Val'nyne Caustler, Lord of the Hueco Mundo

[Kirani Juujisei]

Name: Caustler, Val’nyne
Alias: Val'nyne has many names - amongst the most common are The Warlord, The Destroyer and Lord of the Hueco Mundo. To the Aztec's, he was Huitzilopochtli.
Age: At least 2000 years old; apparent age impossible to determine
Gender: Male
Birthday: 15th August
Height: 8’2’’
Weight: 500lbs (620lbs in armour, 700lbs with armour and Zanpakuto)
Eye colour: A baleful orange, Val’nyne’s eyes have the colour of, and indeed, seem to be made of flames. Gaze into his eyes, and you glance upon the fire of hell.
Hair colour: Black

Rank: 1st Espada

Constitution

-Strength: 25 (Val’nyne is a physical powerhouse)
-Endurance: 25 (With his reiatsu, and love of war, fighting on and on is not difficult)

Dexterity

-Agility: 15 (Val’nyne has average speed – which is faster than most would expect from him)
-Accuracy: 15 (Val’nyne understands that power alone is worthless; he is not the fleetest individual, but his hits land quite often)

Resurrección

-Attack: 30 (Val’nyne’s release grants him power that few can stand against)
-Defense: 5 (However, Val’nyne loses much of the defences he possesses upon releasing)

Natural Abilities

-Offensive: 5 (Due to the sheer destructive power that Val’nyne’s unique abilities possess, he cares little for cero and bala – and thus, these attacks are unpolished and distinctly sub-par for his rank)
-Defensive: 10 (Val’nyne’s hierro is far from invincible – but it still offers some protection against weaker blades and attacks. It is not as strong as would be expected.)

Perception

-Intelligence: 15 (Val’nyne is naturally clever, with a good grasp of tactics and strategy. He does not polish his intellect in areas other than the art of war much, however)
-Willpower: 20 (When Val’nyne makes a decision, he does it. He is a controlled individual, and he will not change his ways or do what he does not wish to do)

Presence

-Charisma: 10 (Charm is not one of Val’nyne’s tools – fear through power, on the other hand…)
-Leadership: 25 (Val’nyne created the concept of the Espada, and has ruled them since the organisation was formed)

Appearance: X

Val’nyne is, in appearance, every inch the almighty being that he is in reality. Possessing great height and formidable physical fortitude, with clearly developed muscles, one word that could describe Val’nyne is imposing. Yet this is a slight betrayal, for even through those muscles suggest strength, it is unlikely the eye alone can appreciate the destructive capacity of Val’nyne. Clinging to this large and terrible form is an aura of bloodlust, a desire to fight that is rarely heard of let alone seen in the spirit worlds. As an avatar of destruction, Val’nyne’s reiatsu is appropriately violent, often a focused maelstrom in peaceful times, a howling tempest when in the fray and glorious fury of battle. Like the many forms of reiatsu that take an almost physical property in their intensity, Val’nyne’s is a firestorm, a screeching, seemingly (yet, to those of relevance, harmless) burning wind when fully unleashed upon the unfortunate, most powerful individuals this mighty being strays across.

Val’nyne’s skin is more or less a mass of scar tissue – whilst it was not always this way, using his powers has left his body marred superficially. There is nowhere left untouched by the persistent marks caused from one instant of blazing fire consuming his body - but these are not the only scars that Val'nyne possesses. There are several minor scars all across his body from sword strokes in the past, but the most significant is a large, jagged mark on his back with a matching scar at his abdomen - a reminder of an important battle in Val'nyne's past where foul play nearly cost him the battle and his life.

Gazing then upon his face, one would find that Val’nyne is appropriately brutal to match his mighty form and cruel personality. His face is a mass of scars, barely recognisable under previous damage, with the nose mostly sliced away. Despite the wrath of his flames, his hair remains, ever growing back, and it is both cut short and coloured black. But although his hair has grown back, his eyes are not so fortunate - they have been claimed, and have since been replaced, in a fashion, with twin fires, still capable of seeing, still capable of dripping venomous glares and shining with malevolence. Stare into them, and you stare into a dark and terrible world filled with slaughter and pain, fire and death; a world that Val’nyne would quite quickly bring into reality with sword in hand. His mask is like a great crescent, stretching from his jaw to his right. Search for the hollow hole of this arrancar, and it may be found dead centre in his chest – there is nothing special about the hole (save the fact it is of proportional size to the rest of his body), unlike most other aspects of this individual.

Of all things in the world, Val’nyne enjoys the thrill of war most. Val’nyne lives for the sound, the smell, the taste, the emotions of war; not just a battle, but a massive clash between many beings, with blood in the air and soaking the ground, with screams of terror, cries of pain, roars of triumph. This arrancar is thus dressed accordingly, and it is for this reason that few ever manage to see his flesh or face. Those who do are those who will be adding to his collection of scars as they manage to destroy his armour piece by piece, or force Val'nyne himself to destroy it in the act of unveiling his true power.

Over his head, Val’nyne wears an impressive helmet; styled after some unholy cross between insect and dragon, the helmet reveals naught but the burning eyes of Val’nyne, and a portion of the flesh around them. The helmet, and the rest of Val’nyne’s armour, has a colour similar to that of copper…but of course, the armour is not as fallible as copper would be. Not quite visible when looking head on, but there are thin slits in the helmet that allow Val’nyne to breathe…and exhale. A curious fact is that Val’nyne does not exhale like other beings; instead, the waste gases are laced through with grey smoke, another sign of his fire aspects.

The rest of the armour is rather ornate in appearance. There is not a scratch to be found on the armour, despite the many battles that it has seen - some might determine this is due to the strength of the armour, and the strength of the armour does help, but it can be attributed more to other powers that the armour possesses. Val’nyne’s entire body is protected, and furthermore, under the plates of armour, Val’nyne wears silvery chain mail, a second layer of defence. This can be most clearly seen at the joints in the main armour. Overall, the armour looks like it provides excellent protection, in addition to being a suit worthy of a god, a demon, a king.

But truly completing the appearance is a magnificent crimson cloak, fastened with golden pins, the regal look finished with a touch of fur; for many men, such a cloak would not be a cheap accessory to be thrown away, but for Val'nyne, this cloak is a mere accessory, a sign of his status, possessed in great numbers to be discarded when battles begin to grow interesting and to further highlight his status at all other times. Val’nyne is not just a warrior; he is a warrior king, proud and willing to serve only himself.

Personality: Absolute control. That is, without doubt, the finest way to describe the persona that is Val’nyne Malovist Caustler. But what does it mean? Val’nyne is an individual of not inconsiderable intellect and strength, and as one might expect, he is also rather proud. Contrary to expectations, however, Val’nyne is not arrogant at all, and this is one part of his herculean control. Some beings feel the need to strut around and shine with the power, revel in their might and superiority over others, conquer them and force them to bend to their wills, ever cocky and blinded by delusions of their own superiority. These people, obnoxious and arrogant to a fault, are wonderful examples of what Val’nyne is not. He sees no need to display his true power constantly, preferring to have it sealed away for when it is really needed, his actions and appearance and standard reiatsu emission enough demonstration of his danger. Val’nyne is calm and controlled, assured and confident of his own skill, his limits. He knows that if others had his power, they would almost surely be oblivious to those limits, so stellar they are in comparison to the standard examples of spirits. It is that cool confidence that makes Val’nyne so much more deadly.

