The quiet of the room was unnerving, but it didn't last long. The sharp sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, growing louder with each passing second. I sat up on the bed, my heart racing as I strained to listen.
The door opened abruptly, and twoArrancarstepped inside. Their faces were unreadable, their eyes cold and distant as they stared at me.
"Get up," one of them ordered, her voice flat and devoid of emotion.
I hesitated, my body tense as I glanced toward the door. "Why? What does he want now?"
TheArrancardidn't answer, but the other one stepped closer, grabbing my arm roughly. I winced at the pressure of his grip, but I didn't fight.
It's Aizen. Fighting won't help.
They dragged me out of the room without another word, their grip unrelenting as they pulled me through the endless white corridors ofLas Noches. My pulse thundered in my ears as dread curled in my stomach.
I didn't have to ask where they were taking me. I already knew.
The air in the throne room was cold and oppressive, the weight of Aizen's presence bearing down on me as I knelt on the marble floor. My arms trembled as I tried to hold myself upright, my breath shaky under his watchful gaze.
Sosuke Aizen stood before me, calm and composed as always, his hands clasped behind his back. His smile was faint, but there was something predatory in his eyes—like a hunter who'd cornered his prey and was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"You're afraid," he said softly, his smooth voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
"I'm not," I shot back, though my voice wavered.
Aizen tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "You hide it well, but I can feel it. That fear... it's not just of me, is it?"
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. He was wrong—or at least, I wanted him to be. I wasn't afraid of myself. I wasn't afraid of whatever he thought was inside me. I was just...
"Whatever you think I have," I said through clenched teeth, forcing myself to meet his gaze, "you're wrong. I'm not special."
Aizen stepped closer, his footsteps echoing faintly in the vast chamber. "And yet you survived myreiatsu—not just once, but twice."
My stomach twisted at the reminder. The crushing weight of his energy still haunted me, and I couldn't forget the flicker of warmth I'd felt inside myself during those moments. It was faint, fleeting, but undeniable.
"I'm just stubborn," I muttered, trying to push the thoughts away.
Aizen smiled faintly, his calm demeanor unshaken. "Perhaps. But I suspect it's something more."
Before I could respond, hisreiatsuflared again. The air grew heavy, pressing down on my chest like an invisible hand. My knees buckled, and I fell forward, catching myself with trembling arms.
"You claim ignorance," Aizen said, his voice calm and deliberate, "but I see it clearly. There is something inside you—hidden, dormant. You may not understand it yet, but it is there."
"I—" My voice broke as the pressure increased. My vision blurred, and it felt like the world was collapsing around me. I clawed at the marble floor, struggling to stay conscious, but Aizen's energy was relentless.
No. I won't break.
And then it happened again.
That spark.
It was faint at first, buried deep in my chest, but it grew stronger with each passing second. A warmth spread through me, steady and insistent, pushing back against the crushing weight of Aizen'sreiatsu.
Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly, his smile sharpening. "Good," he murmured. "It's waking up."
The warmth in my chest flared suddenly, like fire rushing through my veins. My body trembled violently, and I gasped as the sensation overwhelmed me. It wasn't painful—it was powerful, raw, and unlike anything I'd ever felt before.
"What... is this?" I choked out, my voice trembling.
Aizen stepped closer, his presence looming over me. "Your true power. The part of you that has been hidden all this time."
I shook my head, tears pricking at my eyes as the warmth inside me grew stronger. "I don't... I don't want this!"
"Whether you want it or not is irrelevant," Aizen said, his tone light but unwavering. "This is who you are, (Y/N). And it is magnificent."
The warmth surged again, and I cried out as a faint golden glow began to radiate from my hands. My breath hitched, and I stared at them in shock as the light flickered and pulsed like a heartbeat.
Aizen's expression didn't change, but I could see the satisfaction in his eyes. "Fascinating," he said softly. "Your power is pure, unrefined. A spiritual energy unlike anything I've seen before."
I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the glow, but it only grew stronger. The warmth in my chest spread outward, filling every inch of my body with energy I didn't understand.
"Stop it!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Make it stop!"
"This is only the beginning," Aizen replied, his calm gaze unwavering. "You cannot suppress what you truly are."
The light around my hands intensified, and suddenly, the floor beneath me cracked with a sharp, echoing sound. I gasped, jerking back as spiderweb-like fractures spread across the marble.
"What's happening to me?!" I cried, panic rising in my chest.
Aizen's smile grew faintly wider. "Your power is awakening. It's unstable now, but with the proper guidance, it will become something extraordinary."
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "I don't want this. I'm not—"
"You are," Aizen interrupted, his tone firm but oddly gentle. "And soon, you will understand."
I clenched my fists, the golden glow pulsating wildly as the energy inside me threatened to spiral out of control. My breathing was shallow, my body trembling as the warmth became overwhelming.
Aizen raised a hand, and suddenly, the weight of hisreiatsudisappeared. The golden light flickered, dimming slightly, but it didn't fade completely. The warmth in my chest remained, steady but subdued.
"There," Aizen said, his tone calm once more. "You see now, don't you? This is only the beginning of what you're capable of."
I stared at him, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. My hands still glowed faintly, the golden energy pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat.
"You... you did this to me," I said, my voice trembling with anger.
"I merely unlocked what was already there," Aizen replied smoothly. "Your power is yours alone. It was always meant to be."
I didn't believe him. I didn'twantto believe him. But the warmth in my chest was undeniable, and the glow in my hands refused to fade.
Aizen turned away, his movements deliberate as he ascended the steps to his throne. "Take her back to her quarters," he said, his voice echoing through the chamber.
TheArrancarstepped forward again, grabbing my arms and pulling me to my feet. I stumbled, too weak to resist, as they dragged me toward the door.
As we left the room, I glanced back at Aizen one last time. He was watching me, his calm smile still in place, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"You cannot run from what you are, (Y/N)," he said. "And soon, you will thank me for showing you the truth."
The doors closed behind me, sealing him from view, but his words lingered in my mind like a curse.