The War of Four: Ultimatum of the Immortals

Meeting of the Ten Sharpened Blades, Foreboding Omens
"...and from what my spies have gathered, Las Noches was assaulted most recently by a band of unknown entities that specifically targeted it to annihilate Herrera Tresckow, along with his entire army," Genjo reported aloud, sitting on his own makeshift alabaster carved throne-like chair as all of the Espada Afilado were gathered to bring forth the most distressing matters to date. As well what was happening beyond their permanently night skied world and their endless white sands.

Most of the meetings were updates on their personal army's status, the condition of security within Empresa, any outlying fringe threats that could pose a problem for them in the future, much like Rana Zolinder and her brother's band of unknown Arrancar. However, when it came up to Genjo's turn to give his own report, everything got quiet and still as he read out what was happening that no one could've expected.

"...and so far we have him currently listed in MIA while his Lieutenant, Luccia Botta, was seen nearly half dead where dozens of trained warriors were laid slain in mutilated or half-incinerated fashions," Genjo then dropped his fold of paper with an audible slap onto the alabaster marble table before leaning forward to look at the Primera, "something is moving in on Hueco Mundo, Primera, and its targeting the strongest to remove competition. We need to prepare for war, and soon..."

This wasn't something Casilda was too keen on hearing.

She let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "How many wars must I have to fight before all of this is over and done with...?" She questioned rhetorically, a clearly disdainful tone in her voice. She turned her head towards Tierra, who sat at attention. "Doncella, what about our communications? Any of the other cities know about this?"

"Well..." The orange-haired woman frowned almost out of embarrassment, folding her arms across her chest and averting her eyes away for a brief moment. "I'm very sorry to say, my Lady, but the birds have started to go quiet. Most that we've sent out never returned, and Nicolao's security sensors have noted dead corpses of their kind in the middle of destination paths. Someone's trying to make sure that we've got little to no help as possible."

"Terrific..." Casilda deadpanned. "Are the troops on standby?"

"Inward security's gearing up as we speak, ma'am..." Loly said readily and coolly, a smirk on her face and satisfaction within her words.

"My men are ready to kill upon sight anything that comes within our boundaries..." Bernabe added, his own smirk of anticipation on his face. "I assure you that they will not be coming out without harm..."

"My subordinate beastmasters have set traps within key structures in case potential invaders get too far into our lines." Senkaku pitched his own report in. "We've been setting up ever since Tierra informed me of the birds getting killed off."

"I've also taken the liberty of reinforcing our security within Empresa," Hikage, the Noveno of the Afilado, spoke aloud as he sideglanced the Primera cooly, "anything short of sheer force rivaling our own will make it nigh impossible to penetrate the new defenses we instilled into the city's perimeter."

"Most of the majority of the population as well as my students are well prepared for full-out war of any kind," Lobo said smoothly, though he looked worried to Genjo as he asked aloud, "though how did your sources come across them when Tierra's birds were being killed on sight?"

"Long distance surveilance happens to be a speciality of several of my handpicked intelligence gatherers, De Norte," Genjo said with a reassuring tone as he waved a jeweled hand in emphasis, "besides, most of Tierra's flock tends to migrate beyond the border patrols and protection of Empresa's army or any outlying outposts we might have. They're easy to kill if they wander too far...especially for a gifted marksman."

"You'd have to be a hell of a shot and be quiet about it if that's the case," the newest, as well as one of the youngest of the Espada Afilado Diez ranking, Caballero, his boots hauled up over nonchalantly ontop of the alabaster table much to the chagrin of Lobo and Hikage seated across him, "though to have it be virtually undetectable is also another matter..."

"So, in other words, they pretty much know how to keep themselves from our watch very easily..." Loly muttered in disdain, looking over to meet the shocked gaze of Nicolao. "Something that probably wouldn't have happened if someone had been actually doing their maintenance..."

