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Noziel Aran
 THE ARRANCAR APPLICATION Name: Heikō (The united name of Lamb and Wolf) Age: ?? (in terms of body shape and size, between 20-30) True Age: 973 Sex: Both, Lamb is Female and Wolf is Male. Personality: Heiko is made of two hollows, Wolf and Lamb. The two coexist in a perfect balance that only survives due to the symbiosis they create within each other. Due to personality traits that cover for the weaknesses of the other, and work well together, they have been in perfect harmony where other Hollows have deemed them failures. The aspect of light, Lamb, is a gentle soul, one who sees life for what it is. To her, life is finite, sort, and though it cycles, sees that every cycle ends. To those that welcome the end of the cycle in peace, Lamb regards most fondly, striking them down with minimal effort. In the sense that she sees life as temporary, she has no qualms about cutting someone's time short. Her nature is that of one who still holds onto hope, exists for peace, and solace. Though quiet, she does find that speaking up now and then is just what is needed. Due to the hostility of the world of Hollows. She must survive somehow, even if she is not able to fight with raw power. When she was alive, her hope did not exist, though she wished for it often. In death, what kept her soul from moving on was a desire to see humankind change. Solitude, Fear, Release. Yearning, Hope, Despair. These emotions are what made her a hollow, and kept her from reaching the proper destination, the Soul Society. She's aware of this as she is aware of the cycle of life and death, and yet she seems not to regret her new life. She is given the opportunity to release others from broken lives and does so with a soft passion. To be a hollow, away from her pitiful life as a human is all she craves, but is not suitable to living among the others who only spit and gnash teeth at her. Though Lamb does not often become violent, she is quite the combatant. She looks for the simplest means to putting her target down, and stops them as effortlessly as is possible. With her bow in hand, her aim is true, and patience, unmatched. Though she lacks such raw power, her combat prowess lies in targeting the most vulnerable spot and hitting it, usually waiting until the target has taken in a breath. Lamb's end goal is to put the agony of her rival to rest, setting them to be simply ended, nothing more. One is peaceful to the acceptance of death. Wolf on the other hand, is a devious beast wrought with shadows. He chases those who try to run from the end of the cycle of death and bring them to their ends, willing or not. His will is brutal, swift, and knows no limits. Though it could easily be said that he behaves much like wolves of the human world, his appetite is far more ravenous. He hungers constantly for the souls of the shrewd and sly, constantly tracking their fear. He indulges in the consumption of Hollows because they smell of condensed fears. In life, he was pressured constantly to do well, to be the pride of the family, and it was an image he could not live up to. As a a result, the stress led him to his end, where his soul prickled with unbridled anger, that he could not contain. He lost his chance to dream, and instead, rage gave way. Hunger, Ferocity, Relentlessness. Dreams, Regrets, Madness. The appetite of the Wolf can never be sated, and his will to bring others to a painful end is terrifying to those that do not know him. With his claws and teeth he will tear through flesh and bone alike to sate his desire for revenge. No scream for help nor tears of plea will cause him to back down. A boy once wrought with forgotten dreams, he has come to this, the hole in his heart. He now dreads the old life he had, never wishing to go back, even as a soul, embracing the madness that drives his desire to hunt and kill. In combat, the half known as Wolf indulges heavily in the sensation of tearing through the body of his prey. No sweeter sound there is to the ears of this spirit than screams of terrors and begging for mercy. For then, it is too late to call for help. The violent joy that is the hunt to continue the cycle of death almost causes Wolf to drool, knowing that others have no idea of the pain his heart once knew, and yet cried as if they did. Yes. He made sure they did. After meeting and permanently becoming one, they took the name Heikō. Simply put, they each craved certain things as both humans and hollows, and each half filled the others needs. To Lamb, Wolf was the vicious bodyguard, and to Wolf, Lamb was the kind storyteller who would help him be fed. Though Lamb had once eaten for her own sake, now she needed to hunger no longer, and to Wolf who could never eat enough, Lamb could collect plenty of victims to sate the beast's appetite. Though Lamb likes those who hunger for something more, she fears those that hunger for power. Greed is acceptable, but corruption is not. Likewise, Wolf appreciates those who weave delicate works of art, but fears those who dazzle and flash for attention's sake. The appreciation of truth, unity, love, hopes, and dreams bring them together, while they both wish to take the lives of those who would dare snuff any of these out. To