The Solitary Wolf's TrainingA lone figure tread lightly through this barren landscape. The countless dunes, crests, and hills of the white sand continuing as far as they eye could see. The soft, pearly powder providing a soft touch to his feet as the man trudged on, the hooded jacket that covered him whipping about wildly in the wind. Given the eerie surroundings, the ominous, eternal night's sky and the empty, lifeless feel of this land, one's mind would begin to wander and spurn up unusual thoughts. The stench of death and decay was profound and prevalent through out the air gave rise to the inkling that this pearly, soft sand looked akin to a wasteland of skeletons, ground up and broken down into a fine powder.
The idea itself isn't that far-fetched for Hueco Mundo. The boy thought to himself.
The destination was coming ever closer, yet still it was nowhere in sight. The Forest of Menos had a knack for suddenly appearing before people, as if hidden beneath the thick layer of white that blanketed this other-world and rising from below at whim. It was within this forest that the figure had business, a dirty deed that was deigned necessary. The male let out a exasperated sigh, reluctance heavy in tone within. This task was not something he desired to stain his hands with. Mentally weary already and wishing what had not even begun to be over already, the pace was picked up.
Finally, those hollow woods came into view. He passed through the massive trees that seemed to stand guard and entered. The oak sentinels allowed passage. Seeking isolation within the deepest, darkest recesses of the forest, the traveler found a suitable location and prepared himself for what he was about to do.
Skaeith pulled back his hood and felt the moonlight that filtered through the thick branches wash against his face, casting a shimmer on his wild, spiky silver hair and adding a very noticeable glow to the azure irises of his eyes. His mind drifted back to the event that had taken place only but a few days prior.
Flashback (Don't worry, it pertains)
The Segunda paced inside one of the fortified rooms within Las Noches, awaiting an arrival and contemplating heavily. This chamber was one of the few that had been built specifically to be capable of withstanding the high levels of power possessed by an Espada, even those above four. His meeting with Ziri had opened his eyes as to how inept he truly was within his own element, and not wanting to be upstaged the boy sought to remedy this.
The double doors creaked open, and a beautiful woman slid inside. Medium length, flowing dark brown hair with red streaks complimented the bright green of her eyes, while contrasted and amplified by the pure white, flattering Arrancar robes she wrapped herself in. The lady's name was Chiyu, ans she was Skaeith's most trusted Fraccion.
"What is this about?" She demanded, stepping forward and closing the doors behind her. Chiyu was a tad rough around the edges, and even more so stern and demanding when it came to her leader.
"Training!" The Espada grinned, looking quite pleased with himself. The statement won only an incredulous look of disbelief from his underling, which only pleased him more.
"You," She started in disbelief, pointing at Skaeith, "Train? I think I'd sooner see the day I become the Primera than the day you devote yourself to training."
"Give me a break, Chiyu. I train every day. Now will you help me or not?" The boy asked, a frown crossing his lips.
"Sure, sure. What do I need to do?" The woman asked, eyes sparking with curiosity.
"Nothin' fancy. Just make sure I keep breathing when I come back out." Skaeith chuckled, sinking into his Shadow. Chiyu rushed over, a terrified look of horror etched deeply in her features as she attempted to grab hold of her Espada and pull him back, but only too late as her hands grasped nothing but air.
The male had a dangerous plan in mind, and was eager to "Push his Luck."
Skaeith cast about a glance once he was immersed in the Shadow Plane. His surrounding were exactly the same as they had been a minute ago, with the exception of a dark, shadowy haze veiling the chamber. He could see Chiyu, her figure pacing the room furiously as she awaited his return. Her expression pained the boy to see, but what he was about to do was necessary for his own survival. The coming trials would end only in his demise if he did not gain more power. Dropping down into a sitting position, he crossed his legs over each other and assumed a meditative position, entering a trance of sheer focus. The plan was relatively simple: Overextended time within the Shadow Realm to force an increase with his affinity for the element.
Three seconds passed, and he could feel the technique begin to slowly eat at the reserves of his Reiatsu. Skaeith pushed the feeling, with much difficulty, out of mind as much as he could. He still had vast amounts of energy left, so it wasn't a dreadful feeling, but nor was it pleasant. The watchers of this place had gathered about, curious to observe and spectate this event. "Watchers" were the beings that dwell within the Shadow Plane. They possessed no material body to call their own, and were more so wisps of darkness concentrated together and given conscious presence.
One Hour Later...Beads of sweat had began to form on the Arrancar's face as his brows furrowed in concentration. With his Reiatsu now greatly depleted and nearing a very, very lethal level where it would become difficult to remain conscious. The "Watchers" had become restless, forming their weapons from the Shadows about them. The moment they awaited felt like it was drawing near to them, and they lusted for it and what it meant to bring. Skaeith was the "King" of this Realm, but they were not faithful servants to him, only submitting because at full strength he was invincible to them. They desired to consume him, erase his existence, and take the crown for themselves. And so, they waited and watched for the moment, hence the name the Espada had branded them with.
On this day, the "Watchers" were not the only ones who were waiting.
One of the Shadow beings acted hastily, rashly, and rushed the boy, the price that was paid would be absolute. Their lust and hunger to conquer caused an overlook of one monumentally important detail: The Arrancar was in his Sealed form.
"Howl, Solitario." The weary whisper was hoarse as fatigue had reared it's ugly head. For a moment, darkness completely enveloped Skaeith as his gray-black Reiatsu lashed out and swirled violently about him.
However, the flashy display was cut short as a figure burst from the cyclone of energy and began his onslaught, catching hold of the impatient "Watcher" and doing something savage and unthinkable. The figure consumed it. Absorbing it's power and being into his own; Skaeith had accomplished one part of the plan. The next? Getting out alive.
