Trial of Fire

Chapter 15
Torture

WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING: the following scene is full of some rather disturbing torture. If you would like to skip it /f END OF THE TORTURE to get past it.

Screaming. The screaming was so loud it made his ears ring with the volume as someone screeched as if they were dying. A lesser scream joined it briefly before being silenced.

More flickering from the light under the door and the sound of rushing feet. Briefly he wondered who was being tortured and felt relief only in the fact it had been a male voice, the same one that had screamed earlier.

If it was male, then it wasn’t Nel. Hopefully she had managed to escape or his sacrifice would have been in vain. How long ago was that again? Time had no meaning here. It could have been days or even years.

With the screaming the voice in his head had once again disappeared, as if giving up trying to convert him for the time being. It was a welcomed relief and he was able to feel that pull of power getting closer, ever so closer.

He wondered briefly who it was that was holding onto his Zanpakuto, for that could be the only thing it was, but with his reiatsu sucked away by the chains he hung from he was unable to search out who had the other part of his soul.

He wondered if it was Nel, returning with back up from Soul Society, for whoever was bearing his blade had to be someone he trusted for it to be responding like this. Yes, Nel made sense, after all she knew where he had lost it during the invasion of Las Noches, when the eight strange creatures had attacked and no matter how many times he sliced them in half they just kept reforming.

The screaming was suddenly silent, making the quite seem that much more louder and the voice returned to his head, whispering soft promises of power and glory that could be his if he just submitted his will to that voice.

He told the voice to fuck off. To his surprise the voice actually sighed, and then retreated from his mind. For the first time since waking up here he heard voices that were not screaming or coming from his mind.

“This one is Strong Master. Shall we discard it?”

“Patience Monban. It is only strong because it’s body remains strong.”

The door to his cell opened and he had to squint his blue eyes as the sudden light seared into them, the two figures appearing as shadows against the bright light. The taller one approached him, his figure become more clear as Grimmjow’s eyes adjusted to the new light.

He seemed human enough, black robe with the cowl down and black hair running down his back. His skin was deathly pale though and what really gave him away as not human was his eyes. Eyes that were like pure, black depths one could drown in. It was like staring into the blackness of a moonless sky in Hueco Mundo or the deep ocean.

Grimmjow wanted to curse the man, but his mouth was so dry from going so long without water or reiatsu to feed from that he was half starved, his body just about to start eating itself to survive.

“You have been surprisingly resilient to the reprogramming.” The man commented.

“Fuck you.” He managed to croak out, his lips cracking and drawing blood.

Grimmjow didn’t see the smaller man move, but suddenly his face was to the side and stinging harshly.

“You will not address Akusesshou-sama beast.” The one who must have been Monban snarled.

Working up a small amount of saliva thanks to the blood trickling into his mouth, Grimmjow spat on the smaller man. Monban made to strike him again, but was stopped by Akusesshou with a mere raised hand.

“Perhaps taking one who was still more or less alive was not conducive. We should have weakened it first. Perhaps this works for now however. Yes. I have no doubt you know the rats who dare to stand against me.”

With a wave of his hand a portion of the wall lit up, showing the dessert of Hueco Mundo and the eight people jogging across the sand.

Grimmjow felt his heart wrench when he spotted the kids. How long had it been since he had last seen Kinomi and his son? Clearly they had grown and, judging by their Shihakusho, even graduated. Had it been at least three years since he last saw them?

What was more was he caught Pantera on Kinomi’s back. In sudden dread he realized the kids were heading towards him, not Nel with back up after all. They were heading towards him and whatever this creature was and the things he had made.

“No!” He cried in his mind.

“Ah, so you do know them.” Akusesshou smiled softly. “Tell me, who are they?”

“Go fuck yourself.” Grimmjow spat at him.

“My my, this just wont do. This one needs to be broken down more before I can control him. Monban.”

“Yes, Akusesshou-sama?”

“Bring this one to the lower chambers. It would appear his body is not broken enough to weaken his mind yet.”

“With pleasure, Akusesshou-sama.” The smaller man smiled creepily.

Monban went to the wall, and then Grimmjow was falling. His legs would not support him as his feet touched the ground and he collapsed in a heap. His body refused to respond to his commands, leaving him laying there helpless.

“Monban.”