share this with others that care about this sort of thing, Heikou's Aspect of Death is Nihilism, and as such, reflects the combined attitudes of both Wolf and Lamb. Both reflecting the futility of running from death, as well as the eventual acceptance and submission to death. Likes: - Lamb likes to bring peace to those who suffer, and as a result, will listen earnestly to the stories of travelers. - Wolf likes to chase after souls, particularly those that have darkness in their hearts and fear it. Embrace it, the wolf says, or let him carve it from your chest. - Lamb likes to explore lands that have not yet been explored, and also to drift through trees and lakes. The natural beauty of the land is what catches her eye, and she will protect this too. - Wolf likes to enjoy the creations of humankind, even if some of them are abominable. The carnage and lust adds something unique to the arts, even if it is frowned upon. Fears: - Lamb fears that man will become too arrogant in the struggle for power, and as such, has no reservations to snuff the lives of the arrogant and proud. - Wolf sees the eyes of the manipulative and fears them, knowing how much damage they can cause to the heart. Those who would try to change others deserve no mercy. - Both fear to be alone. Because of this, it is a good thing that they are together, and inseparable at that. Hollow Form prior to becoming Arrancar: Adjuchas CHARACTER APPEARANCE Height: 6'2" / 7'1" Weight: 155 / 335 lbs Physical Traits:  As Heikō is the balance of two symbiotic Hollows, the appearance alternates between Lamb and Wolf. Each aspect of Heikō wears the mask of the other, linking the two together indefinitely. Though Lamb is generally the preferred in casual situations, both have been known to come out in combat, and either can appear in a spirit form, as seen above, though spirit form cannot harm anyone. Their hollow hole is in the shape of a heart (the shape, not the organ), and exists at the top portion of their chest in either form. This also happens to be home to their zanpakuto. The masks that they wear are now bone pieces, in the shape of a warrior's crown, though they still wear the bone pieces of the other half. Lamb appears as a humanoid figure, a soft, woolen body with a feminine, hourglass figure. Her hole has long closed and as such, appears rather serene and beautiful for a hollow. Her name is apt, considering that she has a short tail, fluffy legs, torso and head reminiscent of a young sheep. Her mask is a reflection of the wolf, a dark purple with a blue moon emblazoned between the eyes. Where her friend's mask once sat, the blue moon remains. When Wolf is in control, his form is more bestial than that of lamb. While still retaining the ability to walk on hind legs if necessary, he prefers to walk and run on all fours. The wolf has a much thicker build than that of the lamb, and as a result, is much stronger in terms of raw power. Always grinning, the wolf constantly pants, searching for more prey. He does have access to things such as Cero. Where he used to wear Lamb's mask, when they agreed to rip the masks off, the silver moon that was on the mask still stays emblazong on his skin, between the eyes. THE COMBAT INFORMATION General Fighting Style: The fighting style changes greatly depending on which half is in control. Lamb's combat style is elegant and precise, putting a minor emphasis on speed. Her arrows fly to their mark often. However, she isn't as strong as Wolf. Her attacks focus on hitting their mark, and hitting them cleanly. She can fight hand to hand if she needs to, but there's not much of a point. Her strength with Hollow spells is more closely tied to Sonido and Regeneration. Wolf on the other hand, is excellent with hand to hand combat. His brute strength and stamina exist in such a way to last far beyond the normal for a standard Adjuchas made Arrancar. However he doesn't seem to be that fast, and he can't regenerate like Lamb can. He mostly prefers to claw and gnash away at his prey, overpowering them. While both are capable of Cero and Sonido, Wolf is better at the damaging Hollow spells. Together, they form a Unified Dual Arrancar that uses each other's strengths to cover the other's weaknesses, and while this does not prevent them getting outmatched, it does help them stay together. Their unified abilities are what make them a good team. Strengths: Lamb: Reiryoku, Regeneration, Speed Wolf: Power, Stamina, Durability Shared: Perquisa Weaknesses: Lamb: Durability, Stamina, Power Wolf: Speed, Regeneration, Reiryoku Shared: Hierro ZANPAKUTO & CERO Sealed Appearance: (Lamb) 2 inches wide, 6 feet long. (ignore the person in the background, I'm being serious, it's the sword.)  