Temple at the top of the mountain (Haggar212 + 1 or 2 other people.

"Okay..." I said still reluctant," I'm going to need you to stand back for a minute though. I need to be in Bankai for this to work."

After Tarok had stepped back a sufficient amount of space, I drew my katana, and pointed it towards the entrance of the cave.

"Skip Release," I said firmly," Bankai." and there was suddenly a huge outrush of air, abnd I was enveloped first by a purple aura, and then by a black and dark purple aura. When the dust had settled, I was revealed holding an extremely elegant longsword, and I said as firmly but not as loudly, "Sumasshuyochi, Gaidoku."



"Ready then," I said holding out my hand, "hold on tight, I'm not sure how bumpy it might be for passengers."

I took his hand. I was not at all apprehensive about this trip. I spun the shield around myself and he said the words......

"Here we come hell," I said grinning like an idiot. Then we were in the space between spaces, seeming not to move, but really moving faster than even my mind could fully comprehend. I saw the images of the many worlds in my mind, and I saw the inside of the temple where we wanted to go. I slowed down slightly, the sped up again, and we burst through the barrier, coming to an abrupt stop inside the courtyard just beyond the temple gate. Tarok seemed a little shaken by the experience, but his body was holding together fine.

"See?" I said, shaking my disorientedness. "I'm just fine."

"And lucky to be so," I said chuckling, "I'll have to make a point to test it on an enemy sometime to see if the process can be survived under normal circumstances."

"I guess." I said, and then went silent. I heard guards coming around the corner. I melded into the darkness. The guards came around, talking. ".... heard a noise down here. I heard talking, and came to check it out. Sounded like a kid and a teen." I was kind of scared, then I wondered where Azerik had hid.

"Mind if I drop in," I said comically as I dropped down onto the two guards from above. I grabbed them by the heads, and smacked them together, knocking them out cold.

"I've always wanted to do that," I said laughing.

"Not my style. I would rather use this." I said, patting my dagger. "We should get moving. By the way, why do you need to see these people?" I asked him.

"There's a Hollow here," I said simply, "and some people here are spiritually aware, so they can see it. Apparently its being worshiped as a deity. The monks here have been bringing souls to feed on, so I have to purify it, before things get too out of hand."

"I guess I should know what a Hollow is?" I asked him. "A Hollow is a soul that has stayed behind to feed on other souls." He said. I nodded, understanding. " I would like to see what this looks like, if I can. Maybe even help you fight it."

"The spiritually aware, can make contact with them," I said slowly," and sometimes even hurt them, but in the end, only a Soul Reaper should beat them. Our swords hold the power, to purify the souls of the Hollows, any other power used to finish them off simply ends their existence."

"I could at least help, right? Maybe give you a little help? Did my other self help you beat them, one or twice?"

"Yes," I said with a sigh, "but the ones he helped me beat were mindless low leveled ones. This one is either a Gillian or an Adjuchas, and their not to be trifled with. If I'm too unlucky, we'll have a Vasto Lorde on our hands...maybe even an Arrancar. Everything in those classes won't even be phased by the magic of the living."

"I've never told this to anyone, but....." I wondered if I should tell him. My race is actually half-dead.

"If you're talking about nightlings being half-dead, I already know that," I said impatiently, "but the fact is, half dead is still alive. I'm all dead, and so are a few thousand humans with powers like mine. Half dead doesn't cut it."

"Yes, but, you see, I have come across some beings lie what you are speaking of, and they were hard to beat. One was like a giant lizard with spines and a bone mask with red eyes."

"You killed it?" I said frantically all of a sudden as I grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him, "Tell me you didn't kill it!"

"What did I do wrong?"

"I just told you," I said letting go of him and turning to hide my frustration, "when a Soul Reaper destroys a Hollow, the Soul is purified of the sins it committed as a Hollow. If they are destroyed by any other means, that soul is lost forever, and so are the souls devoured by the Hollow."

"A... another person helped me, though. His presence was kind of like yours, and he called himself a Soul Reaper. He got the last hit on him."