The continuance of a tradition [semi-open, PM for entrance]

[Thorns]

The forest of souls, some people called it. It was the home to an old abandoned monastery, burned down many centuries ago. They say the priests were killed by bandits who were looking for several strong items of supernatural abilities, that they were planning on using for their own gain. With such a dark history, was it any wonder that these parts were greatly avoided by humans. Or at least, non-fullbringers. Those who knew about hollows and soul reapers occasionally came to these woods, hoping to find the entrance to the undercrypt of the paladins, wherein contained many fabled items, even once containing the Spear of Longius until it's rightful master came to pick it up. However, they were the only ones who were willing to come, even the animals didn't like going there. So, imagine the surprise, when a garganta appeared in the sky above the monastery, and out stepped what looked like a priest. The only difference was his massively long black hair that covered over half of his face. This was the true son of the monastery, come home once again, the return of Maboroshi Ibara.

He had left Hueco Mundo suddenly, or really the moment that Ellena and Maeter had fallen asleep. He had a feeling that if they knew where he was going they would try to talk him out of it or at least to go with him. Although Ellena had only lived through four of his pilgrimages, she too had seen the effect it had on him. This wasn't just the place he was raised, it was the place where he became the arrancar of Lost Innocence, the place where he had been murdered. This was his graveyard. It meant a lot to him to come here every twenty years, he had to see that it was still safe from greedy hands. As such, he had left little more than a notice next to Maeter's bed and a small kiss on Ellena's cheek as she slept

"Dear Mistress,

I am sorry, by the time you read this I'll be gone. I'll be back within 10 days, but the time has come once more. The last time was in 1992, and this year marks the 20th anniversary. Please don't punish Ellena for not making you aware that I would be leaving again, she was as much in the dark as you were before this letter. If you must punish someone, punish me. I'll be back in 10 days time, and then you can punish me all you want. I am your servant, I will do whatever you tell me, so please wait until then.

Yours,
Maboroshi.
P.S. Tell Ellena I'm sorry."

Hiku was laying back in his head, aware what this place meant to his partner. He knew he would feel the same if he was in his shoes, and maybe one day he'd find out where his place was. But for now, all they could do was camp out for the next 10 days and hope that they didn't actually have to interfere with anyone.

[Joachim Armster]

"The forest of souls... what a laughable title."

It was not certain from where the voice had come; it was surely beneath the new arrival from the gargantua, deep below in some hallway or corridor of the ruinous, half-overgrown remnant of the past. The sharp pang of shattered glass was heard as a partly dismembered body was flung out from one of the ancient windows, whirling in it's steady fall like a ragdoll launched out of a catapult. Arms and legs were missing... and so was the head. It was the ruined body of a woman. What was left was clad in torn rags. Although the corpse was engulfed in lacerations, there was the curious absence of any blood in the cold husk of a body. Windows continued to shatter, with fresh bodies flying out of them, not a single corpse without terrifying injuries, and very little blood to shed on that dry floor of forgotten stones and the parched, dusty yellow grass. Joachim's victims, no doubt, all of which were female...

But out of all the seventeen corpses, one was living - just one. A pretty, blonde haired maiden, with crystalline blue eyes and a gorgeous face. She was well endowed to say the least, as her prominent rag-clad chest rose and fell with her rampant breathing, almost causing a bounce-like motion. She was scraping, clawing at the ground... her right leg was missing, torn away, obviously from the vampire's relentless, ravishing feedings upon her. The other was cut, obviously by something very sharp, and unusable without more pain and difficulty than what she could stand. She was bruised and beaten, bite marks all over her, especially around her chest, neck, and arms, with marks going neatly down her half-exposed stomach beyond view, presumably down lower. She had such a look of fear in her eyes...

From the shattered hole in the wall she'd been flung from, a long, deadly white arm lurched forth, clasping above and clutching the rotting bricks of the ancient walls above. Pulling his body like a hook, he appeared, the monster which had stained this place in blood and adorned it with corpses. And yet, a monster did not appear, as the hand pulled his body forward and he soared across the courtyard of the monastery with a graceful flip in the air. A long, regal embroided coat of old sorts clung to him, falling low to his ankles, which were clad in the finest boots of black leather and sterling silver. Their ebony soles slowly touched the ground, his fall slowed by some supernatural force as he steadily lowered. Slowly, step after flawless step, the mysterious entity approached her; skin as pale as night, and chilling grey eyes, looking upon her wounded body with a feral yet conscious stare. Three towering blades emerged from the hole, clad in purple fire, following their master; he was going to kill her.

[Thorns]

Maboroshi stood in the forest, looking up at the monastery, raising an eyebrow.
"They rebuilt it!" he said to himself, somewhere between surprise and annoyance. Humans had no respect for sacred spots like this, it should have been little more than rubble. Hiku, however, didn't see the problem
"But, Oshi, surely this is good, right? They're showing the building as it should be."
"SHOULD BE???? THIS IS A TRAVESTY AGAINST GOD. THE ARCHITECTURE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RUIN OF THE ACTUAL SACRED CATHEDRAL?" He yelled, clearly pissed off. It was rare to see him so annoyed, and there were only a few things that could set him this way. 1) someone hurting or threatening either Ellena or his mistress 2) hurting innocents. or 3) insulting his history. This was a direct blow against number 3, and he had an urge to burn it to the ground again. However, his thoughts were turned away from rage for a second to a sudden drop in spiritual pressure. He hadn't noticed it before, but there had been a small number of people in the forest apart from him, and now there was only 2.

He sonidoed, stopping just out of sight of the people who were fighting. A blonde haired girl who was wearing little more than rags. Oshi stayed cold, if they were there then they were affiliated with this abomination, and that meant they weren't even human to him anymore. They were scum, and whatever was killing them was doing a good job. After all, you wouldn't apologize for crushing a beetle under your boot, right? However, a white haired man came out and fumed over her, as if about to attack her again. He was about to step out, but then he saw three towering blades emerging clad in purple fire. Great, he knew he could sense spiritual pressure. He waited for a second, trying to sense what species it was. A bount? Well, those were rare.

As he approached the man, he looked at the girl who was about to be prayed upon
"Help.....me....." she croaked, to which Oshi smiled and raised his middle finger, a ball of purple light glowing around it. A bala.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. May you find peace in the embrace of god." he said, his voice sad and obviously perturbed as he fired it, ripping through the girl's head and blowing it clean off.
"Shame..... she was quite a looker."
"Shut up, Hiku, she was just going to suffer more."

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