However, there is the pride. Val’nyne has lived a long life, and his time as a hollow has been accomplishment after accomplishment - no sentient being can escape the clutches of pride after that, especially when all their actions have been to further their own desires. He is proud of his immense strength, his image, and anyone who wishes to challenge that can feel his vicious wrath, his arrancar fury unleashed in battle. Even that fury is controlled, a power crafted into a weapon designed to fell the obstacle in the path of the arrancar, and it is that fury that has left many a being dead or dying. His pride allows for equals, for Val’nyne is generous and understands that allies must often be treated as equals even if they are not so in reality (an act of generosity that can break down if said allies are proving to be hindrances in some shape or form), and is even the flexible pride that allows for the existence of superiors; were he ever to meet such an individual, Val’nyne would certainly acknowledge their superiority...but he also knows this is unlikely, and so a part of him is fully convinced that he represents the pinnacle of hollow potential. Having said all that, Val’nyne’s pride is not a crippling, blinding pride, like some pitiable individuals succumb to.

However, Val’nyne is not a kind individual. Calm he may often be, but in reality, Val’nyne is cruel, merciless, without honour and without fear. Sadistic and bloodthirsty, he is not like the warriors who roam the world, searching for worthy opponents, searching for ways to fully test their strengths – although he would not pass up such an opportunity. No, Val’nyne is, at heart, a spirit of war and everything else associated with it. The thing that brings most joy to his life is slaughter…and there is nothing exempt from his wrath, from his hunger when he truly lets loose. A being that can see him, that can raise a sword, curse his name and die defiantly (or running in fear) is preferable, but should the winds of war send flocks of helpless mortals his way, then they shall be claimed by fire and steel.

To be dedicated to war means that death could be only a footstep away; emotions such as fear have been burnt out of Val’nyne. The best an opponent can do is kill him, or harm his body, and these things are the currency of war. Pain is acceptable, when Val’nyne is enjoying the thrill of slaughter. Equally, what is there to fear in death? It is an end to life; not something to look forward to, but in the end, inevitable. It will come when it comes, and Val’nyne will stare at it with curiosity. This arrancar is proof that evil need not be pure – combined with an absence of fear, Val’nyne also shows a certain degree of care for his subordinates and allies, and will, without hesitation, throw himself into the fray to save their lives. Ultimately selfish, for such will provide him with more foes, more meat for his Zanpakuto to cut…yet arrancar are spared, are they not? Yet do not cross Val’nyne; the same minor madness that can cause him to throw himself against seemingly impossible odds can also cause him to become the worst of enemies; offend him, and it is quite likely that your life is forfeit.

For against his enemies, Val’nyne can be remorselessly cruel and sadistic. Any means to destroy an enemy will be employed; Val’nyne is not above cheating and has disregarded all forms of honour and fair play. The fight itself isn’t a thrill; if there is more than one opponent, he will go for a killing blow. He will not adhere to foolish rules of fighting alone if it is not required. The only time Val’nyne will not immediately seek to kill a foe is when there is but one foe, and in this situation, he will cut them to pieces. Inflict maximum pain, show them the true meaning of battle – war brings suffering, and Val’nyne is the master of war. It is thus his prerogative to maim and slay as he wills. The depths of their inadequacy will be shown through the skill and wrath of Val’nyne; a lifetime in battle has made this man a sword master, and not a warrior to be trifled with. And of course, if anyone dares to fight with Val’nyne, they may rest assured that defeat equals death…letting opponents live is not the motto of this arrancar, and indeed, most of them find themselves becoming little more than another meal for the First of the Espada.

When it comes to intelligence, many might be surprised. Whilst brutal in appearance and personality, Val’nyne is not stupid; the exact opposite, in fact. He is an individual of few words, speaking when speech is necessary, and he will not dish out unnecessary insults or boasts to an opponent, only simple truths. Although well capable of planning ahead, he disregards such notions – he is a warlord, and scheming is best left for those who cannot settle a conflict with sword in hand. Wasted genius? Perhaps…but let it never be said that Val’nyne does not have fun at all times. If there is one thing no one can ever succeed in, it is making this individual annoyed. Yes, he may kill another for an insult, but this is not necessary out of irritation…it is more a perfunctory action. With an endless supply of bodies in the worlds to be hacked to pieces…how could Val’nyne ever feel irritation?

Strengths: The obvious strengths of Val’nyne can actually be discerned simply from looking at him – he possesses a raw power that can leave others torn asunder very, very quickly if they engage it head on. He knows the battlefield well, and he knows how to survive there – he is an old warrior, and warriors do not become old without being of great skill. Bloodthirsty as he may be, and often claimed by battle lust, Val’nyne is still an efficient, controlled and deadly killing machine. Furthermore, whilst no genius in such matters, he has some skill in strategy and tactics – enough to ensure that other arrancar are trusting enough to follow his orders, expecting victory through such orders alone rather than necessary personal touches. And whilst Val’nyne doesn’t care for honour, he still feels obliged to assist those who entrust their lives to him – if he can. As enemies go, Val’nyne is a horrifying. As allies go, he is powerful. As masters go, he is reliable.

Weaknesses: Val’nyne is a force of destruction, but his most devastating range is limited, as is his speed. It is possible for more nimble opponents to stay away from his more dangerous attacks, to avoid coming to blows physically, and attempt a long range battle, where Val’nyne has less reliable options. His defences are nothing stellar, either – combined with his love of battle, Val’nyne will often throw himself into dangerous positions. He will not avoid an attack if he has the chance to deliver one back on his enemy, and he will often attempt to brute force through defensive techniques and offensive techniques alike, shifting to better strategy only if this proves decidedly ineffective. Val’nyne is at a disadvantage against ice type, or even water type individuals, and should his armour be compromised then he is even weak against those who use fire, at least in his sealed form. Lastly, his willingness to enter battle to save his subordinates – the only beings in the world he cares for – can be used against him.


Abilities: Val’nyne possesses all of the regular hollow techniques. He also has two unique techniques.

Technique Name: Alma Fuego (Fire Soul)

Technique Classification: Utility

Technique Range: Immediate

Alma Fuego is, in theory, a powerful technique, but it lacks a certain control and safety mechanisms – it is a core part of Val’nyne, and yet it is responsible for more damage to his body than any opponent has managed to deliver. Val’nyne’s body is hot to the touch at all times; Espada level arrancar will suffer minor burns from any prolonged contact, Captains slightly more so thanks to their lack of hierro, and as the spirits grow weaker, they are more at risk. Humans tend to burst into flames from being too close to Val’nyne. Through Alma Fuego, Val’nyne replaced his lost eyes with orbs of flame that see just as well…but it is through Alma Fuego that he lost his eyes.

Val’nyne is capable of raising the reiatsu put into this technique, and thus the heat that other spirits might feel. In the presence of other heat based techniques, he suffers damage due to the reiatsu, but adds the heat component to himself and thus grows hotter. Once, Val’nyne could limit how hot his body became, and could vent the heat before damage occurred, but this is no longer the case. Once Val’nyne’s body temperature passes its regular, standard heat, it will begin to rise slowly but uncontrollably until an external source is able to cool him down to his natural temperature, or he releases. Very quickly, Val’nyne begins to receive burns…and this is what happened to him shortly after becoming an arrancar.

A second flaw to this technique is that, as expected, Val’nyne is vulnerable to cold based techniques – whilst he can thaw from being frozen quickly by increasing the reiatsu put into Alma Fuego, the cold can reduce his temperature to a point where the flames of his eyes are put out, robbing him of sight temporarily.

Technique Name: El Dragón (The Dragon)

Technique Classification: Utility

A fanciful name for a simple reality, Val’nyne’s second natural power is no more than his reiatsu. The number of souls that Val’nyne has consumed in the past is immense, and thus, his reiatsu is even larger than would be expected. It is far from overwhelming, but it is noticeably above his peers amongst the Espada, and through this technique Val’nyne was able to solidify his station as First Espada. It is mostly due to this that Val’nyne is incredibly strong and resilient – killing the warlord is not a simple task.

