Katabasis

[Lucien Dantes]

Name: [Katabasis] - The Adventure Name



Participants: [Ken'ichi Shihoin, Wycliff and one other] - Who can participate?



Location: [Insert Here] - Where does this take place?



Difficulty Level: [Hard] - Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme. How difficult is this adventure?



Setting: [NDE] Is this DE or NDE? Death Enabled or Non Death Enabled?



Plotline: [Something very strange has cropped up recently in the Ionian Sea. A disturbance in reiatsu that has been picked up by most of the major factions that govern the spiritual world. Soul Society sent a  scouting team that identified a mysterious rocky island in the middle of the Ionian Sea that was not there before. The island is small, a mere two hundred meters in diameter. There was nothing found on the island, save a cave that emitted a terrifyingly powerful reiatsu. This was mentioned their last report and Soul Society has heard nothing further from the team, as the scouts report then mentioned they would be investigating the cave, and never returned. A second team of more seasoned and experienced veterans have been sent in turn to investigate this cave, and find out what happened to the scouting team] - Explain the plot of your adventure.



Estimated Enemy Strength: Class 3-1] Estimate the strength of the NPC's people will fight in this adventure. Class 7-1, what is their strength on average?



Estimated Time Until Completion: [7 pages] - How many pages do you think this adventure will run for until it is over?



Starts: [As soon as the first person posts.] - When does the adventure begin?



Special Conditions: [Please try to maintain a high post speed. I will be pushing for no less than one post every two weeks, if two weeks have passed since the last post, I will be pushing ahead, even if the post order has not fully resolved] - Any special conditions, limitations, or other things.

[Deleted]

⊰〖• SEALED ATTRIBUTES •〗⊱ Strength 100 (40) Speed 400 (160) Reiatsu Strength 400 (400) Spiritual Pressure 250 (250) Instinct 300 (300) Senses 125 (50) Energy Sensory 25(10) Healing Expertise 0 Light Aura 55 Dark Aura 45 SP 1600 Reiatsu 6250 (2500) Modifiers +150% RS; +150% SpPr; +50% Instinct ⊰〖• SKILLS •〗⊱ Mental Analyzing Calm Mind 2 2 Battle Weapons: Sword Battle Analysis Hakuda 3 3 1 Body None - Utility Science (Physics) 3 ❀    Science: You are gifted in the sciences. A 1 indicates you have the scientific knowledge of someone with a Bachelors in Science. A 2 indicates someone with a Masters degree. A 3 indicates you have a Doctorate in Science. A 4 indicates someone whose contributions to science have earned them a Nobel Prize nomination or Laureate. As a general rule, your general scientific knowledge is 1 step lower than your specialty (i.e a 3 would be treated as a 2).

Hmm. Well isn’t that interesting. An island with strange reiatsu materializing out of nowhere. And now the advance scouts have vanished and failed to report in. Curious.

Tapping the file gently on his table to align each of its respective pages, the recently exonerated shinigami ran his left hand absent-mindedly through his lilac purple hair as he mused to himself.

Most curious indeed.

Placing the papers neatly in the center of his ordered desk, he flicked on the monitor of his portable computing device and brought up the video feed that the advance scouts made of the otherwise barren island. Adjusting his glasses, he swiftly ran the video through multiple spectrographic and radiographic filters to see if any new details would emerge when viewing the footage in infrared, ultraviolet, gamma, X-ray, and the like. Disappointed at the lack of anything obvious, Ken’ichi switched off his computer and sat back in his chair to think.

Tall and lanky, Ken’ichi stood just short of six feet in height, with a warm chocolate complexion, and an extremely eccentric and highly irregular style of dress. For a shinigami that is. Beneath his pinkish yellow lab coat and garish orange mantle, an astute observer could detect the telltale shihakusho of a shinigami. More specifically, one featuring a sleeveless Kosode typically worn by members of the Onmitsukidou. Hanging from a wide green sash whose colour clashed with the oranges and pinks of his other attire his ornate zanpakutou hung loosely. Tap, tap, tapping softly against his thigh as he bounced his foot up and down hyperactively while he thought.

Sighing abruptly, Ken’ichi leaned forward, and reached into one draw retrieving a small drawstring bag as he did. Pulling open the bag, he popped a small brightly coloured candy into his mouth and sucked on it. Pulling the string closed, he secreted the bag somewhere beneath his coat in one of his many secret pockets, secured his lieutenant badge, and left the room quietly, with nary a sound.

Not long after, a senkaimon gate opened in the sky above the strange barren island. Stepping lightly through the precipice, Ken’ichi surveyed the scene briefly from the air, noting a distinct lack of vegetation, or even the buzzing of insects before jumping gracefully to the ground to wait for his companion. He dared not approach that cave alone, despite his curiosity. Caution is pragmatism. And he knew full well what happened to King Arthur’s men when they were devoured by that white, fluffy hollow and it’s deceptively cute pink nose.

If one such beast existed, yet more still might find home in such an inhospitable terrain as this.

Note: Discovered a math error that makes the char unplayable. 20 strength. Waiting mod approval to correct. After corrections, I hope to have Str 100(40), Senses 125(50), and ES 25(10)

Update: Math error fixed. Editing to update stats

[Zeich Yajuu]

One Week Prior:

Tap… tap...

The sound echoed through the room as the end of the pen tapped against the desk, narrowly missing the edge of the folder whose contents were spread across its surface. Two pairs of golden eyes scanned the documents, though only one truly took them in. A gloved hand rested under the owner’s chin, and an expression of faint contemplation crossed the man’s face. Yet even that bare expression was muted, as though filtered time and time again to leave but the lightest of traces upon the male’s face, one whose appearance normally was masked with silent stoicism. Those who truly knew the man knew that even this slight revelation of what lay beneath the stony facade was impressive; few saw even this much emotion.

Zeich Yajuu considered the documents before him, reports that had first been delivered to Uzaki Enterprises via the usual methods, and then passed down to him. Most cases were able to be handled by lesser employees; spiritual incidents rarely required the Vizard to involve himself most days, as they involved the fodder-level Hollows that more commonly intruded upon the World of the Living rather than their fiercer brethren or worse, Arrancar. These could be handled by the eclectic mix of spiritually-active beings that Kazura had somehow brought together within his company. Thus, the few missions that passed to Zeich involved a major threat, or else a high-risk situation that the former Shinigami was best prepared to handle.

In this case, the it seemed to be the latter; an unidentified island had been spotted upon the Ionian Sea. That alone was strange; in a world that had been thoroughly explored and mapped, an unidentified mass as large as an island seemed to be impossible. That alone was curious even before reports came in about a strange Reiatsu, one that seemed fairly powerful even in the initial analysis. The two together were concerning. Was it an enemy base, conjured into being much like the Vandenreich had their icy fortresses? Was it a spiritual phenomenon, brought over from one of the other two worlds? Where, why, and by whom were all questions Zeich sought to answer, yet the reports he had been given could provide none of them.

“Perhaps we should do a little fieldwork then, hm, Master?”