Enraged, the spectral beings screeched in horror mixed with anger as they swarmed the Espada, piling, clawing, slashing at him and once more the figure was blocked from view amidst their writhing forms. Skaeith's endurance and consciousness was fading fast, and with every ounce of his remaining strength he attempted to cast them aside and dove for Chiyu's Shadow: His one chance for escape...
The female Arrancar had ceased her vigilant pacing about the room and seated herself, arms wrapped about knees hugged up tightly to her chest as she stared at the spot her leader was last seen. Ten minutes was the longest she had ever seen him go into the Shadow Realm. The feelings of worry at that time were presently multiplied by six.
A gasp was heard from behind, and quickly she turned her entire body to face it. Lying there in her Shadow; panting, bloody, and bruised lay Skaeith, with a broad, smug grin. Tears streamed down from her eyes at sight of his condition and she knelt at his side, and the Espada reached up to caress her face as a few of the droplets splashed onto his cheek.
"Sorry... Looks like I wasn't exactly able to make it back alive." He breathed in a weak and shaky voice before slipping into darkness, feeling something wrap about his beaten body as he faded away.
So this is Death's embrace...? It's... warm.Groggily, stiff and sore, a pair of eyes opened slowly. The person's vision was a bit blurry, but they could make out the general details of the room. Dark, crimson-painted walls and carpeting, a gently crackling fireplace that heated the chambers and cast dancing Shadows on the wall. Something was strange about these flickering phantoms that licked at the walls; they were faintly outlined with a soft crimson glow.
The entity licked it's lips at the distinct, metallic taste in their mouth and made to sit upward, a weight against their chest prevented this, however. Looking down, noticeable was the figure of a woman pressed up against the waking one's body, her head lay on their chest. Instinctively, the bedridden figure ran their fingers gently through this woman's hair, twisting and twirling a few strands between thumb and index, and the she stirred at the touch. "Do that again, and I'll
kill you, Skaeith."
The warmth that blanketed the Espada was not Death's, however. It was Chiyu's. The female Arrancar had rushed him to his private chambers and forced every conceivable restorative Las Noches possessed down his throat. When most seemed to have little or no effect, she didn't hesitate to offer her blood. Her bodily fluids had healing properties, and that in her blood was by far the most potent, but it was hazardous for her to give leaving the woman extremely weak and fragile for weeks.
Pulling his Fraccion up by the underneath of her arms, the Segunda kissed those pale lips and lay her to sleep.
"Thank you."Present Time His body twitched and shuddered at the remembrance of the "Watchers" attack, his entire back scarred from the lacerations of their assault. He kept them as a reminder of both survival, and warning. Much like the Shadow beings, the Arrancar would rise up to slaughter him if he showed a sign of weakness. He needed a greater power to keep them in check and for the continuation of his own existence. This power had been attained, until a greater one became necessary. The time to ascertain the level of these new strengths was now. Once more his Hollow form was Released, and the boy stood there in silence, his tail swishing lazily from side to side.
Skaeith was going to play the role of bait.
Masking his Reiatsu traces enough so that they appeared appetizing without the full-effect fear that his unbridled power would stir in anything short of a Vasto Lorde, he waited not long before a lion-esque Adjuchas prowled into the scene, it's lips curled upward in a snarl as it bore deadly fangs at it's newly found "prey."
"You tread in dangerous lands for such low Spiritual Pressure, Arrancar.""You think so, too? What can I say? I'm a fan of "Pushing my Luck." He grinned in reply, visualizing, with reluctance, how the "Watchers" had formed their weapons via Shadows in his mind. His left hand raised up, outstretched straight before him in a fist, as if gripping some invisible hilt, and the Skaeith's Shadow coiled up his body and down the arm, finally materializing itself into a Scythe.
Well, that's different. Unfazed, the Adjuchas broke out in a full rush towards the Arrancar, it's mane whipping about wildly. The only movements the boy took were flipping the Scythe about, driving it's crescent blade into the ground so that the butt of the shaft was pointing at the Hollow. Within ten feet, it leapt into the air to pounce it's prey, those razor-sharp claws eager to slash away at the flesh before them. Using his short height to his advantage, the Espada dropped low to a crouch on nearly all four limbs, his left hand holding the weapons handle and jerking it downward, his own body barely suspended an inch above the ground. The Adjuchas' Shadow passed overhead, the blade of the Scythe cutting it directly down the center.
It landed with a thud, and a bellow of fury and agony. The "Lion" still lived, but it could hardly move. Enraged and blind as to how it was the one laying on the ground, or even
what had exactly transpired, it struggled weakly just to gain it's feet.
"W-what...?" It demanded between gasps of pain, it's vision growing blurry and warped.
"The full explanation'd take forever, so I'll give you a quick summary. Using this," Skaeith said, hoisting the Scythe into view,
"I can use your Shadow like a Voodoo doll. Anywhere I cut, you'll feel. Congratulations, you're probably the only "living" thing to know what it feels like to be cleaved in half." The boy stepped forward to the Hollow and crouched to it's eye-level.
"And Lions are supposedly the Kings? Pfft. You've just been de-throned... By a Wolf."The Espada rose to his feet, turned on heel, and departed, leaving the Hollow to either survive or become prey itself. It was time to go home. As he passed back through the forbidding sentinel trees that guarded the moonlight, once more in his Sealed form, the light of the moon hit his eyes sharply. There was something... Different about his eyes. A thick, gray-black ring flickered around the irises like fire.
With a wry smile, Skaeith started walking back to Las Noches. Chiyu was going to be
furious.
-Completed-
Although this is the third shadow move that I have seen exactly like this, I will say...
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