“Yes, Akusesshou-sama.”

“I do need this creature alive.”

“Of course, Akusesshou-sama. I will strive not to kill it before it is your will.”

Monban strutted up to him and grabbed him by his hair before walking off, dragging him along the floor. The rock floor dug into his skin uncomfortably as without his reiatsu his heirro was non existent. They came to what appeared to be a long set of stairs and Monban dragged him up so they could stare eye to eye.

“Watch the first step, beast.” Monban grinned at him, and than shoved him.

His body too weak from hanging and being starved for the gods knew how longs, he was unable to stop himself as he fell, landing on his shoulder hard, before he started to bounce down the steep stairs, getting tangled up in the chains still attached to his wrist. When his momentum stopped, Monban simply gave him a solid kick to get him rolling again until he finally hit bottom.

Blood was gushing in his mouth from where he had bitten his tongue. He was positively covered in cuts and bruises. One of the chains was wrapped tightly around his throat making breathing difficult while another had his arm tangled painfully behind his back and he was sure it was dislocated.

Reaching the bottom Monban grabbed him by the hair again and started walking, stepping on the chain tangled around his throat every once in a while and Grimmjow actually feared the man would break his windpipe and he would suffocate to death.

Finally they arrived at their destination and he was thrown into the room to land in a crumpled heap on a grate that was stained black in old blood and even appeared to have dried skin and hair sticking to it.

It positively reeked and made his stomach turn sour, more so when he caught sight of the liquid about a foot away from the grate where several eyeballs were actually floating amongst tangled clumps of hair and flecks of white skin.

He managed to turn his head away from the gruesome sight, only to wish he hadn’t. The place was like a medieval dungeon with everything soaked in blood and other fluids he didn’t want to know about. Some of the equipment even had decaying bodies left on them, as if the owner couldn’t be bothered to remove them once they had been broken.

There was one chain that still has two arms hanging from it while hollow rats chewed away at the remains of the corpse on the floor, nothing more then a pile of ripped and torn flesh and bones that left no clue as to what the original shape had been. Judging by the bone and flesh from the two hanging arms the rats had chewed through the flesh until the body fell for easier feeding.

Smelling the fresh blood, several of the rats turned their beady eyes his way, and then starting move over towards him. Tangled in the chain and weakened he could only watch in horror as they approached him, their squeaks getting louder as they called more of the colony towards the fresh meat.

“Away with you, you can feast on his flesh when I am done with him for the evening.” Monban scowled at the rats, who scurried away back to the pile of flesh to stare at him hungrily.

He was lifted off of the grate by Monban by the hair and dragged over to a surprisingly clean table. He was dropped onto it and the chains were untangled only so his arms could be tied spread above his head. His ankles received the same treatment a moment later and the chains were pulled so tight he honestly though his arms and hips were going to be dislocated.

He was on his back, and as such was able to glare at the man. Blood was starting to flow down his throat from his bit tongue, making breathing difficult until he turned his head and let it drain out of the side of his mouth.

Blood pooled around his head and started to stick to his hair, turning it a dark purple color. Monban came into his line of sight and tisked as he saw the puddle of blood. The man pried his jaw open to look at the damage.

“Hmm, can’t have you drowning on your own blood just yet.”

With a flash the cut was healed.

“There. Now then beast. How should we start today off, hmm? Hooks? Hot pokers? Razors and limes? Spikes under the nails? Impalement? Whipped? The rack? I’ll be generous and let you choose.”

“You might as well just kill me. I wont tell you shit.” He spat at Monban. “And when I am dead my Zanpakuto will disappear and Pantera and Comillo wont follow me into this hell.” He added silently.

His thoughts flashed briefly to Nel and he prayed to whoever might be listening that she had escaped. That she hadn’t been put through this.

Monban chuckled at him and he never wanted so badly to kill someone since meeting Ichigo and thinking the human/shinigami/vizard was looking down on him. He wanted to see the blood flowing from this bastard and the life fade from his eyes. Sadly the only blood flowing was his own.

“Well, how about we start with your legs hmm? It would not do if the rats managed to chew through your restraints while I wasn’t looking and accidentally set you free. Yes, lets start with the feet and work our way up so that if you do somehow get free you wont be able to stand, let alone walk or run.”

“Do what you want. It will be pointless.”