"Excuse me?" Nicolao scowled, narrowing his eyes and glaring at the Sexta. "Every part of surveillance was hand-crafted, tested, and painstakingly cleaned for any mistakes or loopholes that could be used for bypassing purposes! I and my subordinates have done excellent work keeping the system active, thank you very much!!"

"Don't get so flustered by her, Nicolao," Genjo said with an amused tone, tapping his chin while locking his golden eye with Loly's form while sideglancing Nicolao, "she's always a critic of those who actually do the work around here..."

"Lady Primera," Hikage spoke up, turning his gaze to fully meet hers, "there's a possibility they interrogated members of Herrera's most trusted confidants about the locations or any unknown information he had on our city's layout and patrols. There's a chance the reason Rana Zolinder and her Arrancar allies haven't returned is because they got to her group first and found out how to infiltrate our defenses, but have been choosing to keep low," he then clasped his fingers as he added, "and this could be linked to the Espada group as of 300 years ago, and how familiar they are with Arrancar tactics..."

"Bet she's laughing it up, if not rolling in her grave..." Casilda said, a hint of frustration seeping into her tone. She leaned back in her chair, switching her hand position so that her palm would be enclosed on one half of her face. Her visible eye's gaze expressed a mixture of exasperation and annoyance. "Have there been any breaches yet, any sign of suspicious activity?"

After giving the scowling Loly a disdainful glare, Nicolao turned his attention towards the Primera and changed his tune quickly. "No, my Lady. Surveillance has not detected any sign of disrupting activity as of yet. But we are still sweeping the area."

"Good, because right now, and once again, we seem to be on a tight-rope." Slowly, Casilda lowered her hand from her face and rested her arm on the armrest of her chair. Her expression regained its serious demeanor. "I want each and every one of you to maintain a status of high alert. If what Hikage is saying to me is true, then this new threat have most likely dug themselves in quite deep into our territory. As far as we know, they could be listening into this very conversation right now without us knowing it."

"...really had to increase the paranoia, didn't you, Primera?" Tierra muttered dryly, a grimace on her face at the thought. All she gained in response was Casilda giving a casual shrug.

"Just thought I'd let you know...no pressure..."

Tierra sweatdropped. "...yeah..." She muttered under her breath. "No pressure, indeed..."

"I'll do perimeter sweeps every hour as thoroughly as I can," Hikage announced smoothly, as he stood up from his seat and kept his hands within the folds of his black cloak, "with luck, I'll be able to pinpoint the enemy's position and snuff them out before they can start any ambushes or surprise attacks..."

"Boooooring," Caballero said aloud in an obnoxious tone as he yawned exaggeratively, waving a hand in front of his mouth in emphasis, "I wish you gave us a real task like, turning the surrounding desert into glass or...clean up the last interrogation that Loly commenced a few hours ago. That'd been really enjoyable compared to say, "stick your thumbs in your asses and hope you don't get them cut off,"..."

Lobo simply sat silent, as he had most of the meeting with a far off gaze as he looked down at the table with nothing of his own input to speak of.

"Well, sorry if I can't please the minority..." Casilda said sardonically. "Just do your job and don't complain. You'll get your fireworks soon enough..." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the distant look within Lobo's gaze, almost as if he was out of it. She paid no heed to it, however. After all, she was certain that he was listening fully despite his mind on other things. In addition, she could guess easily what took up part of his attention...

"If you have no more use of my time here then," Genjo said presumptiously, standing up before grasping the scythe leaning against his own throne and began walking towards the exit, "I'll begin to enhance the surveilance protocols and begin to utilize my own Pesquisa to search for any fringe threats that might be linked to our new enemies...until then," with a audible crackling sound of his own personal Sonido, he whispered in finality, "I'll see you all when the fireworks begin..."

"Yeah, I'm done with this borefest," Caballero said, leaning forward so his legs could pull himself ontop of the table. Then with a smile, he backflipped off the table before landing deftly in the opposing direction of the group, disappearing within his own variation of Sonido.