Special Items:

The Armour of He who is Destruction: After suffering at the hands of his own ability, Alma Fuego, and barely surviving the incident, Val’nyne created for himself a suit of armour that would act a regulator of his power, armour that would effectively shut down most of the powers of Alma Fuego. The Armour of He who is Destruction (henceforth referred to as ‘The Armour’) absorbs the heat given off by Val’nyne at an increase rate as the heat increases; at his standard temperature, the armour and his body remain in equilibrium – should Val’nyne increase his temperature, the armour will absorb it more quickly until the equilibrium is restored, preventing Val’nyne from suffering damage from his own powers, but also preventing them from being used offensively.

As a balance to this, the heat absorbed by the armour gives it strength, and regenerative properties. The armour remembers the shape it was forged into, and should the armour become heavily damaged, then all Val’nyne need do is bathe the armour in flames until it is restored. In terms of durability, at Val’nyne’s regular temperature, the armour has a durability similar to the hierro of the arrancar. This will increase as Val’nyne increases the reiatsu put into Alma Fuego, but the increase is steadily smaller as the amount of heat increases – thus, this is typically not worthwhile.

Just like Val’nyne, the armour is weak against the cold – it will lose its strength when struck by cold techniques, and if constantly under assault it can become very brittle indeed. The colour of the armour indicates how tough it is – it possesses its usual copper colour when feeding off the standard heat of Val’nyne, and will become more red if more heat is applied. However, if the armour is not nourished, then it will be plain black, and will pose as much resistance to the blade of even a Vice Captain as a chunk of sodium poses for a simple human knife. In Val’nyne’s halls, there are many suits of black armour, clones of the original formed through regeneration, waiting to be used in the event of the complete destruction of the original armour.

Zanpakutō Name: Diablo del Sol

Sealed Zanpakutō: Val’nyne’s Zanpakuto, Diablo del Sol, is a frightening weapon. Some Zanpakuto’s are frightening because of a macabre legacy, and true, the Sun Demon certainly has one of those, having bathed in the blood of countless hollows, and many arrancar and shinigami. It is not this that makes the sword frightening. Other Zanpakuto’s are frightening because of a deadly appearance – perhaps they have a particularly sharp edge or look excruciatingly painful if they strike, and it would be a massive lie to say that the Sun Demon does not manifest this attribute too. What makes the Diablo del Sol frightening is its size, its weight, its past, but most of all, it is the way that its master, Val’nyne Caustler, uses it to strike down his terrified foes.

With a blade over seven feet in length, and a width four times that of any normal sword, Diablo del Sol is a mighty sword, as large as a sword can reasonably be – nay, larger still, the kind of weapon a lesser man could never lift, never mind wield. The main weapon is heavy, and seemingly made of gold, etched with a grand design; howling dragons, rising from sheets of flame. The edges, however, have the sheen of silver, that well known bright colour belonging to weapons that have been meticulously maintained for combat, still sharp enough to slice apart the enemy soundly. There are no additional features to the blade – the size and weight are more than enough to make eyes widen and minds shiver.

The pommel of this sword, the rather useless counterweight in such an impressive weapon, is semi-circular, and is quite plain compared to the blade of Diablo del Sol. The guard is equally plain and black. The hilt is wrapped in black thread and the length expected for such a sword, for ease of use…but here is where Val’nyne makes Diablo del Sol a terror to behold. Despite the size of the blade, Val’nyne is more than capable of using the weapon with only a single hand, like lesser spirits would handle a regular Zanpakuto. The blade rests within a white scabbard, slung over Val’nyne’s back when going into combat and at other times, left in the cave he calls his home. Impressive as it is, there is no reason to carry such a blade at all times…and there are few, if any others, that could carry it for long, never mind fight with it.

Incantation to Release: Divide Mundo, Diablo del Sol! (Sunder the World, Sun Demon!)

Resurrección: When Val’nyne speaks the words to release his blade, there will be an immediate pressure wave expanding out rapidly from his position, often blowing away those who are not expecting it (and typically, causing no damage in and of itself – those unfortunate to strike into other objects, on the other hand, are very unlucky). This wave has a radius of twenty metres, and those caught by it can consider themselves fortunate, as that radius is quickly consumed by flames which also expand from Val’nyne. Into the sky, a pillar of light and flame stretches to the clouds – a mostly cosmetic effect. All of these are a by-product of the power that is released by Val’nyne’s Zanpakuto.

In the middle of this chaos, Val’nyne is transformed, and the Armour that he wears, should it still be on his body, is insufficient against such might and will be consumed utterly. When the pillar dies down, the true form of Val’nyne is revealed, standing in a field of fire.

The remains of his hollow mask are seemingly gone. Val’nyne wears armour similar in design to the Armour of He who is Destruction, but it is lighter, thinner, and apparently made from flame given shape, all red and orange and yellow hues, ever shifting and constantly alight with flames. The burns of his skin vanish, being replaced by dark scales. No longer is mere smoke exhaled from Val’nyne’s mouth; his breath is fire, but is not a viable weapon. His fingers now possess draconic talons, his teeth are sharp and curved, and four great white horns extend back from his head like spikes. Across his knuckles are bands of spiked iron, terrible weapons with which to make his blows more painful, and in his left hand, Val’nyne carries a sword of silver otherwise identical to the sealed form of Diablo del Sol.

Amongst the most notable of Val’nyne’s features, however, are the two great wings of what can only be described as, much like his armour, solidified flame, and his long, spiked tail.

In his release form, Val’nyne receives the typical arrancar reiatsu boost, and an appropriate increase in his strength, stamina, and speed. However, he loses access to bala and cero, and his hierro is reduced in toughness by roughly half. These losses are more than compensated for by the powers granted by his release.

Technique Name: Fuego Apocalipsis (Apocalypse Flame)

Technique Classification: Offensive

Technique Range: Close/Short/Mid

In his release form, Val’nyne is no longer subject to the weaknesses of Alma Fuego, for that ability is overruled and can be considered to evolve into the more useful and safer Fuego Apocalipsis. The Apocalypse Flame refers to Val’nyne’s fire traits, his burning armour, and his burning wings – the very presence of the arrancar is dangerous to lesser spirits. Materials unfortified through spiritual techniques that are close to Val’nyne tend to melt or burst into flames, and many fortified materials will still burn up if grasped by the arrancar. In his release form, Val’nyne maintains a constant temperature, and thus, he does not suffer burns from his own technique.

However, this does mean that the absorption property of Alma Fuego is lost. Lesser spiritual or physical flames have no effect on Val’nyne (such as fires caused by things burning from Fuego Apocalipsis), but due to being of a different reiatsu source, the fire type abilities of other beings can still harm Val’nyne, as rather than adding the heat to his body, Val’nyne’s body will instead use up reiatsu to return to the regular temperature. What this essentially means is that Val’nyne will not be burned by fire type techniques, but will instead lose reiatsu, potentially diminishing his combat potential by some degree. However, all is determined by reiatsu – a very hot yet spiritually weak fire technique will be less threatening than a stronger, colder fire technique.

Additionally, the armour that he wears is not nearly as durable as might be expected – swords pass through the armour as if it were but mere flames. The true power of the armour is against the hated users of ice type abilities, those Val’nyne is weakest against; at the sake of Fuego Apocalipsis temporarily losing power, Val’nyne has a buffer against ice type moves. Naturally, just like Alma Fuego, if Fuego Apocalipsis is put under enough strain from cold abilities, it will be forced into a deactivated state until Val’nyne uses his reiatsu to replenish it.

