As he walked through the darkness, there was a part of him that yearned to stay here forever. In this bridge between places where light was just a distant figure on either side of you, and all around there was nothing but a swirling mass of black, the silence was maddening and he loved it. Here, no problems existed, nobody else was present, there was only Vai'el and his thoughts. That's all he needed. He didn't need people, he didn't need this worldly problems, he just needed himself. This walk through the portal, going from one place to another, was one of the few comforts in life he had. Mayhaps if he wasn't responsible for an entire people who were second only to Arrancar on the Shinigami's Most Wanted list, he would find more time to just spend lingering between worlds. Alas...he was responsible for hundreds of people, and he was on the wanted list, and he didn't have the luxury of time. All available time was spent trying to better the lives of those he was in charge of, training, and the occasional Hollow Hunt in Hueco Mundo when others needed some extra help. With their Masks on they were more akin to Hollow. Fighting in Hueco Mundo made a lot of them feel more at ease than a place like Earth where Hollow are killed on sight, or the Dangai where everything is killed on sight. He would oblige them of course, set up parties to go to Hueco Mundo and do their thing. What differentiated them from the Shinigami is that their Hollow Hunts were for practice, training, and they never killed more than was needed. Yes. Hollow were arguably the fastest growing race, that didn't give them the right to hunt them to extinction. Hollow followed nature, they did and do only what they know best. How could Vai'el punish them for that anymore than he could punish a dog for shedding? It's just what happens. Try explaining that to the Shinigami though. He let out a hollowfied sigh, and stuffed his hands in his pocket. He was almost to his destination. He took one final breath of the silence before immersing himself in momentary blinding white light.

A battle had already begun.

The garganta tore open the sky above a volley of arrows that zipped under him to hit a Bount with a strange doll that resembled something like a shield one moment, and then a canon the next. They were truly a strange people. All around him, Quincy and Bount raged against one another. Bodies began to fall from the sky on either side. This is what he had come here to stop. This war had gone on far too long. Unlike the Shinigami and Arrancar war, however, they were not enemies by delusions of grandeur. Quincy say Bount made the first strike, Bount say Quincy made the first strike, in the end it doesn't really matter who. This is a war started by choice, and fueled by some ass backwards desire to outlive the man-made enemy. This kind of war was senseless. It was pointless. It was tiresome. It was ending today. The Vizard would not allow this meaningless quarrel to interfere with his plans. He would end this bloodshed today, give them new purpose, or he would start killing left and right until they were made to see reason. He hated to dirty his hands like that, Vai'el was a behind the scenes manipulator of situations and people, but if he needed to step to the foreground to get things done then he would.

His reiatsu was still low from when he left his meeting with Mendoza, so he wasn't surprised that, aside from the people who could see him, nobody noticed him. His existence here was figuratively being snuffed out by the mass of spiritual energies everywhere. He would vanish from view, looking for the most powerful people on either side of the fence. He avoided all manner of abilities, moving from place to place. He even had to disable a few people who thought him to be a target. Fools. He didn't kill anyone, no. He might need them later. He merely broke them a bit, put them in a position that they couldn't actually continue fighting. Nothing that couldn't be undone. Of course with the average level of power here, he could just let his mask do all the work. Or he could release Yuki. That was revealing too much of his hand though. He wanted to get their attention, not kill them all. So he did the one thing he had left. Vai'el utilized his shunpo to to appear just below the sky battle that was going on. He opened up his right hand, producing a baseball sized orb of blue and purple light. If this didn't get their attention, then he was pretty sure nothing short of a nuke would. He extended his hand upwards as he flared his reiatsu. The Shinigami and Hollow mix would wash over everyone present while the multicolored cero parted the sky. The combatants froze from what he could tell, and nobody had gotten hurt. The Vizard vanished again and appeared in air, once more, between the two groups of people. A few raised arms against him, but seemed to question their judgement. "The answer is no...that is not a good idea." Vai'el's stoic and hollowfied voice floated out from under his mask. Even though he stood outnumbered on both sides, it was clear the same though was raging through the minds of the two parties.

Which side was this Vizard on?

"Whoever leads the Quincy and the Bount will step forward, now. He doesn't have the time or the patience to ask nicely..." He spoke evenly, without emphasis, without emotion...They were just words, and yet they emptiness of them all seemed to carry more weight than if he had been yelling or swearing throughout his demand. Vai'el let his reiatsu die down a bit. Keeping it at about a third seat's level. He didn't have a need to let it rage on. He was here, both parties knew it, there was no hiding from either one of them. He just needed to wait for them to make themselves be known.

Once more and again on the field of combat.  Here once more to shed blood and wipe away the existence of the Quincy race.  The night rang with the sounds of war between two empowered human races.  There was a grand amount of Quincy and Bounts here in the vast land of Asia, enough to attract any number of Hollows that would be seeking a treasure trove of powerful souls to devour.  Even Hueco Mundo appeared to know better than to interfere in this battle.  It could be sensed by even the least perceptive among both sides: this was the end, or as close to an end as had been arranged in the past few centuries.  Just as the least perceptive could sense that the end was near, even the least sensitive to spiritual energies could sense that the Emperor of the Quincy and the Blood Lord of the Bounts had taken the field this night.  Vast hosts had been raised by both sides and were even now tearing into each other with such fury as only centuries of bitter hate could bring.  The death toll was rising by the second, and each death Zanmato could feel as a pang in the sense of losing something important.  

'There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.'  One of Sun Tzu's most well-thought out lessons and some of his wisest words were to be discovered in the wording of that quote.  As Zanmato moved throughout the battle at a blur, thoughts such as that quote occurred to him.  His presence did not go unnoticed, and there were many who turned their arrows on him seeking to be the one who brought down the Blood Lord.  If the leader of either side was killed, then morale would plummet and perhaps the leaderless faction would rout.  If either side were decisively crushed here, then that would open the way to break the spine of the opposing faction before it could recover.  Even knowing that he would be a target, Zanmato refused to stay in the rear and command the battle from afar.  He knew that he was of the most use right where he was, using his natural abilities in the service of his people.  

Screams erupted in his wake as his sword found body after body, ending life after life.  He did not stop to consume their souls.  To do so would have been to compromise his morality, for to defile the being of his opponents in such a way when they had fought bravely would have been unacceptable.  Furthermore, to devour souls took time, time that he did not possess.  Reaching out a hand, Zanmato devoured the energy of an attack aimed at his person and sent a replica hurtling towards its screaming former owner.  Where was his Doll?  This sword in his hand was of good quality but it was lacking spiritual energy.  His Doll was nearby enough, but he had purposefully sealed it.  To release it would have made it difficult to fight alongside his Bounts, as his destructive power would likely have been too great to control in such a way that only the enemy was harmed.

The blur that was Zanmato continued moving throughout the Quincy ranks, searching for the Emperor of the Quincy, for he had himself come to the same conclusions as those around him.  Only when he had found that one would he release his Doll...and then he would end this war one way or the other.  His sword finding another heart to pierce, Zanmato's eyes widened slightly as he felt the slightest disturbance.  Something different was nearby...something that had just passed him moving in the opposite direction.  'What..?'  An arrow pointed at his head almost found its mark, phasing through an illusory copy of the Blood Lord, who himself impaled the attacker as he had done to many others.  Taking a moment to stand and look around himself, Zanmato noted that the presence was gone, having become confused in the massive conflict with other presences.  But Zan had sensed it for the briefest instant and knew what it was.

"Vizard."

The word came from Zanmato's mouth mere moments before a bright light split the sky.  That was something else that the Blood Lord knew rather well.  A Cero, a technique that only two races could use naturally and one that the Bounts could use through unnatural means.  Being that this presence felt mixed with Shinigami, it would have been safe to assume that this could have been a Vizard or an Arrancar.  This being true however, this presence felt more akin to the former than the latter.  The power that flared just then was enough to provoke near silence on the field as everyone looked up towards the disturbance.  Judging by the lack of sounds that displayed a morale increase, this Vizard was not fighting for the Quincy.  Neither was he an ally of the Bounts however, or at least not one that Zan knew about.  