Lobo then moved his glowing white eye and his normal blue eye to lock onto Casilda's, mentally projecting to his superior without words or gestures, "I need to speak with you alone..."

"Of course." As the other Espada made their own moves to exit the area, Casilda slowly stood up and folded her hands behind her back, signaling that she was ready to walk with Lobo.

Lobo stood up and walked over to Casilda's direction, continuing to walk with his hands in the folds of his uniform's coat pockets, speaking as he strode by, "There were a number of things I wanted to speak with you outside the other Espada's ears that I think are only appropiate for ourselves to speak about...I hope you understand, my Lady Primera."

"Of course I do, de Norte." Casilda said dismissively, briefly gesturing her words with a hand motion. "You have no need to feel nervous speaking to me about such. Just go on and explain what's on your mind."

"First, about Rana Zolinder," Lobo said in passive, yet mildly distressed tone as a drop of sweat ran down his visible temple and off his chin, "I don't believe she's dead, but is suffering a fate far worse. I heard reports that Genjo left out, that she might've been involved in the destruction of a good portion of Las Noches' wall as well as the attack on his forces and his person..."

"...that doesn't sound like she's suffering at all..." A frown came over Casilda's face as she regarded the Novena with slight skepticism. "Matter of fact, it sounds like she's doing what she's always been doing. What exactly is the problem here..?"

"I think I briefly explained my past connection with her," Lobo began to elaborate with a wave of his left hand, "we have...or rather had...a special bond with each other. We fought together, survived together, we even came up with similar sword styles that I've been able to pass onto my students today. Even though she left and we've parted ways, I could always feel her presence subtly in the wind of Hueco Mundo," his eye narrowed and his silver one glimmered slightly, as he grimaced his visible expressions on his face, "Nearly a night or so before the recorded attack on Las Noches and Herrera's forces, I heard a scream in my dreams that belonged to Rana's. When I woke, I could not sense her presence any longer, nor could I feel any security in that. I believe...somehow, the enemy is using her as a puppet now, and I don't know why I believe this to be true, but I know she's not herself anymore," bowing his head, he stopped walking as he whispered, "forgive me, my Lady. I shouldn't...defend someone openly who blatantly attacked us not too long ago. Its out of line..."

Had Lobo not added that particular ending to his explanation, Casilda would've been quick to reprimand him verbally.

Instead, she remained silent when she stopped in unison with him, regarding him with stony silence. If he had his head lifted up, he would've seen a piercing gaze in her eyes - something that would've certainly been enough to express her feelings on the matter. She didn't like the fact that he had even considered defending the one who had attempted to take her life. But she could understand the depths of comradeship that they once held towards each other and the remnants it left behind. She could never bring herself to hold anything against him for that.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do." She said simply, turning her gaze away from her subordinate. "For a warrior, an enemy, and a puppet, there is nothing that can be done for her. I trust that you understand?"

"Yes, Lady Primera," Lobo said with a scratchy tone of solemn understanding as his gaze met hers undeterred, "I just wanted to inform you so that you could preform the honors of putting her out of her suffering. She's nothing but a vessel of rage and self pity now...there is nothing left of the Rana I once knew within her..."

"Rest assured... that is exactly what I plan to do." The Primera answered, switching her gaze back to him. "What else did you want to tell me?"

"Oh...that...," Lobo uncharacteristically blushed slightly on his pale complexion, before coughing to clear his throat and regain his composure, "I wish to have a temporary leave of absence to pursue a particular target I've placed vested interest in. That's all."

If this was a TV show, the sound of glass breaking would've been heard to emphasize the shift in Casilda's demeanor.

"You.... what?" She squinted one of her eyes, expressing slight disbelief and surprise at Lobo. "There's a chance that we may be going to war within the hour... and you want me to let you go off to kill some random person? Who's the person you're even going after?"