Post by Tenchi on Jun 1, 2019 7:10:00 GMT
Chapter 1: Inside the Fire
Revenant laid on the ground outside of a coffee shop, and in an ally. He was covered in dust, and bleeding heavily from the face and torso. He was bloody, beaten, and broken. A warrior who was renowned for his sheer powers of rage and might was brought down by the likes of a corrupt fullbringer and familiar shinigami. It was an unfortunate tale, one that annoyed the armored berserker even while dying. If he were to die he would have preferred to be killed by Vayle Cameo in single combat. That was something that also bothered him, why was he so obsessed with fighting Vayle. Sure, she was a powerful opponent, but there must be more to it than that. Perhaps he would never know the answer to that question, but he was going to die anyway. The plus would open his eyes, seeing that he was clearly in a pool of his own blood. This was it, this was death. The man would take off his helmet and throw it to the side. It was a pointless device now anyhow. The broken man would then lie back on the ground with both arms behind his head, soon he would feel rage no longer, a pity. He was just beginning to under stand the power of the emotional spectrum...
The plus would close his eyes, and his broken body would shine brightly. His soul would soon fade from existence, a sad, but at least calm end.
The light would shine even more, as particles of his body would begin to drift away, but there would be a sudden noise that caused the man to open his eyes. The sounds of a cackling flames surrounded him. A ring of fire appeared around his body on the ground, and ethereal flaming chains would begin shooting out of the ground. The chains would wrap around Revenant's arms and legs, as he struggled to escape. Soon after, skeletal arms would come up from the ground, grabbing him, and dragging him beneath the earth. The armored man had no idea what was going on! Was this what death truly entailed?
"Raaaaahhh!" the chains and arms pulled him through layers of dirt and rock, the Plus felt as though he couldn't breath. Closing his eyes, hoping it was all just a nightmare, Revenant would think "What have I done? Who have I angered?!" Reopening his eyes, he would find himself falling from the sky! The air around him was on fire, and the sky was black as night. He heard the screams of thousands, no, millions around him. This could only be one place, it was hell. Gritting his teeth, the flaming winds would melt the man's armor off of his body! Revenant was naked, and burning alive as unbearable pain surrounded him. Soon, his body would be just as burnt as his face, and the pluses look of resistance and aggression would turn to looks of pain and anguish. His spirit had been broken by these fires.
He would try to become angry, but could not will himself to do so. The feelings of pain drowned out all other emotions he could muster, and no reishi would return to him. He would then see hollows fly through the sky, all burning in the same fashion that he was. Usually it would have been a pleasing sight, but he found no pleasure in it for the first time in a long time. The longer he fell, the more reality would warp around him. He was facing punishment himself it seemed, perhaps his anger was viewed as 'unjust'. It was true to an extent, he deserved to suffer in the way he was, not that he desired to. Voices and whispers would assault his mind, "You were a hunter, you failed to stop your prey!" "Anger took hold of you, and made you weak. You were the one who should have taken hold of it!"
The whispers told the truth, for a long time, Revenant believed that he was in control. He was but a pawn to his emotions who played him like a stringed instrument. Perhaps if he had conquerored his emotions, things would have been different... "You denied friendship and content for the path of war." "In that warpath, you may have done some good, but you also did some bad, yes?" burning plus would nod, the voices were correct again. He had saved lives, but threw off the spiritual balance of the world. "I---I--I Know..."
The speed at which he fell would increase, and the fires would grow ever more painful. "You told a man to not let his personal grudge come before his duty... You do not follow this same principal..." the unarmored Revenant knew that this voice was correct as well. He allowed his personal hate of the hollows drive his every action, while dissuading others from his path. He was in fact a hypocrite. As this admittance filled him, blue fire would wreath his body far worse than Estrella's had. This was true fury, it was true power. The plus had underestimated the fire of hell and the cunning of the soul king. He wished things could have ended differently, but time was set in stone, he was here to suffer. And suffer he would.
Closing his eyes he would feel the fires surrounding him, burning away his remaining flesh. He could no longer feel pain, and would suffer now knowing what he could have done to protect the worlds. Perhaps this knowledge would be his fate, his punishment for evils that he himself had committed. Opening his eyes, he would begin to see a massive pit of black tar beneath him. The bloodied and broken man would crash into the pit, the black substance would cover his body. It entered into all his open wounds as he tried his hardest to avoid drowning and swim to the shore.
At this point, Revenant looked more like a monster than a man. He was covered in tar with a destroyed body, he almost looked like the hollows who roamed the realm. Around him, he would see thousands, perhaps millions of other souls. These were his fellow sinners, forced to suffer the fires as well perhaps. The broken man would cough up tar, and hear the voice speak to him again. "Welcome Revenant, to hell..."
