Stains

The Calling
Five years before the Final Blood War...

(Theme)

A palace made of ice, hidden within a realm of darkness. This was the home of the Vandenreich, and it felt just as empty and lifeless as a place such as Hueco Mundo. Some Quincy garbed in military uniforms dotted the outside, but for the most part, the inhabitants were all indoors, as if the cold atmosphere outside was punishment enough along with this solitude.

A particular Arrancar, one of few who had been forcibly recruited into the Vandenreich, walked calmly down the frozen hallways belonging to his team. He would pass by normal Arrancar like himself, but Quincy would shove him aside, as if he were nothing but cannon fodder to them. It didn't matter to him though; this is how it had been all of his life.

But as he entered the end of the hallway, it was revealed that this building was in fact a prison for Arrancars who had defected, or just didn't have any real use. It's a wonder that none of them had been killed, but for one particular prisoner, the reason was painfully obvious to him.

She lay on the floor, curled up into a ball with her back turned to him. She wore a white shirt, and plain white pants, and nothing more. Scars and bruises dotted the points of skin that could be seen, and her black hair was a mess as it sprawled all over the floor around her. This was his sister, and the Vandenreich had used her for things that no girl should have to endure. With a solemn face, he reached his arm through the bars of her cell, and warmly rubbed her head in a soft manner. She was still asleep, and he dare not ruin one of her few moments of peace.

A single tear rolled down his face as he did so. Here they had both planned to survive together in Hueco Mundo or the World of the Living, and try to find happiness for themselves, as siblings. But the Quincy found them before any of that could happen. While he was drafted into their army, she was locked up, and used for primitive things such as torture, sex, and a general punching bag for the Quincy troops. It was monstrous, how much more animal like these humans were in comparison to them, Arrancars, and he hated them all with an absolute passion.

Within a few minutes, he had left the building and was heading for one of the more deserted parts of the outside area. It wouldn't be long before he would be forced into another mission, so he would enjoy some quiet while he could. He wanted out of this military, he wanted to give his little sister a life where she wouldn't be subject to these terrible things... but what could he do?

"I can save her."

A dry, resonant, british voice came from behind him, and what it had said to him caused his eyes to widen in shock. As he turned to face the figure, who was cloaked in a black outfit with a black leather trench coat, along with a hood over his head, he uttered the only sensible response one could give. "Wh-What did you say?"

"Your sister." the man said in the same clear tone. "I can save her, give her a better life than what she has here... but I require a service in return."

"Anything! What do you want from me?" the Arrancar almost instantly replied, turning to fully face the figure. Easily trustworthy, this hooded man was not, but he would do anything to get his sister out of this hell.

The hooded figure smiled slightly. "First, answer this question." he said as he raised a finger up to the Arrancar. "How far would you go, to give her this happiness?"

The Arrancar balled up his fist and spoke in a low, but decisive toned response. "To the death..."

"Excellent." the hooded man replied as his hand reached up to his hood to take it off.

As he did so, the Arrancar spoke to him once more. "But now, answer my question... who are you?"

The man's hood came off to reveal a fairly young man, in his late twenties at best, with silver colored hair and bright blue eyes that stared down the Arrancar in an impassive, but almost disturbing gaze.

"You may refer to me... as 'S'."

End of scene

The Journey
Coming Soon!