Walking the dog [Open JT Arcadus and Akando]

[Arcadus]

Pacing around his palace, feet clapping against stone tiles of the halls, and the metal panels of his lab. He had brought this new hollow into his kennel, though they had already eaten most of the smaller and weaker spirits inside. Akando proved to be quite the ferocious  beast. Devouring hollows, fullbringers, shinigami, anything left in his pantries that wasn't dried out and preserved had gone into feeding it. Looking down into the wood and felt shreds of the kennels, Akando paced, always hungry, though not nearly as much now. Hollows had an eternal hunger, but they could be sated, relatively. There were rumors of ways to ease the hunger, ones Arcadus himself had looked into, for his own reasons, but there was little progress.

"You aren't going to tame the beast by leaving it to rot in your dungeon Arcadus" Oren had leaned, arms and shoulders, along with his noisy head, out of his cage, bars seeming like rubber. "Oh, did you tame a wolf or something while you slogged through mud for the deepening coffers of a lord?" Arcadus, suddenly in the grey-black of his mindscape, whirled on the warrior. Huffing in frustration, he felt as if his fuse hand been cut down to an inch, ever since Oren had revealed to him how they were able to weaken their cages. "You are particularily testy today, my lord. I had no idea the moon was waxing, surely your lunacy has increased with it. Let me not trouble you with the paper wisdom of commoners" 

The sing song sarcasm was so unexpected from Oren, who up till recently had been stern, stoic, and generally the kindest of the 3. Though Arcadus's attempt at appearing lordly in front of people like Kitai and Alastor may have irked the man-at-arms. "What do you mean, I've fed Akando, given him the run of the kennel, what more does a hound need?" Oren, actually resuming some of his stoic persona, though with a certian pride like that of a teacher readily dispensing an answer. "Hounds need to be let to run, both to grow in strength, but to test their instincts and skills. A hound that sits and eats is a hound that gets fat and does not know the danger or excitement of the hunt. You have to give it game to catch, to run down, and then, to eat."

Returning to meat space, the body standing over the railing looking down at the bony creature, glanced at that makeshift leash on the wall. Surely some improvements were in order. Taking it into his lab, Arcadus prepared his electrolysis baths and began forging out a spiked sheep dogs collar, the design being drawn out by oren through the bars of his cage. Interlocking steel segments, each hooking into the last, with spiked ends, each easily 2 inches long, flaring out. As Arcadus toiled at his anvil, forging near 20 segments, the chains were lowered into the electrolysis bath, which would soon coat the steel chains in the gold dust dumped into it. 

Finishing the spikes, the smith took a strap of leather from a larger section of fullbringer hide, something he had been saving for a larger project. Looking down at it, he wondered why he had chosen it. That feeling, that sister flame to his ambition, his desire to rule, had flared again. He wanted to do something for Akando, give it something to comfort it, to ease it. It wasn't the normal desire for efficiency or efficacy in his underlings, it was a kinder, warmer feeling of one to another, it was a... gift. 

Returning down, having fashioned the links into the padded segments of a collar, and retrieving the now golden chain from the pool, the acids bubbling against his iron skinned hand. Striding down the steps, having put on a more appropriate hunting attire, black jeans and his standard sleeveless bodyglove, he stood before the battered kennel door opening it with his foot, with 3 items in hand. A raw slab of meat, the chain, and collar. "Akando, I've made you a gift, and I think today.. We can go hunting. Somewhere with lots of food, I just need you to let me put this on you. "The words were not a demand, but an exchange, the collar for meat and hunting, simple as. The spikes go on the outside, to keep you safe."

[Akando Bena]

Pacing back and forth in his kennel Akando was getting very impatient, his master has been feeding him regularly, in fact he gave Akando many Hollows to devour when first placed in this kennel. Sadly even regular feedings does nothing to quell the growing hunger Akando has been feeling, which is to be expected as Akando has a hunger that is worse than the average Hollow. Watching Arcadus all the Wendigo could think about was when his next meal would show up.



While Akando wathces his new Arrancar master remain still, more than likely being lost in his thoughts which happens quite often. Eventually Arcadus begins moving again, walking out of Akando's sight and begins to do something in a different area. Although Akando doesn't have the best sense of hearing, some form of reverberation is traveling to the kennel, a steady clang clang clang. Eventually his master walks back into his vision, carrying some sort of spiked collar, before walking over to where the makeshift leash hangs on the wall.



Akando watches as Arcadus grabs and carries the leash, a slab of meat, and the new strange collar over to him. Not quite understanding what Arcadus was saying, but going by the meat and the leash he was able to figure it was time for a walk. Allowing Arcadus to slip the collar on to him, Akando waits patiently for the meat to be given to him and the leash to be hooked to him. With everything put on Akando and the meat gobbled up Arcadus starts leading him towards the door of the kennel.



Following his master, Akando slowly walks by Aracadus's side unsure of where they are heading. At this point Arcadus lifts a hand creating a tear in the fabric of space, where that destination is Akando doesn't really know or care. Being led through they both finally step outside of the Garganta, showing they currently sand inside a forest of some kind. Looking around Akando couldn't see too much, however, he could hear some form of village nearby, maybe they were on the outskirts of some very large forest?