Sealed Appearance: (Wolf)  Zanpakuto Name: Aonachd Zanpakuto Call Out: "We are now one." Cero: Lamb can use Bala, Cero, has Rapid Regeneration, and Sonido. Wolf has Bala, Gran Rey Cero, and Sonido. Personal Ability: Out in Plain Sight If they both sense no danger, they can choose to allow one or the other to appear outside in image form only. While only one body can exist at a time, they still enjoy each other's company. In any form of combat, they can use their zanpakuto to draw Reishi from the surrounding area, and/or summon reiryoku from within to form bolts of power, weapon augments, and the like. The limit is a weak cero's worth of energy per post. In any form, be it Sealed, Resurrección, or Segunda Etapa, If at any point, Heikō takes a lethal blow, or lethal damage that would not be immediately repaired by regeneration, bone fragments will fill the wound(s), and control will be passed over to the half that has not taken lethal damage, essentially putting the damaged half in stasis. During this state, halves cannot be swapped, and must fight to buy time to heal. You must incur lethal damage to both halves to kill Heikō. Duration of stasis for Wolf: 5 posts Duration of stasis for Lamb: 6 posts RESURRECTION Appearance: Because Heikō is unified and has access to Soul morphing, the appearance depends on which one is currently in control. Since they are Lamb and Wolf, unified, control is decided mutually and is purely situational. Lamb in Resurrección appears as though Wolf's mask and bone fragments have become shoulder, knee, and spine guards, in addition to the face guard. Likewise, Wolf in Resurrección appears to have Lamb's white bone fragments as a face guard, chestplates, bracers and a much bulkier spine guard. Lamb Abilities: Diversion Projection: Lamb can spawn any energy based projectiles at any trajectory, in any point in space, though if no Reishi is used, it will tax her energy more as the distance increases. This includes any ability that she has access to, such as Bala and Cero, as well as small bolts of energy ranging between the two powers. Max range: 3 meters. Light Projection: Lamb can swing her zanpakuto to generate slices composed of Reiryoku, white in hue, at Cero speeds. Damage varies mildly. Limit two per post. (35-50 power) Wolf Abilities: Dark Thorns: Wolf can use reishi at the edges of his zanpakuto to help it pierce through defenses. This effectively nullifies average hierro and cracks strong hierro after several blows. This can also deal with barriers and other defenses in a similar manner. Reeling Cleave: Wolf leaves traces of energy behind when he makes contact with his zanpakuto, this does minor damage, but only to the effect of leeching small amounts of stamina and reiryoku out of the target. Shared Ability - Sanctuary of Reprieve In either form, Heikō can create a 5 meter wide circle that cannot be broken. The area is unmovable, but can be escaped with no issue. On this circle, nothing can die or take lethal damage, and will be healed at the end of the duration. Healing done to all parties within the circle is equivalent to two posts worth of Rapid Regeneration. This regen bonus applies to only the half out at the time of the casting. Switching cannot happen during this ability. Duration: 4 posts, available only once per thread. Note: This is available in any release, and is meant as a purely stalling ability. If able, targets can be pushed or pulled in or out of the circle. No healing is done aside from what would normally be done until the end of the duration. Boosts: x3 to all SEGUNDA ETAPA Appearance: At this point, the bone fragments form an elegant, angel-like armor for both Lamb and Wolf, and they are covered from shoulder to ankle in a slender, curved and smooth-shaped set of solid hollow bone. Lamb Abilities: Frozen Assault: Any of Lamb's non-Hollow bolts now become solid, and can impact and be stuck into surfaces and objects as if they were regular projectiles. They still appear white and radiate with energy, but can also be picked up and launched by other players as well. They will primarily take the shape of needles or crescents. The difference is that Lamb can now lift up these objects as if they were an extension of herself, and if necessary, discharge the energy stored within them into a straight line beginning from the impact point of the object. The radius of damage dispersion is 2 inches. This means that if an object like this contacts a target, damage dealt can cause heavy internal damage, but may not, depending on damage mitigation. Collapsing Fervor: Sheathing her Zanpakuto into the earth, Lamb discharges six Pillars of Light into the air around her, which can either be solidified, or redirected to be fired at the equivalent strength of a Hadou 60 each. If thrown, they will shrink from the original 2 meter diameter to a slender ivory spear. Cooldown: 4 posts Wolf Abilities: Shattering Implosion: Wolf temporarily absorbs his zanpakuto into his limb of choice, causing the next strike made by that limb implode into the target, dealing collateral damage equivalent to a Hadou 90, albeit a tad more dispersed and mitigated. Cooldown: 5 posts Ravaging Claws: Wolf temporariy absorbs his zanpakuto, carving into his target with his claws. The resulting effect lacerates the target with deep wounds, ignoring anything below 2x Hierro and carving through most types barriers and armor. (below 80 level) Cooldown: 4 posts Boosts: x4 to all BACK-DROP Background: There once was a girl by the name of Selena, who lived in the lands of magic and old nature. This was the least to say, Scotland, in the 1200s. No one's sure of the date of the noble Selena's death, but it is said that she was not the only one that died for her land. More about that later. To say the least, Selena was a Gaelic noble, one who