Fortunately the mysterious Vizard did not leave Zanmato pondering for long about what his presence on this battlefield meant.  Instead he brazenly demanded the presence of the leaders of the two armies.  '...this man can not be serious.'  Not knowing whether to frown with annoyance or smile with amusement, Zanmato did neither.  'Then again, this can only be an interesting development.  Perhaps this is not some strange form of trap, in which case I might be able to kill Dietrich without seeking him across this midnight field.'  Taking a moment to 'disappear,' Zanmato appeared next to one of his Revenants, a leader of his armies and a member of his personal guard.  "Be on your guard and command the Bounts to step away from the newcomer.  I desire to speak to this Vizard."  Before he could continue, the Revenant spoke up with a shocked expression.  He questioned whether the Blood Lord was serious considering answering such a call, when it was almost certainly a trap.  Zanmato responded with a shrug.  

"Have you forgotten why I am Blood Lord of the Bounts?  I haven't even released my Doll, and yet the Quincy have been dying left and right.  I fear no man, living or otherwise.  Besides..."  He began with a smile and a strange glint in his grey eyes.  "You will gather the Revenants in full force and command them to be watchful for any sign of treachery.  I have faith in you."  

With the Revenant disappearing to seek out the remainder of Zanmato's personal guard, the man himself took a deep breath.  Flicking his sword into the ground, he prepared himself for true battle.  If this was some strange new method of tricking an opponent, then he would not allow himself to be caught off-guard.  He would release his Doll and destroy the Vizard as well as Dietrich.  "Be ready, brother.  If I call, it will not be a gentle evening."  There was a moment in which Zanmato looked at the Vizard from where he was, then he was simply gone from that spot as though he had never stood there.  Only the sword in the ground was proof of the fact that he had ever existed in that area.  

When he reappeared, it would be close to the Vizard and his reiatsu would be flared for just the briefest of moments.  It was not a threat, but rather the evidence that Zanmato was who he would claim to be as his reiatsu was clearly the most powerful among the Bount forces.  Standing on condensed spiritual energy, Zanmato stood only a few meters away from the Vizard and cleared his throat before speaking.  "The Blood Lord of the Bounts has come.  I am Zanmato.  That said, who are you and what business do you have with me, Vizard?"  Similarly to Vai'el's voice, Zanmato spoke without any particular emotion, his voice instead displaying calm and politeness in this strange meeting though there was still at least the hint of proper inflection.  After asking his question, Zanmato waited for either the Quincy Emperor to appear or for the Vizard to speak in response.  He knew that the Revenants were near and so felt no nervousness at this meeting.  'If this is a trap, then Dietrich dies first.  Even should I be stricken down afterwards, I will do what I must to bring about a swifter end to this conflict.'

In the stillness of the moment, Vai'el could have sworn he could hear a pin falling through the air if one did fall. The Vizard waited patiently. No doubt that in this moment the two leaders were thinking of what he could possibly want. Why here? Why now? The man would wait for them. Of course they would speak with their higher ups personally to create contingency plans and such. It's what a smart man would do. If they didn't then they were fools, and Vai'el would, no doubt, just end up having to over throw them and appoint someone new. The odds of him actually knowing if that's what they were doing were slim. He only felt one energy signature move from both parties. He presumed those to be the leaders. He would continue to wait though until he felt a kicking at the back of his head. He would wince under his mask, a hollowfied 'tch' escaping from his lips.

What was this?

For a moment the edges of his vision went black, and he felt like he wasn't himself. An out of body experience, but he quickly regained focus and felt at one with his body again. Somewhere inside of him he heard a laugh. It was chilling. He hadn't felt anybody activate any powers. Everything was where it should be. He took a small breath and decided to make a mental note to ask Yuki about it later. He couldn't be bothered with this right now. He knew it wasn't Sombra though. Even she has some respect for Vai'el, even if she would sooner see him lose his body to her than leave him alone. He pushed the disturbance to the back of his mind, and shifted his eyes as he felt one particular energy signature moving towards him.

In an instant the Bount Leader had appeared. The flaring of his reiatsu proved who he was. Vai'el remained silent for a moment as the stranger spoke. The Vizard's empty purple eyes just stared at him, as if reviewing every incident that had ever happened in the man's life. The wind blew in the moment of silence, causing Vai'el's red button down shirt to blow behind him for a second before things settled down. His white shirt that exposed his back was displayed to onlookers for a brief moment, and then Vai'el looked to the Quincy. He presumed the Quincy Leader must be tied up in discussions with his men. No doubt suspicious that the Vizard showed up and the Blood Lord appeared first, speaking with Vai'el in such a manner. The Vizard would be suspicious too. That wasn't saying much though, considering that he was suspicious of everyone and everything. If it moved, breathed, bled, ate, slept, or lived, or was undead, Vai'el would eye them with heavy suspicion. It was just how he was trained, just how he was raised.

With the Bount Leader before him, Vai'el decided to begin things with him in the mean time. It wasn't as if the Quincy Leader couldn't be informed of such simple things. The massive amounts of people here could cause a problem though. He was hoping that no conflict would arise with them here. He would rather them be sent away, but until they could all be gathered and cards were laid on the table...that wasn't an option. He mentally sighed and wished that one of his council members was here as well to help with crowd control. Tensions were high right now. A strange Vizard demanding to see the leaders of both races, he could only imagine the fear and confusion running through their heads.

Silly beings...all of them. If they weren't so paralyzed by fear, set on edge by suspicion, they may have been able to think logically. He was a Vizard, a powerful one, but all the same...if he meant anyone harm he could have done it. He could have killed dozens of them if he wanted to. He wasn't here for that though.

Looking to the one who introduced himself as Zanmato he spoke. "He is known as the Kaosurura, leader of the Vizards. His name is Vai'el, and his business will be stated when the Quincy Emperor has shown up." His eyes flicked around to the soldiers that surrounded them from both parties. "And mayhaps we can all talk without the foot soldiers present. He assures you that he is not aligned with the Quincy, and, obviously, not aligned with you either." He said that last part loud enough for the Quincy to hear. As he spoke, his voice remained flat and stoic. He couldn't be more emotionless if he tried. His voice was a tundra, and the words he spoke was the icy storm that raged on.

Another pang in the back of his head, he suppressed the urge to make a vocal acknowledgement of it though, pushing down farther. Whatever was happening with him he needed to handle this first, and he needed to handle it fast.

Today... Today was a special day. It may not have not been seen but nothing as a silly war that was ragging on. A war between the Quincy and the Bount that had been going for centuries continuing at full power in the vast lands of Asia , which just happened to be the bounts territory. It was a special day because , unlike the other days the war had gone on , the Blood lord of the bount and the Quincy Emperor had dragged themselves out onto the field. This could be sensed by their immense level of spiritual power that made some of the opposite race cower in fear as they continued to fight. The body count rose as each of the supernatural powered human races continued their onslaught of one another. Little did anyone know , the battlefield was about to have a visitor.

"This war.. Is so useless" the Quincy emperor thought as he moved through the battlefield. He detested this war more then anything , he did not understand why the two races had too fight one another, well he kind of did because the Quincy where trying to find the first cross said to be hidden in the castle of the bount. Other then that , ulrich decided this war was nothing but a feud started for petty reason and both sides where to blame for it starting yet. "Heh.. Contradicting myself aren't i" ulrich said with a slight grin as smashed the head of a bount , that had tried to attack him, on the ground with a large cracking sound. His face went immediately blank after killing the bount , as retreated back to the back lines too get away from some of the carnage.

"Soldat..." Ulrich said before stopping as he felt a strange spiritual energy coming from the sky which was soon accompanied with a bright light into the sky. He knew what that was , it was that of a cero which from all he knew could be used by two races the Arrancar and the Vizard. As ulrich reexamined the spiritual energy it was a mix of both a hollow and a shinigami... A living breathing vizard had appeared. "Well this is a rare sight" ulrich said was a tone of slight delight as his tattered cloak fluttered in the sudden gust of wind that flew past the battle field. He looked up towards the sky to see such a specimen, "my children... I have no clue how things will go but don't follow me and unless I call you don't come" ulrich says. Before ulrich could even move towards the vizard , someone else appeared before it and by the short flare of their reiatsu it was his enemy the blood lord.

From the battle field where he stood , ulrich disappeared in a blur before reappearing on the opposite side of the blood lord yet still close to the vizard. With his icy blue eyes blank with emotion , his lips shut tightly and his hair flowing in the gentle breeze, Ulrich looked at the vizard and bount. "The Emperor Of Quincy , Ulrich Dietrich" he stated with no emotion in his voice , he did no believe emotion would do him any good this time around. He also believed that whatever he was drug here for , it better had not be a trap by the filthy bount or he would have to reach for his cross.

