of Kalvyn. Not even Juno was certain of what happened next. Her closed hand fell on Kalvyn's face several times, so many times she lost track. So many times that when it was all over there was a hole in the floor in the spot Kalvyn's head used to be.
As she was doing this, Juno found herself shouting several things at him, things that went from the image related scars brought about by 2 years of abuse, to her gloating over her new found freedom. It was a scene that would indicate to any one sane, that she was in fact too far gone to function in regular society. Something that surely proved that what Aizen did to her was a mistake.
Having spent all her frustration, Juno got up and for the first time since she was fused with the Basilisk, the female warrior truly looked around to take in her surroundings. Much to her surprise there was a massive hole on the building's side, something she couldn't explain. What had happened was that during her moment of complete and utter madness, she had lost some of her grip on her power, with the destruction of part of her building being the result.
Her gaze went to the outside world. From that spot she could see everything in front of the manor. In the center of the clearing, was something that brought about great fear, even in her new empowered state, in a state that made her believe no one could ever even hope to match her. Aizen looked at her from the clearing, on his face an expression she couldn't fully read, either way she felt nervous, everything she had done coming back to her.
Jumping to the ground below, Juno quickly made her way towards the man who had freed her, pathetically falling on her knees as she got close to him, her heart beating at full speed.
"I… I-I'm sorry. M-my greatest apologies master. I did not mean to o-offend you…" Juno ranted.
She couldn't fully understand why, but the calm visage of Aizen struck some kind of unknown fear in her. An ever-present, encroaching fear she had never felt before. Something that was enough to make her empowered form, quiver miserably at his feet, in a feeble attempt to maintain her life.
"I see that you have taken care of what ailed you for so long." Aizen said in a calm manner.
Juno's eyes widened, surprised by his words. Slowly looking up to meet his gaze, she saw that indeed there was no rage, or perceivable discontent coming from the man who had put one month of his life into helping her, just to see her run away without so much as a thank you for it.
"Y-Yes. I-It was all thanks to you, master. If it was not for you, I surely would have never been blessed with this second chance." She replied with the same pleading tone.
Only then did she notice a change on his face. One that she didn't bother to fully analyze, as the fear of losing not only this chance to get her life back on track, but losing her life itself, seemed to be too great for rational thought.
"I believe that I have already told you, not to refer to me as 'master'." Aizen pointed out.
"My apologies, Aizen-sama."
"And you give yourself far too little credit. I simply gave you the means to do this, but the one who did it was you. It just goes to show your great ability and skill."
With this, the Shinigami took a step aside, as if opening the way for her, once again he spoke.
"You are free to go. After all, you must have a lot to do after losing 2 years."
"B-But I thought you wanted me to stay a little while longer after the procedure."
"I did, but after what you did here today, I see that there is no reason for me to worry."
Juno got on her knees, her eyes looking to the open way, then back to Aizen. She could just leave? Leave, and never see him again if she wanted to go do what she wanted with this new power of hers? Surely there would be no limits to what she could do. Thinking this, her freedom felt wrong. Did she deserve to simply walk away after having received this much from Aizen? Wasn't this the ungrateful thing to do? Did she not owe a debt?
"P-Please let me stay!" She cried out, before any other thought could form in her mind.
"Hm? Don't you want to move on with your life?" The man asked.
"Yes. Please, allow me to do so, by remaining by your side, Aizen-sama! I wish to make up for what you have done for me." Juno pleaded, properly kneeling before him.
"You wish to serve me? To help me?"
"Yes. Please, allow me to do so."
"Are you certain?" Aizen asked, to which he got only a vigorous nod.
Juno saw him placing himself in front of her once more, symbolizing how she had sealed her fate. A decision she fully accepted and was resolved to live with. His smile was now slightly wider, she could see unfiltered triumph, and in her heart she could only hope to keep pleasing him as she did now.
"Very well. Juno Ulmeyda, I officially name you the first member of the Espada."
"Thank you, Aizen-sama! I will not make you regret this decision." Juno said, getting back to her feet.
"I'm sure you won't. Then, let us be going."
"W-Wait. T-There is something I must ask."
"What is it?" He asked in his usual tone.