was set to lead Scotland to a more peaceful age. She was extraordinarily beautiful, with her silken curls of silver. Many referred to her as the Lamb of the Lands, referring to the lusciousness of her flowing silver curls, and her peaceful and calm nature. This in and of her evident innocence. While she grew up as a noble, she wished for something more. While she knew her fate, she wanted to have the freedom to be what she wanted, a traveler, and nothing more. She would paint scenes of lands she only dreamed of, read about, but to know that she would never see them. At least, so she thought. The worst part of becoming Empress of a nation headed for peace was the fact that peace was a lie. Selena knew this all too well, and yet tried her greatest to make it so. The first attack that disrupted this peace was of Nordic origin, a man by the name of Verrick. He had been groomed for royalty and nobility as well, much like young Selena. The difference is that he embraced the power, hoping to crush lands of other places beneath his feet and expand the Nordic empire as far as his reach could spread. Instead of wishing for something else, Verrick chose to take his role as a noble, and go farther than others before him. Blood would be spilled from hillside to hillside, sea to sea, all in the pursuit of rule and territory. Verrick himself was a muscular man, with aged skin, calloused by years of fighting and labor. His hair was short, black, and tousled. His eyes were a deep blue, unflinching, and cold, from years of killing. Eventually, Selena would be prompted to prepare a military force, several attacks on the outlying villages, and one failed attack on the central city. Town guards were no longer enough as the forces assailing the landscape were increasing in size. In assembling squadrons of Templars and Knights, she asked the Captain of the Royal Guard to teach her how to fight. She hated the idea, but felt it necessary in the case that it would help her to lead her people to freedom. And so it was that she learned the way of the sword. Her sword did not have a name at first, but as time went on, she referred to it as "Aonachd" or the Gaelic word for 'unity'. As she became proficient with her swordsmanship, and it drew blood time and time again, the military force she had built up began to flourish. In addition to being taught the way of the sword, she had also taken up archery, and once Selena became proficient in that too, she began to dabble in both bow and sword in heated combat. Unlike others, she was agile, and knew the lands well enough to bound from tree to tree and surprise attacking forces with small ambushes that were enough to drive them back. It was about this time that Verrick, the King of Nords took notice that his forces were coming back with more dead, missing, and progressively fewer completed missions. He was no longer happy with this. He berated his closest advisors, and the subjugated military beneath them. He could not let the invasions end until he controlled the entire countryside. After several more losses, he grew tired of letting others fight for him, and soon he was out in the field, leading the charge himself. As Verrick fought in his own battles, he quickly become known as the Blood Wolf. The way he tore through enemy forces was clearly a measure of his unrelenting bloodlust, and his desire for more power and control. As a result of his ability to slaughter small armies easily quickly allowed him to push through his fights and push to the central capital of Scotland. It soon became clear that this was about as far as they could clear, because at this point, Selena and her forces were holding the walls of the city with bows and spears. There was nothing the Nordic forces could muster to deal with them appropriately. Evenly matched for the next year, it became clear that it would need a manner of settlement. In the middle of one night, Selena sent her forces out, scouts first, to find out if there was a Nord camp nearby, and sure enough, several meters out, hidden in an alcove beneath a waterfall, there was one. With this information, she ordered three-quarters of her army to clear the cave. While there was a successful attack, and roughly half the enemy forces were slaughtered, Verrick himself was there, and sliced through the remaining forces when he realized how large a force was sent to attack. None survived. After a week, of not a single soldier or scout coming, the last of Selena's support, both military and civilian alike left her royal court. The city hated her for the massive loss of life, and her court was forced to support her people, not the nobility of the one who would have given her life to save them. To her, it was enough. She chose to take her bow and Aonachd to the alcove, which would later be known as Blood Gulch. Standing in the alcove's entrance, she called into the cavern, "Nords! Whoever it is that leads you, I demand that he step forward, so that I may speak with him." She spoke with a melancholy, feeling the weight of all her soldiers that died under her watch, grieving, but also with a power and force so unlike her. Because of her strength of will, the soldiers before her parted. She saw not just the fallen of both sides, still present, but the blood