(Consequently, should Val’nyne simultaneously face both a fire and ice user, it would be unwise to follow up an ice type technique with a fire type – when Fuego Apocalipsis is reduced, adding an external source of heat will add to its power.)

Technique Name: Reventa Calamidad (Calamity Burst)

Technique Classification: Offensive

Technique Range: Short/Mid

The most reliable of Val’nyne’s techniques, Calamity Burst is a short range technique, unlike the Destroyer Ray. However, Val’nyne cannot use it as freely as Destroyer Ray; he may use it a maximum of two times per release. Calamity Burst is a two-post technique, and can fortunately be cancelled if needs be. First, Val’nyne must create the Calamity – a sphere of light and flame, in his right hand, packed with a great deal of power. Whilst this takes one post to form, should Val’nyne decide to cancel the technique, it takes two posts to be reabsorbed and thus, should Val’nyne cancel the Calamity, he essentially loses the use of one hand for three posts.

On the second post of the Calamity Burst, Val’nyne merely opens his hand, pointing in a direction of his choice, and the Calamity will release its power as a directed burst of blazing fire and blinding light away from Val’nyne with an area of effect of around two metres cubed (the burst itself is more conical in shape, however). Anything within the AoE suffers damage, ranging from significant to massive.

Technique Name: Rayo Destructor (Destroyer Ray)

Technique Classification: Offensive

Technique Range: Long

Val’nyne’s long range technique in release, the Destroyer Ray has a range twice that of cero, and a power far, far greater. However, whilst a skilled user of cero might be able to release one quickly with little charge time or evidence of its use, Val’nyne does not possess such luxuries with the Destroyer Ray. He must point a hand at the target, and upon deciding to use this technique, a loud sound like shattering glass will pierce the air, and a light tainted red will appear in Val’nyne’s hand – similar to a cero, but much, much brighter. The reason for the terrible sound is evident in the space around Val’nyne’s hand – at the moment of creation, a wave of power sunders the air, temporarily opening a series of small gargantas around the charging Destroyer Ray, forming a circle of shattered space around it.

As a result, once Val’nyne chooses a direction in which to shoot the Destroyer Ray, he cannot change his mind and move his hand – the distorted space prevents it. But once the ray is fired moments later, if the target has not reacted suitably, they tend to face a terrible danger – the Destroyer Ray best punishes those who are slow and/or full of hubris. The Ray moves faster than a cero (but it does not look like a cero beyond its bright red colour – it remains compact and does not spread out), and upon impacting with its target, causes a massive explosion – a direct hit from a Destroyer Ray is deeply unpleasant for anyone, and being caught in the splash still hurts.

Needless to say, the Ray is a long range technique – using it at close range puts Val’nyne at risk too. However, due to the nature of the technique, it is possible for this aspect to be abused by more suicidal opponents.

Should the Destroyer Ray be necessary, but lack sufficient power to accomplish Val’nyne’s goals, then the Espada is capable of increasing the power of the Ray by mixing the technique with a Calamity. By choosing to use a Destroyer Ray when there is a Calamity charged in his hand, the two techniques will combine into a Rayo Calamidad, or Calamity Ray. This attack is more powerful than either technique it is created from, and the explosion a hit from this Ray will cause is tremendous, filled with fire and light, but it shares the same disadvantages as the Destroyer Ray – but even more so. In addition to preventing Val’nyne from moving, the energy wave created from the genesis of the technique will lash at Val’nyne, leaving his hand rather heavily damaged. Whilst Val’nyne can create two Calamity’s per release, he cannot use a Calamity Ray twice in one battle without destroying his right hand.

[Kirani Juujisei]

History:

He is the Warlord

The tale of Val’nyne Caustler, whose name as a mortal is irrelevant, begins in blood and fire, death and steel. A child born into a society at war, the art of battle was all the teaching he ever received, together with the ever repeated message of who the enemy was, and that they must be destroyed for the good of everyone. And the child excelled at what he did. He was strong, fast, and one of those rare people who could put a sword through a mans neck, watch the blood flow, and feel not the slightest moment of doubt, of fear, of discomfort. A natural born killer. Fifteen years passed before that child strode out of his home, blade in hand, to become yet another soldier in the endless battles. It did not take him long to score his first kill, but it didn’t take long for him to receive his first injury either – a stray arrow catching him in the leg, forcing him into an early withdrawal from the battlefield.

And whilst the boy healed, eventually regaining full use of his leg to the surprise of many, the battles came to an end. Society moved on, finding different things to do, and all at once the boy found himself in a place where he lacked the skills to do much else but fight. He rejoined the now redundant army, and became a member of the city garrison, where all that happened was sparring and watching and waiting…all for five years. It was five years before his fortune changed, before the boy found himself back on the battlefield.

Bandits, roaming the land, burning nearby settlements. The news spread fast, and the lord of the city gave an order for fifty soldiers to move out, to hunt down the bandits and bring them to justice. They were not to be taken alive, and they were not allowed to flee. The boy was a part of this mission. When they found the bandits, there was a battle – and that was a surprise. The soldiers had expected a slaughter, but instead found a group of warriors with weapons and armour looted from their various raids. Around half the group died in the initial battle, more fell in pursuing the bandits and by the end, a handful succumbed to their wounds, leaving only ten men left, with the boy, now a man, amongst them.

In disgust, the soldiers decided that they were done with their service – the ten left were all skilled veterans, and they had too much of a love for battle to be satisfied with rare missions like these. They decided to become sellswords, mercenaries – they would fight and be paid well for it, and everyone would be happier save the dead. The boy chose to go down this path, and never looked back. His father had died years before in the army, and he had no love for his mother, nor any siblings to care about – his home had nothing left for him but inactivity and a slow death to the hands of time. As years passed, the original ten died one by one – this man to a savage strike from an axe, another to falling rocks, but they received more replacements – their group swelled in numbers, and eventually, there were near one hundred men and women – some former soldiers, others just daring enough and skilled enough to sign up.

It was at this stage that the Warlord was born – the boy, being the most skilled, the most ruthless and the last of the original ten left, took command of the group. People came to know him as the Warlord, as he and his group left trails of corpses wherever they found work. The Warlord was sought out as an ally, for the one hundred under his command were amongst the most skilled in the land. Eventually, the group found itself a regular employer – the lord who ruled the Warlord’s home, an arrangement that the Warlord was happy to accept. For ten years, they fought in the name of a lord, slaughtering his enemies. The Warlord lived his life as he could only once have dreamed – wealth, power, women, everything and anything he desired, he could have.

But all stories have an end, and the end came to the Warlord suddenly, and unexpectedly.

Death and Life in Flames

The Warlord did not die on the battlefield, drawing his last breath and he killed one last enemy. No, death came for the Warlord whilst he was in the city, resting, drinking, feasting. Assassins. The Warlord was not a man without enemies, of course, and he was only partly prepared for assassins – he carried a sword at all times and more than one knife, and had anyone tried to kill him with a blade, they would likely have found themselves suffering the same fate if not outright failing, for the Warlord was skilled indeed in the ways of combat. But no, the Warlord was poisoned, and as he fell to the ground, paralysed, his assassin escaped and set the house alight. The Warlord was unable to move as the smoke invaded his lungs and the flames consumed his flesh.

His last thoughts were pain and rage. Such thoughts gave birth to a monster – the Warlord did not remain as a plus for very long. No sooner did his soul part ways with his mortal form than the chain of fate corroded away, transforming the man in the middle of the flames into a beast, a powerful and large reptile. Driven by anger and hunger, the monster burst free from the house, seeking flesh to consume, and flesh it found in the many hapless mortals roaming the streets. But such unchecked slaughter could not remain so for long – the disturbance was detected, and the beast found itself confronted by a man dressed in black, carrying a wickedly sharp blade. The battle did not last long, and the beast was driven to the ground, bleeding from a dozen injuries.