"W-We must free the women held here, and get them proper help."
"There is no need for you to concern yourself with that. After all, what happened here tonight would have happened one way or the other. For that purpose, me and Amelia have already taken steps in order to make sure those girls get the treatment they need. As we speak, the proper authorities are on their way. That is why we must leave so as to not get directly involved."
"I-I understand. Thank you, Aizen-sama." Juno said, taking a deep bow of gratitude.
Across the sea, several miles from the Re-Estize Kingdom's shores, there was an island. Said island had no given name, and was remembered by none, since it was magically hidden for little under 300 years. Said magic was a dome shaped barrier, that made the island invisible for whoever was outside of it. It was also quite useful to keep track of whoever entered or left its perimeter.
The island was solely occupied by women, who had been brought there by their god, a being who took residence in the underground aquatic cavern that existed under the mountain that rested in the center of the island. The name of their god was Cthalpi, and it was their ever-present protector, who had brought them to the island and given them the means to survive, making it only natural for them to worship it with several rituals, rights, and even festivals.
Tonight, was a special night as it was among those where their queen's link with the old one grew stronger than usual. This meant the festival was also grander than usual. The main city, that was located at the base of the mountain, was fully decorated in the most extravagant of displays, creating a beacon of life that would rival even the grandest of capitals.
All of the inhabitants of the island, be it young or old, would take part in it, singing their praises for Cthalpi and the gifts their god had given to them. Overseeing the festivities was their queen, Eilyte. She and the other higher members of their society oversaw the main ceremony in the center of the city.
All of them wore robes of varying quality and extravagance, going from plain blue robes, to ones decorated with gold lining. Those of a higher ranking also wore several golden accessories. However, all robes had in them the depiction of their god, which was the same depiction that was marked onto their wearers backs since their youth. It was a being that looked like the mix between man and a fish, its legs crossed, hands clasped and holding on to each other, and head slightly lowered.
Something else oversaw the ceremonies. Taking the seat to the queen's right, it too looked like the mix of a man and a fish. It was the first servant ever created by their god, and the originator of all others of its kind, a Deep One Priest.
The reason it was the only one of its kind present at these major events was because of the man used in its creation, was the same that mated with their god, to give birth to the first queen. Not to mention, that it was the main way for the women on land to communicate with the Deep Ones that resided in the ocean.
Eilyte returned to her seat, after finishing another round of dancing, and her eyes then briefly going to the unblinking creature next to her, before looking back at her fellow sisters. It would be a lie to say that all women were present in these events. Some had to remain behind on guard duty.
Those women were responsible for guarding the only men who had been brought onto the island. These were men who were captured at sea, and were brought in for the simple purpose of continuing the island's population, before ultimately being disposed of. One of these women, Ida, who was considered among the top warriors on the island, approached the queen, being forced away from her duty by a something urgent.
"M-My Queen, t-there as been an incident." She reluctantly announced whilst kneeling behind Eilyte's seat.
"I'm listening." She coolly replied with a raised eyebrow.
"S-Some of the new men… e-escaped." The warrior informed, lowering her head fearing her superior's response.
"What!?" Eilyte growled, pushing herself up from her seat.
"M-My apologies. T-The one looking over them was Duayle. She is known for being too kind towards them. I-I believe one of those b-bastards took advantage of that, and killed her, so they could leave their cell."
Eilyte let out a low hiss. Those damned pigs. If it wasn't for their usefulness in keeping their numbers, she would have never allowed men on her island.
"Go and inform the rest of your people. Tell them that we have men on the loose, and that they may be making their way towards the shore." She said, then looking at the Deep One.
The being simply nodded, before getting up and walking away. She then looked at the ongoing festival. She didn't want to cause a panic, but she couldn't allow this to go on without first warning her people of the danger.
"My sisters, heed me!" She instructed, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look in her direction.
"I ask you not to be alarmed, as all of this will soon come to an end. However, a group of men escaped and are now free on the island." Eilyte announced, getting several worried looks in reply.
"Do not worry. I will not allow this to ruin this holiest of nights, but I must ask all of you to stay alert, and help to recapture them."