This was setting up to be an interesting meeting from the onset. This man, this strange vizard that graced the battlefield was named Vai'el, and he was the leader apparent of all Vizards. The Kaosurura? It was made clear that this was the title of the leader of the group of Vizards that Vai'el led, but Zanmato could not recall hearing the name before. That was most unusual, a name of significance that the Blood Lord of the Bounts had literally no recollection of or even the slightest hint of familiarity with.

When the Vizard requested that the 'foot soldiers' of both armies be set back, Zanmato made a gesture. A Revenant appeared as though he had been standing behind him the entire time. With a look downwards onto the actual field of battle, Zanmato could see that combat had virtually ceased everywhere and that Quincy and Bounts were reforming their lines. "Tell the Wraiths to pull our forces back some small distance. Inform them that this is not a retreat, but that the Blood Lord desires to speak with the Vizard without fear that combat will resume mid-discussion."

At this point, Zanmato would simply have to have faith that the Quincy Emperor would do as he had done and pull his forces back some distance. To his credit, the Revenant did not question Zanmato's orders, and he also noted that the Blood Lord had said nothing about the Revenants themselves. The Blood Lord was curious about what this Vizard desired, but he was not foolish enough to leave himself totally defenseless and unguarded. The Revenant disappeared and began to see that Zanmato's will was obeyed, and soon afterwards, another presence made itself known. This one was much less pleasant than a Revenant however, considering that in any other circumstance, Zanmato would have called on his Doll if this man had presented himself before him. Ulrich Dietrich stood not even a stone's throw away from him, a Vizard being the only thing besides empty air keeping them separated.

Though his eyes narrowed slightly at the Quincy's presence, Zanmato kept his composure and looked towards the Vizard. It was taking quite an effort not to call out for his Doll, and it was a show of his will that he was hovering in the air next to his mortal enemy without feeling the need to make a scathing comment. Instead he simply kept his eyes on the Vizard, raised a hand in a gesture to begin business. "You called for the Blood Lord and the Emperor, Kaosurura. Here we stand. What business would you discuss with us?" The Bount said with even tones, if not in a voice that sounded rather formal for the occasion.

Vai'el would eye the Bounts as they all moved back. He spared no one his chilling stare while they moved back. The eyes of his mean spoke volumes of their distrust. He didn't care though. Their feelings were insignificant to him. Their thoughts didn't matter to him. It was the loyalty of their leader he sought. So to hell with them. He only looked away upon finally feeling a Quincy move. He tilted his head slightly in their direction, and witnessed their movements. The Quincy Emperor appeared. He looked the man up and down. He didn't exactly fit the image that Vai'el had in mind, but that didn't matter either. The Bount Leader didn't appear as he though he would either. There was business to tend to, so aesthetics were the last thing that was important.

He would take a step back to keep both men in his line of sight, but remain close enough to get between them should things go south. He didn't need the battle starting up again. He would have preferred no troops, but they were all far away enough that Vai'el could at least talk without anyone overhearing anything and launching shots at the enemy. The Vizard would remain silent through the Blood Lord's question for a moment. His purple eyes would only flick to the Quincy that stood before him. Every fiber of his being wanted to rip that man's throat out. At this distance he could easily land a solid punch or two before any of the man's army could close the gap. Vai'el wanted to hurt this man, as his people had hurt him. The death of his first captain was a wound Vai'el never treated. Grieving wasn't something he knew how to do. It wasn't until this moment that he had realized that the feelings he had felt that day were still head close to his chest, poisoning his heart for centuries. He could see it perfectly...his fist hitting this man's face. His knuckles meeting the other's flesh. He could feel the life of the Quincy fading, and he loved it. He got a thrill out of the visage of pain and terror that he imprinted upon the mortal's being.

Stop...

He thought the word loudly. The emotion was his, but the joy he got from causing the other pain, the visions he could see, those belonged to Sombra. His Hollow companion was fond of causing problems, digging deep into the soil of his mind to find the feelings he kept hidden there. He pushed those images out of his head and focused on the present situation. It was times like these he was glad he had a mask on. He flicked his eyes to the Quincy forces that stood nearby at the ready. He waited for a moment before he felt he could speak without his voice betraying him. "Your men? He asks that you send them away, as the Blood Lord has, and then our meeting may commence." His voice was still flat, but the female Hollow's echo was light with sadistic glee. The man returned his sight forward, looking at both of the men, but his eyes were training on the space between them. His body was still as a statue, and at this moment the only way one could tell that he was even alive, was by the fact that his spiritual energies, though dim, could be felt still.

Between the space of the two men his Inner Hollow appeared before him. Her long flowing blood red hair, her pale skin, her dangerous eyes, her malicious smile, her everything...Her lips slowly moved to be pursed together and she moved her bare left hand over her hip. She let it rest there and hen shook her head. Though she appeared a fair distance away her voice rang clear as day inside of his head. Tsk tsk tsk. Poor poor, Vai'el...Tackling the world, quite literally. It would be a shame if it was for naught. What if you fail? You foresee your plans working just fine, you always do. What about the opposite though? Ever think of what happens if your perfect little slice of happiness fades away? Slipping right through your fingers, and no amount of repression, guilt, or misplaced sense of duty can ever get that back, you'll be broken. Crushed. Humiliated. Defeated...Yuki will be of no help to you, I'll be your only support, your only friend...Will you turn me away? As she spoke she stepped forward, moving closer to him until she stood less than a foot away.

Everytime...

Why? Why not just quit? It's so much easier...

Because even if I fail, my idea, my dream, will not. That being said, denying you even at the risk of my own life, would be a satisfaction that could warm even my heart.

She placed a hand over her heart and gave an exaggerated gasp. Oh Master, you slay me. Fine. Enjoy your little conference. I'll be watching...waiting... She chuckled and as she faded, her laughter echoed in his mind. He resisted the urge to physically shake his head, and settled for just continuing to fix his gaze upon the space between the two men, keeping them both within his sights...

The meeting could not begin until the Quincy Emperor sent his troops at least a small distance away, and so Zanmato would simply wait right alongside the Vizard until the other Quincy were gone. As was to be expected, he felt nothing even lightly akin to nervousness. Did he necessarily trust that the Vizard would or even could separate the two warring leaders if hostilities arose? No, and neither had he ruled out the possibility that the Vizard was simply a strange form of bait meant to lure him away from his main forces.

The latter possibility was beginning to seem much less the case as time passed however, particularly considering the fact that if this were a trap Zanmato would more than likely be surrounded by the Quincy's personal guard at this moment. At this moment, it did not seem that an overamount of them were even nearby, let along preparing to unleash some clever ploy. Beyond that, even if they did, his own personal guard, the Revenants, were on stand-by and were ready to enter combat at a moment's notice.

"Well Quincy, are you going to send your men away or..." At that moment, Zanmato sensed something rather strange and yet not entirely unexpected. A single eyebrow rose, and for a moment he almost seemed to be surprised. Looking about, it seemed as though there were several Hollows spawning in the field of battle, directly underneath the three leaders in the space wherein the forces had only minutes before been doing battle. More Hollows were spawning in the ranks of the forces, but these were being slain just as swiftly as they appeared. The ones that erupted in the center and on the outskirts of the forces were the ones that were able to survive long enough to gather into larger numbers capable of surviving for more than a few seconds.

A Revenant appeared next to Zanmato and what he could only assume to be a Stern Ritter appeared next to the Quincy Emperor. It was clear that they awaited orders for their respective races. 'Damn...it appears that I may have been incorrect in my earlier assumption that no Hollow would be foolish enough to interfere with this battle. I suppose that I should have seen this coming...' After mentally berating himself for a moment, Zanmato calmly looked at the Revenant.