[Arcadus]

Stepping through the garganta, and leaving the ornate luxury of his placye, Arcadus guided Akando into the austere woods outside the Soul Society, where in those deemed unfit to live or rogue spirits who had fled. Standing admist the twisted trees, the canopy sheilding the sky from his gaze, Arcadus could sense spirits in the distance, maybe a mile away, and in his sights he could see the shimmering of lantern lights. Twinking like stars through the mist, Arcadus made sure to keep a firm grip on the chain as he crept though at pace with Akando's slinking movements, towards the village. 

He needed something to draw them out, a distraction, and while approaching, pondering this situation, as he needed a way to keep them all gathered in the village, with flight not proving to allow akando fo feed more than a few times, he'd need to lure either the guards or whatever watchmen had been stationed away from their posts. Moving through however, it seemed that despite his efforts, he had been spotted, a guard in padding hailing, not in alarm, but in concern, with the words "Who's there?" Not wasting an oppurtunity, Arcadus recalled a play with the same start, though he wondered if the guard would recognize it. In either case, the strange response shouldn't alarm them and would serve to intrigue rather than alarm. 

"Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself." The guard's responce "Long live the king!" delighted Arcadus, the spirit did know the words to the play, and if anything, he would beable to creep closer without alarm, and at best amuse himself while Akando grew impatient. "Bernardo?" "He." "You come most carefully upon your hour." Creeping closer, now standing in view of the light, though Akando was sure to hide himself from the lantern, Arcadus began to move in, a tired posture, slumped shoulders, slack face and cheeks, to convey long travels and a muted smile in mouth and eyes to convey the gratitude of a traveller about to rest. 

"For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold, And I am sick at heart." Coming to face the guard properly, slouch properly suaring the two's gazes, Arcadus returned in coy tone and a flourish of his hand, as if mocking the dramatic gestures of an amateur's but ambitious theater lead. " Have you had quiet guard?" The guard, chuckling, waving over two companions, sure  to be rivals to his watch. "Not a mouse stirring." "Well, good night. If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste." Gesturing to the two approaching, and mouthing "enter left" "I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there?"

As the 4 now, standing in the lantern light chortled at the circumstance, of the events playing out in such fashion to align with the Bard's works, Arcadus's chuckle grew to a laugh, drawing back a hand as if to stretch, but instead, fingers forming his hand into a blade, swung it with a gale force, connecting with a sickening squelch as it passed through the necks of the first, second and third man, using the tiniest shockwave to douse the light, and sink them into darkness once more. No other guards had come, but lights that were still on. No disturbance had been made.

The bodies, broken from the sheer force required to seperate windpipe from throat with the flat of the hand, lay twisted on the ground. Arcadus poked at them, checking for any abilty to free or on attack trigger, or some kind of spasm or twitch that might have betrayed, however slight, the chance of escape. Satisfied with his tests, Arcadus signaled Akando, though it was not neccesarry, as the beast came bounding out of the shadow to devour the corpses, spiritual energy lingering and clinging to their bodies much like their minds to their forms. Fading fast, the food was getting cold. Twising off a leg for himself, Arcadus stepped away to allow Akando to feed. 

As he allowed Akando to at least secure his kills, he jestured to the other two houses in front of them. Gripping onto one of the supports of the house, he ripped it clean, collapsing most of the house with a shower of splinters, hurling it into anouther house, collapsing that one. It was time to hunt. Screams rang out, and as Arcadus's blood boiled with anticipation, he could feel a familiar presence  in his mind, one that he had not felt, or at least pretended to not have felt, for a very long time. The black shadow of the hollow hung in his mind, though his excitement for the coming hunt warded it like a candle light to a darkened closet. 

[Akando Bena]

Akando tried to keep up pace with Arcadus as they started moving through the forest after leaving the Garganta behind. It didn't take to long before Arcadus seemed to notice something off in the distance. Trying to remain as quiet as possible Akando stayed close to his master, not wanting to give their position to anything that may be listening, especially if the something was future prey. Finally the silent Hollow spotted what his master noticed from further away, a village that was clearly ready for the night ahead of it, for standing at the entrance were some guards.



Without skipping a beat Arcadus moved nearer to the guards, however, the watchmen did hear their movement and so called out to see who Arcadus was. Thanks to pure chance Akando himself remained unspotted by the guards and so their entire attention was focused towards Arcadus's location. It didn't take the Arrancar long to come up with a plan and began to speak sentences from Hamlet, granted this went completely over Akando's head.



This skit seemed to work perfectly as the watchmen just dropped their guard completely, unaware of the danger they were currently engaging with. With a few back and forths, Arcadeus finally managed to get close to the group. Lifting his hand in a non aggressive stretch, this motions would be what ended three of their lives. Once his hand was in a decent position up in the air, Arcadus put his fingers together as if they were a blade. With this hand he would immediately slash it to the side, easily ripping through the necks of three of the men. That wasn't even the end of it, thanks to planning this out Arcadus released a few tiny shockwaves whild tearing through the necks of these guards.



This was Akando's time, surging out from the shadows that non of the guards payed any attention to when Arcadus made himself known the Hollow moved towards the single remaining guard. The reason for targeting this guy was simple, his animal instincts screamed within the mind of Akando that this man must be taken down before the alarm that a predator was nearby could be done. Bringing his own right claw up he would cleanly slice the watchman's throat, ensuring the cry for help or a warning scream couldn't be given to the currently peaceful village.



Akando could feel it, the hunger boiling his thoughts to the point of losing control of his own actions. Saliva flowing from his mouth as if a volcano had erupted and began spewing forth molten magma. Out of pure necessity to fill the never ending sensation of starving, Akando sunk his teeth into the now motionless and lifeless guard. The taste of blood filled the Wendigo's mouth as he continued to rip into the carcass of his recent kill. It wasn't long before he was swallowing the remaining pieces of meat and bone, leaving nothing for the scavengers of this forest.