But he was not as dead as the shinigami believed. Moving in slowly for a final blow, face filled with hate and disgust, the shinigami left himself completely open, and failed to notice the tail of the hollow twisting, turning, and suddenly striking. The blade at the end of the tail caught the shinigami in the back, neatly severing the spine and going on to tear through lungs, snap ribs and pierce out through the chest of the spirit. The hollow rose with the shinigami impaled on his tail, sword dropped as pain raced through the black-robed body…but the pain did not last long, as the hollow clamped its jaws down on the head of the shinigami, tearing free the face of the spirit and spilling shattered skull and pulped brain on the ground.

The hollow did not remain in the mortal world for much longer. In the search for more delicious, filling food, the hollow delved into the Hueco Mundo and turned its claws and teeth upon its own kind, feasting on them in huge numbers. It broke into hollow colonies and killed everything where it could, and never once did the jaws of another hollow manage to reach its body. Eventually, inevitably, the hollow consumed enough of its kind to evolve into a higher state – surrounded by fire and melting sand, within one of the deepest and largest caverns in the Hueco Mundo, a Gillian was created, a Gillian with a mind and now, a new name – Val’nyne Caustler.

The Hollow Dragon

Possessing a name now, and untold power, Val’nyne found a purpose for himself. The large and mighty dragon cast his eyes over the land of the Hueco Mundo, and saw a land without leadership, without a master. He decided to change that, but first, he had to carve for himself a place to live. With fire and tooth and claw, Val’nyne set to work on the cave in which his new form had been born, tearing down walls, melting sand and stone, and shaping it into something suitable for a dragon like he. Pathways were constructed over a sea of flames and molten rock, pillars of blackened, charred stone…a cave dedicated to the dragon, a place in which Val’nyne could live and rule in satisfaction.

With his Gillian powers, Val’nyne was able to dominate lesser hollows, bringing them into his service. The numbers under his command were small at first, but they grew…they swelled into something great and terrifying. Initially the hollows worked on changing Val’nyne’s lair, adding places for the lesser hollows to live, places away from the consuming heat in which the immune Val’nyne dwelled. But soon they set out, some to find other hollows, others to bring food to their master who was content for now to dwell in his sea of fire. Over the next five years, there were hollows that would bring Val’nyne reports of other Gillians, suitable food for one as great as he, and it was then that Val’nyne would move, seeking out his kin, his peers, hunting them down and consuming them entirely. The dragon grew ever stronger, and his minions began to number in hundreds. They looked upon their master, their god, and they saw a being worth revering, worth serving. Eventually, Val’nyne did not even require his powers of dominance to control them.

Only once over those five years did the dragon deign to return to the human world, and that was as a mere…experiment. A journey in satisfying curiosity – how had the world changed since he had left? He found that things had not changed immensely – men still fought with swords and spears and arrows and lived in much the same conditions as they had when he had lived there. As a parting gift, the dragon breathed his flames over the great city in which he had arrived before leaving, escaping the world before the shinigami arrived to fight him. The flames that he had cast upon the world went on to cause what would later be known as the Great Fire of Rome.

Val’nyne only ever grew stronger, and his knowledge of the world increased too. He learnt the ways of the Hueco Mundo – the fact that he was a Gillian, and could continue to evolve on until eventually reaching the final stage of hollow evolution as a Vasto Lorde. Those who opposed the hollows were the shinigami of Soul Society, and they were amongst the most delicious things of all. That, he knew from personal experience. However, his actions in the Hueco Mundo led to Val’nyne gaining a reputation, and whilst that attracted hollows to his cause, it also attracted enemies. Most of these enemies served as mere food for either Val’nyne or the hollows under his command, but one…one proved to have the power and skill to become a true enemy to Val’nyne.

An enemy that would last for centuries.

The hollow in question was named Garamest, and by the time he moved towards Val’nyne’s lair, he had just become an Adjucas, making him stronger than Val’nyne was. Despite this, the battle between them was immense. Val’nyne’s lair was torn asunder, his servants crushed in the clash between these two powerful beings, but the result was inevitable. Garamest was too powerful for Val’nyne to defeat, and he landed several blows to the dragon that left Val’nyne in a crippled state. In desperation, the dragon opened his jaws and snapped them close on a handful of his servants that remained alive, chewing on their flesh even as Garamest struck him again and cast him into the flames.

But the handful of hollows that Val’nyne consumed proved to be enough to spur on his evolution.

From Ashes, Chaos

It was to Garamest’s great surprise that Val’nyne rose from the fire as a smaller, sleeker and much more powerful being. They traded blows once more, but now it was Garamest who was weaker, and in fear for his life, the hollow fled. Val’nyne was left with the task of trying to rebuild his lair, trying to regroup his forces and servants…and he chose to abandon it all instead. Now, in anger and hunger, Val’nyne burst forth from his lair and began a campaign across the sands of the Hueco Mundo, seeking the strongest prey to consume. There were no hollows that stood against Val’nyne – all fell to his power. There was no sign of Garamest for many, many years as Val’nyne continued his slaughter.

A part of Val’nyne sought to rebuild what he had lost. The idea of ruling the Hueco Mundo was certainly an appealing one…but that part was dwarfed by a newfound desire – the desire to become the absolute strongest, to see all things fall before his power. The Adjucas didn’t just hunt hollows now – he made regular trips to the mortal world, burning what he could only to summon shinigami to feast on. His existence became noted by shinigami as years passed and he remained prolific in his actions – it was only when he was nearly bested by a joint attack from two Vice Captains that Val’nyne abandoned his activities on Earth and focused his attention on the Hueco Mundo.

It was inevitable, then, that Val’nyne would achieve the goal that all hollows desired. After consuming hundreds of hollows, many of them Gillians or Adjucas, Val’nyne found himself transforming again…

Primus Invictus

As a Vasto Lorde, the only beings in the Hueco Mundo that could even consider challenging him were his fellow Vasto Lorde…and they were silent as he marched across the sands. Now possessing true might, Val’nyne began his quest to dominate the world. At first, his words and actions still only attracted the weak to his service, but promises of power eventually brought stronger individuals to his cause. Of these stronger individuals, his most trusted subordinates would eventually be found. The first to join the seemingly invincible Vasto Lorde was a man named Taghest Phoenix. He wisely bent his knee to the hollow and swore an oath to serve, now and forever. He acted as Val’nyne’s right hand, searching the sands for other worthy recruits in what was now being called the Army of the Sands.

The second to join was Deramont. Deramont was like Taghest, yet even more subdued, lacking the typical hollow desire for slaughter. He lacked the power that Taghest possessed, yet he was strong, and very wise, more intelligent than either Val’nyne or Taghest and eventually, Val’nyne came to trust the man for his wisdom. Both Taghest and Deramont brought with them worthy recruits – Taghest found a man claiming to be an equal to Val’nyne, a man called Sarvra Agrashii, and he fought briefly with Val’nyne – once again named the Warlord – before finding himself wrong. Yet he was stronger than either Deramont or Taghest, and so he became the most powerful of Val’nyne’s subordinates. Deramont brought a female hollow named Linari and a male named Judge – sister and brother, both sadistic and twisted…perfect additions.

The group spent a long time together indeed, all of them becoming quite close – as close as hollows could be. They had many battles in the Hueco Mundo, many tales worth telling…but few of those tales belong exclusively to Val’nyne, and so they will not be discussed here. Like his time as a Gillian, it was at the height of his power that Val’nyne found himself in peril. Garamest returned. This time, the two hollows were on even footing – both of them were now Vasto Lorde – and Garamest gave Val’nyne a challenge. If Val’nyne won, then Garamest would serve him. If Garamest won, then he would take Val’nyne’s place. Val’nyne, sure in his power, accepted the challenge.