"Mobilize the Bounts and centralize our forces. For the moment, the Quincy are considered a secondary concern to the Hollows amassing at our flanks. We do not know how many Hollows will be attracted to this point, and so the focus will be on maintaining a defensive line rather than going on the offensive. Go." Just like that, the Revenant disappeared in order to spread the word to the others, who would see Zanmato's will done amongst the Bounts. In the meantime, the Blood Lord turned to the Vizard and Quincy in front of him. "It appears that our concentrated spiritual energies were enough to draw some of the more bold among the Hollow's numbers. For now, Bount and Quincy set aside a few differences in order to destroy a foe that seeks to destroy us both?" It was more of a question than a statement, and more directed at the Quincy Emperor. Zanmato wanted assurance that for the moment, the war would be put on hold while the field was made to be rid of a minor nuisance plaguing both factions. To the Vizard, Zanmato simply said: "And I hope that the Kaosurura will join us in battle as well?"

Vai'el would be standing still, still engrossed in conversation with the voices (spirits) in his head. Sombra would appear and mention something about consuming him and then Yuki would appear and ask to play games out of sheer boredom. Both of them were annoying him to no end, and he couldn't wait to be rid of his present company either...specifically the Quincy. Yuki, who was before him, vanished though mid-sentence as Vai'el looked slightly below them. The sound was all too familiar. It was a sound he had grown accustomed to and he had to fight from keeping his body from relaxing, since that sound usually meant he would get a few moments of solitude. The gargantas opened and before they had even fully formed, he could feel the mass of energy behind them. Welcome to reason number two he wanted their forces sent away. Such a gathering would not go without notice to these fiends, and just as he predicted, here they were...ready and willing to kill, maim, consume, and just sow havoc into the gathered forces and their respective leaders.

Vai'el took a moment to survey the area. Several Gargantas were opened up scattered through the field. Littered in both ranks of the Quincy and Bount as well as one beneath the three leaders. He rolled his eyes behind his mask. There were a lot of them, that was for sure, but they were on the lower end of Gillian-class. There was a handful of Gillians, but even so...they wouldn't prove enough to be fatal, but the way they entered and the sudden attack would pose a bit of a problem for the fighters. Vai'el was sure they would refocus their efforts and repel the attack, though not without a few loses here and there on both sides. The Vizard couldn't use his Zanpakuto. Not here. It would do more harm than good. Too many people here would get caught in his crossfire, and he doubted he could talk his way out of why a few of the leader's members were laying dead at his feet with his signature on their corpses. He took in a breath and let out a mental sigh.

By the time Zanmato would turn and speak to him, he would be gone.

Vai'el's silent shunpo would carry him down to the Hollows beneath them. There was plenty to go around here, so he was sure the other leaders would have their full if they so desired. As soon as he got down there a Hollow roared and threw a punch at him. He jumped onto the larger beast's fist and ran up. In one quick, fluid, and virtually invisible movement, he drew his Zanpakuto and sliced the creature's mask in half. The Hollow fell, and Vai'el raised his reiatsu a few notches, demanding the group's attention. Down here he could release his Zanpakuto, but he still refused to out of a desire to keep the others unaware of his abilities. As the first beast fell another charged a cero and launched it at him. "Bakudo, 81. Danku." The wall appeared and blocked the attack before it connected. The explosion covered the area in smoke and in that moment, Vai'el made his move. He held his Zanpakuto in his hand and charged forward to the nearest Hollow, cutting it to shreds in a single shunpo. Yuki was sheathed and he moved onto the nearest Menos Grande, it's towering form unaffected by the smoke, it charged another cero and shot it down at him. He retaliated with his own cero.

From the smoke everyone above would see his purple and blue cero break the smoke, clearing the area and taking a significant portion of the Menos Grande with it. The remaining Hollow turned to close in on him. He took a moment to wait, allowing the other leaders a chance to get in some shots before he cleared the remaining trash.

"Bakudo number 26, Kyokkō..." His form would vanish as would traces of his reiatsu. He started counting down until he would take this group into his own hands.

Moves used:

Though he had turned to address the Vizard, his voice had almost been directed towards the empty air where the Vizard had been. So that was what it was like to be on the receiving end of that technique. The Bount Lord almost chuckled, though this would hardly have seemed to be the time for amusement. Assuming that the Quincy Emperor would accept his terms, considering that only a madman would reject them, Zanmato turned his attention away from the man and considered the erupting conflict before him.

Hollows were pouring through Gargantas with surprising speed and with almost surprising numbers, though the number of edible souls on the field made it rather less shocking than it would have been had this same occurrence happened in a private meeting between the three leaders. It was rather strange though, that the Blood Lord could almost sympathize with the Hollows. They required the sustenance of souls in order to survive, and his people required the same in order to maintain their immortality. In a way, they were not so entirely different, though Zanmato would not readily admit that fact to anyone other than himself.

Besides, there were differences as well, the first of which being the humanity that all Bounts still possessed. Hollows were ruthless, bestial creatures, whereas Bounts were simply empowered humans who did not die from old age. That difference among others kept a line between Bount and Hollow, and allowed Zanmato to destroy them without feeling guilt about the event. 'Hmm...now how to enter combat.' He could return for his sword, but that was mainly for corporeal beings such as the Quincy, not for beings of the spirit such as Hollows and Shinigami. He also did not want to release his Doll, considering the fact that he did not want a crossfire to occur.

Fortunately it would be unnecessary to unleash his Doll, as Zanmato's weapon would reveal itself in the form of a large Cero being blasted at him from the mouth of a Menos Grande. "Hmph." That was the only sound that Zanmato uttered as he extended a hand and 'caught' the blast as easily as he might have caught a ball. The red energy dissipated as it reached his palm, being leeched as it was by his natural vampiric aura. When the energy blast subsided, Zanmato pointed a single finger and made the motion of firing a gun. What emerged was the same red blast, aimed at its source which was disintegrated under its own power. "Hmm...can't even take a weak Cero. I suppose that I should not be surprised, considering that you aren't all that strong as a creature type."

Apparently this battle would be fought by Cero, which made it all the more amusing that there seemed to be so many Menos Grande on the field at the moment; Zanmato would literally possess unlimited ammunition for this 'gun' of his. "It looks like I fight like a Quincy today." He said, using Dosen to 'disappear' similarly to how the Vizard had just moments before. A large red explosion would signal where he had disappeared to, and another only moments later in a different place would signal the fact that he was not being stationary in his pursuit of destroying the Hollows.

It looked like the leaders were to help their own people. Understandable. It also seemed there were more by the minute. Vai'el had handled one too many Hollow attacks in his day. The only way to stop them was to show that you weren't afraid. Hollows were creatures that thrived on the fear of others, show them you have nothing to fear, and suddenly the hunters become the hunted. Vai'el released the bakudo that concealed him and made quick work of his group of Hollow on the ground. No kido, no ceros, he didn't even use his Zanpakuto, though he kept it out just in case, his feet met each mask and shattered it with ease. He stood in the center of a group of dead Hollow. He looked up. There were so many Hollow. Understandable since this was basically a feast. His feet carried him into the sky where the battle continued to rage. He hated this. This was not what he needed right now. This was not the time for the mindless beasts to mobilize.

A serpent-like Hollow would slide up behind him and it's body would meet the force of Vai'el's elbow. The Vizard then took his blade and gutted the beast while it was doubled over. He moved to go stand by Zanmato's side. The man seemed to be handling himself well enough. Blasting enemies with their own ceros and whatnot. He would have to make a note of that particular ability. Whether he had stolen it or could naturally do it by some magical means, he didn't know. He could gauge by the power released that it was stolen though. To his knowledge, his kind and Hollow were the only ones who could naturally use the cero. Not only that, but he had spent enough time around them to know a Hollow's cero to know one when he say it. It was all a theory though. Nothing could be confirmed as of yet. Even as a Shinigami, there were rumors that the Bount could absorb certain techniques and use them to their liking, but with tensions between Hollow and Shinigami at an all time high, he didn't have time to look into that.

He delivered a straight kick to a Hollow's mask that had dared to try and interrupt the Vizard Leader. "He fears we will get nowhere like this. Mayhaps we should lead them elsewhere. Our power combined should be more than sufficient to draw their attention. Hollow are mindless beasts who only respond to their hunger, they do not know fear, and our energies will be a feast for the victory. We can lead them away and with our Cero abilities wipe them out in a single blow." The man spoke quickly, but evenly. He gave no hint of fear, of danger, of any sort of anything really...nor did he feel such things. This was the situation, and that was one option to end things quickly.