The worried faces, slowly softened showing the women's great confidence in their ruler, even if some were silently praying to the being that slept under the mountain.
"Show me the body." Eilyte ordered, looking at Ida.
"As you wish."
The queen was taken to where the captured males were kept. As she was making her way towards the cell, her eyes picked up on the blood trail leading away from it. When she arrived, Eilyte was met with several guards, all of them standing around the body covered by a white sheet. Motioning them to lift the sheet, Eilyte was outraged by what she saw. Apparently Duayle payed for her kindness by being stabbed multiple times in the face and neck.
"Y-You said that only one of them did this?" Eilyte hissed.
"I-I believe so, when we saw them running into the forest, only one of them seemed to be covered in blood." Ida replied.
"Where are they now?"
"My people are following them now, but they seem to have split up in the commotion, meaning that we lost some of them." The warrior replied, once again fearful of what her queen would say.
"Focus on those that you say are innocent of having committed this barbaric act."
Eilyte was absolutely enraged by these events, and if her visible hate wasn't enough, she slowly removed her necklace. On said necklace rested an amulet of green jade, that also depicted a figure that resembled a crouching winged hound, or a sort of sphinx with a semi-canine face.
This was one of the artifacts gifted to them by their god. That, along with the combat armor worn, items, and other equipment used by the queen, was passed down from ruler to ruler, as a showing of not only their status, but also their closeness to Cthalpi.
"M-My queen…" Ida gasped in surprise.
Her face was painted with pure horror, as were the faces of all of those present. They all knew what the amulet was and what came from it once it was used.
"You said that the one who did this was covered in blood, correct?" Eilyte asked, to which Ida simply nodded stiffly.
"Then, I'll make sure it only gets him."
The six escaped men ran through the forest, like rats do from a cat. They were half lost by the natural darkness of their surroundings, and the fear of re-capture, or worse. They had scattered in all directions, and were completely separated from each other. No longer certain of where they were actually going, all they knew was to keep away from all sources of light where the sounds of celebration came from.
If these fears were not enough, a sound echoed through the air. A sound that sent a primal chill down their spines, causing a reaction that was far from what any of them could explain by using such a simple thing as words. Through the air echoed the faint distant baying of some gigantic hound, that for a moment plunged the whole island into silence. The men could only imagine what it was, because those that lived in this place, knew the full meaning behind it.
As the sounds of the island's festivities slowly returned, they continued their endless and directionless run for freedom, now terrified of whatever fiend was now certainly coming for them.
Guille, a young sailor in his early 20s, wearing the torn remains of his clothing, made his way blindly through the forest, in the direction of what seemed to be an abandoned house. He assumed this because there were no lights, and it was isolated. Either way he felt too spent to go on, and his mind beckoned him for rest.
Like an amateur, he tried the front door, and much to his surprise, it was open. Slowly pushing the door, he entered the two-story building making as little sound as he could, before closing the door behind him. Guille took a look around, in search for anything that could be useful or help him hide. Then he froze, as a noise came from above him, which seemed to be of organic origin, yet he couldn't be sure of what kind.
Silently turning around, Guille tried to exit the house, just so whatever made the noise didn't catch on to him, even more than it already had.
"There's no need to leave. I won't harm you." A female voice said.
A chill then shot through his body. The voice reminded him of a person of age, as there was a certain tone to it that could only be found in the elderly. However, it also had a slight gurgling component he could not place.
"I'm on the first door to the left of the stairs. Come, nothing bad will come of it, child." She spoke once again.
Gulping, Guille found himself turn into the interior of the building. His feet seemed to move on their own, as if moved by a will not completely his own. Before he could even consider his next course of action, the young man found himself already going up the stairs. Making the turn to the left, he came face to face with a closed door. His hand hesitantly going to the knob, before grabbing on to it, and turning.
Opening the door, he was greeted by a rather small and humble bedroom, lit only by the moonlight that came from the window. On the bed was the source of the voice, as he had imagined an old woman. The bed sheets covered most of her, leaving only the upper half of her body exposed. She was wearing a white nightgown, that left her neck and lower half of the body exposed.
