Where Peace Lies

Act 1
"St-Stay the hell away from me!!"

Trapped within one of the numerous spires that dotted the ever-expanding landscape of Hueco Mundo, a lone Wandenreich soldier backed himself into a corner. His head and uniform drenched with sweat and the blood of his fallen comrades, whose bodies littered the floor around him, he could only shiver and look on in terror at the culprit behind this horrific act of violence. A tall Arrancar casually approached the lone soldier, accompanied by a smaller, petite Arrancar woman. Their slow and methodical pace among this place of death was a cold and eerie sight for anyone present, especially the soldier.

"I cannot help but find this whole situation rather humorous..." The taller Arrancar spoke, his voice resonant and cold. "You and your comrades took shelter here to find cover from a sand storm, and here you ran into me." One could not see it, for the Arrancar's entire face was concealed by his Hollow-Mask remnants, but a smile crept upon his lips. "You would have been safer in the storm."

The Quincy gritted his teeth in anger, the sight of his allies being so mercilessly cut down as if they were weeds in a field being too much for him to bear. With a vicious yell, the soldier's body became alight with "Blut Arterie" veins and he formed his Spirit Weapon; what appeared to be a musket rifle of sorts. But just as the weapon finished forming, the man found that his entire body ceased all forms of movement. His eyes widened in shock as his Blut Arterie remained active, but out of his control.

"I am also curious if "Yhwach" was capable of doing this..." The Arrancar mused aloud, his right index finger pointing directly at the soldier. "I imagine it would make any insubordination impossible, but if he couldn't do it and I can, that would say quite a lot about your stubborn and annoying little species."

It was there that the soldier came to a horrific realization: The Arrancar could manipulate Reishi just like any other Quincy, but this particular Arrancar had found a way to manipulate the Reishi within one's blood veins while using Blut. He cursed himself inwardly for activating his Blut Arterie, for he had now damned himself to rest alongside the rest of his fallen brothers in arms.

The Arrancar raised his right arm straight out towards the soldier, forming an indigo-colored blade of Spiritual Energy around his hand and aiming it straight at the soldier's throat. The Quincy then started to slowly and uncontrollable walk towards the blade, stuttering and whimpering all the while. The smaller Arrancar woman simply looked away, knowing what was to come, as the soldier inched closer and closer to the sword.

"P-Please don't!!" The Quincy begged and pleaded, but the Arrancar known as Cervantes did not budge as he continued to force the soldier closer. Finally, the blade's tip just barely pierced the man's throat, before he started to steadily walk fully into it, the blade cutting into his throat and chest like it were mere butter. The man's pleading and begging was replaced by gasps and blood-filled gurgling as he was fully impaled on the sword. While he were still conscious, Cervantes casually reached down and grabbed the soldier's rifle, dispersing the Reishi that composed it to reveal the Cross that originally served to form the weapon.

"I suppose we can make use of this." He said calmly, looking over the cross as he dispersed the energy that composed his blade and causing the soldier's body to slump lifelessly on the ground. Roka, the Arrancar woman, still couldn't bring herself to look at the aftermath, causing Cervantes to turn his attention to her. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"I... Master... if I may ask you of something..." She said meekly, before turning her head to just barely glance at him. "...could you please not do that... not in front of me at least?"

Cervantes looked down at her, before looking back at the cross. "Hmph, as you wish." He said, his tone slightly annoyed. "But know this; for us to achieve our goal of peace, actions such as this will be necessary." He turned back to look at her. "There will come a time where things like this will be commonplace. You must be ready for when that time comes, daughter."

She looked down solemnly, still not used to be called that. "...Yes. I understand... Master."