Akando's hunger seemed to be quelled slightly, however, it came back at full force the second he gulped down the last portion. Still ravenous he searches for something else to feast on, that's when he watches one of the three guards his master took down give a final twitch before become still. Rushing over to the recently deceased he begins the feasting process, starting with the leg. Biting into the succulent portion, his mouth becomes filled with a taste that only spurs him to devour the remains even faster.



With the first leg done he moves onto the next leg, gulping down portion after portion barely even tasting anything. When he does taste the meal he is currently scarfing down it's sweet, even juicy. Like the Wendigo he became and feared while human, the taste of humans and souls is so sumptuous it only fuels the fire that is his hunger. Shoving more and more of the carcass down his gullet as fast as he could manage, the body disappeared. With the last bit entering his stomach the hunger was barely even satiated, that is until he was no longer chewing. Finding his hunger was back at it's full power, Akando looked around for something more.



It was during this time that Arcadus would walk over to a building in front of them after tearing off a leg from one of the remaining corpses to enjoy himself. Once he reached the building the Arrancar would simply reach up and grip one of the supports of the house. One swift motion later the building would begin crumbling under it's own weight as the support previously grabbed by Arcadus was now missing from it's original position. With the chunk of wood still within his monstrous grasp, Arcadus would send it soaring at the next house breaking one of it's supports and causing a similar reaction as the first house.



With waiting for the dust to fall Akando would take this opportunity to dive into the wreckage of the first house, moving towards the weak cry for help from the owner of this now crumbled building. After a few moments of ripping through the wreckage Akando found his target, clasping down on the mans neck with his mouth the starving Hollow pulls the guy out of the rubble. Trying to escape from the Wendigo's maw the man franticly pounds at the beasts face only to find the tough mask keeping the fist from striking the actual body.



Noticing the futile attempt at escape Akando swings his head suddenly to the left while twisting his head to the left as well, this motion produces an audible sound that is most likely the neck dislocating. With all signs of life halted he begins devouring his newly acquired meal, barely tasting anything as he all but shoves whatever he can down his gullet and into his stomach. Sure his hunger momentarily lessens a slight amount, only to return at it's peak force whenever he isn't swallowing more food. This doesn't matter to Akando, all that he knows is the food helps while he eats it. With nothing remaining Akando licks the remaining blood off of his claws and hands before turning his attention to his master, the one who brought him to this wonderful hunting ground, waiting to see what he is currently doing.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Consumed}Class 8 Humans X3

[Arcadus]

Standing amongst it, the brisk breezed despi8te the trees and arching canopy, Arcadus drew in the atmosphere. Screams, femme and masculine, rang out in the night twisting like earhten notes in a pinot noir. Drawing in a deep breath, lungs expanding and filling and stretching outt he body glove that gripped him so tightly, the blood on the air, the dw in the cold air. It was truly perfect. Somethign stirred, something that reminded him of something, a home he'd never seen, a life he'd never quite lived, but felt so familar. And inside him something stirred. Walking in front of the three cages in his mind, one of wood, one of stone, and one of iron, a stretched and thin beast, fingers like blades and eyes like orbs of onyx stood.



"So, instead of just picking off single hollows in rat shit sewers you've decided to actually embrace me your true self, and tear apart yourself, mask that you are. You can't bear the weight of these slaves," as it gestured a razor filled hand to the three cages "nor me, the true power behind this mask that has formed and named it self." Grinning, its saw filled mouth of teeth practically overflowing. Its laugh was a matter of scrapping rust and guttural suction, something that belonged not to mortal nor reishi beings. "Fall apart little mask, so I can take full control and make us great, make us whole." The cages, now pressed together, began to buckle against each other."



Arcadus, suddenly in his own mind, stared up at the building sized hollow. "You, all you've been is a hinderance, my addiction and vices, in the way of my ambitions. I'm no mask, You are but the last traces of the pitiful glutton I used to be." Arcadus stepped the slim bits of mask that remained on his face, fingers tracing them up to the back of his head, shielded from sight by his hair. "I banished you to the reaches of my mind because I never wished to see you again. Don't make me remove you from this plane." the blank and black space began to shift red, as the aura between the two mental figures began to boil. "Enough", the Arrancar's glare seemed enough to ease the pressure on the cages, and they settled aside each other. 

Outside, into the real world, Arcadus noticed that his destruction of multiple buildings had attracted more guards, rushing him down with spears and swords, as the chaos of the screams and showering splinters spread like a ringing bell.  As the valiant thrusts of the guards tore through the shirt and vest that draped around Arcadus, the fabric shredding into rags, but no scratch was made on the actual flesh of the arrancar. As the rags of the shirt fell off, Arcadus, in a haze as his mental battle continued, seemed to back hand the guards, with enough force to throw them off their feed, but barely enough to crack ribs. 

"You're really struggling here aren't you little mask." The beast had reached something of a stalemate, resting on the balls of its feet, squatting over Arcadus, pale, near translucent skin making it seem like a great inverted onion. "You're barely able to fend off the ants ripping through your clothes, and if you let that continue, they will mob you, wear you down." Rocking forward, oblong head stretched out. "You'll lose. You'll fail. You'd prove yourself on the level of ants, a weakling, despite what that brand says. Or, worse yet, you'll prove that for all your power, you're not that far from those you so scorn for their lack of power."