Sightless golden eyes slid to the right. Despite their lack of vision, they settled on a lupine figure seated on a cushion atop a raised platform. The wolf’s muzzle was curled back in a mockery of a human grin, his own eyes alight with his usual mischief. One would think that this was some kind of unusual pet, but no, Haiiro was far more than that; he was a lifelong companion who served as an adviser, a foil, a friend, and most importantly, as Zeich’s eyes upon the world. Where the Vizard’s blind eyes were shrouded in permanent darkness, the former Zanpaktou Spirit could project the images he saw in order to provide Zeich with some semblance of sight. At the moment, the two were seeing eye to eye—in a manner of speaking.

“Perhaps.” The Vizard’s tone was quiet and level, giving nothing beyond that one word. In truth, the answer had already been determined; the two of them would go to investigate the mysterious island. There, they would determine the nature and source of the Reiatsu signal, and from there, decide if it was necessary to eliminate the latter. Of course, there was the possibility of other organizations finding it as well – Soul Society at very least, but others such as the Vandenreich and Las Noches would have the potential to discover it as well. Time would be of the essence.

“Let’s go.”

---

Present Time:

A figure stood on air ground just over the water, a fair distance away from the island, observing. Wrapped in a long, black cloak, Zeich closed his eyes and allowed Haiiro’s projections to reach him, to provide him with visuals of the scene. The wolf’s eyes captured the island, scanned its barren surface; at a glance, there was nothing of note. The cave was somewhere nearby, but the two of them were unable to see it at their range. They could both feel it, though – the level of Reiatsu flowing from the island was indeed powerful, enough that even Zeich’s poor spiritual senses could detect it with sharp clarity.

The Vizard’s golden eyes gleamed from behind his snarling lupine mask as he re-opened them, the sunlight catching them at odd angles through the openings. He certainly would stand out as a unique character with his hood and mask, but it was a necessity. Considered killed in action among the Shinigami when his Inner Hollow went rampant on the Rukongai, Zeich had secretly slipped out and found his way to the World of the Living, where he now resided. As a rule, Vizard were considered criminals of the highest order, supposedly conspiring with a Hollow in order to gain power. Never mind that it was not a voluntary partnership, nor one that Zeich would have asked for; in the eyes of Soul Society, he was a monster. Therefore he hid his identity, cloaked in shadow as he hid behind a replica of his Vizard Mask. It would not do to have a Shinigami discover him; such a revelation would bring his survival to the light, and potentially create a deadly situation for him as he was hunted down.

Master, movement.

Haiiro’s mental sending snapped Zeich out of his thoughts, focusing the Vizard on the motion he spotted. Zeich quickly scanned the mental image, and indeed, there was movement from above, a Senkaimon opening and releasing a single figure. So, the Shinigami were here already; that complicated matters. The two of them were too far out for Haiiro to make out any sharp details on the figure, preventing Zeich from identifying the individual or their rank. Though it had been a couple of years since he had left Soul Society and thus his knowledge of major players in the Gotei was potentially out of date, the Vizard figured that things hadn’t shaken up too badly; if he got closer, there was a good chance that he could identify the Shinigami.

We’re moving in.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Zeich’s Stats}Stats (Rank 3 Fractured Type):

Strength - [300] (300) Points

Speed - [400] (400) Points

Spiritual Pressure – [400 x 2] (800) Points

Reiatsu Strength – [200 x 0.5] (100) Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [200 x 1.75] (350) Points

Senses - [200] Points

Energy sensory - [100 x 0.60] (60) Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1800] points

SPOILER: Click to show

{Zeich’s Skills}Current Skills: (18 SKP)

• [Weapons - Katana] 3
  
  
• [Strength of Will] 3
  
  
• [Martial Arts - Hakuda] 3
  
  
• [Stealth] 2
  
  
• [Calm Mind] 3
  
  
• [Martial Arts - Wing Chun] 1
  
  
• [Battle Analysis] 3

SPOILER: Click to show

{Haiiro’s Stats}Haiiro's Stats (Rank 3 Fragment):

Strength - [200] (300) Points

Speed - [300] (300) Points

Spiritual Pressure – [400] (400) Points [Locked: not SP spent]

Reiatsu Strength – [50 x 0.5] (25) Points

Light Aura - [100] Points

Dark Aura - [0] Points

Instinct - [150 x 1.75] (262) Points

Senses - [150] Points

Energy sensory - [50 x 0.60] (30) Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [900] points

[Wycliff]

Wycliff still couldn’t believe it, he had assumed that upon unlocking bankai he would have been promoted to a vice captaincy but he never expected to become a captain. It felt odd to be sitting down in squad five’s captain room, a room that was now his. He was no stranger to being in offices that belong to a captain, however the feeling of being in his own was different. He knew that now a whole squad was looking at him for guidance. The idea of that made his stomach twist and turn knotting into a ball as he sat back in his chair looking over all the files that had piled up since the last captain had been active.

Each file contained a mission or a report that was deemed too important to let the masses deal with and without a vice captain and a third seat everything fell onto him. The very idea of having to deal with paperwork was vile to him, however there wasn’t anyone else for him to pass this off to. It only happened to be by chance that the first file that he came across on gave him a reason to escape the desk life that he seemed fated to be stuck in. The file had noted that there was a particular island in the middle of the Ionian Sea that had appeared and had a powerful reiatsu coming from it.

Knowing that there was an island mission to be had was all Wycliff needed to know. He didn’t even bother reading about the first search party going missing or that the next group being sent would be of higher strength and quality. All Wycliff saw was an excuse to go and rest on a brand new island in the middle of nowhere without anyone bothering him. Sure he had to deal with some random reiatsu flare, but after that it would be time to relax and avoid all the paperwork that he had. Maybe if he avoided the paperwork long enough it would just go away magically.

It only took a moment for the captain to get ready to head out. Heading towards the senkaimon he held a beach bag with an umbrella under one arm and a water cooler filled with drinks in the other. Instead of his typical shingami uniform Wycliff opted to go in a pair of blue swim trunks and a white shirt with flipflops. He did keep on his captain’s haori over everything if someone else tried to pull rank on him. Stepping out of the senkaimon his flipflops touched the hard stone island as he looked around taking in a deep breath of the fresh salt air. It was good to be in the human world.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and skills }Sealed

Strength – [100] 25Points



Speed – [400] 100 Points



Spiritual Pressure – [400] Points



Reiatsu Strength – [400] Points



Instinct – [300]Points



Senses – [150] 37 Points



Energy sensory – [50] 12 Points



Healing Expertise - [0] 0 Point




Released

Strength – [100] Points



Speed – [400] Points



Spiritual Pressure – [400]x3 =1200 Points



Reiatsu Strength – [400]x3=1200 Points



Instinct – [300]x 1.75=525Points



Senses – [150] Points



Energy sensory – [50] Points



Healing Expertise - [0] Point



❄ Mental Incantation 3

❄ Kido 3

❄ Swords 2

❄ Battle Analysis 2

❄ Battle Focus: 2

❄ Calm Mind: 2

❄ Damage Recovery 1

[Lucien Dantes]

Each of the Shinigami arriving would find the island much as the reports had described it. Little more than an innocuous massive mound of rock jutting out of the sea, the island wouldn't have looked like anything too special at a glance. Only a few hundred meters in length, even the initial report of it being two hundred meters might have been exaggerated, or at least only ballparked. Indeed, calling it an "island" was fairly generous. Something that might have been completely overlooked if not for its sole defining feature.