The battle was close, just as it had been before…but just like then, Garamest held the edge, and he proved to be superior to the mighty Val’nyne. Garamest gave Val’nyne an option – he could either go to the human world, or he could die. Val’nyne was a prideful hollow, but he did not wish to die…not without having his vengeance against Garamest, an ultimate vengeance for the two crimes the hollow had committed against him. So Val’nyne accepted his offer, and travelled to the mortal realm, resolving to return even stronger than before, not matter what he had to do in order to do so.

Lord of Humanity, the New Hollow Order

Devouring everything was not an option – Val’nyne understood this. Engaging in too much slaughter would attract unwanted attention from Soul Society, and such attention could very easily be fatal. Val’nyne consumed the unfortunate hollows that travelled to the mortal world seeking food to keep his strength up, eating human souls where he could, but he needed something more, something great. He travelled the world seeking inspiration, and he eventually found it in a mortal who was able to see him. The mortal considered the being in front of him – a winged beast of fire and light – to be a god, and rushed away to tell others of his discovery. In curiosity, Val’nyne followed, mortal things bursting into flame around him as he went, and such supernatural occurrences led to news spreading rapidly. One mortal spoke to another, the artists drew pictures…it all took final shape when Val’nyne found a meal in a serpentine hollow that arrived in the land, tearing it apart and consuming it.

There were watching eyes that saw the event, men and women gasping in awe, writing and drawing and praying. Val’nyne, still hungry after consuming the hollow, turned his attention towards the humans who spoke in a language he did not understand, and he grabbed one, its body beginning to burn up in his grasp, and devoured it too. Such an action immediately caused panic, and an evolution in how the mortals considered him. Those who could see him spoke words – they spoke of a terrifying being with godlike power, a being of fire and destruction and light with wings and a great hunger for flesh. It was then that the humans gave a name to Val’nyne – Huitzilopochtli, and they began to bring to him…gifts. Each day they would bring sacrifices in his name – mortals carefully selected with powers greater than their kin, mortals that would stave off Val’nyne’s hunger just a little longer. When the humans fought their enemies, they would capture them and sacrifice them all to Val’nyne.

The shinigami did not pay attention to what merely seemed to be the madness of humans. Thousands of humans were sacrificed in Val’nyne’s name, slowly giving him strength, so very slowly…but the humans began to see other hollows, and worshipped them in the same way. Great names they gave them, and further sacrifices, but none received the kind of sacrifices that Val’nyne did, for they looked upon Val’nyne with fear – those who could see him could also feel his tremendous power. Val’nyne was not content on the sacrifices alone, however – when the mortals were not looking, he turned his attention to the other hollows they were worshipping – there were many, and one by one, he began to consume them too. This arrangement lasted for years, and was ended only by the fall of the civilisation that sustained Val’nyne.

The hollow was not paying attention when other humans invaded, and began to slaughter his…disciples. By the time he realised it all, he was angry…but before he turned his wrath upon the humans, he devoured the souls of the fallen, and there were many to feast on. The other gods had much the same idea, but Val’nyne turned his jaws upon them too, and they were fools for not taking heed of the fate of their peers. Some still escaped, hollows that could call themselves gods, but Val’nyne remained at the feast…but now, the attention of Soul Society had been attracted, and no less than a Captain was dispatched to slay Val’nyne. So began the third of the great, climactic battles in Val’nyne’s life, but this one, he was victorious in. His jaws clamped down on the sword arm of the Captain during the fight, tearing it off, and despite all his attempts to use kidou, Val’nyne eventually caught him and ripped him apart.

The Flames of Apocalypse

But the Captain did not die easily. Val’nyne thought the Captain was dead after having an arm torn off and his stomach opened up by one of his great talons, and it was as Val’nyne began feasting on the organs of the Captain that the shinigami landed one, last blow. Mouth dripping blood, bits of lung wedged between teeth, the hollow missed the blast that struck him on the head, a blast not strong enough to kill him, but powerful enough to crack the mask. To crack the mask irreparably. Immense pain lanced through Val’nyne’s body as the mask broke away, never to return, and Val’nyne’s body began to shift and twist uncontrollably. His flames died away, his flesh turned human…when the chaos ended, Val’nyne found himself standing on Earth as a man again – a giant amongst men, but certainly no longer a hollow, with a great sword of gold stuck in the ground beside him.

And the power! Val’nyne had thought he had known power before, but the might he now possessed was even greater than what he had as a mere Vasto Lorde. With a sudden realisation, he knew what he had now become. He had heard tale – rumours – of a final stage of hollow evolution. Hollows willing to surrender their bodies and accept the powers of a shinigami could become Arrancar, beings without masks and possessing strength greater than what they previously had. Val’nyne had heard about the arrancar as a mere Adjucas, and had not cared for the notion as Vasto Lorde had been his goal…over the centuries, he had completely forgotten about it all.

Laughing now, surrounded by flames that licked his flesh and caused no pain, Val’nyne finished off his meal and decided to leave the mortal realm behind, and take back what was his. He had no more use for the humans – not now that his worshippers were dead or dying. Opening a Garganta, Val’nyne was about to go through when a sudden blast of flame struck him from behind, causing no damage…merely raising his body temperature further, adding to his burning powers. Laughing again, the arrancar turned to find another shinigami, a sick look on his face, tears flowing from his eyes. The Vice Captain of the shinigami Val’nyne had so brutally killed. Howling, the Vice Captain hurled blast after blast of flame at the laughing arrancar who was seemingly immune to the attacks…until, quite suddenly, the arrancar began to smoke. Val’nyne realised that he was in pain, and even though he attempted to raise his reiatsu, it did nothing to quell the pain. If anything, the pain grew more fierce, and the burning sensation increased. Howling in rage, Val’nyne fired a weak cero at the shinigami before escaping, a cero that only knocked the being away, lacking the power to kill it.

During the whole return journey to the Hueco Mundo, Val’nyne grew ever hotter. His flesh began to burn, his whole body was aflame in agony. When he reached the sands, he was blinded, and his flesh was now covered in fire. It was in those moments that Val’nyne realised that he was not immune to flames, merely resistant, and he could not control his powers over heat any longer. Yet a primal part of Val’nyne spoke out within his soul, and the arrancar understood that much of his power was sealed away within his sword, his Zanpakuto. Great power…and perhaps control over it all. Before the flames could destroy him, Val’nyne spoke the words to release his Zanpakuto, and the burning stopped as harmless flames enveloped him. Shortly after this, the Warlord passed out.

When he awoke, Val’nyne assessed his situation. His Zanpakuto was sealed once more, and all the flames were gone. He had been nearly destroyed by a combination of his own powers and a mere Vice Captain. His flesh was all scarred – the burns were healed by the action of releasing – and his eyes were gone yet, somehow, he could still see. It was only later that Val’nyne discovered that his eyes were now fire. The Warlord understood that he would either have to spend his life switching between his release or exhaustion, or find a way to suppress the heat of his body that could destroy him. The Warlord travelled to his old lair, which was now in utter ruins, and began a great project indeed.

From stone, Val’nyne formed a hammer that surely only he could lift, and after this he found an oddity that had been merely curious centuries ago, but was now potentially life saving. Within his lair, under the sea of fire, there had been a strange metal that had never burned no matter how much Val’nyne had tried to burn it…it had just resisted his attempts more and more. Braving the flames and more burns, Val’nyne delved into the fire and with his sword, cut free great chunks of that unique metal. With his hammer, the Warlord began to shape the metal, some inspired part of his soul guiding the blows of a man who knew little of the ways of a smith. For three days, Val’nyne worked until eventually, he stood victorious, and emerged from the cavern of smoke and flame a new and terrible being, clad in heat absorbing armour.