"Don't patronize me hollow, you're base and crude, all you have is hunger and destruction. You build nothing, you create nothing. You lack foresight, planning. All you are is violence and vice." Hand pressed to his bare chest, puffing himself out, "Arrancar stand above hollows, not just for their intelligence, but for their ability to see the future approaching. They have a future to fear and hope for." Pointing at the hollow, finger and arm vibrating in rage so present in his passionate voice. "You, have nothing but the next minute, the next kill. I am doing this not to feed my own hunger, but to feed and grow a servant, my hound, into something powerful, because I see potential. That is why I'm not in rat shit sewers and why I'm not emulating you."

On the outside, the guards had rallied, encircling Arcadus. In a brief moment of clarity, stamping on the ground, cratering the 10 feet around him, flinging bodies, bruised and battered into the air. "Stand and deliver men, he'd dazed and tired! He's barely able to scratch any of us! Die Hollow!" As the remaining guards struggled up to their feet, Arcadus, hunched and sagging, heard the last two words rang out, they seemed to be the only ones he could hear. 

Out from under his shaggy straw mane, blue eyes burned despite the dark. "I'll show you hollow, insect." His voice like boiling pitch, burning, sticky, and just below a blaze. Arcadus's form surged forward, hand spearing through the chest of the leader. "Can a hollow do this, insect?" Opening a Gargantua, specifically to the butchering table of his palace, Anvus turned with a ready cleaver. "Take him, I think were running low on chuck." The butcher only smiled, toothy grin betraying the joy of having a live subject. Turning to face the rest of the guards, who now, seeing the bravest among them so readily dealt with, formed closer ranks, not fleeing, but the dozen there certainly seeking safety in formation. 

[Akando Bena]

Upon gazing at his master, Akando sees multiple guards encircling the Arrancar. The fur on his back begins to raise as he crouches low to the ground, upset at how this prey seems to act. While their bravery may have been helpful in most situations, surrounding an Arrancar as powerful as his master was the worst possible choice they made. In fact while one of the guards spoke something Akando himself couldn't understand at this time, Arcadus responded with a few words followed by the immediate shish kobobing of the guard who spoke earlier.



Food...FOOD!, Drool falls like a waterfall from his mouth as Akando watches the Garganta open, seeing the still breathing body of the guard get shoved into it. Fear was plastered across the faces of the all the other guards surrounding his master. Tilting his head Akando tries his best to decide with his animalistic mind if he should attack those guards surrounding Arcadus or not. After a moment of head tilting the Wendigo finally begins to take action, stealthily moving behind a guard on Arcadus's left side.



The guards wouldn't know what hit them as most were focused on the Arrancar causing them to shake in their hypothetical boots. Akando dips his head downward quickly, as he currently stands even on all fours well above the little guards, clamping his jaw around the right shoulder of one of them on Arcadu's left. Letting out a scream the guard couldn't help but drop his weapon from the sudden surge of pain. Upon his cry of pain, the two guards on either side of him turn to see why their comrade seems to be hurt. Laying their eyes on Akando they jumped back slightly, frightened of not only the extremely powerful Arrancar before them, but now the Hollow that came out of nowhere.



Dragging the guard back at 300 speed, Akando manages to put about 30 feet of distance between him and the rest of the guards. The two who noticed Akando realized the danger their friend was in and so decided to begin charging toward the Wendigo. Before they reached halfway Akando was already lifting his right claw up and plunging it into the chest of the guard where his heart would be. With such a vital organ pierced the guard barely get's one word out before the light fades from his eye's, "Run".



With their comrade dead and having the numbers advantage the two guards let their anger run wild rushing at Akando. Seeing this the monster inside of him couldn't help but be pleased, for he unconsciously knew that those faces of anger would soon be turning to expressions of fear. Releasing the one guard from his mouth Akando lowered his front half down, preparing for the two charging soul's. Waiting for them to get about 10 feet the Wendigo rushes at them, causing them to momentarily lose their confidence and forget their anger. With that split second of surprise, Akando managed to place himself between the two, knocking the Guard to his right with his antlers sending him off his feet momentarily until he hits the ground hard.



Akando would then quickly turn his attention to the guard still standing up on his left letting a phrase he has heard before leave his mouth in confused tone, "Oh bother". Finally pulling himself together this guard strikes at Akando with the spear he held. If Akando was slow the attack may have landed, but due to their differences in speed the Wendigo simply slapped the pointy weapon away with his left claw before swinging the same claw and slicing the guards neck open.



Raising from his stupor the other guard collects himself just in time to watch as Akando causes a geyser of blood to erupt from his friend. As the monster in Akando expected the guards face no longer held anger, but fear for his life was plastered across it. The guard bleeding out finally fell, hitting the ground the body went motionless as all life was drained from it. Akando would then turn his gaze fully on the other guard who by this point began shuffling backwards, kicking at the ground as if he expected the ground to move him away from the Hollow before him. It was at this point Akando moved at the guard, stopping just before the man before chomping down on his leg.



With the leg of the guard in mouth, Akando lifts the poor soul into the air. Hunger begins to take over his mind, losing even the anamalistic instincts of hunting and fighting. It would be at this point the guard would wish he didn't exist, with his weapon dropped minutes prior and being held in the mouth of a Hollow, you would assume that to be the worst possible situation. It then gets much worse as Akando doesn't even care if his prey is still alive and fully conscious, the Wendigo begins eating him starting with the leg sitting nicely in the Hollows mouth.