As the reports had indicated the only real feature of the island, was a cave, directly at the center-- a rift torn into the island's side and yawning wide to the world. It would have honestly seemed fairly innocuous at that, if a bit on the large side for what otherwise appeared to be a natural formation. The cave mouth was perhaps about six meters high and twice as wide across, with stalagmites and stalacties jutting out across its width. Visibility was fairly limited, as the sunlight could only reach so far in, but if any of the Shinigami got closer, they'd see that the cave only extended about thirty meters back at the surface level, before going into a steep drop-off, down into the darkness. There was no indication that the cave had formed anything other than naturally, though several deep pools of water would be noticable, and the cave's interior was fairly wet, unlike the island itself. Under normal circumstances, nothing especially wrong or suspicious, except for the malevolent reiatsu that seemed to surround the structure. The reiatsu was.... different. It didn't seem to be similar to a Hollow, Arrancar or Shinigami reiatsu. None of the three there would have ever experienced anything like it. It wasn't necessarily unimaginably powerful (though it certainly was strong), at least compared to any of the three there, but the feel of the reiatsu would appear completely alien to them. It felt.... ancient. Strange as it might be to describe a reiatsu as such, but this reiatsu felt downright primordial.

Given the size of the island, it would be very easy for the three arrivals to notice each other. There wasn't much ground to hide on, and with the island's miniscule size, it would take no time at all for all parties to make visual contact with one another. The reports the Shinigami had received had indeed been accurate. Although Zeich hadn't yet reached the island, with no real cover to speak of, unless Zeich intended to approach the island underwater, there would be nothing to hide him from the eyes of Ken'ichi or Wycliff. The weather would be no real shield. While it wasn't necessarily a bright and sunny day, there were no storms or fog, and while the grey skies above promised rain, none was falling yet. It would be very difficult for Zeich to hide his arrival on the cave if Ken'ichi or Wycliff were paying attention.

The group would have plenty of time to socialize if they so chose. There was no Hollow or arrancar charging out of the cave, screaming a war cry. Aside from the strange power that emanated from it, it appeared to be just a cave. They would have time to do any preliminary examinations or introductions with each other if they wished. If any of the Shinigami did decide to just leap headfirst into the cave, beyond the visible light and down the drop-off into the unknown, they'd find that it extended about forty feet straight down, before touching ground that sloped even further down into a narrow tunnel, only about three meters across, leading further into the earth, and further into absolute, pitch black darkness. 

[Deleted]

Mentally noting the arrival of Wycliff with mild curiosity, Ken'ichi continued to scan the horizon for any sign of incursion by the Vandenreich or Los Noches.

Thongs and beach bum attire huh? His Captain should be notified of how he is shirking his responsibilities on this mission. No wait, wasn't he recently promoted? I heard something about a new captain rising through the ranks.... Filing away for later. Last thing Ken'ichi wants is to reprimand a newly promoted captain, and even if he wasn't promoted - that information could be useful later if kept close to his chest.

Scanning the island and the surrounding ocean for any signs of trouble, Ken'ichi failed to notice the blinded Vizard in the distance. Sunlight glinting and refracting upon the ocean's waves more than masked his presence from Ken'ichi's suppressed sensory abilities.

Master, we should remain vigilant. I sense a great foreboding from that cave.

Suigin spoke with a soft, childlike voice that belied a keen intelligence as she reminded Ken'ichi to stay on task and not allow himself to become distracted by trivialities such as what the 5th division captain was wearing. Nodding to himself but not answering his zanpakutou directly, Ken'ichi narrowed his gaze at the cavern entrance. Deep impenetrable shadows lingered within, informing the shinigami that no source of natural or artificial light was immediately present within the entrance.

"Suigin dear. Keep on your toes with this one. Be ready for anything, this mission could get hairy before too long."

This one needs to get a better view of the cave itself in order to make a proper assessment. Wycliff has the beach, so if there is any attack from sky or sea, the din of battle or his cries of alarm would give me advance notice of trouble from that direction. Ken'ichi thinks the most pragmatic approach is to use stealth. It is settled then.

Thinking at rapid-fire pace, all of this occurred within the first 30 seconds of seeing Wycliff step through the senkaimon, and hearing the noisy thwap, thwap of his footwear upon the hard rocky shore. Nodding to himself as to his plan of action, Ken'ichi activated two of his families secret techniques and under the veil of silence and shadow they created, stepped quickly down to the cave entrance and peered within.

With these two techniques combined, it would require at least 250 Senses to hear any of Ken'ichi's movements as he approached the cave, whilst the cloak of shadows that clung to his skin would require at least 200 Senses to distinguish Ken'ichi through his blurred movements, or to detect him while hiding within an area of shadow, such as the mouth of the cave. To those with high Energy Sensory, three brief flickers of reiatsu would be felt high within the sky above the island.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techniques activated}

SAIRENTO SATSUGAI: Class 5; Cost 100 reiatsu; Duration: 10 posts.
KAGE NO KUROUKU: Class 4; Cost 150 reiatsu; Duration 7 posts.
Shunpo: Class 7; Cost 25 reiatsu.

Total Cost: 275 reiatsu.
Reiatsu Remaining: 2225 of 2500.

Peering within the cavern entrance, Ken'ichi noted that the floor of the cave was slick with pools of water, while the interior was damp, and smelled faintly of salt. With his highly analytical mind, and scientific background Ken'ichi quickly deduced that the island was most probably submerged until very recently.

Submerged perhaps? That would at least explain where a mysterious unknown island came from. The why and how is another story. This One does not recall any news of recent seismic activity that would cause such an upthrust of the ocean's mantle. Data incomplete to formulate any hard conclusions. All Ken'ichi has is suppositions and hypotheses at this point.

Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloom, Ken'ichi noted that the immediate area seemed clear of hostilities. Listening for the sounds of movement further within, Ken'ichi noted the presence of numerous stalagmites and stalagtites within the cavern entrance.

Most curious. For an island that was most likely submerged until recently, the existence of such structures indicates that the cave has contained pockets of air over geological timescales. Else such structures would not have been able to form via the dripping of water from the cavern roof. A submerged cave would not form such structures except via erosion, or calcification buildup - yet This One notes a distinct lack of corrals, barnacles, and other such growth which would also exist were it completely underwater. Without proper analysis of their composition, it would be difficult to tell which hypothesis is correct, but This One leans to the former conclusion.

Noting that the immediate cave entrance itself was approximately 30 meters in length, Ken'ichi nodded to himself and slipped quietly inside. The stifling omnipresence of the unusual, malevolent reiatsu that filled the chamber set every nerve on edge, but Ken'ichi was not willing to proceed deeper at this time. Noting the sudden dropoff at the back of the cave, Ken'ichi settled upon waiting out whatever lurked beneath.