Vai'el remembered a time when he was hunting Hollow in Hueco Mundo. He wished to better understand his own Inner Hollow. He wanted to know how they think, what makes them tick, so on and so on. It was during those years there that he learned how to lure Hollow. Showing off how much power you had to a Hollow was like yelling at a wall. It would get you nowhere. Showing off your power would only serve to make them want to eat you. Hollow did not respect anything outside of their kind. The only thing you could hope for was that they would see you did not show any sort of fear, only then would they understand they could not defeat you. Maybe then, and only then, would the attacks on you decrease. Vai'el wasn't interested in lessening attacks on him. He didn't care. They were salmon who wanted to hunt bears. It just wasn't going to happen...

OOC:: ((Gained permission from Kirito to kill off his character. This was really the only way it could be done without anything I personally have planned going south, and even then it's kind of a stretch. However, with regards to keeping things moving, adding plot to the site, and developing the Quincy / Bount relations, I felt that keeping this topic was the best choice of action rather than just scrapping it. The topic will proceed business as usual, with just myself and Zanmato))


The battle was going well. Or at least that's how it would seem. All three forces were fighting admirably against the Hollow invaders. Vai'el moved quickly from one to another, striking down his not so distant cousins. The Vizard utilized his shunpo to stand near the Bount Leader, fighting foe after foe. While they fought side by side, tension rose among the Quincy. Specifically in the Quincy Leader who began to become more and more suspicious of the otherworldly humanoid. Vai'el disposed of the last few remaining Hollow, slicing them down with his Zanpakuto. They were not worthy of his Shikai, let alone his fists...He began to check on the Bounts, seeing if they were okay. Vai'el really didn't care about the status of the Bounts. He didn't care about the status of any of these beings. He had one mission in mind, and for the sake of that mission he had to appear to care. Giving false impressions, that passed as genuine emotions, was his specialty. He could do that in any situation. It was like flipping a light switch with him, and currently that switch was on. When he was done tending to the Bounts he excused himself to check on the Quincy. That's when tensions got even higher.

Upon entering the Quincy space, everyone shot daggers at him. Nobody trusted him still for his actions with the Bounts. Where was he for them? Why did he not fight alongside their leader? Who was he really? The Vizard didn't have time for such pitiful questions. He did his best to check up on the injured, but nobody would let him get close enough. He was eventually placed before Ulrich. The man's appearance was...imposing, or it could have been under different circumstances. Vai'el bowed his head slightly and attempted to explain the situation. A hand was raised to silence him though. It took a lot of will power for him not to slice this man down where he stood. Vai'el was not one to silence in such a manner. For the sake of politics and his plans though...he kept his mouth shut. Ulrich proclaimed his distrust of the Vizard. His actions and the Hollow attack seemed far too coincidental for his liking. Not to mention that he saved not one Quincy during the fight, but spoke with Zanmato and fought by his side. Ulrich would need time to think about what to do next. Time that would not be taken here. He went to turn and Vai'el held up a hand to stop him.

Then all hell broke loose.

Ulrich's chest suddenly had a nice hole right where his heart used to be. Vai'el immediately threw his senses to their maximum and found the slightest trace of a Hollow. One had slipped by him? Impossible! The Quincy didn't bother looking. They had their victim, their target. "No! He is not responsible for this! He had no reason to harm your leader!" The Quincy all manifested their bows, and Vai'el began to run through a list of options. He had not planned on this. To think that one of THEM would appear HERE of all places. They almost never ventured outside of Hueco Mundo...the White Sand Desert was their home. The presence of three race leaders must have been irresistible to even it though. The Quincy here were all too underpowered to feel it though. Either that or they just didn't care and ignored what was right in front of them. Vai'el had no choice.

"Catch him if you can." Just as the first volley of arrows was shot at him he vanished in a shunpo. The Quincy followed him. Vai'el didn't have much time. This creature could escape at any second. How did he manage to hide himself though? Vai'el took pride in his sensory skills. There were less than a handful of people that could escape his senses, and even then it wasn't easy. This creature though...how long had he been there? This bothered Vai'el. His plans had gone straight to Hell, and he had very little ways to rectify the situation. A new leader would take this man's place, a leader influenced by the actions of today. The Bount would experience a higher volume of attacks, and peace would never be reached between these two, unless Vai'el could solve this problem here and now.

As he moved towards the source of the kill, he dodged arrow after arrow. He had to pace himself though, so he didn't lose any of them, but because of that some tried to engage him in close combat. Not a smart move, but he didn't kill any of them. He saw the garganta before he could see the target. He had very little time to act though, that much was clear. He needed to do something to get this creatures attention. He loathed this idea. Showing his hand to his enemy was not something he valued, but...if he did it, he knew that the Hollow would not leave. It would want his power.

"...Bankai..."

The man's power exploded as a blizzard suddenly surrounded him. The Quincy stopped in their tracks and the garganta remained open. Meaning the creature hadn't stepped through yet. Vai'el emerged from the snow storm and rushed forward with renewed speed and strength. He managed to get to the garganta in time to block the exit with the snow before the beast before him could step through. Just as he had thought...

An Arrancar stood before him.

He narrowed his eyes behind his mask as the Quincy all caught up to him. "THIS is your leader's killer. Hidden from our senses, this beast is the one who killed Ulrich. He" --he pointed to himself-- "did not, and would not, bring harm to your Emperor. If you wish for justice, then see to it that this Hollow suffers for his crimes."

The Arrancar attacked Vai'el. He didn't want the nature of his bankai being exposed so soon. He sealed it up, and began to fight a defensive battle with the Hollow. Not the wisest of choices, but he was putting a lot of faith into the Quincy right now. It was one hell of a tale, to think that one Hollow slipped by all of their senses? It had to be a power of his. Vai'el managed to fend off the beast as he was, but knew that if the Quincy did not act soon things would go very wrong. One of the Quincy spoke up. "Brothers and Sisters! Whether this man seeks to trick us or not is neither here nor their! Before us stands an enemy who must be slaughtered! The Vizard's fate shall be for the new Emperor to decide." He pulled back his bowstring and loosed several arrows. Vai'el rolled out of the way as did the Arrancar. All Quincy trained their sights on the Hollow.

From numbers alone the Arrancar was more than slaughtered. He had no where to run with Vai'el keeping him in their sights, and with all the pressure on him releasing was near impossible.

Vai'el stood before one of the, he assumed, higher ups in the Quincy Army. The Vizard bowed deeply. "He apologizes for your loss...but you must understand, this was not his fault!" The Quincy sneered at him and spit at the other's feet. Again, Vai'el tried hard not to break this insolent man's neck. "We will not forget this, Vizard...We will elect a new leader, and you will be judged. The only thing saving you right now are your Bount buddies over there." Vai'el remained silent for a moment. The Quincy then began to scatter leaving only those two there. "If he wished your leader harm...he would have done it hours ago. Not now when he was surrounded by Quincy. Think about it..." Vai'el turned and vanished, going back to the Bounts. He could still salvage at least half of this. The other half would have to wait until a later date...

The battle appeared to be going well, considering the fact that the Hollows had effectively 'ambushed' the forces that had only moments ago been locked in mortal combat.  Had the timing of this assault from Hueco Mundo been slightly different, then the forces would have been disorganized and the battle would have devolved into a chaotic mass of bodies.  There would have been two armies peppered with what could have been thought of as a third force, and everyone would have been trying to kill everything that was not a member of their racial group.  As it was, Bounts fought to protect Bounts and Quincy to protect Quincy.  Though neither group was fighting especially to assist the other side, nor were they attempting to initiate combat with other enhanced humans as long as there were Hollows to slay.  

'Huh, nothing unifies two opposing sides like a common enemy that wants to eat everyone.'  The Blood Lord thought to himself as he danced around a large Hollow, tearing off pieces of it with the sword that he had recollected soon after departing from the Vizard's presence.  He was essentially channeling his reiatsu through the blade, enabling it to cut into the spiritual beings, but he was also making extensive use of the cero abilities that he had stolen from one of the towering Menos.  Leaping into the air with the sword pointing away from himself, Zanmato cut a Hollow in half vertically and shot a cero through its disappearing body to blow the head off of another creature behind it.  Landing back on the ground, he began to fire shots over the heads of his Bounts, killing Hollows that gave threat to his people by removing the heads of those who would seek to give the Bounts harm.  Fortunately, most Hollows tended to be larger than Bounts, especially the large ones with the pointy masks.  At some point, the Vizard had come to stand beside him, and at that point he had noticed that he had been surrounded by lesser Hollows while taking potshots at the larger ones.  Gripping his sword tightly in his right hand and preparing another Cero in his left, Zanmato smiled and battle would be joined yet again.  