spilled around, and sitting on a rock formation as though it were a temporary throne, the Nordic King, Verrick. "And just who demands that I speak? You sound of Gaelic origin, yet why is such a beautiful girl here in such armaments?" He sounded hungry, perhaps for more than power, but for flesh as well now. He seemed to be looking over her, wondering how long it would be before he got what he wanted. The girl simply responded, "I have a request for ye on behalf of my people. I am Empress Selena, of the land of Scotland. I come not to surrender, but not to be slaughtered either. My proposition is that ye come up to the hillside as we, and we alone. We shall fight to the death to decide this war once and for all. If ye die, your forces will retreat to the place from which ye came, and if I die, ye take hold of Scotland and her people, but ye let them live, I beg of ye." Though firm and powerful as before, her tone shifted to a desperate one, one of pleading, of regret. She had nothing to go back to, so clearly she felt that this was the only way to end this with any hope. Verrick viewed her, again with hungry eyes. "Very well, lass. I will honor your request. I will not yield to you simply because you are beautiful, make no mistake of my manhood." His tone shifted to something oddly calm and forgiving for someone of his type. His forces attempted to follow him out, and he held up his hand upon leaving. They knew him well enough to know that he meant to keep his word, and if they infringed upon him, he would indeed kill his own men. They'd seen it before, over the smallest things as well. In the hillside, each took a hilltop, and drew a weapon of their choice. Selena, her bow drawn and taut, Verrick, his heavy longsword. Though it was meant to be a two-handed weapon, he could wield it as any man would wield a dagger. To him, as brutish as he was, he had more than enough strength to swing it effortlessly. Without a word, the first arrow was fired, only to be blocked by Verrick's blade. Selena's response was to ascend the nearest tree, her one strength in this situation being her speed. Though out of sight and able to aim her bow without drawing his attention, none of her dozen arrows found their mark. The Blood Wolf was simply too good, too seasoned to be defeated by a ranged weapon. She dropped back to the ground, and leaving her bow behind, drew Aonachd. She used her surroundings to project herself further, aiming to find a hole in Verrick's defenses, but found none. After several parried blows, she appeared worn out. Verrick smiled a devilish grin and prepared an onslaught of his own, bearing his heavy blade down onto the girl over and over, but he found his mark neither. Using her blade to disperse the force, she slid from side to side, avoiding every swing. This continued on for many, many hours. Both of them fought vailantly, Selena for her kingdom and it's peace, and Verrick for his empire's expansion. Both grew desperate and tired, both knowing the weight of this battle. Selena was the first to break this silence. "So ye are as ferocious as they claim you to be, Blood Wolf. I am glad ye live up to the legends." To which the panting man responded, "I could have never expected the Lamb of the Lands would have so much fight in her, especially not under these circumstances." "I would have preferred to live in peace, but trying times forced my hand to these measures." "I could not blame you, but unfortunately your kingdom must fall to me. Everything must be mine." And with a desperate lunge, Verrick lunged forward, cleaving with his blade, which was tactfully dispersed by Selena. Only two clashes, then one final strike, and like that, it was over. Finally, at the end of much bloodshed and carnage, war and destruction, it was done. Both persons of nobility were pierced through the heart, by the arm of the other. There was no victor, only two dying lords. Selena: "If only we had met under different circumstances, I could have perhaps grown to like ye." Verrick: "Perhaps. It wouldn't have mattered enough to stop me from taking what was rightfully mine though. You can see that much." And with that, both of them closed their eyes, fell to their knees, dead. Both kingdoms were lost now. It was some time, about 30 years. Both kingdoms rebuilt, and tried their best to live peacefully. Though the kingdoms both had long forgotten their champions, there were few who still remembered. None in the kingdom of the Nords dared to name their child Verrick, and it became a standing tradition that anyone who had that name or mentioned the name, or any sort of inkling that the Blood Wolf was a hero would be burned alive at the stake. Altogether in the land of the Scots, they too forgot their Lamb of the lands, with the people discounting it as a legend and nothing more. Though some few people still believed, passing down the story long and through the ages. In time, both would be re-dedicated as a story, simply put, and to keep the two nations apart. It was feared that re-igniting the spread path of war would ignite a fire that could not be quenched, and would destroy both nations forever. Not a soul of the Scots or the Nords would ever travel between the two lands, as it was socially forbidden. Lamb awoke in a