With the sounds of crunching coming from Akando's mouth, the guard begins screaming and understandable scream of pain and fear. In fact after a minute of screaming the life of the guard continues no longer due to the shock of this experience alone. With his victim no longer fighting back in any form Akando devours the body rather quickly before turning to the other two bodies. Bloodied droll falling from his mouth he needs more, more than he could ever eat yet even then he knows that wouldn't be enough. Satisfaction for his hunger is but momentary and even that barely reduces the hunger he feels. Finishing up the last remains of the guards he killed the Wendigo would look to see how his Master is doing.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Consumed}Class 8 Humans X3

 

[Arcadus]

Arcadus hated moments like this. His ears were ringing, his heart was pounding, he was sweating through his bodyglove. Not for the physical exertion, but the mental exertion. That thing, the hollow, kept cropping up when he hunted, and right now it had made its biggest move in a very long time. The 3 cells, one of one, one of stone and one of steel housing the remaining souls in his mind had settled to the floor of his mindscape, and after inspecting them for cracks and dents, Arcadus shuddered.

The hollow had slunk back into the dark , out of sight, and not out of mind. There was an unease in Arcadus's body, a stiffness like he had slept bound in linens, and as his eyes focused back on the village he was destroying Arcadus saw Akando rounding up the various human guards, batting away thier weapons, chomping through entire limbs, and the screams. Oh the screaming, it rang out like bell tolls to Arcadus. There was a beauty to watching predator and prey play their roles, and in this fragile state, his mind didn't bear his usual calm, serene smile on his face. 

Instead, a bold and joyous smile stretched across his face, Teeth beared win a happy clasp of his skull and jaw. And with it, a similar feeling of heat filled Arcadus. Not burning of ambition, and the shame of a lack of achievement, but instead a warmth, of a new emotion. Pride. He was, proud of Akando, so able to slash and claw through his opposition and practically invulnerable to thier weapons. His hound, was already so strong, with so much room to grow and develop. 

The smile grew into a laugh, booming and unrestrained, echoing our across the trees, piercing through even the screams of the villagers. "YOU PATHETIC WORMS, RUN IN FEAR FROM YOUR LORD, OR KNEEL AT MY FEET, YOU'LL DIE EITHER WAY, JUST BETTER NOT TO DIE TIRED AND SCREAMING." Flicking out is hand into a pointing finger, Arcadus sent a shockwave toward the town hall, bursting the door out of its hinges. Inside, more guards rallied into a line of spears and sheilds, formation readied.

Arcadus gestured to Akando, knowing the hollow couldn't understand his words, but would be able to interpret his intentions. Flowing from pointing at his Hound, Arcadus gestured to the readied sheild wall. "Your treat, I'll round up the escapees." Looking at this, Arcadus was sure that he could intervene if Akando had any trouble. As for the survivors, they'd either kneel before him and be used for the project, or they'd be thrown in the kitchen as a corpse. That was the long and short of it, but he hoped it would turn out just fine.

Turning his attention to some of the still standing homes, Arcadus sent a single cero into the center of the homes, centered on the stone plinth in square, weakening the blast significantly. The blast, lighting up the entire village with an eerie red glow, shook the houses to their foundations, and would see parts of them collapse, the few humans hiding in them running out to flee the collapse. There was Arcadus's fun, chasing screaming humans along thier blind paths. That was the thing about a chase, you had to play along for it to last. 

Like this young man, barely an adult, who had fled, legs desperately carrying them into the woods , twigs and branches tearing at their clothes and skin, and after a minute of running they were covered in cuts and scrapes, as Arcadus kept a short distance from them. As the young man stumbled and fell over a root in the dark, they wheriled on the now seeming giant looming over them, eyes red with hunger and thrill of the hunt. He grasped a stone, no larger than a child's head, and hurled it at the Arrancar, but instead of the "Klunk" of stone on skull, it was met with a "Tak"

The boy had some spunk, Arcadus mused to himself, hurling a stone while on his back. Tightening his hand around the stone, there was a crack, sharp, but quiet. It multipleied, like tearing a wrapper off a package. As the stone disappeared into his hand, Arcadus watched the boy's face of fear turn to terror, as the child realized what was happening. The stone was being crushed into gravel, then sand, then dust. The dust spilling out of Arcadus's hand, the Arrancar smiled. "I'll grant you one mercy boy, I'll grant you a death you can't see." Despite the confusion on his prey's face, Arcadus smilled, as his threw the dust into the boy's eyes, and with his eyes shut, lopped off his head. 

Turning back to the village, Arcadus picked up the corpse, and began moving t 300 speed to pick of the rest of the fleeing villagers. He wondered how Akando would be handling his situation. Throwing the corpse into a Garganta keyed to his butchery, where Atlas was helping both chefs move the prior corpse onto the table. At the least, the pantry would have enough human flesh to satiate him and Akando for a while. Arcadus smiled, with a warmth he pondered, and with some through decided he liked. He liked this feeling of working with others. Companionship was nice, it was... Comforting.

[Akando Bena]

An explosion would be heard by Akando, something he didn't pay much attention to knowing fully well it came from his Master. At least he wasn't giving it much attention until Arcadus called for him, pointing at the Wendigo and the pointing towards a large building the was now missing it's doors. Through the opening Akando could see a good amount of guards readying spears for use against the intruders. Speaking at Akando, "Your treat, I'll round up the escapees." True the Hollow didn't really understand the words, however, he understood the meaning. Standing up from his spot after cleaning his claws from the blood of his previous victims, Akando starts moving towards the town hall like the predator he is.