Turning around rapidly, he would see a skeletal man in hooded robes. The reishi coming off the being was ridiculous! It was as if the soul king himself was standing right there... Revenant would grit his teeth, and a tear would roll from his left eye. He was more broken then ever. He was no longer the "Revenant" he would speak little, "I am here. I have come to accept my punishment. I will atone here for eternity if I must... And I am Revenant no longer..."
The skeletal man would slightly nod before speaking, "This is to be expected of you. No one explained why your here after all... Allow me to introduce myself. I am Grim, leader of the Kushanāda, and grand overseer of hell." the broken plus would speak softly, "I must be true scum, for you to come oversee my stay personally then..." Grim would shake his head, apparently disagreeing with his notion. It was a relief, but unexpected by the plus. "Your crimes are not as vial as you may think... Those fires aren't something that happens to just anyone after all." he would become intrigued by the notion, "Then why did I suffer them?" Grim would nod slightly, "Your punishment was something that I came up with, to break you. In other words, I set your atonement on a fast track."
The Broken Man's eyes would widen, "But why would you spare me such a fate!? Who do you think I am!?" the dark reaper would tilt his head, clearly knowing something that the plus didn't. "You were spared, because you were chosen. You have the qualities we seek, but they must be refined. We, the Kushanāda, wish for you to be our champion... Just as the Soul King has his Soul reapers pass souls onto the soul society--" the plus would finish his sentence, "You want someone to pass evil soul onto hell for you?" Grim's index finger would raise into the air, "Bingo. You are to be our soul reaper... A Hellwalker... Should you accept of course."
He would look down at his destroyed body and begin to reflect on the past, if he were to accept such a position, wouldn't he just go back to being a psychopath? Then again, the fires had washed away his evil desires. In a way, the pluses heart would be pure for a time. "But... What if I fail. What if I become like I was!?" the skeletal man would shake his head, "The fires of change are a powerful force. Not even the most vial of hollow magic, or fearsome of soul reaper power can change your heart back... You will still wield anger, but it will be righteous. You will be angered by the evil that remains to exist!"
Feeling more confident, the plus would grin. "If I am to become a Hellwalker. What must I do?" Grim would continue to explain, "As I mentioned. A Hellwalker is one who sends evil souls to hell, oh behalf of hell itself. While in combat and on duty, you represent hell. You must be angry, but just. You must be mighty, but never arrogant. You may enjoy combat, but never loose control. Follow these rules, and you will be on the path to success." Grim would take the Pluses destroyed hand, and begin to lead him through the crowd of souls. "Now, follow me. We'll fix you up first, and begin your training after you've had time to adjust."
Word Count: 1,653
Revenant laid on the ground outside of a coffee shop, and in an ally. He was covered in dust, and bleeding heavily from the face and torso. He was bloody, beaten, and broken. A warrior who was renowned for his sheer powers of rage and might was brought down by the likes of a corrupt fullbringer and familiar shinigami. It was an unfortunate tale, one that annoyed the armored berserker even while dying. If he were to die he would have preferred to be killed by Vayle Cameo in single combat. That was something that also bothered him, why was he so obsessed with fighting Vayle. Sure, she was a powerful opponent, but there must be more to it than that. Perhaps he would never know the answer to that question, but he was going to die anyway. The plus would open his eyes, seeing that he was clearly in a pool of his own blood. This was it, this was death. The man would take off his helmet and throw it to the side. It was a pointless device now anyhow. The broken man would then lie back on the ground with both arms behind his head, soon he would feel rage no longer, a pity. He was just beginning to under stand the power of the emotional spectrum...
The plus would close his eyes, and his broken body would shine brightly. His soul would soon fade from existence, a sad, but at least calm end.
The light would shine even more, as particles of his body would begin to drift away, but there would be a sudden noise that caused the man to open his eyes. The sounds of a cackling flames surrounded him. A ring of fire appeared around his body on the ground, and ethereal flaming chains would begin shooting out of the ground. The chains would wrap around Revenant's arms and legs, as he struggled to escape. Soon after, skeletal arms would come up from the ground, grabbing him, and dragging him beneath the earth. The armored man had no idea what was going on! Was this what death truly entailed?
"Raaaaahhh!" the chains and arms pulled him through layers of dirt and rock, the Plus felt as though he couldn't breath. Closing his eyes, hoping it was all just a nightmare, Revenant would think "What have I done? Who have I angered?!" Reopening his eyes, he would find himself falling from the sky! The air around him was on fire, and the sky was black as night. He heard the screams of thousands, no, millions around him. This could only be one place, it was hell. Gritting his teeth, the flaming winds would melt the man's armor off of his body! Revenant was naked, and burning alive as unbearable pain surrounded him. Soon, his body would be just as burnt as his face, and the pluses look of resistance and aggression would turn to looks of pain and anguish. His spirit had been broken by these fires.