strange desert, where the sun never set, and the shadows danced and screamed. Hueco Mundo, the sands of the damned. Feeling nothing but a pitiful emptiness, contorted by something she'd long forgotten herself, she sought to remember once more. Out into the world of the living, and on the final battleground where much blood was shed, including her own, though she wouldn't remember that. She wandered around the countryside, gobbling up the souls of the soldiers that were still bound here, and the hollows that resulted from the others. Something felt curious here. She sniffed around and around for something, familiarly. At one spot on the hill, there was a particular smell she felt she must remember and dug into the ground for it. She pulled up a sword of plain appearance, and yet... it felt familiar. A scene spread before her eyes, of knights, bloodshed, and man who wore no armor. The scene of her death, though she could not recall it. Feeling the memory must have been important, she ate the sword itself, along with the one she saw the man wielding. Such powerful memories must have lived in these swords, she thought to herself as she enveloped them. From there, she went back between the world of the living, devouring the souls of humans and animals who were on death's door, as well as scraping by on anything foolish enough to challenge her in Hueco Mundo. Though with her ingenuity, her speed, her precision, and her wit, she was able to kill and devour anything that moved, and those she could not kill, she could evade, making her a powerful and unstoppable force that rose from meager, to Gillian classes, finally reaching a form that she found comfortable, Adjuchas. The reason she liked this form the best was because she went from being a near identity lacking hollow of bestial form, to something more human, but still much like the lamb girl she saw. She noticed that as she progressed, she became more human, and missed what she thought humanity felt like. In a sense, longing came back to her again, along with more memories of who she was. She stood as a humanoid now, with a white mask, light blue eyes and a matching blue crescent emblazoned on her forehead. Wolf on the other hand brutally tore into everything, being naturally strong enough to tear through everything, hollow and human alike. He did not hesitate to tear the sands of Hueco Mundo from the earth and air in search of everything that hid, nor did he hesitate to travel into the world of the living in search of souls. He ate and ate and ate some more until his hunger pervaded the earth, never to be satisfied. He too, was bestial, and he liked that he was. He didn't remember much about his humanity and what he did made him glad to be more and more of a wolf as he devoured, making him crave more and more souls. As he breached the lines of Gillian and Adjuchas, he realized he was becoming more human, something that puzzled him and made him wonder if he wanted to find out what would happen to him. He stood on two legs now, still one hell of a beast, but a humanoid nonetheless. He bore a mask of deep purple, the same as his wolven body, with a golden flame emblazoned in between his glowing and ravenous blue eyes. In these days, there were legends of the two, similar to what others had seen. A playwright had been commissioned to cast and set a stage for a transcription of the legend to be performed. After all, Eastern Europe had been plagued by attacks from unseen forces, and some were superstitious enough to believe the legends had come true, the Lamb or the Wolf had come back seeking vengeance. A girl had been chosen to play Lamb, and Wolf would only appear in the scenery. The play detailed a story, of how the spirit of Lamb would travel the countryside, looking for those whose time had run out, to come and claim their soul. No matter where a man went, if his time was up, the Lamb would find them and offer them a choice." To a Traveler, the Lamb stood, with a mask of purple, and gold markings. She drew her bow, and stood with a wide stance, asking the man, "Do ye know that yer time is now empty? I ask ye. Do ye wish for the sweet embrace of death, or will ye run fer the hills?" And of course like all the others, the man ran, afraid of death. Her first arrow clipped the man's shoulder, weakening his stride, and then she waved her arm outward. A guttural voice could be heard behind the stage. "Shall I chase him, my dear lamb? I must chase and eat the ones who run from death!" The voice hungered and licked his chops, eager for his meal, and the audience took it all in, swinging with the feel of the performance. Of course since it was a stage performance, there were no arrows, only a silken ribbon and sprinkles of red to serve as blood. The crowd loved the revived legend, even if it was only viewed as an old folk tale. The gentle Lamb spoke, "Yes Wolf, chase the man down, and his soul will be your dinner. Those who run from death belong to you." And a scream be heard from backstage, that it scared the crowd, but only to be applauded and followed by cheers of entertainment. After the performance was over, and the flowers to be collected were cleaned off the stage, the troupe disassembled the staged area, and the caravan began to depart. It was decided