Seeing the Hollow approaching the guards simply held their ground, pointing spears directly at Akando while he moved towards them. Suddenly they would jump in fear as Akando bolted at them, terrified of the impact and potential damage the guards prepared themselves. Most closed their eyes fully knowing if the spears didn't stop this beast then they were more likely dead men walking. The problem is they waited a good 5 seconds for the impact that never came. Unsure of what was happening they opened their eyes and looked for Akando, only to find the Hollow was gone and nowhere in sight. What happened would be the question that most would be murmuring in this instance.



What did happen? Well the answer is as simple as Akando avoided their entire blockade in a way none of the guards were prepared for. Before running himself through with the guards spears, Akando ran through a tear in the world that opened just before he made contact with the spears. Jumping upward in the same motion traveling above the weapons and heads of each and every guard that was in the town hall. What was this technique Akando used? It was just a simple Ulcera that allowed him to bypass all of the defenses the guards had up, to make matters worse for them the Wendigo was also standing directly behind them.



Thus the first would fall as Akando stands behind one of the guards in the back, they notice the danger far to late as a dribble of saliva falls onto their shoulder. Terror takes hold of them, keeping them quiet at this time while the slowly turn their head to look up. The sight they witness would have caused them to scream if Akando wasn't already engulfing their head in his jaw, a sickening crunch brought the attention of every other guard to the Hollow standing behind them, height putting him far above them with the carcass of their alley hanging from his mouth. Grabbing onto the body Akando pulls down, ripping whatever was still intact of the head from the rest of the body before letting the corpse fall to the ground. Fear was the only thing the guards felt as they watched the Wendigo physically swallow the head of their comrade.



Letting lose screams of outrage, pushing through their fear the guards move their spears to once again point at Akando. This time though the guards decide to move, pushing forward to stab at the Hollow. The attempt was adorable even if Akando couldn't appreciate it as such, In fact the food he just swallowed did nothing but leave him wanting more. Easily maneuvering around the spear tips the Hollow simply snatches one of them in his claw, tugging it violently sending the user of the weapon sliding passed him. Then Akando would slam the spear into the ground rendering it useless as the wood splinters and cracks causing the weapon shaft to become a multitude of pieces.



Still avoiding the other spears the guard tossed behind Akando had enough time to get back on his feet. Realizing his prey would try to escape, Akando flicked his left claw so that the back of the guards knee was shredded. With his ability to stand so easily taken away the guard falls promptly back to the ground, now attempting to crawl away from the monster that did this to him despite the pain he was going through. Could he make it to the back and escape before the Hollow finished him off? Time would tell and the answer came fast, the man crawled 5 feet before Akando jumped backwards and swatted his head using his left claw. Suffice it to say it was severe over kill as the man was now headless and motionless.



Sadly he couldn't enjoy the kill yet as there was still 8 more guards standing before him using pointy spears to keep him at bay. Or were they keeping him at bay. They would find out the answer to that was horrible. Akando soon dashed into the middle of the group, using his superior speed to avoid all of the weapons. While he was there he figured it was time to grab another snack to go before he took a moment of rest. Spotting his prey he moved quickly, scooping up the smallest guy of the group before moving back into the town hall where his other to snacks await. Sure it was harder avoiding weapons while carrying something so awkward, but even so the Guards still found it impossible to strike him.



Reaching where the other two bodies lie Akando figures he better deal with the flailing man he currently holds in his arms. The man would not be happy with this either, as the man flails more and more he will eventually feel the single arm holding him begin to get tighter and tighter. Fear filling the Guy's face he tries even more frantically to escape the grasp of this Wendigo. Eventually the guard feels his body begin cracking to the pressure being used on him, until he can't even breath in. With one last final scream using the last bit of air he had the rest of the guards would hear the sickening crunch as Akando uses his full force in that arm to completely crush the man.



With three snacks now within reach Akando scoops them up, watching as the other guards begin charging towards him with even more ferocity. With snacks in hand the Wendigo jumps up, using the claws on his feet and free hand to stab into the wooden frame of the ceiling. With a good distance between him and the other guards, knowing they couldn't interrupt him while he eats he starts digging in. All the guards on the ground can do is watch as this monster feasts on the corpses of their friends, knowing they couldn't do anything to stop the horrendous scene playing out before their very eyes.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Reiatsu}Remaining: 175/250
Ulcera- 75

SPOILER: Click to show

{Consumed}Class 8 Human X3

[Arcadus]

Grasping the limp corpse of the human adult in front of him, Arcadus opened another Garganta. Looking into the kitchen, Arcadus could see ANvus bleeding the first corpse of a guard. Throwing the headles body on to the cutting room floor, Arcadus smiled at his butcher, murmuring a small laugh to himself. Akando really had eaten through everything in the pantry, and this would have to be a more common occurence if that hunger of his continued. It surpassed normal hollow hunger, it was nearly zealotry with which Akando devoured anything and everything. It worried Arcadus at first, but seeing it now in a hunt, it seemed like just a quirk of Akando's being, like how ones release is tied to the nature of their soul, or how one could be seen to match up to certain colors if they were a specific temperament. 