Though he and the Vizard slew Hollows enough to fill this throne room several times over, Zanmato knew that neither of them were taking this battle particularly seriously.  Or rather, neither of them were releasing even the smallest amounts of their might for this performance.  In Zanmato's case, he simply knew that invoking the powers of his Doll might cause unwanted destruction and the imminent releasing of his full reiatsu would likely cause significant stress to his own forces.  As to the Vizard, Zanmato could only guess that he had his own reasons, perhaps similar to the Blood Lord's own and perhaps not.  How much did it matter however, considering the fact that these Hollows were as nothing compared to their current states?  Even had the armies not been present, between himself and Vai'el, Zanmato was rather certain that the Hollow forces would have been essentially decimated.  'In fact, the armies are actually making this a slower process if anything.'

After a moment, all of the Hollow surrounding the pair were dead and turned to ashes.  The Vizard disappeared, perhaps to join the Quincy's side of this massive battle.  Turning his head, Zanmato noticed that the Bount armies had effectively formed a tight defense.  The Hollows within the ranks had been absolutely destroyed, and now a circle had formed that kept a ring of the creatures at bay.  The Blood Lord would have expected nothing less of his people, especially with his Revenants there to provide guidance.  Seeing that the situation was well in hand, Zanmato himself leaped upward past the tallest trees and surveyed the battlefield for a moment.  The battle was going well in the Bount camp, but how went the chaos on the other side?  

From his position, Zanmato saw the garganta, but assumed that it was simply another lesser Hollow coming forth to join the fray.  He turned away slightly, intent on ignoring the creature that stepped through the gateway to another world.  The Quincy could take care of it, or the Vizard could...at that moment, two things occurred that caught Zanmato's attention.  A Cero was launched and a life was extinguished.  These two things would not have captured the Bount's attention normally, considering the context of the moment.  On this battlefield, lives were being extinguished rapidly and had been vanishing in waves.  Similarly, Ceros were a rather common sight where Menos were involved.  What caught his attention therefore was not the events themselves, but specific details about the events.  The Cero had not been a common red coloration, but another one entirely.  This had stopped the changing Zanmato's attention and turned it back to the creature, but it was the life that had been ended that had truly brought the Blood Lord's attention to its fullest levels.  Even from this distance, he could feel the reiatsu that had belonged to his rival cease to exist.  

From there, it was chaos.  The Quincy naturally deduced that Vai'el, being the only Hollow-esque being nearby with the power to create that hole in the Emperor's chest must have been guilty.  What was Zanmato to do with this situation?  If he intervened, the enraged Quincy would attack him and the Arrancar would escape, meaning that the battle would be rejoined.  'Although...with Kirito dead...such a battle would be heavily tilted to the favour of the Bounts.'  Naturally he could attack the Arrancar, but if he killed it before Vai'el could reveal its presence to the Quincy...back to square one.  This meant that the only course of action was to hope that Vai'el could make it to the Arrancar and prove that he was not the Kingslayer that the Quincy thought he was.  That being decided, Zanmato prepared to utilize his Dosen should the Vizard require aid.  If battle was to be rejoined, then he would prefer to have the Vizard alive, well, and ready to fight by his side if such was to be his choice.  

The Vizard would swiftly prove that he needed no help, unveiling the power of his Zanpakuto just as the Arrancar turned to leave.  A clever move...even more advanced Hollows were still simply Hollows when it came down to it, and no Hollow could resist something so tempting without at least some thought.  'So, ice is your element, Vai'el?  That blade and an impressive amount of skill in your speed technique must make your quite the enemy to face.  I believe that even were the Quincy to decide that you were their new target, with Kirito dead...even their Stern Ritters would have some difficulties with you.'  Zanmato was actually smiling slightly right now, watching the Quincy come to an apparent decision to unleash entire volleys at a single Arrancar.  

Briefly, Zanmato wondered why he had not been able to sense the creature's reiatsu before it fired its Cero blast, but he swiftly decided that such a question was more fit for another time.  The creature was blasted to bits by the combined onslaught of the Quincy, and now Vai'el stood alone with the number still wondering if he had just assassinated their leader.  A brief exchange...and the Quincy began to pull back their forces.  For a moment, Zanmato wondered if he should press the attack...break the spine of the Quincy forces while he had the chance.  Leaderless and lacking their champion, the Quincy would be at a disadvantage.  Then again, if he did that, the Blood Lord knew that there would be no chance for a peaceful resolution to this war.  He might win a battle, but he would doom the Bount race to a war that was not simply long-lasting.  The war would become eternal, and would result in unparalleled destruction.  For now, the battle was over, and the Vizard seemed to be returning to the Bount's camp.  The Hollows were down the their last few, with Bounts already cheering their victory as the last of the creatures were destroyed.  Descending from his position, Zanmato would meet the Vizard as the other neared the Bount forces. "Quite a dilemma this event has created, no? The Quincy doubtless still hold you suspect in the Emperor's death. They could not have sensed the Arrancar, considering the fact that it kept itself hidden until the moment was opportune to strike. I know that you wanted to meet with both leaders, but for now it seems that you must make do with me." The Blood Lord would say, simply stating the facts as he saw him. With the last of Hollows decimated, the Revenants would come to stand nearby to their leader once more. The other Bounts were still cheering, seeing victory and taking the opportunity to celebrate. The Bount leader, on the other hand, was as calm as ever and was looking curiously at the leader of the Vizards.

The Vizard sighed deeply as he watched the Quincy leave the area. This was just splendid. Negotiations had gotten shot straight to hell in a overly decorated hand basket and Vai'el would have to clear this all up. How was he even going to begin mending things with the Quincy? No doubt whoever they put in charge next was either in the battle or going to get a twisted version of the scene. Either way it was bad for him, though the former was slightly less terrible. He would need to handle this quickly. One thing at a time, however, and that one thing was the Bounts. He still had them, and if he wasn't sure he could handle things before he was sure he could now. Fighting side by side with the Bounts would easily forge a bond between the two people. Trust was hard to build outside of combat, but when you're ambushed by the enemy trust comes rather easily. Did he trust the Bounts? No. He didn't have to. It wasn't his place that needed trust. Vai'el could have fled. He could have used the chaos to slaughter Bount after Bount. He didn't though.

He remained true.

Vai'el turned around to face the Blood Lord. He let out a second sigh and nodded to him. "The enemy has been defeated, and it would seem we are safe at last. Perhaps beings of our strength should gather in large numbers...regardless, that's a lesson for the future. The Quincy will hold him suspect yes, but they won't have a choice in the coming days, but to forget this incident and accept me and my terms. They'd be fools not to..." He looked back at the direction that the Quincy fled before looking back to Zanmato. The man seemed to still be open to discussion which was good. Vai'el didn't have to do any wordplay to convince the man to stay. He was not sure he could handle that additional level of stress at this point in time. His head was already pounding with the thought of having to chase down the Quincy.

"Yes. That is not a problem though. Something is better than nothing after all. Allow him to cut to the chase though. Dancing around the bush will get us nowhere. He wishes to solidify an alliance between our clans. The Bounts and Vizards stand to gain much from each other, and before you ask the answer is yes. He will strike a similar deal with the Quincy, officially ending this drawn out war."

He stated his will very matter-of-factly. He clearly was in no mood for games or forging illusions. His tone was very even when he spoke. Aside from his strange way of addressing himself, all seemed relatively normal with him. It was clear he meant every word he said, but of course ending a war that has been raging on for centuries was near impossible. So the odds of succeeding at such a thing was questionable at best. From the way he spoke, however, it was clear he was a man who did not understand the meaning of "no". Whether he could do it or not didn't seem to be the question. Rather, what was he willing to sacrifice in order to achieve these goals?

The lack of Quincy made the air feel much lighter, and it was at this point that it became obvious just how much reiatsu the combined groups much have been releasing. Especially considering the rampant usage of powerful reiatsu-based techniques and the various releases that were occurring among the empowered and immortal humans. In truth, this battle had been the single largest that the Blood Lord could recall, and would likely have been something similar to a climactic encounter had the Vizard not shown up and interrupted the 'proceedings.' In hindsight, he and Kirito should have known that a Hollow incursion was possible with such...thick spiritual pressure in this area. Then again, Zanmato had known that such a thing was possible, but he had dismissed the actual chances of such an event happening as infinitesimal, having been under the impression that even Hollows would not be so bold as to make such an attempt with two literal armies clashing.