And ready for war.

An Empire of Hollows

Things had changed in the Hueco Mundo. Many hollows had begun taking the path to arrancar – it was no longer so mythical. This was fine with Val’nyne. News of great hollow packs had spread quickly in the past, so news of a great arrancar pack spread even faster. The group was, of course, the individuals that Val’nyne had once led in the past, still being commanded by Garamest. Garamest was an arrancar, and so too were all Val’nyne’s old friends and companions. Of them, Sarvra looked the worst – weary and old, which was quite surprising. None of them knew Val’nyne on sight, but all of them stopped when they saw him approach, for there was no one – not even Garamest – who possessed the kind of power that Val’nyne now did. Val’nyne challenged Garamest one last time to a battle – and this time, all was in Val’nyne’s favour.

The two arrancar released, and the battle raged on, but time after time Garamest was beat down. It seemed inevitable that Val’nyne would win…until one of the new arrancar, a close ally of Garamest’s, intervened to stab Val’nyne in the back, wounding him greatly before the Warlord could turn and annihilate him. This gave Garamest all the opening he needed to turn the tides of the battle, and it began to look likely that Garamest would be the final winner in their great struggle. But karma bit Garamest swiftly – Val’nyne’s old friends remained loyal, for in his release they understood who he was, and Sarvra stepped out and returned the favour, cutting deep into Garamest’s lower back and forcing him to the ground. Garamest’s counter left Sarvra broken and bleeding beside him…it was a situation where neither arrancar could move. Val’nyne could feel that despite being an arrancar, Sarvra was weaker than before, and he understood that Sarvra was dying before he even suffered at the hands of Garamest. Yet even if this had not been the case, Val’nyne would not have stopped. As the other arrancar and hollows backed away, knowing that what was coming next would be terrifying, Val’nyne unleashed his most powerful attack, the Calamity Ray, upon Garamest and his old ally. The two arrancar, weakened from their injuries, were reduced to ashes by the direct hit.

Val’nyne’s allies mourned Sarvra for some time, but Val’nyne himself cared not. He had a vision. Now that the most powerful gathering of individuals in the Hueco Mundo was under his command, it was time to give them a place to live. He and the other arrancar returned to his lair, and the weaker hollows and arrancar were assigned the task of building a great and mighty fortress over the lair. It would be a fortress to match Seireitei in splendour, and it took years to build. Many hollows died in the construction of it…but the news of its existence prompted many of the stronger denizens of the Hueco Mundo to seek it out and join Val’nyne’s forces. He was the Warlord, but now he was something more – a king. As the fortress that would be called Las Noches was completed, Val’nyne took two places for himself within it – a throne within the fortress where he would be present in all official matters…and a true home in the fires under it.

The King Supreme

Assuming the role as the leader of Las Noches, Val’nyne began to assign titles and ranks to his subordinates. The strongest of them would be called Espada, and amongst the Espada he was the first, for they were arrancar and a society of war – the name of sword was appropriate for their ranks. A later rank that would be introduced would be called Privaron Espada – for the Espada that were replaced by newer beings. Val’nyne encouraged the strong to take what positions they desired, and to kill those who fell before them…but sometimes, arrancar were merciful, or failed to finish the job. Upon taking the title of First Espada, Val’nyne even welcomes challenges for his position as ruler – with the promise that those who failed would be slain, regardless of their potential.

The lesser ranks would be called Numeros, Exequias, and Fraccion. At first, Val’nyne was the only Espada with Fraccion – Taghest, Linari, Deramont and Judge acting in those positions, but the other Espada would soon gather worthy underlings.

It was shortly after this that Val’nyne organised a reopening of communications with the mortal realm, seeking out individuals like the ones who had helped him restore his powers – the mortals who worshipped and revered the arrancar. To those mortals, he would be known forevermore as the God of War, Flames, but most of all, Destruction, and Val’nyne encouraged other arrancar to take sacrifices whenever possible – they, the greatest beings in any world, deserved free gifts from weak humans. He also encouraged battle with the shinigami when possible – they were enemies, and they would be locked in war until one of their races was dead…and Val’nyne had no qualms in revealing his presence to the shinigami – his existence is no mystery.

And Val’nyne has ruled the arrancar, unconquerable, for over three hundred years now.

RP Sample: (One of my old posts as Saelien)

Well, wasn't that unfortunate. Here he was, enjoying a little trip away from the darkness, away from the ever present gloom of the Hueco Mundo - escaping the synthetic light of Las Noches in favour of more natural light - only to find that fate, it seemed, had other plans for the day, and those plans did not include Saelien having a peaceful time on Earth. He found that almost depressing - one moment away, a chance to walk around and, ideally, avoid other spirits completely, be they arrancar, shinigami or hollow, all denied through a (whilst not entirely unforeseeable, but still unlikely) chance. He should have been the last one to be spotted by a stray shinigami, for even if they were weak, he should have been able to sense their reiatsu, whilst they couldn't do the same with him. Avoiding shinigami was a terribly easy task for one such as him once that was considered, because when they only had their eyes to rely on, well, what chance did they have, really?

Unfortunately, one could not so easily detect the reiatsu of a shinigami when they were wearing a gigai. On the other hand, if one could see Saelien, then they would find him quite strikingly not a human, and act appropriately. Now, he understood that it was in fact the rare shinigami that wandered around Earth in a gigai, on patrol, and there was usually only one per town, perhaps a few per city. What were the odds? Well, no matter how slim they were on paper, that was the reality for today. He had been merely sitting on a rooftop, under the rays of the sun - contrary to what some might have thought, he wasn't adverse to heat or sunlight, because in the end, he would always end up cool anywhere on Earth, being the Cold Lord - alternating between idly watching human activity nearby and reading a book. Not exciting, but not everything had to be so...and it was far more entertaining than the Hueco Mundo had been as of late - Espada being Espada, arrancar…being arrancar.

Alas, curious eyes had spotted him, and suddenly the spiritual pressures of shinigami had appeared, and behold! Two figures standing in the air before him. He could have run, of course. Sadly for the shinigami, he didn't feel much like running, and neither did they. However, they were but mere unseated officers, and he was, of course, Saelien. It was no contest.

Thus, Saelien had ended up standing in an alley - surprisingly clean, but an alley nonetheless, and quite devoid of life and inquisitive eyes alike - with two bodies lying against a wall, both breathing shallowly, both heavily wounded, and both staring up at Saelien with undisguised hatred and fury in their expressions. In stark comparison, Saelien had a somewhat disappointed look on his face - he was disappointed that he had been found, and equally disappointed that he had to act. A quick action, true, and he doubted the pair really understood what had happened before the blood started spraying. Not a drop touched Saelien's clothes, and the shinigami probably didn't feel pain. Better yet, their wounds were rather neat, precise...why, were it not for the blood, one would hardly tell the shinigami had been cut at all. But how often had this scene played out before? Arrancar being suddenly attacked by shinigami and defending themselves?

Not often. Shinigami were often refined, reserved beings, whilst arrancar were battle loving brutes. Sad but true. Truth be told, he had not really been attacked - the pair didn't have time for that. They knew he wasn't a shinigami, but they couldn't sense his reiatsu. Thus, confirming what he was wasn't so easy. They started off more curious than anything, but curiosity could be fatal, and Saelien didn't really want to answer their questions before being forced to kill them. Two shinigami like this were hardly high on his list of things to kill; they were not really on the list at all. However, as it was, it looked like they would die from exsanguination. Both had been cut at around waist level, but it was a deep cut, stretching from the side to near the spine, and importantly, it was a cut straight through their bodies. A human would already be dead, and even a shinigami would pass away within a few more minutes at best.