Finding a shadowy corner near the mouth of the cave, Ken'ichi blended within the shadows, letting his kage no kurouku technique cloak him within shadow, and hopefully keep his presence from being detected. Meanwhile, Ken'ichi kept close watch on both the mouth of the cavern, and the tunnel that lurked deep within for any sign of trouble.

And waited.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Technique Posts Remaining}

SAIRENTO SATSUGAI: 9/10
KAGE NO KUROUKU: 6/7

[Zeich Yajuu]

Zeich hesitated on his approach, watching from afar through Haiiro’s sharp eyes; though he could not make out any specific details at the distance, he was able to discern that two Shinigami had arrived via Senkaimon. Two Shinigami… better had it been Hollows or Arrancar, or even Quincy; any of those, Zeich could have risked engagement with, as his identity had no bearing on them. But with Shinigami, things got more difficult; if anyone recognized the former Third Seat, it would immediately set up alerts that could potentially have him hunted down. Only anonymity and the false belief that Zeich was dead had allowed the Vizard to keep off of Soul Society’s radar. The last thing he wanted was to be constantly on the run.

The question was how to get in the cave without being noticed or, in worse case scenario, with the ability to reduce any pursuit. The former would be difficult, given the lack of cover; unlike most islands, this one lacked any sort of outcroppings or reefs, and was mostly open ground. Even though Zeich was moderately skilled at stealth, the environment did not suit him, and he’d stand out like a sore thumb to anyone’s eyes. Moving silently along the ground would be easy enough, but he had to somehow eliminate or minimize line of sight. If only they were blind, instead of him!

I’ve got an idea~ Haiiro’s mischievous tone was worrying enough, but the wolf quickly conveyed his plan to his master. Zeich frowned at the idea, but he had to admit it had the possibility of working. It just lacked any manner of sense – but that was nothing new with Haiiro.

I heard that, you know!

I know. But go ahead – I’ve got no better… wait.

Movement flickered before Zeich’s eyes as one of the two Shinigami flickered and then disappeared. A step technique, perhaps? At this distance the Vizard could only make out so much through Haiiro’s eyes. Step or stealth, perhaps; either way, all Zeich truly knew was that one of the two Shinigami had entered the cave. That was both in his favor and against it simultaneously; within the confines of the cave, his natural talents in stealth would allow him to simply disappear. At the same time, however, the location of the Shinigami who had vanished was unknown; they could be lying in wait, ready to strike should anyone approach. Of course, they could be further in the cave, as well. How could Zeich best work with this information?

Leave that to me – let me get my plan underway, then it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump for you to get into the cave, Master.

...Very well.

With his master’s approval, Haiiro started off, continuing to send images for Zeich across the distance. The wolf-like Zanpaktou spirit seemed to simply stride across the water before making his landing atop the island, his padded feet making no sound on the stone. He’d quickly make his way across the island’s surface, as it was only so large, and his silent steps would allow him to get closer to the remaining Shinigami, one who hadn’t spotted him. In fact, given the man’s low sensory skills, Haiiro could probably touch the guy before being noticed; it was one of the advantages to dealing with someone ignorant to everything around him.

Would that the Shinigami could see Haiiro’s face; the wolf’s muzzle would be curled back in a mimicry of a human grin, his tail swishing behind him quietly as he drew in close. A-one, and a-two, and… pounce! Suddenly the former spirit leaped, his large paws pressing into the Shinigami’s back, his weight bearing the man down to the ground. It was almost impossible for the Shinigami to detect him, given his senses were duller than the average human’s and Haiiro was not exactly noisy to begin with, and the likely result would have the guy face-down on the ground with the wolf planted atop his back, paws on the Shinigami’s shoulders to hold him in place. Given the difference in their strength, as well, the man would not be able to get up. Only the interference of someone else would prevent this result.

And that was where the second part of the plan would come in; odds were that the encounter between Shinigami and Zanpaktou spirit would create quite a commotion. If the other Shinigami was close to the cave entrance, he or she would be able to hear it and would likely go to investigate. In such a case, Zeich could slip in behind, using his mastery of Shunpo to slip past in but a brief second. If the other Shinigami didn’t come out, however, the Vizard would still risk such a motion, hopefully moving fast enough that he would be able to be little more than a black-cloaked blur as he shot past his potential pursuers. Worst-case scenario was that the second Shinigami was far enough in the cave that the two would encounter one another after the quick motions, but Zeich was prepared to deal with that as he needed. Right now, he needed to take advantage of the opening.

As soon as Haiiro’s little distraction began, Zeich was on the move. He had already memorized the distance between himself and the cave entrance and, thanks to being blind as long as he had, he had a good sense of distance just from movement alone. Quick steps carried him within a short distance of the island, and then he’d use a Shunpo, immediately blurring the distance and setting him only scarce feet away from the entrance. With a natural grace born of his talents in the Shinigami martial arts, he easily shifted his weight, pivoting on one foot, and used the momentum of his motions to immediately step into a second Shunpo. This would carry him straight into the cave entrance and a short distance in, where he’d land on his feet and freeze, using the darkness as a cover to match his black cloak.

At best, he had been undetected; at worst, someone would have seen a figure in black flickering into existence for a brief moment before disappearing again, vanishing from sight. And once in the cave’s depths, where darkness and shadow blinded the eyes to match Zeich’s lack of sight, he could extend his senses out, particularly those of hearing, smell, and touch; he would listen to echoes, feel the light breeze from the cave entrance, and smell the scent of dirt and dust filling the air. Now the advantage was his, even if the Shinigami came further in; he was used to working without sight, meaning he could get further ahead of them. His investigation could properly commence while they flailed around. Keeping his senses focused outwards, Zeich leapt into the drop-off, using air ground to slow his descent as needed in order to make a safe, quiet landing at the bottom.

Now for the last part. Howl, Tsukikage. Muffled by the strong Reiatsu present in the island, Zeich’s already quiet and suppressive Release would likely go unsensed. His blade, still in its sheath, would dissolve into ash, spilling onto the ground about him. Almost immediately, a portion of it would form the Vizard’s Shikai sword, albeit without the usual long, bladed chain that hung from its end. Armed once more, the former Shinigami took a moment to assess the situation around him, assuring himself of his immediate safety.

Meanwhile, topside, Haiiro was already starting to fade out, with Zeich’s Release causing him to disappear for the time being. “Sorry ‘bout that, but I just couldn’t help myself~!”

Remaining Reiatsu: 7750/8000 (-100 from Shunpo x2, -100 for Shikai, -50 for Kaijin Ken)

Shikai: 1/15

[Wycliff]

Wycliff was bent over as he was grabbing something out of his bag. He had no idea that the others had already arrived, even less that one of them was already walking into the cave and the other was about to. With his low senses he wasn’t able to pick out the fact that something was sneaking up on him, however as Haiiro crept closer to Wycliff, Wycliff felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. There was something telling him that something was wrong, he wasn’t sure what, but he had a feeling that something was about to happen.