He would remember this event if ever he was required to launch a massive assault again, and he would plan accordingly. Until then however, there was still this business with the Vizard to attend to. The Blood Lord raised his eyebrows in slight surprise when Vai'el announced his plan to end the Blood War by forming alliances with both sides. Though he did attempt to keep himself from displaying emotions, he was not as vigilant about it as Vai'el and thus had no qualms with showing this reaction. It would be dishonest to say that he had not seen something similar to this coming, if honesty were a requirement. After all, the Kaosurura had come to this place, in the middle of a war between the two opposing factions. Having had two millenniums to become accustomed to the myriad plots able to be woven by minds that could handle such intricate designs, Zanmato could say with some certainty that when he applied his mind to it, he could not see how Vai'el's coming to this place had been accidental or coincidental. That said, he would have come here for only two reasons: in order to pursue some business with both leaders, or to tip the scales in favor of one side.

Immediately, the Blood Lord heard the voices of his Revenants in his ears. They were his generals, but they were also his advisers after all. Their words would be as expected: there were words that the Blood Lord should accept the Vizards offer, and there were those who outwardly voiced the fact that they did not believe the mysterious being's offer to be true. An end to the Blood War that had divided Quincy and Bount for centuries? Without a crushing victory for the Bounts through a final battle? What were the chances that such a thing were to be possible? Apparently, the main attitude of the Revenants in general was that they wanted to believe it was true, but they were skeptical. Zanmato could understand their doubt. After all, he himself was having a slight difficulty with Vai'el's offer, though it was not exactly the same problem. "...an end to the war. This seems to be a rather interesting proposal, though I do have one problem. I am curious to know exactly why you would ally yourself with the Bounts and Quincy? What is it that you hope to gain for your faction through or from ours?" Zanmato was speaking rather slowly, choosing his words carefully. This was perhaps developing into one of the most important events in Bount history, and he would not make a mistake during this moment.

A flurry of activity was seen as Quincy Soldats ran to and fro, setting up tents for the new Emperor in a new location in the middle of the Vandenreich armies war camp. The news that a new Emperor had been crowned so quickly following the previous one's demise was slightly disheartening, as the common Quincy didn't really have time to mourn Emperor Dietrich's death, but it had to be so as otherwise they would be leaderless and easy prey for their enemies the Bounts. And the Emperor was known to many, as Ekkehardt had made a name for himself during the beginning of the campaign for Castle Avalonia. Being a former Stern Ritter, he had fought on the front lines, and had over the course of the century claimed the lives of many a Bount. So at the very least the Soldat and Stern Ritter could respect his prowess in battle.

His arrival encouraged cheers from the common soldier, and he would calmly nod his head at them before continuing on to the command tent where his commanders greeted him. His advisor, a seasoned Quincy warrior who had fought with him since he joined the Vandenreich, saluted him before turning back to the table that the other commanding officers were gathered around, each of them also saluting as they noted his presence. "Your Highness."

Alexander II frowned as he looked at the map spread before him, although his frown had nothing to do with it. He stood at the head of the table, and looked with narrowed eyes at the mark on the map showing where Emperor Ulrich had been murdered. "What has been done?"He asked suddenly, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen, "What has been done to ascertain the truth of this sordid affair? I know that not moments after the Vizard known as Vai'el appeared in our camp, the Emperor was murdered by a Cero, and shortly after that an Arrancar made its presence known due to the Vizard's actions whereupon this Vai'el claimed to have had no part in the murder and urged for us to execute the Arrancar then and there, without discovering his true motives. If the Vizard had truly desired to prove his innocence, he would have incapacitated the Arrancar and let us take it into custody, instead of allowing for it to attempt escape and force us to execute it then and there."

His men nodded slowly, and his advisor shook his head in frustration, "The sad fact is we don't really know what happened, and that Vizard scarpered off to the Bounts quick as you like soon after and as far as we know is still in their camp right now, as we watched him enter but have yet to see him leave. And for all we know, he could have been telling the truth, although I highly doubt it considering that apparently it wasn't even Vai'el we were speaking to in the end, what with his Hollow side taking over and telling anyone that would listen that his other half wasn't responsible. It's too convenient for me to believe he had no part in it, but I'll leave the decision of what to do about him up to you, sir."

Ekkehardt narrowed his eyes, he thought over the report he had been given immediately following his crowning that went into detail about what had happened at the time of the Sacred Emperor's death. Honestly, he didn't like it one bit. It was bad enough his predecessor was killed in such a way, but that someone of such obvious ability as this Vai'el would go to such lengths to get away with what many have called an obvious blame ploy seemed a tad excessive as it convinced no one. After all, it was noted the Vizard that his Zanpakuto was an ice-type and he possessed Bankai. What did he stand to gain from his death? A new leader more willing to work with him? No. The election process was too quickly finished for him to have had time to install his own man. Destabilization? Same as above. The throne was filled too quickly for chaos to have become rampant. His frown deepened, "What does this Vizard gain? Or better yet, what would the Arrancar have stood to gain? After all, its appearance could be no coincidence, as what being would willingly let themselves be led to the slaughter just to get on someone else's good side? No, the Arrancar was there for something, and whether that was Emperor Ulrich's death or something as simple as recon is in the air as for all we know either could be true, perhaps both, perhaps neither. But what we do know is that it was there, and that makes this situation all the more disturbing."

His men nodded at point, as for all that it hadn't occurred to them, they found that it made sense. They talked for several minutes more before Ekkehardt declared the meeting over, and dismissed them, leaving the tent himself immediately following his dismissal. Walking about the camp, he came to the edge where he looked across the battlefield to where he knew the Bounts were camped and narrowed his eyes. He didn't know what the Vizard was planning, but right now, he only hoped the man wasn't foolish enough to start a war.

The Vizard would merely arch a brow as a stranger began to whisper in the Blood Lord's ear. Thankful for his mask on, the assassin wasted no energy on concealing his irritation. This was a matter to be handled with delicacy, yes. This was not a matter one just jumped into, correct. The offer, however, wasn't exactly one that need the whisperings of others. It was straight forward. Had this been a different setting, had Vai'el not helped them in the fight and then checked up on the injured. Had none of what just happened happened, then yes. He would understand and encourage this action. It did happen though. Clearly Vai'el didn't mean anyone here harm, so why the whispering? Why the secrecy? Why need advisers for such a simple matter? Even the human, a mere mortal, didn't call someone in to have them whisper into his ear about what they thought.

He waited until they were done with the whispering.

"What he wants with the Quincy, and what he stands to gain from them, is between him and them. Besides. All will be made known soon enough. As for what he stands to gain from you, that is simple enough. The benefits of having the Vizard army on your side, are clear. Our power speaks for itself. As for what we can gain from you...well that will become dependent on what we can get from the Quincy...So to answer your question. He doesn't know yet. No sense in discussing theory. What he can say, however, is that what he will ask is...minimal. Purely cosmetic. The Vizards require a new home. The Earth's races are perfect for building it. That's all we want...a new home."

He shrugged a bit. His silence would signal he was done with answering that particular question. The fact that he was still there would signal he was open to more if the other man deemed it required.

The Vizard had finished speaking and now Zanmato was considering his options once more. It was true that the benefits of an army of Vai'el's people would be formidable allies, as the Quincy were not the only threats to the continued existence of the Bounts. Arrancar saw anything that moved and had a soul as something to devour, and despite evidence to the contrary it was true that Bounts were in possession of something resembling a soul. The Shinigami hunted Bounts as well, as the vampiric race survived by consuming the souls that the Arrancar sought to eat and the Shinigami saw to absolve or condemn depending on that soul's behavior in life.

Furthermore, an end to the Blood War had its own benefits, as perpetual war was a negative influence on the population of all involved. Beyond even that obvious conclusion, if the Quincy were not his enemies, then Zanmato would be free to focus his attention elsewhere and to more important things...namely the acquisition of the Lord's Soul, that precious artifact that would eliminate the need to consume souls. There were so many benefits to accepting Vai'el's offer, and yet the Vizard was not exactly being forthcoming with information. The Bount frowned lightly and waved a hand. "Leave us." He said, and the Revenants promptly disappeared.