that the caravan be parked and set up camp for the night, and so it was. The girl who had played Lamb heard a voice, calling her out into the woods, and while the others slept, she followed it. "Lena", The voice called out, and she followed it. After crossing a stream, and arriving at a pond crossed by falls, she saw a spirit-like figure standing before her. It was Lamb, though slightly different than she knew her. Instead of the mask that Lena wore, it was a white mask. Other than that, almost everything, the bow, the sheep-like fluff, it was all there. She found herself puzzled. Then the Lamb spoke. "Yea, Lena. I saw your performance. Unfortunately, your life must be cut down, even though ye are young. Do ye accept this fate?" And the girl trembled, as anyone that stood face to face with death would. But instead of fleeing, the girl simply knelt down and bowed respectfully. "I would be honored. Though I must ask why." The Lamb tilted her head just a little, just enough to put thought into what she said. "Because it is your time to die. Though I have a question. Why did your costume have that mask on instead...?" Lena, confused at first, pulled out the mask. It wasn't the same as the mask Lamb currently bore. The mask in her hand was purple, that of a wolf, not a lamb. She puzzled over it a moment, then her response slipped from her lips. "There are two legends, one of you, the Lamb of Lands, and the other, of the Blood Wolf. We made this mask because well... we thought you two were always one, not separate." The Lamb quickly took this all in and thought of the memory of the man she'd seen. Respectfully, she bowed to the girl, and drew her bow. "Brava, young one, for your final performance was beautiful. And now you must depart." And with that, the Lamb let her arrow fly, striking the heart of the girl, cutting her life short. Lamb began to devour the girl's soul, and with it, the mask. She wanted to remember the shape and curve of it, and sought it out. "I might like that idea. I must meet this... Wolf" Several decades passed, and the Lamb kept on in search of the mask of the Hollow she knew must exist. Any who got in her way were struck down, and her search would not end until the Wolf was found. On one of her many trips to the land of the living, she heard tale of the Nordic lands being host to a strange howling sound in the middle of the night, travelers being struck down if they were to search for it, and it was then that she made way for the lands up north, what would later be called Norway, Holland, in those areas. She stood up in the Nordic canopies, awaiting the high of the moon, and the howl she heard tale of. Late into the evening, she heard it echo. She followed it. It took several hours of her waiting for another howl, and pinpointing the direction, but she also knew that vocal intonation as well, somehow. Minutes at a time would pass, and then she saw him. The Wolf. The mask he bore was close to, if not the exact same as the one she remembered from the theatre troupe. The Blood Wolf. "Ye of dark fur, and of blood-curdled yowls, will ye heed my call? Or are ye too like the others who only think of consuming and naught else?" The wolf turned to her, the direction of her echoing voice, and twisted his head in questioning curiosity. His voice uttered most gravely and coarsely, "You were the one I have heard so much about. The one who kills and seeks nothing but peaceful acceptance. What fool will accept their death? NONE! No man is so foolish but to die because it is their time." Lo and behold, the wolf was intelligent, and spoke the truth. The Lamb leapt down from her branch, and walked over to the Wolf. Holding her hand out to him, she spoke. "Ye are the Blood Wolf the legends speak of, that chases down the souls of those who run from death. And yet here you are, facing one who chooses to take those who accept it. I have met plenty, and their souls were delicious. They sustain me." The wolf growled from his core, angered. "YET YOU ARE A DISGRACE! You tell me of a world and its people that respect death, and yet all that run must meet the same fate. I challenge you to see whose truth is more true!" And with that, the wolf charged forward, claws drawn. There was naught a breath of hesitation in his force, nor would he ever stop. The lamb simply danced, displacing his blows with carefully timed precision, then placing a hand on his mask. "I remember ye now. When I lived, I was a noble of Gaelic origin, and ye, a noble of the Nords. We met in combat on a fateful day, one that ye may remember. We died together, and together we are now." She waited for moments, as they passed. The Wolf waited too, for something he couldn't understand. He always wanted more power, more food, more souls, and yet somehow, this was enough. As the Wolf felt more complete, The Lamb understood what she was missing too, what emptiness there was within her, and why somehow, what she wanted was here, in this Wolf. The two looked at each other, realizing the answers to the questions each had were present before them, and they embraced, only to fuse. In this space of equilibrium, only two voices echoed, those of darkness and of light. In this space, they could both wholly exist. The masks of the two switched hosts, and