Guille was left frozen in place, being terrified by the woman's appearance. She had wide yellow glowing eyes, and her hair was disposed in such a manner that helped to hide severe hair loss. Most of her visible skin had a blue tint to it, with some of it being visibly composed of fish-like scales, and her right hand having a webbed quality.
On her neck there were gills, and he could perceive certain inhuman curves under her clothing. Yet her face, which suffered little from these anomalies, was that of a simple old woman, which was very kind and very warm, transmitting the opposite message the rest of her did.
"Oh my.~ It's been so long since I had a young man come and keep me company in my chamber. Please, come in. I am harmless." The elder said, with a weak laugh.
She motioned to a chair located near the window. Feeling no signs of hostility, Guille slowly made his way towards the chair. He took a seat without moving it, so as to keep some distance from the bed and its occupant.
"My name is, Jacenia. What's yours?" The old woman cordially asked.
"I-I'm Guille."
"Pleasure. Now, may I know how you got here?"
Guille didn't reply right away, as he was unsure of what he should say. That was when once again the faint distant baying of some gigantic hound echoed through the air, prompting the woman to speak.
"I take it that you did something bad. What else could have happened to have led my daughter to summon it back into the world."
"I-I d-did nothing." Was all he managed to say in his fright.
He kept his head low, fear beginning to overwhelm him. The young man could feel the elder's eyes on him, carefully examining him.
"No, you aren't acting like someone who is guilty. But the question, still stands, how did you get here?"
"W-Will I not get killed for it?" The boy asked, looking up at the woman.
Jacenia laughed weakly at this. Truly he was a young and innocent child, who had found himself in such a troublesome situation.
"That depends, on what you did. I may no longer be the queen, but my word still holds some influence."
"I-I… I simply ran. T-The Captain was the one that did it. I just wanted to be freed from that cell!" Guille cried back, tears barely held in.
"I see. How troublesome… But you cannot have your freedom, not like this." The former queen informed.
"But why!? W-We did nothing wrong! We were on our way back to land, when we were attacked, and…" The boy began to say, but the woman lifted her hand to stop him.
"You can't, because you are necessary for our survival. By ourselves, we can't maintain the population, we need outside help to do so. Your help."
Guille's eyes widened, as his mind began to understand what she meant. The idea of being with several women was always an attractive one to him. However, from what he understood, they were to be tools for them to use, and not willing partners.
"Please, do not think too much about it. There is little you can do about it now." The elder informed.
"Am I expected to just give myself to them!?" Guille growled back, mind swirling with a chaotic mix of conflicting emotions.
"That would be the easiest way for both sides to go about it. It is a simple sacrifice that we ask of you, and there is no need to worry. After some time you will be released, and it will be like this never happened."
"W-What if I don't give myself to them?"
"Willingness is not required. And I'm sorry but escape is not an option."
The young man's head once again dropped, as his mind went over everything that had happened so far. He just wanted to go home. That was why he decided to go along with the Captain's plan. Of course, murder was never meant to be a part of it.
Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps filled the house, all of them going in the direction of the room. Guille jumped back to his feet, adrenaline rushing through his body, his eyes desperately looking for a way to escape. However, it was already too late, as two female warriors stood at the entrance, blades pointed at him.
"Get away from Lady Jacenia." One of them growled.
"There is no need for that." The old queen calmly said, pushing herself up in bed, and surprising the two women.
"But my Lady, he…" The other warrior tried to explain, but the elder lifted her hand to silence her.
"He simply wanted freedom. There's no need to harm him. Isn't that right, Guille?"
"Y-Yes."
"See? Please take him back, and make sure his punishment is not too harsh, be it for him and whatever others under similar circumstances."
"A-As you wish."
Fang, the captain of the escaped crew, continued to make his way through the jungle. In his right hand was the dagger used to kill their guard. It wasn't like he wanted to kill her. The plan was simply to take her as a hostage, but when the time came he froze.
He stopped just long enough for her to see his weapon, after that he was overcome by an animal instinct that drove him to eliminate the threat to his freedom. That was why he had stabbed the poor girl so many times, and was now making his way through the jungle, his clothes still stained with blood.
Making a quick turn, Fang found himself at a dead end, with trees and rocks cornering him from all sides, except the one from where he had come from. Deciding to go back, Fang soon discovered that he was trapped, as a black shape moved through the trees in his direction.