Turning towards the ruins of the village, Arcadus could smell the blood, the screams. THey floated out on the air like a warm breeze despite the cold of night. It made his mane of gold hair stand on end, puffing up into a full mane framing his chisled face in bright moon light. The Rukongai always was sucha fertile hunting ground, and as arcadus smeared some of the blood of his fresh kill on his face, tasting the iron, wetting the drying blood on his tongue, he remembered why he was out here. To train Akando, and to feed them. Well, best to go find them. 

Picking up his pace from a clam walk to a sprint that snapped branches in its wake, Arcadus leapt into the centere of the village, to see the what Akando was up to. Seeing the Hound hanging from the ceiling of a building, feasting on a helpless mortal as thier comrades desperately tried to hold thier position, helpless to stopp the monster they were faced with, Arcadus smiled. That feeling again, Pride. It warmed him, filled him like a hot tea filling a cup. So different from that burning need to act, to produce, to create, to organize, to destroy, that plagued him, that Ambition. That desire to desire in the absence of adversity. It truly did dog him at every turn, but his new feeling, of pride, of companionship, warded against it. He was organizing, forming a servant and companion, but there was a new element to it. 

Arcadus couldn't put a name to it, a word that slipped through his hands like smoke through a net. An, pulled into his own inner world, Oren rested against the outside of his cage, seemingly having wriggled out of the rubber bars of his stone cell. "You've caught it haven't  you? That bug, of having something you brought into your home grow, or show that you made good choice." Whirling around to face Oren, Arcadus stepped out of the metal chair he found himself in, and stepped forward, drawing up to the man-at-arms. "What do you mean? Is that what this feeling is?" Gesturing to the mindscape, normally a calm grey, now awash with warm yellow and reds, like a permanent sunset streching horizon to horizon. 

"Indeed. I felt if for my hounds, and the soldiers under my command. Its more than pride, its satisfaction with the success of another. Its a very potent feeling Arcadus, and you'd do well to pursue it. It keeps any man going far past his own limits and interests." Arcadus's face twisted into a questioning glare, tilting to the side, hair rustling with the disruption. "your telling me peole gain enjoyment from other's success, even if it doesn't benefit them? I'm not sure I follow. People lenjoy things that benefit them, or those that stand to benefit them. Why would a disconnected person be a reason to feel happy?" Oren smiled, taking stepps up the side of the shallow foot holds in the side of his cell, sitting on the top of the stone cube. 

"Theres more than a few reasons to feel happy Arcadus, and a sense that other people are doing well speaks to a sense that theres a general good direction for the world. I'm not exactly the most educated on it, but theres that feeling that there's good in the world." Arcaus shook his head, "You think, that because other people are benefiting, I should be happy. Because good things happen to people I'll never meet, I should be happy. That's ridiculous. Why would that make me happy? Good in the world, what are you on about Oren, I'll be happy when good things happen to me, and not a second before. My happiness is in furthering my own position... and that of my allies."

Back on the outside, the brisk air ruffling the golden main on the towering Arrancar. He looke out at his Hound, the slavering beast choking down entire limbs of these humans. With a smirk, Arcadus strode overto the side3 of the hall. Digging his fingers into the brickwork, splinters and dust bursting from where grips formed. Planting his feet, Arcadus leaned back, Pumping his legs and biceps, with a great tearing sound ringing out in the dimming din, as the hall began to rise on one side. As his bicepts and shoulders, and soon his back, would burst out of his robe, leaving it in tatters hanging off his waist, Arcadus lifted the entirety of the hall up to his waist, sending the remaining inside forces tumbling as their very floor was taken up fron under them.


It was time to wrap this up, to call it time to head home. Pulling reiatsu into his eye, Arcadus shot a cero through the main length of the hall, searing or disintigrating a fair section of the forces, and crippling more. As the cero faded, and a clean hole was made end to end of the hall, Arcadus dropped the building, like a strong man dropping his weights at a gym, with ten times the sound. Walking over the  the front hall, Arcadus kicked one of the remaining humans in half, torso flying up, being stanched and teeth baring into the throat flesh, blood bursting and flowing down Arcadus's face. Turning to Akando, Arcadus motioned to the corpses that now littered the floor, stacked on each other. "Lets go Akando, We'll carry the rest home." 

[Akando Bena]

Akando was a happy Hollow, gulping down limbs and flesh that once belonged to the guards of this small village. Then everything started to turn on end, or more accurately get flipped onto it's side as his Master lifted one side of the building up before it fell onto it's opposite side. Thankfully his strength was great enough where this movement hardly bothered him, the guards that were on the ground below him previously on the other hand, currently found themselves tumbling until they smack against the wall that now became their ground. Finished with his other meals Akando turns his attention on those guards trying to get back to their feet. With one quick motion he dropped down next to one of them, snatching their weapon wielding arm in his jaw before hoping back upwards until the Hollow found himself yet again upside down with a screaming guard in his maw.



It would be at this point Akando would witness a bright light blast through the open door of the down hall, traveling directly through the center until it burst through the back wall. Looking back towards his other prey the Wendigo would find most of them dead, if they weren't mostly ash they had a giant hole in the center of their body. There's only one person Akando knew could pull that off in this village, his Master. Letting his saliva dribble down the arm of the still screaming guard, hunger began to fill his mind yet again and the poor soul could sense it. Letting out one final yell of fear the guard went silent, Akando's claw covered in blood as he just sliced through the neck of the man. With fresh meat in hand Akando couldn't help himself but to begin feasting on the meal.