Wycliff was just barely able to turn around in time as he was pounced by a massive blank wolf. The combined force of the wolf’s weight and strength did push Wycliff down to his back, however Wycliff didn’t care at the moment. No he was more excited that there was a large fluffy wolf ontop of him rather than the fact that it jumped him. Instantly as he hit the ground his hands went to scratch under Haiiro’s neck. “Awww who’s a good boy.” Wycliff was an animal lover and the fact that there was a giant ball of fluff was taking more precedence than the fact that the wolf had knocked him over. It was only when the wolf started to fade away into nothingness did Wycliff notice that the cave was nearby.

He let out a heavy sigh knowing that the wolf that had pounced him had more likely than not came from the cave. For him it meant that he wouldn’t be able to really relax and goof off around this pitiful island. Wycliff looked longingly towards the ocean wishing that he was at a real beach and that the sun was shining down on him. With his beachbag over his shoulder he started towards the entrance of the cave. He could see that there was a deep dark abyss that engulfed all light that entered. He took one look back at the ocean before starting his decent into the darkness.

After a few steps into the darkness he spoke outloud. "Arise god of thunder! Awake mother of storms! Unleash the lighting on the sinners!" From his finger a bolt of lighting came out however instead of it continuing forward after six inches it stopped still extended from his finger. From the bolt of lighting a bright light would shine, illuminating a bit of the cave, at least enough for him to see where he would be stepping. With at least a bit of light Wycliff started deeper towards the cave, not knowing if the light would reveal any lurking figures in the darkness.

- 25 reiatsu for  Hado #4: Byakurai
remaining reiatsu 3975/4000

[Lucien Dantes]

Besides quickly identifying the cave's previously submerged nature, Ken'ichi's preliminary investigation turned up little else. As he had observed, there was a surprising lack of any form of sea life if his hypothesis was correct. No barnacles, no seaweed. The pools of water on the cave floor were likewise empty of any common tidepool life. It seemed like there was nothing but stone and water at the mouth of the cave. Nor did anything emerge from the darkness in response to Ken'ichi. The reiatsu that swirled up from its depths did not fluctuate or respond to Ken'ichi's presence. Whatever was emanating it either did not care about Ken'ichi's presence or it did not notice him. As far as Zeich... Well. Whether or not either of the Shinigami noticed him was not up to this DM, though indeed the shadows would serve him well. Once Zeich made it past the cave mouth, there would be no natural light to expose him to either of the others.



Wycliff, of the three, was the one who chose to delve deeper. Wycliff moved past the drop-off with no incident, and with his hovering light source, he would be able to tell that the passage ran deep down, below sea level. The tunnel was sloped, and moved in a long, lazy spiral. There were plenty of stalagmites and stalactites along the ridges of the cave, some large enough to hide behind, if one was to crouch very low. And as Wycliff advanced down into the tunnel, he would begin to get a feeling like some great eye had been turned to him. There was no change in the reiatsu, just a singularly bad feeling.



The tunnel ran in a gentle downward slope. If one to straighten out the spiral, it would probably have measured about two hundred meters down into the earth. The entire length, rock formations aside, the tunnel maintained a consistent width and height of around three meters in diameter. Easily spacious enough for Wycliff and two other people to move down, side by side, though at times stalagmites would have forced them to move single-file. It was at the end of this two hundred meter stretch of tunnel, that the tunnel simply.... ended. A second drop-off, but this time, there wasn't any rock formations beyond. No back wall. Nothing. A yawning void expanded beyond Wycliff's reach, so vast, that his Byakurai could not illuminate anything further beyond him. It was impossible to tell how far the drop-off was, or how wide this chamber was. In fact, Wycliff would barely even be able to see the vague outlines of a rocky ceiling above, assuring him he was indeed, still underground. It wouldn't be the only thing he noticed either.



On a nearby stalagmite, was a very obvious scrap of a Shinigami's Shihakusho. It must have been snagged on it, by one of the initial team sent to investigate the island. Why or how it got there couldn't immediately be determined, though there were no signs of a battle taking place here. It may very well have been snagged by accident, or it could have been put there for more nefarious purposes. At any rate, it confirmed that the original team had at least made it this far. And then, from the void, came a tremendous, booming voice, that echoed with such volume and force that Zeich and Ken'ichi would hear it, even if they had chosen not to follow after Wycliff. A full two hundred meters and then some back at the cave mouth.



"WELCOME MORTALS! IT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE SO MANY HAVE COME HITHER! DO YOU MEAN TO ENTER MY DOMAIN? IF SO. SPEAK YOUR NAME AND ENTER! I SHALL WELCOME YOU AS YOUR GUIDE!" 

[Deleted]

Keeping a close watch on the mouth of the cave, Ken'ichi thought he saw a flicker of motion for a brief instant. On high alert as he was, he did not discount this as a figment of his imagination and tried his best to locate the perceived intruter. Alas, just as fast as Ken'ichi detected movement, the source of the movement vanished suspiciously. Someone was in the cave with him.

At the same time, Ken'ichi heard noises outside and a thump. Wycliff most likely, although Ken'ichi thought he heard the muffled sounds of voices echoing through the cave entrance. Who is Wycliff talking to, This One wonders?

Ken'ichi was just about to investigate the mysterious figure who entered the cave behind him. Creeping forward slowly, Ken'ichi didnt' get more than 10 feet further into the cave when Wycliff's silhouette dimmed the light of the cave. Moments later, he spoke the incantation of Byakurai and a glowing orb of reiatsu appeared on his finger providing soft illumination that cast more shadows than it illuminated.

Pausing mid-stride, Ken'ichi considered calling out to Wycliff to announce his presence but thought better of it, instead deciding to tail the captain and allow him to take point. Figuring to himself that if Wycliff was this unconcerned as to create a light source around him, he must be confident in dealing with whomever blitzed past Ken'ichi without announcing their presence. Keeping to the shadows as he was, Wycliff did not appear to notice Ken'ichi and proceeded further into the cave. Ken'ichi decided to follow him at a short distance, confident in the protective aura of his Shihoin kidou to cloak him from both vision and sound.

The tunnel sloped downward, and keeping Wycliff in sight, Ken'ichi followed after the captain just outside the range of his light source. At some point, Ken'ichi would pass by where Zeich was hiding without noticing the Vizard's presence. Zeich would not hear Ken'ichi approach however (requires 250 Senses), but with his 200 Senses, he would see Ken'ichi's blurred form dart from shadow to shadow, and stalagmite to stalagmite as he passed.

From Zeich's perspective, he might note that the shinigami was on high alert - one hand holding his sheath, and the other firmly grasping the hilt of his zanpakutou. Making out his details more clearly that this however would be incredibly difficult due to the blurred motion, and the thick cloak of darkness that clung to him, which only seemed to deepen in the shadowy gloom of the tunnel.