Monban just chuckled again. Grimmjow locked his gaze onto the ceiling, not wanting to dirty his eyes with the sight of the creature. He was strong and had suffered some pretty bad pain in the past. Such as Tosen slicing his arm off. Most of the injuries he suffered in combat he hardly noticed, his mind focused on the fight.

Here there was no fight. Here there was no distraction. So when the burning, red hot, paddle like rod slammed against the sole of his left foot he couldn’t help but let out a startled scream as the smell of burning flesh reached his nose.

Monban continued to beat on that foot, making sure to leave a bit of time between each strike as if contemplating on where to hit him next and to insure that each strike could be felt on its own. He exchanged paddles for a fresh one when he felt the mettle had cooled down too much to be effective. The beating continued until most of the bones had to have been broken and the foot was covered in burns and bruises before starting on the other foot.

This pain was unlike anything Aizen had ever done to punish him for his rebellion. More then what Ichigo and him did to each other while sparing. Both feet broken and burnt beyond recognition, Monban moved to his hands next, using a small wire to tie each finger separately to the hand shaped extension that was no doubt designed for just this purpose.

Monban grabbed a much smaller rod this time and used it to break each and every bone in every finger, pausing between them to let the pain of the first to die down so the second could be fully appreciated.

From there he grabbed a small hammer like tool and broke the rest of the bones in his hands. Then he took twenty small, hot, long pins and shoved them deep under the nails of his fingers and toes.

It was after that Mondab wished him a good evening and left him strapped to the table like that. His hand and feet more crushed then broken. They were burnt with hot needles shoved under the nails.

Never more then today did he suddenly wish he was dead. Monban was talented in his craft, there was no doubt about that. With the man gone the rats approached him, but he hardly noticed in his pain hazed mind until the first one bit into one abused finger.

He howled in pain, unable to stop it, temporarily scattering the rats as his noise startled them. It didn’t last long and once they were sure he could not hurt them they began to gnaw on his abused hands and feet.

The rats moved along his body and started to chew on his ears and any other piece of flesh they could easily get a hold of. He tossed and turned as much as the chains would let him to get the rats away from him, screaming in agony as the chains dug into and wrenched his abused hands and feet.

The rats retreated once more, but he knew they were watching him. Watching and waiting until he was too weak to fight back before they would move in to feast upon his still warm and fresh flesh again.

“Pantera… Comillo… Do not come.” He thought desperately, trying to force them to hear his desperate plea from will alone. “Please.”

END OF THE TORTURE

Kinomi awoke with a bolt, Kyattsuai hovering in her mind also alerted to something neither one could understand. Kinomi’s hands flashed to both blades, looking for the threat that had woken her and her Zanpakuto.

She hissed when she felt ‘tera’s reiatsu fluctuating wildly like a coiled snake looking for something to strike. She knew right then and there that something terrible was happening to Grimmjow. Something so bad that it was effecting his Zanpakuto.

“What’s wrong?” Taka demanded.

Kinomi looked up to see the others were staring at her expectantly.

“Nothing.” She lied. “Bad dream.” She answered.

Nodding, they went back to what they had been doing. Closing her eyes she pulled the sheath from her back and held ‘tera close, holding back the tears that wanted to spill, hoping whatever was happening to Grimmjow to get a reaction out of ‘tera wasn’t too bad, but seriously doubting it.

“Hold on Grimm-ji. We are coming.” She promised.

She pulled out the phone like thing Kisuke had giving her and quickly sent out a text, hoping a response would come soon. ‘tera’s reaction had her deeply worried, and the fact she could feel it worried her even more.

Kinomi closed her eyes and laid back down, pretending to go back to sleep so the others wouldn’t worry when in actual fact she retreated to her inner world. Kyattsuai was waiting for her, her fur was bristled and Kinomi didn’t know that her tail could actually get that big.

At any other time it might have been amusing, but right now she was just worried. Judging by Kyattsuai’s demeanor, her spirit was also deeply worried. The moment she had finished materializing in her inner world Kyattsuai was by her side, rubbing against her and Kinomi briefly wondered if it was for her own comfort or her spirits.

Kinomi scratched behind Kyattsuai’s ear, the action comforting as she let her hand run through the silk like fur. Still though, Kinomi could feel something was off with her inner world. No doubt Kyattsuai could feel it to and it was affecting her spirit.