With the Revenant's gone, Zanmato felt free to give a deep sigh and shake his head lightly. "You make a choice that should be simple somewhat complicated with your mysteriousness about the situation. I want to believe that what you are offering is the godsend that it appears to be, but one does not survive for two thousand years as a Bount without being at least slightly wary. You say that you do not know yet what you will want, and yet you have to have an idea or else you would not be here."

Here the Bount took a moment to stop and place a few fingers on his head while he thought to himself for a moment. "An end to the Blood War, a powerful group of allies, probable advancement for my people...and all you want is a home and something else minimal in nature? Okay...let's say that you can make a deal with the Quincy that is everything that you want it to be. What would you ask of me then?"

Ekkehardt couldn't help but be suspicious of what was going on in the Bount war camp. He hadn't lasted this long by being reckless, and this entire situation had trouble written all over it. Alexander wasn't keen on fighting two foes at once, bad enough with just the Bounts, but the Vizards as well? The Quincy would be decimated, and their race would reel from the loss. Recovery would be difficult. Looking across the battlefield one more time, he turned around and traveled back to his tent, which was really more akin to a house with the furnishings inside, no matter how ridiculous Alexander felt they were. 

His face was blank as he looked over some papers on his desk, signing various documents that needed such and going over any reports that were handed in. The battle seemed to have stalled in the wake of Emperor Dietrich's death, and he was loath to give the order to resume the fighting. These rare moments of non-fighting were a godsend, and he would take advantage of it while it lasted. His soldiers also needed time to heal and regain their morale, which was already rising thanks in part to his ascension to Emperor, but it wouldn't be enough if the Vizards joined the Bounts. He needed time to contemplate this.

"He will know what is required of your people once he has the Quincy's promise of peace properly secure. At that point, and only at that point, will you be notified of what he requires. Assuming all goes well, however, it will most likely involve your knowledge of...well souls. While the humans are unsurpassed in their manipulation of souls, it is the Bounts who have lived long enough to truly understand the inner-workings of a soul. Which does bring him to a small...problem..."

He looked around for a moment as if searching for something before looking back to the Bount before him.

"He does not trust the human he met with. He suspects him of betrayal. The human is clearly interested in the preservation of his people over the aid of this one's, despite this one's people being few in number and lethally hunted by the Shinigami, and his own people being suppressed by Shinigami rule. So...the smaller thing he would ask of you, is to join this one when the proper time comes. You will know the right time."

The lull in the fighting was now making his forces restless, so Alexander moves outside the warcamp, going out into the battlefield, stopping halfway across it, not wanting to get too close to his enemies encampment lest he be assaulted. The Quincy Emperor wasn't one to make rash decisions, although this had the air of one. Looking at the now considerably closer Bount army, his face was blank, his eyes reflecting only indifference as he gazed upon his people's enemy.

Taking a small breath, and exhaling seconds later, he called out in a loud voice, "Bounts! I would call upon your leader to speak with me. And bring that Vizard if he is still there with you. It is time that we exchange words."

And with that he waited on the Bounts' response. He had no doubt that the leader of the Bounts- their so-called Blood Lord- would be intrigued by his proposition, but his response to it would answer how the battle would continue.

At first Zanmato's eyes narrowed slightly during Vai'el's response, but then they widened as the elder Bount's attention was captured with an intriguing request. The human leader, Mendoza, was known to him though it was not on a personal level. It was said that he was the most powerful of the Fullbringers, a being potentially on par with the Blood Lord himself, though in Zanmato's opinion that was a matter purely of rumor or speculation. The only living being who could have matched his strength enough to be his equal was Kirito, and now that the Emperor was no more, there was no one else to rival his strenght native to this plane of existence.

That being said, the Bount had no problem accepting Vai'el's latest request, which he was in the process of articulating until a shout was heard from across the field. "Ah, it appears that we are summoned, Kaosurura. Come, let us see if peace is still an option before we continue discussing this matter. Revenants, return to the forefront of the Bount forces and await my commands. Vai'el and I will return shortly." With that, Zanmato walked across the battlefield, stopping only to deposit his sword into the ground once more. If battle was joined as a result of some treachery, it would not be with metal that the Blood Lord would do battle after all. Unbeknownst to anyone else aside from perhaps the Revenants who had seen his Doll before, Zanmato was not alone, being shadowed as he was by a Giftspinne that could not be sensed except for by sight in its current form. With his Doll in an easily accessible position, the Blood Lord felt perfectly safe even walking so close to enemy territory.

So for a man weaponless, Zanmato walked calmly towards the center of the battlefield, stopping at easy speaking distance from who was presumably the new Quincy Emperor. "You have called and I have come, Quincy. Before we continue, I would know the name of the man who has succeeded the former Emperor."

Ekkehardt showed no reaction beyond arching an eyebrow. His eyes holding no trace of his feelings toward the Bount leader as he answered, "My name is Alexander von Ekkehardt, 3rd emperor of the Vandenreich." He said no words beyond this, knowing that the Vizard must appear before any headway could be made. Alexander was not overly fond of waiting for people, having been the leader of clan all his own for over 2 centuries before he joined the Quincy empire and thus been the person others waited for. He dearly hoped that the Vizard would appear soon, as he had no desire to wait overlong, which was what seemed to be inevitable at the lack of showing thus far.

His face blank, he looked upon the the Blood Lord who appeared to be of the same condition, looking to all the world the powerful being that he is, not that Alexander doubted that. You cannot be weak if you lead an entire race. He did not desire to pit their powers against each other, no matter how assured Ekkehardt was in his skills, as he had no knowledge as to the extent of his opponents powers, beyond that he assuredly had what the Bounts call a "doll" and that it would reasonably be the most powerful of all those assembled. 

Today would either end in peaceful blue or angry red.

Vai appeared suddenly next to the Bound Leader. He still wore his mask, as any proper diplomat of the Vizards would, and he remained mostly silent as the two exchanged formalities.

"Well, if we're quite done with introductions. He has exiles to rally. Quincy. He will make this brief. He didnt kill your leader. He had no reason to. He wishes to strike a deal with you and your people that will benefit everyone present. Join me. Stop the fighting. Stand united. It's simple really. The Bounts have agreed to cease the war, but only if you will as well. You have a chance for peace now. Dont follow the Shinigami down their broken path. They couldn't accept peace when it came to my people. Dont doom your people to the same fate of being locked in war for all eternity..."

The Vizard fell silent as he awaited the Quincy response.

He turned his head in Vai'el's direction, listening as the Vizard talked about what he hoped to achieve by having the three races cooperate. But this battle wasn't over something as simple as hatred of another, this was over the ancient First Cross, which they knew to be in Castle Avalonia. Ekkehardt's eyes bored into the Vizard, "We as Quincy are not here for a mere battle. The First Cross is known to rest within the stronghold Castle Avalonia, and we would see it returned to us." Ekkehardt could understand the Vizard's judgment of the Shinigami, a race that he could never reconcile with after they allowed the massacre of his people. His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke again, "If the First Cross is returned to us, we will withdraw from the field and cease the conflict between us, but only if it is returned. We cannot leave without it." 

While he was willing to negotiate, without the First Cross his people would remain uncompromising, and he would be forced to seek conflict lest rebellion is incited.

Before Vai'el arrived, the Blood Lord completed the formalities by mentioning: "And I am Zanmato." At that moment, the Kaosurura arrived and finally the deal was made known to the Quincy Emperor, though not the one that he had arrived expecting to make his deal to. In response, the Emperor said something that caused Zanmato to narrow his eyes slightly. Presumably he should be annoyed that the Quincy even knew that the First Cross was even inside the Castle, but it had been somewhat of an unspoken rule for time immemorial that all sides in war had sources of information within the other sides. No, in this case his frustration stemmed from the fact that Ekkehardt had asked for the one thing that he could not give.

"As the Blood Lord of the Bounts, I cannot give you such a powerful relic as the First Cross. Although, perhaps we can make a deal that will lead to you acquiring the Cross in the future. The Bounts seek a relic as well, known as the Lord's Soul. If you assist me with finding it, then you will have your First Cross." And thus were the positions of the two leaders established and negotiations begun in earnest, though at this point it was slightly early to call where they would lead.