from that day forward, they were one. Unification was something very odd among Hollows, something that few could ever hope to achieve, much less want. And despite all of that, from this day forward, they would be known simply as Heikō, which means "Equilibrium". Time would pass, and as the stageplay once displayed, they were now together, the two beasts of the hills. The two would seek those whose times were at an end, and offer them a choice. "Do ye seek the sweet release of death? or do ye run?" And those that would run would be greeted with the wolf's gnashing teeth, those that chose to accept it would be given the calm and peaceful release of the lamb's arrow. Solitude, Fear, Release. Yearning, Hope, Despair. These were the emotions that gave birth to the Lamb of the Moon. Hunger, Ferocity, Relentlessness. Dreams, Regrets, Madness. These were the emotions that gave birth to the Hungry Blood Wolf Together now, and as always, they fulfilled to each, the needs of the other. At one time or another, they heard of a way to become more complete without becoming corrupt and without forfeiting their identity. To become an Arrancar, one much reach deep into their sea of collapsed souls, and pull out something powerful, risking the undoing of themselves, yes, but to be made whole and complete above all else, and sanctifying the emptiness within. And though both of them existed, neither of them was complete, even with their unification. As they'd travel from place to place, being everything that Lamb had wanted to be, and oppressed the souls of the fleeing, as Wolf had now the chance to be everything he'd wanted to be, they would travel the entire world, striking down any who were timely placed to die. One evening, Lamb sat down by a fire she had created herself, to serve as a warning to others who would be passing by. She let Wolf come out, and dance around the flames as the spirit he could be. "Now then, my dear Wolf, of this "Arrancar we have heard tale of. What do ye think we shall do? Shall we take the risk, or let ourselves be as we are?" The wolf in dancing, decided to repay the lamb's gentle words with ravenous tones. He idled himself, shifting to his humanoid form. "Power is necessary to survive in our world now. I have survived this long because I always sought it, and you have survived because you were quick and clever. Though it may bring us pain, it may also be necessary for us to live." And the lamb simply respected the ideas of the wolf, who was very correct in his thoughts, power was indeed how creatures like they, survived. For the first time, in nearly one hundred years, they created a space of equilibrium so that they could both fully exist for a short time. "Do ye remember how ye lived as a human, Wolf?" and to that, the wolf nodded with gruffness in his voice. "Aye, that I do. All of my actions were to seek more control and power, and it hasn't changed even now." Lamb herself knew this, and she herself admitted, "I too, sought power, but not to fight and gain control, but to defend my people. In reality and in secret, I painted, to wish to be free. I wanted to travel the world in search of myself, and only now have that chance. Do ye remember our last words, Wolf?" "You had said, 'If only we had met under different circumstances, I could have perhaps grown to like you.' and I had given you, 'Perhaps. It wouldn't have mattered enough to stop me from taking what was rightfully mine though. You can see that much.' " The two sat in silence for a moment. They reminisced as their humanity became obvious. They remembered their human lives and pondered how it came to be this way, and then suddenly... it awaited them. "Wolf, did ye ever notice how we both have a hole in the same place? It's the place where our swords entered us and ended each other's lives." The wolf nodded, and felt the emptiness in his chest. He reached into that hole, feeling the same, the Lamb did so as well, and both pulled a light out of that hole. "Wolf, my friend, this is our heart. Share yours with mine, and we will have something greater than all else could stand against." And they both extended their arms outward until the two lights met. From both lights, a sword came, similar to the two that that used in the Gaelic-Nordic war, but somewhere in between. It called out to them, and Lamb simply spoke it's name. ""Aochnad. Unity." At that moment, light enveloped the two, and their bodies altered, to become taller, more upright, and again, more human. They still wore the masks of the other, but they were broken now, and the masks became more like face-guards. The gold flame of the wolf emblazoned the lamb's forehead, and the blue crescent of the lamb was now an emblem on the forehead of the wolf. From then on, they became a Unified Arrancar, in place of what they knew as an Adjuchas Hollow. With Aochnad in hand, they sought out others like them, who they heard tale of being called, "Espada." It is said that due to the nature of Heikō, if she were ever to be killed, then the same souls that were once a part of this Arrancar would be purified, be reborn into the world of the living, meet again, and travel the same paths, feeding into the death, hollowfication, and reforming of Heikō as a whole entity once more. |