So why had he not left, leaving them to die? Leaving before more shinigami arrived, and he was potentially forced to take further action? Ah, this wasn't his style at all, killing people so directly, so...unnecessarily. Too easily noticed, and too much effort for him, really. Although it was fitting that the pair would die here - out of sight, away from both humans and spirits, unknown and left with only each other for company as they died. Such a sad story indeed. He was probably needed back in the Hueco Mundo anyway; he couldn't be gone for too long, after all. If he left others to their own devices, he dreaded to think what he would return to. Questions, most likely. Being the Fraccion to the Primera had its advantages, but the questions could have vanished and Saelien would not have complained.

But for some reason, he decided to stay. There was a certain look in his eyes that dared the pair to speak up, to damn him through words, but they didn't even try. Just glares filled with venom. He decided that if any other shinigami were going to arrive, it would be around about now - he knew they had systems in place to track the shinigami on Earth. As it happened, there was a...certain reason why he remained. There was an opportunity here, no matter how minor. If it wasn't worth his time, and shinigami arrived and merely attacked, he would just leave a few more bodies in the alley before leaving, but if not...well, maybe the day could become slightly better than being spent reading a book.

No matter how fine a book it was.

[Darake Kitoushi [Old]]

• Val'nyne just doesn't feel Aztec in the slightest. With things like the chainmail it would seem he appears more European than anything else. The fact he is Huitzilopochtli just seems incredibly tacked on rather than it being present in any theme here. The dragon thing is incredibly contradictory. Something from Norse culture would likely be far more appropriate.

• What arrancar in the source material have any sort of sealed techniques like these?

• The armor seems incredibly out of place in bleach at all, but most particularly on an arrancar who are suppose to rely upon the natural armor they gain from release.

• Does anyone keep a sword upon release? I know some gain a weapon, but a vastly different kind of one usually attached to themselves.

• I'm fine with the fire adding to his power after an ice attack, so long as that isn't abused to rid himself of the weakness.

• Even it combines a previous two, Calamity Ray should be a full fledged technique.

[Kirani Juujisei]

• Well, I can certainly work with the god aspect of it...my preference would be a different culture, but the issue with it all is that there is a distinct lack of sacrifice in many of the cultures - the Greek Ares is only really recorded as having animals sacrificed to him, rather than humans. So I suppose my question here is, can we...embellish the real history of the gods? If so, then changing this (and having all the gods work smoothly) becomes much more manageable.
  
  
• Oh, we have seen some pretty funky abilities on sealed arrancar before - although I suppose the best example is Barragan (Yammy is also an example). Ignoring the fact he is broken as hell, simply looking at the theme, his sealed powers are a weaker version of his released powers. Val'nyne's are similar, so I wouldn't say it is without precedent. With that said, I'll remove his Dragon ability if you wish - I'd included it mostly to partially offset the fact Alma Fuego is a deliberate weakness I built into the character.
  
  
• As for the armour, I'd have to disagree. Spirits in Bleach are a quirky lot, after all, and wearing armour isn't something completely impossible - in fact, we have at least one example amongst the shinigami (Komamura) wearing some form of protection. It isn't the standard, but is that reason to disallow it?
  
  
• Nnoitra had a...thing for a sealed weapon, and gained much more useful giant scythes in release. One of Harribel's Fraccion had a sword when sealed, and got a bigger sword in release. Barragan had an axe, and got an axe. Now, with that said, none of these had the same design, so I could change the design of the sword if you want, but it isn't implausible for him to have a sword in release too.
  
  
• You know I wouldn't do that ^_^
  
  
• T-T
  
  Guess I'll remove that then...
  

[Darake Kitoushi [Old]]

• If you wanted Ares, your in luck... sorta. The Romans did human sacrifices to Mars by strangling enemy leaders in front of his statue. Sounds right up your alley. The Goths also made sacrifices to Mars and would leave their arms hanging on trees.

• I couldn't find an example of Yammy doin' this except growing larger right before his release so I don't think that exactly qualifies. Looking for others the only thing I could find is a energy blast by Halibel or Ulquilliora's eye bit. All these examples are a far way off from something constantly on at all times. They are just techniques that you use and goes away.

• Kommamura is a shinigami, so there is a big difference there in how arrancar vs shinigami are portrayed. As well, it was just decorative wasn't it? I don't recall it doing anything at all. Much less the armor you want keeps you from bursting into flames, protects you from damage, and regenerates. Sounds like an arrancar release to me.

• Thanks for the examples, the weapon certainly works for me. It just sounds like it should change a bit upon release.

• I know this deviates from your plan, but I'd reverse the concept of when your on fire. Get burned as a hollow and rip off the mask to survive. Then whenever you release, you return to that form on fire as somewhat a curse. Thus your release makes ya powerful, but a painful and short term affair.

[Kirani Juujisei]

• Ares/Mars point sounds good. I'll edit that in tomorrow.
  
  
• Well I suppose this is where we should probably have a proper discussion in general rather than inside this application. I know that for a long time on Bleach RP's (including past versions of this site/sister sites), arrancar have typically been allowed to have various different kinds of abilities when sealed (other than cero, bala, hierro, etc). However, as you rightly point out, there isn't much in the manga to indicate that arrancar get such abilities - aside from simple regeneration like Ulquiorra displayed, the anger/size power of Yammy, the Time Field of Barragan and the generic projectile from Harribel, we have little reason, manga wise, to give arrancar special sealed abilities.
  
  BUT with that said, I'd argue that giving them such powers aids the story and character creation. Arrancar were throwaway characters in Bleach - this isn't the case here. These unique abilities give arrancar something to work with beyond simple hollow arts - shinigami would be blander if they, say, didn't have shikai and could only use kidou (and even then, kidou is far more powerful and vast than the generic hollow techs, but that ain't a conversation for here XD)
  
  
• Komamura has used his armour to block attacks from Kenpachi and Tousen. So armour isn't necessarily totally decorative from what example we have. If I go with your advice, though, much of the nature of the armour wouldn't be necessary, although I'd like to keep it if possible, minus the regenerative/heat absorbing properties (i.e. a reasonably tough but not super special suit).
  
  
• Aye, changing the design of the sword is no problem. I'll get to that shortly.
  
  
• Changing the way the release and sealed forms work will require an overhaul of the abilities that Val'nyne possesses...
  

[Darake Kitoushi]

Okay I am going to add my opinion into one thing and it is about the armor. I have no problems with you have the armor for purely decorative purposes but if it has any added defensive abilities I don't see how that is really fair. Why wouldn't everyone just have armor on them if it gives added defense and parrying abilities? With Komamura it was different because his Zanpakutou spirit was a Samurai and if you remember he was incredibly slow and well kinda weak in comparable to other Captains. I don't see how we could give you Primera with a high/average/or even above average speed and armor that grants a defensive bonus on top of it. Plus being an arrancar you already have build in armor in the form of hierro.

I'm gonna say for RP purposes arrancar are very, very powerful as they are... if you wanted an sealed ability I would be okay if it was something like a fireball cero, similar to Halibel, or something special like that but anything else I feel reluctant to give it to anyone. Just due to the fact that you guys, arrancar, have many many natural abilities already. As for Shinigami and Kidou, well we all know people will dodge kidou like the plague. So having a fireball ability would match your character and put you on even ground with kidou.

As for you wanting to be burning and have your own powers as a drawback... I am going to leave that between you and Kit because I understand liking to torture your own characters because I wanted to do that with my characters bankai... but that is just me. If that is something you really want for your character I can't think of a reason not to give it...