The creature made its way towards him, letting out a low laugh-like hiss, with its eyes glowing in the darkness. Soon it broke through the treeline, allowing the moon to reveal some of its features. It looked like a massive hound, almost as tall as a man, with black fur, and front legs that had membranous wings much like a bat. The most horrendous feature however, was the face, which even if at first glance looked like that of a hound, also had some characteristics which could be described as human.
The sight was maddening, and was enough to send Fang into delirious shouting. Opting to run into the rocks and try to climb them in his crazed state, the thing however was faster, and the last thing Fang felt was its teeth digging into his back.
It didn't take much time to capture the rest of the men, and soon enough they were all presented before Eilyte. Their eyes looking at everything except the mangled remains of the man that had been Fang. Now only one of them remained to be captured, which was the youngest member of the crew, Guille.
"We have captured the last one."
Two warriors announced as they came into view, and presenting themselves before their queen. The young sailor who with a simple motion joined the rest of the crew.
"Where did you find him?" She asked.
"In your mother's room."
"What?" Eilyte growled in surprised.
"It is true. They were talking before we captured him. Lady Jacenia, asked for those who simply ran away to be given light punishment."
"Of course, she did." Eilyte sighed, looking at the men.
"Very well. I want them restrained, and readied to be used in this festival. It is the best they can do after causing so much trouble."
"As you wish." The several women present replied.
Within the mountain, there was a special shrine, where on the walls the story of the people who came to the island and their early days were depicted. It was in this shrine where the body of Duayle had been taken to, as per the queen's orders.
A single priestess had been left to look over it. She was somewhat young and not too used to dealing with certain aspects of her profession. One of those situations was the one she found herself in now. The poor girl had been confronted by the Deep One Priest, who had come to take the body back with him.
She couldn't simply allow it, as she had not been instructed by the queen to allow such a thing. The Priest also didn't seem to want to go back empty handed. His voice was a bit similar to that of Jacenia, but with a deeper gurgle, and given his position it did not please him that a simple priestess was going against him.
"B-But, I can't allow such a thing. I didn't get permission to do so." The girl argued.
"You don't need her permission. I order you to do it."
"You'll order nothing, in here." The queen growled, entering the chamber followed by several other priestesses.
"The body, is of use to us." It pointed out.
"She is of more use to me alive." Eilyte argued back.
"Very well."
Giving another look at the young priestess, it left, finally letting the girl take a sigh of relief.
"T-Thank you, my Lady." She said with a small bow.
"Don't worry about it. You did good, in holding him off."
The uncovered body of the fallen warrior was placed on top of the altar, its wounds having been closed to make the ritual easier. All of the priestesses kneeled in front of it, even the young one, with Eilyte in between them and the altar. In the queen's hand there was a book, another one of their god's gifts. The Forbidden Necronomicon, bound in tanned human flesh.
"I shall now bring her back to life." The queen announced, taking a deep breath and opening the book in the correct page.
"Y'AI'NG'NGAH. YOG-SOTHOTH. H'EE-L'GEB. F'AI THRODOG. UAAAHH!"
A crack formed in the air above the body, and all heads were lowered, as from within emerged several tentacles, each wrapped around a part of the body, before pulling it inside the crack. Shortly after the body fell back onto the altar, the tentacles retracted, and the crack closed. With that the ritual was over, and now they just had to wait.
A loud gasp came from the once dead warrior, and two of the priestesses got up immediately to go and check up on her, to give her any needed help, or any necessary magical boost. In this case, this was not necessary, since her previous wounds had been healed during the ritual. The queen, and the others, got back to their feet to look upon the revived Duayle, who was looking around visibly lost.
"Calm down. You have been revived." One of the women said.
"R-Revi…ved?" The warrior weakly asked in confusion.
"Don't strain yourself. You still have yet to fully recover." The queen said, stunning Duayle with her presence.
"M…My l-lady… my… a-apo…" She began to speak, when her superior lifted her hand to silence her.
"We can discuss it at another time. For now, rest. Understood?"
"Y-Yes… T-Thank y…you."