"Welcome Mortals!" Expecting trouble, Ken'ichi drew his zanpakutou and held it aloft before him defensively. As the unknown voice continued to speak, Ken'ichi released his zanpakutou, not wishing to walk into a potentially hostile situation unprepared. "Ooze and flow forth! Suigin Kawa!" He hoped that nobody could hear him release over the booming voice that continued to speak throughout his release command.

".....Do you mean to enter my Domain? If so, speak your name and enter! I shall welcome you as your guide!"

Ken'ichi did not trust the voice and remained silent. Walking forward cautiously, ever watchful to see what calamity might suddenly befall Wycliff, Ken'ichi lightly lightly scraped the wall and floor of the cave, creating two puddles of liquefied material which he then mentally commanded to circle around him in two diagonal hoops that extended from above each shoulder and looping below each hip. Combined it looked similar to the way electrons circle around their nucleus.

Let's see what Wycliff does....

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shikai (1/13 posts, Class 3)}

Stat Adjustments [New]: Reiatsu Strength [1000], Speed [400]
Reiatsu Cost: 300 Reiatsu [Class 3]
Reiatsu Remaining: 1925 / 2500

SPOILER: Click to show

{Active Techniques}

SAIRENTO SATSUGAI: 2/10 posts
KAGE NO KUROUKU: 2/7 posts

[Zeich Yajuu]

((OOC: A reminder for Ken’ichi – Zeich is blind! Can’t see a thing even with his 200 Senses!))

Zeich sensed rather than saw or heard as a person passed by; somehow, their steps were entirely muffled, the sound completely negated. There was no whisper of clothing rubbing against itself, no rasp of leather on the stone ground. But there were other means by which he was able to detect the other person, things that indicated a technique rather than training in stealth. For one thing, the person’s breathing wasn’t silenced in the slightest; only their physical movements were muted. This meant that, in the silence of the cave, Zeich could easily catch the sounds of echoing breath. Though it gave him little more than general direction, he could place that there were at least two others present. At least one was likely the Shinigami who had entered the cave first—the one that Zeich and Haiiro had lost track of after they had entered.

The smell of ozone, a hint of electricity crackling in the air, and the incantation for a Kido spell all indicated a Shinigami, but Zeich could not tell if that was the one who was hiding the sound of their movement or another. However, the second person in the room did nothing to mask their movements; the sound of their footwear slapping against the stone and the rustle of their clothing gave the blind Vizard a much keener awareness of their location. Slowly he pieced together the picture in his mind: two individuals, one a Shinigami who was doing nothing to hide their presence, and a second individual, potentially another Shinigami, who was attempting to be silent. The second could not be confirmed, however; by attempting to hide their passage, they could be an enemy tracking the Shinigami, or even attempting to bypass them to investigate the area first.

Would that he could determine decisively who that second person was; as it was, Zeich could not afford to strike, potentially revealing himself or risking an attack on a neutral or—technically speaking, as a Shinigami would likely attack a Vizard on sight—an allied party. No, for now, all he could do was follow that slow flow of breath and wait for some further revelation to come to light. He would also watch the Shinigami warily; the Vizard knew that there were at least two of them present, so he would have to be alert to ensure that he remained undiscovered. The most effective course was to remain patient, calm, and quiet.

WELCOME MORTALS! IT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE SO MANY HAVE COME HITHER! DO YOU MEAN TO ENTER MY DOMAIN? IF SO. SPEAK YOUR NAME AND ENTER! I SHALL WELCOME YOU AS YOUR GUIDE!

The sudden blast of sound had Zeich’s combative instincts jumping, his grip on the hilt of his Zanpaktou tightening as he prepared to draw it. His senses reached out, trying to determine a source, but the sound echoed and reverberated loudly enough that the blind Vizard had lost track of everything else temporarily. The only other thing that stood out to him was a brief spike of Reiatsu flaring—a Release of some kind, maybe? He had no talent for determining type or accurately measuring strength, only a general awareness that was weak at best—but beyond that, he could determine nothing. In the barrage of noise, it felt as though the entire world was rippling around him, leaving his senses stunned even as he strained to locate others around the noise.

Even after the words had been spoken, and things had quieted, Zeich’s ears still rang. A drawback to his excellent hearing—while others might have been able to bounce back more quickly due to less sensitivity, the Vizard was forced to take a moment to let himself recover from the sudden overstimulation. Yet this didn’t stop him from taking stock of the situation, his exceptional ability to stay calm in the face of anything working to his favor. A hand was placed on the floor, and the Sazanami technique cast; soon, a ripple of spiritual energy too faint to detect would spread up to two hundred feet in radius from the point of release, moving at a massive 4000 speed, impacting anything that crossed their threshold. Two people would show up as the rippled “bounced” off of them like sonar, but there would be little else unless there was another creature within that radius. Sazanami only worked as a spiritual radar, passing through standard physical objects and stopping at passive spiritual objects such as reishi-created buildings in Soul Society. In essence, it would highlight any spiritual beings within that two hundred foot radius, “pinging” off of them and back to Zeich to give him an accurate location on each.

What would the spell show him? Would it only show the two individuals that he knew were present? Or would there be others revealed by the use of his Kido? He’d find out momentarily…

Remaining Reiatsu: 7725/8000 (-25 for Bakudo #3: Sazanami)

Shikai: 2/15

[Wycliff]

Wycliff was having fun mindlessly walking down into the darkness with his sunglasses still on and the bit of light that was illuminated from his kido. If it was because of his abysmal senses or the fact that he continued to wear his sunglasses in the cave he hadn’t seen either of the two that had come into the cave before him. While this might have been a stealth mission, Wycliff had no concept of being stealthy, especially with the byakurai being a beacon of light, as such he started to whistle a little tune as he walked deeper into the darkness.

It was only when he saw that there was a bit of a shingami’s robe stuck on a stalagmite. His whistling stopped as his hand went over to grasp at what was there. From a quick glance he could tell that there wasn’t any blood on the scrap of clothing, so it didn’t appear to be due to a fight, or at least that’s what he could assume, still he found it odd that a shingami had allowed for their clothing to be ripped as such. It was clear that this wasn’t something that happened by accident, either way he knew that he was heading down the right path.

His intuition was correct when a booming voice spoke each word that it said assaulted his ears as it welcomed him to the cave. No wait there was something that it said, it referred to mortals, stating that there was more than just him around. If that was right, then there was a reason as to why the others didn’t bother stepping forward and approached him. Still there was one thing that Wycliff had to do, to this damn voice. “Oi ya wanna use ya inside voice" Wycliff said as he put a palm to one of his ears and started to rub it trying to get the ringing noise out from his ears .

As he waited to hear what this loud and rather rude voice would do he fired off the Byakurai he had been using as his light source into the darkness. He watched it as it continued to travel into the darkness showing him that there was nothing darkness around him. Eventually the light coming from the kido vanished into nothingness, at least showing him that there was nothing in the deep close by, which brought about it’s own issues seeing as there was something that was able to tell where he and others were, without being close by.