He would try to become angry, but could not will himself to do so. The feelings of pain drowned out all other emotions he could muster, and no reishi would return to him. He would then see hollows fly through the sky, all burning in the same fashion that he was. Usually it would have been a pleasing sight, but he found no pleasure in it for the first time in a long time. The longer he fell, the more reality would warp around him. He was facing punishment himself it seemed, perhaps his anger was viewed as 'unjust'. It was true to an extent, he deserved to suffer in the way he was, not that he desired to. Voices and whispers would assault his mind, "You were a hunter, you failed to stop your prey!" "Anger took hold of you, and made you weak. You were the one who should have taken hold of it!"
The whispers told the truth, for a long time, Revenant believed that he was in control. He was but a pawn to his emotions who played him like a stringed instrument. Perhaps if he had conquerored his emotions, things would have been different... "You denied friendship and content for the path of war." "In that warpath, you may have done some good, but you also did some bad, yes?" burning plus would nod, the voices were correct again. He had saved lives, but threw off the spiritual balance of the world. "I---I--I Know..."
The speed at which he fell would increase, and the fires would grow ever more painful. "You told a man to not let his personal grudge come before his duty... You do not follow this same principal..." the unarmored Revenant knew that this voice was correct as well. He allowed his personal hate of the hollows drive his every action, while dissuading others from his path. He was in fact a hypocrite. As this admittance filled him, blue fire would wreath his body far worse than Estrella's had. This was true fury, it was true power. The plus had underestimated the fire of hell and the cunning of the soul king. He wished things could have ended differently, but time was set in stone, he was here to suffer. And suffer he would.
Closing his eyes he would feel the fires surrounding him, burning away his remaining flesh. He could no longer feel pain, and would suffer now knowing what he could have done to protect the worlds. Perhaps this knowledge would be his fate, his punishment for evils that he himself had committed. Opening his eyes, he would begin to see a massive pit of black tar beneath him. The bloodied and broken man would crash into the pit, the black substance would cover his body. It entered into all his open wounds as he tried his hardest to avoid drowning and swim to the shore.
At this point, Revenant looked more like a monster than a man. He was covered in tar with a destroyed body, he almost looked like the hollows who roamed the realm. Around him, he would see thousands, perhaps millions of other souls. These were his fellow sinners, forced to suffer the fires as well perhaps. The broken man would cough up tar, and hear the voice speak to him again. "Welcome Revenant, to hell..."
Turning around rapidly, he would see a skeletal man in hooded robes. The reishi coming off the being was ridiculous! It was as if the soul king himself was standing right there... Revenant would grit his teeth, and a tear would roll from his left eye. He was more broken then ever. He was no longer the "Revenant" he would speak little, "I am here. I have come to accept my punishment. I will atone here for eternity if I must... And I am Revenant no longer..."
The skeletal man would slightly nod before speaking, "This is to be expected of you. No one explained why your here after all... Allow me to introduce myself. I am Grim, leader of the Kushanāda, and grand overseer of hell." the broken plus would speak softly, "I must be true scum, for you to come oversee my stay personally then..." Grim would shake his head, apparently disagreeing with his notion. It was a relief, but unexpected by the plus. "Your crimes are not as vial as you may think... Those fires aren't something that happens to just anyone after all." he would become intrigued by the notion, "Then why did I suffer them?" Grim would nod slightly, "Your punishment was something that I came up with, to break you. In other words, I set your atonement on a fast track."
The Broken Man's eyes would widen, "But why would you spare me such a fate!? Who do you think I am!?" the dark reaper would tilt his head, clearly knowing something that the plus didn't. "You were spared, because you were chosen. You have the qualities we seek, but they must be refined. We, the Kushanāda, wish for you to be our champion... Just as the Soul King has his Soul reapers pass souls onto the soul society--" the plus would finish his sentence, "You want someone to pass evil soul onto hell for you?" Grim's index finger would raise into the air, "Bingo. You are to be our soul reaper... A Hellwalker... Should you accept of course."
He would look down at his destroyed body and begin to reflect on the past, if he were to accept such a position, wouldn't he just go back to being a psychopath? Then again, the fires had washed away his evil desires. In a way, the pluses heart would be pure for a time. "But... What if I fail. What if I become like I was!?" the skeletal man would shake his head, "The fires of change are a powerful force. Not even the most vial of hollow magic, or fearsome of soul reaper power can change your heart back... You will still wield anger, but it will be righteous. You will be angered by the evil that remains to exist!"
Feeling more confident, the plus would grin. "If I am to become a Hellwalker. What must I do?" Grim would continue to explain, "As I mentioned. A Hellwalker is one who sends evil souls to hell, oh behalf of hell itself. While in combat and on duty, you represent hell. You must be angry, but just. You must be mighty, but never arrogant. You may enjoy combat, but never loose control. Follow these rules, and you will be on the path to success." Grim would take the Pluses destroyed hand, and begin to lead him through the crowd of souls. "Now, follow me. We'll fix you up first, and begin your training after you've had time to adjust."
Word Count: 1,653