Once that guard was gone he turned his attention back below, noticing two guards that are not only still alive but almost completely unscathed. Dropping down to the ground yet again the two guards jump back in both surprise and terror. Lifting the broken spears to give them some form of comfort, they prepare to battle for what lives they might have left. Getting side by side the two guards stare down Akando, letting out yells they lunge forward stabbing at the Hollow with the broken pointed shafts of their previous spears. Akando jumping back easily dodged the attack, this time however, the two guards continued forward using their fear to fuel their bodies.



Akando would watch as the two push themselves harder than any of the other guards, pulling back at just the right moment to keep Akando from simply charging them. These prey were actually pulling out all the tactics and tricks they could manage, using adrenaline to keep moving. They know the second one of them stops both will die, it won't be painless either as they have seen how this monster kills. After some lunges between both opposing sides, Akando was actually getting close to the wall. These two guards were actually trying to corner him, with a roar of rage the Wendigo would turn and jump onto the wall behind him before launching off of it and end up behind the guards.



The tables have now turned as Akando as just cornered the guards instead of the reverse. Hunger was driving him made, he could taste the flesh of these walking meals. He needed to feast, it was the only thing that helped ease his torment. Even if it was only momentary, at least while he was eating the hunger was lessened even if only a tad amount. Finally Akando found his opening, one of the guards was finally starting to show how tired he was. Launching himself forward he simply side steps as the other guard stabs at him in an attempt to keep Akando from the other man. Once he was within three feet of the guard Akando pushes using his hind legs with all his might sending himself surging forward, allowing his mouth to finally clamp down into the skull of the guard.



The last guard could only watch on in horror as he witnessed Akando remove parts of his friends head. Letting out a scream of anger he once again tries to stab the Hollow, but his attempt is yet again a failure. Dodging out of the way Akando lashes out with his left claw, piercing straight through the last guards chest. With one last cough and gurgle the man becomes motionless, no longer breathing. Letting the body fall to the ground Akando begins to eat, not caring to go slow as all he can think about is trying to appease his hunger. Eventually there was nothing left but that void, the hunger that never disappears and only seems to get worse.



When Akando thought he finished off the last guard he was wrong, for as he turned to look toward the door a guard tried to run out it. To the guards horror Arcadus stepped in, easily kicking the man in half. His Master then turns to face him, "Lets go Akando, We'll carry the rest home." Akando would get up understanding what his Master is intending, but he froze listening to the still many screaming souls that still remained outside. The Wendigo would look at Arcadus, lowering his head slightly and let out a little whine. He would then turn his head to stare through one of the holes that littered the building, allowing him to see outside. He didn't want to leave just yet, there was more hunting he could do. He still wants to be with his Master who he now looks up to as someone near the top of the food chain. He respects his Master, but he still wants to hunt more, needs to trying helping his hunger.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Consumed}Class 8 Human x3

[Arcadus]

Watching Akando tear into the guards sereved to only warm that warm candle flame in the darkness of his mind. It was so, entertaining? No, the word was satisfying. Or something kin to that idea. The ripping an tairing that rang out through the damp air between the two of them. As Arcadus began to open the Gargaunta, and waving Akando in, he turned to see Akando turn towards the remaining screams. Sensing that remaining desire.

Arcadus did not like being told "no". Refusal didn't sit well with him, and he was very careful to ensure it didn't happen. It was a form of defeat, a way you didn't get what you want. This, at first, felt no different. But there was something about the way Akando looked to him for permission. This was something that changed the idea in Arcadus's mind. This wasn't refusal, but a request. His power was being acknowledged, and to an extent, celebrated. His permission was what was needed for Akando to go against his will, and he could allow that. 

The Hound was still hungry, and in essence, was still not in its best shape. If Akando was going to evolve, being couped up in Los Noches was not going to grow them. Being free to roam, to kill, to feed would be. Nodding, Arcadus waved towards to the fleeing meals, nodding. Perhaps it was better to not use words for this, to better communicate with a non verbal creature, to instead communicate the way they do. Hopefully that collar would still fit when they were done, and that would keep them safe for the time being. 

Walking into his palace alone, Arcadus looked at the shredded kennel. Already it felt lonely. Gods, he was going to have to work on something serious to take his mind off of this, though, that feeling. That, compassion, it was a feeling that stuck with him. He'd have to look into that, it wasn't a feeling he'd run from. Still, Akando was just the start. If all went well, he'd be able to stack the Espada with Arrancar reared by him, and make decisions for Los Noches in that capacity. Though, there was the old man. 

Kouhai. That man terrified Arcadus, and there was more than a few reasons, mainly being the overwhelming raw power he wielded spiritually and physically. As well, Arcadus had no clue what his actually techniques and abilities were, which, given the ability behind such techniques would be overwhelming. If he was going to have to contend with Kouhai, or even just his hands, he'd have to begin aquiring equipment, not just learning techniques. 

Equipment. Kitai was already a good source of it, the Colt being a weapon Arcadus actually had some interest in aquiring. But the black market held a lot of options. Even more so if he was going to start investigating the further reaches of the criminal organizations who created and maintained these outlets, but that seemed to be a bit outside his current reach. First and foremost, he needed to work on a weapon to help him kill Kouhai, or anyone who might get in the way of his rise. 

[Kitai Yoru]

83 paragraphs, 410 TP awarded to Arcadus, 205 awarded to Akando

Akando consumed 12 class 8 humans, 720 TP awarded