Wycliff wondered about the offer that this thing had given to him and to others. His movie logic told him that usually monsters don’t welcome people in by being this open, however demons on the other hand, that was an entirely different story. Demons always wanted others to either come into their domain or to enter that of the living. Yea…. This thing was a demon and there was no way in hell Wycliff was going to give it his name, names had power when it came to demons and with such a vague ass offer Wycliff wasn’t going to give up his name like that. Wycliff started to slow backup in the darkness without saying anything else waiting to see if anything else would happen. No way was he going to fall for a typical demon trap.

[Lucien Dantes]

The voice that had echoed out of the darkness fell silent for a moment or two, as it awaited their answer. The silence that followed the groups lack of answer seemed.... almost despondent. Well, aside from Wycliff's snarky answer. "Hmm. It would seem that you are incapable of bearing the voice of a thousand demons. I see, I see. How disappointing." The voice replied to Wycliff. It was still loud and booming, but nowhere near as volumous at it had previously been. "Still, it speaks ill of you to trespass on the doorstep to another's domain and fail to introduce yourselves! Those who came before you knew common courtesy!" It continued. "The feel of their psychí was not unlike yours.... The psychí of those who call themselves the Gods of Death if I remember. It has been very long time." There was the sound of an amused chuckle. 

"A laudable title for your kind, but one that I'm quite afraid is already claimed down here! Now if you would seek those who came before I bid you enter! But know that without your names, I cannot serve as your host! If you wish to invoke the guest right, you must come before me as guests after-all!" It beckoned again, and Wycliff and Ken'ichi would be able to see something in the far distance. Incredibly far down, and extended significantly out. A small purple light in the darkness. It winked in the depths like a candle flame, approximately two kilometers down from them and another kilometer out. Giving an idea of just how immense the chamber they had entered truly was. For those with the eyes to see clearly at such a distance, they would be able to see a single hooded figure standing before a purple flame, that was nearly twice the size of itself. If they lacked it, then the purple light would be the only thing they could see. This figure emanated immense power 

"There is no cause for fear just yet mortals! I swear that if you enter my domain as my guests I shall not harm you. You will be afforded that as the law of xenia dictates. If you come in search of the others, they came this way. I know where they lurk in the endless abyss. Though all of them have now crossed the Styx, it is not too late that some of them may still yet return to your world above. But they will not return alone. If you would save them from their fates, then come forward!" The voice spoke once more, and then fell silent. It had not made note of how many others it had detected, so whether it had noticed Zeich or Ken'ichi, or both of them as well as Wycliff was yet to be seen.

[Deleted]

Ken'ichi stiffled the urge to laugh at Wycliff's uncouth response to the unseen yet booming voice. Expecting the shinigami to be struck down for his insolence, or at least reprimanded severely, Ken'ichi was somewhat disappointed that nothing that would provide necessary intelligence as to their hosts identity, or more importantly - their capabilities manifested as a result.

Ken'ichi watched as Wycliff fired off his Byakurai into the darkness and noted the immense size of the cavern in which they found themselves within, and noted all too clearly the lack of any discerning features revealed by his spell. Its failure to reveal the far side of the cavern, let alone any stalactites that might hang from the ceiling was troubling, but given the size of the structure - Ken'ichi wondered whether it was naturally this large, or whether some unseen hand had carved it out for their own reasons.

After a few moments, the booming voice continued disappointed in the lack of response, seeming to completely ignore Wycliff's spell as inconsequential, and beneath its notice.

".....who call themselves the Gods of Death if I remember.....A laudable title for your kind, but one that I'm quite afraid is already claimed down here!"

Listening to the prattling voice, Ken'ichi's keen mind was quick to pick up on the subtle suggestion that someone else claimed the title of "God of Death". Filing that away for later, Ken'ichi ran through his mind all of the beings both real and imagined who have claimed that title throughout the centuries. Most polytheistic religions claimed at least one 'God of Death' and/or 'God of the Underworld'. Was the figure referring to such a being? And if so, which one? Without further information, Ken'ichi was at a loss of how best to proceed and so continued listening for any additional nuggets of information that the unseen voice may provide.

As the voice spoke, a faint glowing purple luminescence lit within the darkness. Most likely something linked to their unseen 'host', but at this distance Ken'ichi was unable to see anything more than the faint light. Keeping his limited senses peeled for the approach of the unseen intruder that Wycliff was speaking with, Ken'ichi peered into the darkness and tried to discern any details other than the faint purple hue - but to no avail.

"If you wish to invoke the guest right, you must come before me as guests after-all! There is no cause for fear just yet mortals!"

'Yet'. Ken'ichi's sharp mind was not one to miss the subtle threat in the seemingly innocuous inclusion of the word.

"I swear that if you enter my domain as my guests I shall not harm you. You will be afforded that as the law of xenia dictates. If you come in search of the others, they came this way. I know where they lurk in the endless abyss."

The law of Xenia? What is that. Our unseen host at least revealed three useful things in their rambling monologue. That they are beholden to some lawful code or other; that they know where the missing shinigami are located; and that it seems beholden to the ancient customs of safe passage. This One will not be able to glean any further information without revealing himself, and at this point - no hostile action was taken against Wycliff, and so it is probable that taking a calculated risk to reveal Oneself is prudent. Ken'ichi mused to himself at a rapidfire pace. Mere moments later, having reached his conclusion, Ken'ichi spoke.

"This One is known as Ken'ichi Shihoin. Fuku-Taichou of Squad 12 of the Gotei 13. If you are beholden to the ancient customs in which the Host guarantees safety for their guests while within their demesne, This One shall take you up on your word and hold you so bound. You speak of other 'Gods of Death' and know where they are? Know that we come in search of said individuals as they have gone missing. Know that if you are not responsible for their overdue presence, This One will not hold you responsible."

Not one to leave himself completely exposed, Ken'ichi silently activated his Ekitai-kо̄ no Kishi technique, absorbing one of the rings of liquefied metal and forming a filigree suit of gothic-style plate armor and kite shield. Highly stylized and decorated with feather motifs, Ken'ichi knew that while his armor would slow him down somewhat, the defensive properties it afforded him would protect him from the vast majority of unexpected attacks. A calculated risk he was willing to undertake given the unknown circumstances, despite the loss of speed. So as not to tip off his 'host' or the unseen 'other' that Ken'ichi saw enter the cave before Wycliff, Ken'ichi simultaneously activated a different version of Sairento Satsugai in order to silence the reiatsu flare of his zanpakutou technique, making anyone with less than 300 Energy Sensory unable to detect its use.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techniques Activated}
Ekitai-kо̄ no Kishi: Cost 100; Speed -25%; Step Techniques -3x
Sairento Satsugai: Class 4; Cost 150; Reiatsu Silencer for above technique.