“Kyattsuai, what is going on?” Kinomi asked.

“Energy can not be destroyed, only changed.” Kyattsuai explained.

“Alright. What does that have to do with anything here?”

“ ‘tera is… being cut off.” Kyattsuai settled for. “Normally when anyone, even a hollow, dies they go back into the circle of life. As such their Zanpakuto’s turn into energy and reform with the soul, the two becoming one once again.”

“I follow you so far.”

“However, when a Zanpakuto and its partner can not meet up in death the energy has to go somewhere. Most of the time it disperses into the air and creates small nodes of power that slowly dissipate into the air until its presence can no longer be felt, sort of like a puddle of water in the hot sun. It slowly evaporates and merges with the air.”

“Still following.” Kinomi confirmed when Kyattsuai paused to make sure she was still being understood.

“However, power draws to power, and if that power has a connection or access to another power, it will join that power. The way a river flows to the ocean.”

“Are you trying to tell me that ‘tera has a connection to me and is trying to latch onto us because Grimm-ji is too far away or under duress?” She asked.

“Something like that. ‘tera, or the power that is ’tera, is trying to latch onto our inner world.”

Kinomi frowned. She wasn’t sure that was such a good thing. If ‘tera started to latch onto her there was a chance that the blade might stay attached to her, or that she might absorb some of ‘tera’s power into herself.

“Should I ask Taka to take ’tera for now?” She asked.

Kyattsuai stared up at the moon lit sky in silent contemplation.

“No. I do not think ‘tera will accept her.” Kyattsuai answered.

“Is it possible this is Grimm-ji’s doing? Could he be aware of ‘tera and what is going on and willing ‘tera to help us?” She asked.

Once again Kyattsuai seemed to be thinking, and then finally nodded.

“There is a chance of that.” Kyattsuai declared.

That made her feel a bit better, but not by much. If Grimm-ji was under distress it most certainly wasn’t from battle. He loved battle just like she and Taka did. She tried not to think about it as she curled up next to Kyattsuai in her inner world, attempting to find peace, get some real rest, recover her reiatsu and heal from her injuries. But deep down Kinomi knew. She had to force back the tears that threatened to fall in the knowledge that Grimmjow was probably being horribly tortured at this very moment.

Stay tuned for chapter 16: Fire Guardian

Please don't kill me. It was necessary. If it makes you all feel better Nel did not nor will she be tortured.

The Aku's: Good guessed everyone. No one has them all right yet and I think it might be over the confusion of Akuho, which is understandable. So I'll label the elements for ya.

Akutsuchi=earth (most of ya had this one right since it was already giving)
Akukaze=air (again most of you had this one right. Who else has pink hair :) )
Akumizu= water
Akuho = fire (this one seemed to confused people. The online dic is only so good. When you think Hokage (fire shadow) from Naruto it makes more sense. There are lots of Jap words that have two, or more, words for one meaning, like Yon/shi both mean four. Depending on the context depends on what word you use and well, yeah even I don't get a lot of it.)
Akuyami= darkness (most of you got this one right as really, only one person fits the bill :) )
Akuawai = light

Here are the names of the former Espada since even I have a hard time remembering some of them and spelling them is impossible. Monban and Akusesshou are NOT former espada so you don't have to guess them. Obviously there are more names than Aku's there so two are decoys, rather obvious ones but meh.

Nnoitra Jiruga, Szayal Apollo-Grantz, Yami Rialgo, Aaroniero Arruruerie, Zommari Leroux, Ulquiorra Cifer, Tia Halibel, Barragan Ruizenban

First person to get em all right can make a request of something they would like to see happen that I can try to work in or for a 1 shot they would like to see. Yes, I will even do an m/m pairing if you desire.

Most of you figured out Reina's ability to some degree. Where as her fathers sped up time, she can reverse it, but only the last 5 minutes at her current power level. She can undo what was done in that time period, so yeah heals wounds or return those that have healed. She does another neat trick later on against Akusesshou.

Akusesshou: any Inuyasha fan would probably know what Sesshou means, so this one is a dead give away as: evil destroyer of life.
Monban: Gate watcher

As usual /love the reviews, please don't kill me for what I did to the kitty, and I wonder who well guess all the Aku's first :)