Total Cost: 250 Reiatsu
Reiatsu Remaining: 1975 of 2500

Ken'ichi made certain to stand far enough back from Wycliff so as not to startle him with his abrupt announcement, before stepping forward and tested the abyss before him to see whether Air Ground was present. If so, Ken'ichi would step out into the abyss still within the cloak of his Shihoin techniques, and would lightly begin descending as if walking down an incline, or stairway. If no Air Ground existed within this unfamiliar space, he would instead lightly touch Wycliff to announce his presence, and then stand beside him to the left awaiting for their unseen host's inevitable response.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Shikai (2/13 posts, Class 3)}

Stat Adjustments [New]: Speed -25% [300]
Stat Adjustments [Total]: Reiatsu Strength [1000], Speed [300]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Active Techniques}

Sairento Satsugai: 3/10 posts
Kage no Kurо̄uku: 3/7 posts
Ekitai-kо̄ no Kishi

[Zeich Yajuu]

Zeich continued to stay silent in the darkness, wrapped in the shroud of his Zanpaktou. The ash did not rest on his skin and thus did not provide him with absolute spiritual invisibility, but it still served to mute the spiritual energy that he gave off. Only someone knowing to look for him or possessing extremely sensitive spiritual senses would be able to spot him without some effort, especially given that he did not lack in stealth capabilities either. From his position, he could observe—through his hearing mostly—the situation before him, and slowly but surely build up to determining what his next action would be. He had several questions that needed to be answered before he was sure.

The first was obvious: the identity of the mystery figure in the room. One of the two was a Shinigami, and—judging by his response—one who had little respect for authority. The man’s reply to the owner of that powerful, booming voice had been flat and dismissive, a response given by one who followed no law but his own. The Shinigami was either extremely powerful, confident in his ability to defend himself, or he was an idiot, and Zeich leaned towards the latter. But the other person in the room was still a mystery—who were they, or more importantly, what were they? Their identity would be key in determining whether or not Zeich made a move, and the Vizard was not willing to risk his revelation until he was sure of the other.

The second question was the nature of this cave, and the identity of the one who had spoken. The sheer volume had been nearly deafening to one of Zeich’s heightened senses, and his ears still rang even after the decrease in volume—for a moment, the former Shinigami was thankful for the other’s dismissive words. Several points were clarified, however: other Shinigami had been here, and they were potentially still inside; the voice claimed to possess the title or mantle of “God of Death”; and it offered safe passage for those who announced themselves. To Zeich, the whole thing had the feel of a lure, bait for a trap whose jaws were waiting to snap shut. The Vizard was not one to trust blindly, and as there was no way to determine the validity of the voice’s words, it was best not to step forward and risk the snare.

Fortunately, the first question was answered as the other individual chose to follow the instructions, raising his voice to be heard. Given the voice was definitively different from the Shinigami’s, this had to be the second person, the one who had attempted to sneak through. Zeich listened, and as he did so, more pieces came together. The other individual was, indeed, a Shinigami as well—likely the two of them were a team sent together to investigate the area. And, given the announcement by the voice that there were other Shinigami here, the two of them had likely been sent to recover or at least learn the fates of another team. The situation was only being taken somewhat seriously, however; while the second individual announced themselves as a Vice Captain, Ken’ichi Shihoin of Squad 12, any truly concerning situation would have had to have been met with the dispatch of at least one Captain. No, while the mission was of a slightly elevated priority, enough to send a Vice Captain, it was still not given the seriousness of a major threat.

Still, Zeich mused, he knew very little of this Vice Captain. Despite having spent much time in the Internal Affairs division of the Gotei and having access to information on many of the higher ranks, the former Shinigami had only seen the Shihoin’s name in passing. Oh sure, the man had earned some recognition for his work as he advanced up the ranks, and no Vice Captain was without their merits or achievements in doing so, but he had done nothing to earn full research into his history and actions. Zeich could only guess at the man’s talents or abilities; he imagined that Ken’ichi likely possessed some skill in the field of stealth, as most Shihoin tended to do, though it seemed the man did so through technique rather than actual arts. It would certainly explain the ability used to mask his movements. Squad 12 marked him as a researcher as well, an unusual spot for a Shihoin—most tended to gravitate towards Squad 2. A researcher or a scientist, and a master of stealth; was he here on a more furtive mission, to gather data beyond simply searching for the missing Shinigami he mentioned? There was still a lot to guess at.

The Vizard considered his options, weighing them carefully. He already knew he would not attack the two Shinigami; not only did he have no particular onus against his former comrades, but their mission seemed innocuous enough. But he wasn’t sure he should approach them either, especially not a researcher who might be able to see through Zeich and put the former Shinigami at risk. The last thing the Vizard wanted was that anyone could risk learning of his presence, or discover his identity as a missing Shinigami. No, for now it would be best to keep to the shadows, to watch and wait, to follow at a distance. He could still perform his own mission, discovering the source of the spiritual energy from within and exploring the cave, without risking contact with any other groups. Yes, it would be wise to stay back.

That, however, made entrance problematical. Zeich had two choices: he could sneak his way in and hope he wasn’t detected by whoever had been speaking at them, or he could announce himself. The results would also depend on the validity of the voice’s words; if it was truly safe to announce oneself and avoid harm as a “guest,” then a more direct approach would be better. However, Zeich still refused to believe that it wasn’t some sort of trap, the same type that had brought the other Shinigami into this cave. Sneaking in would be the better bet, but it would come with the risk of being attacked should he be discovered regardless of the voice’s honesty. Both paths had their own risk, but which would he choose?

I am inclined towards an open announcement. Haiiro spoke suddenly, the wolf’s words echoing in Zeich’s mind. Far from wanting to spring a trap, I feel that the speaker would not have to announce themselves, and could have instead let us stumble our way in until they were able to close the trap themselves. Giving it away seems too obvious.

A second voice spoke counter to the first, this one possessed of a deep growl that only echoed the sense of bloodlust and hatred behind it. Tsukikage, the Hollow that dwelled within Zeich’s soul, was ever eager to fight. Ah, the mutt is as idealistic and trusting as ever... Disdain towards Haiiro flowed through each word. I doubt there’s any reason to trust this foe; you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Go in with the intent to spill blood, regardless of choice, or you will be the one slain.

Ah yes, I was wondering when the bloodthirsty beast would show up... Anger surged through Haiiro’s words, but the former Zanpaktou spirit was able to keep a lid on it. But I suppose I’m not surprised at your answer—all you do is destroy.

A flicker of arrogant smugness tinted the Hollow’s response. I’m merely trying to protect your ‘Master’, mutt. Remember, if he dies, we both die. If the answer to our survival is the destruction of every possible threat around us, who are you to argue?

Sharp sarcasm cracked like lightning. Ah, forgive me, I had no idea you’d managed to evolve into a sense of altruism—

Enough, both of you. Zeich cut off their argument before it could go too far, considering both options. Both had valid points; exposure of a trap was a fool’s gamble, but at the same time, the possibility of a double bluff existed. Thus, Zeich chose to make a compromise between the two views: once the two Shinigami had descended into the darkness and had gone far enough away, the Vizard would approach and make himself known. He would go in with a sense of caution, ready to fight the moment anything triggered his constant weariness. From there, Zeich would follow the other two from a distance, and use their actions to further his own investigation. It was the safest bet he had, in his opinion.

For now, he would wait, and see what the other two did…

Shikai: 2/15