Full ahead (Persodae Trial)

Persodae.

From what the rogue Arrancar garnered, there were already a few, created from Arrancar like himself. No... perhaps not entirely like himself, as they very likely had ill wills and may well be on their way to Hell, this place of despair, upon their ends... if they did not disappear completely, that was. Through the trials and tribulations of hell, they'd come out as something rather different; precisely how different was something he was, interestingly enough, already encountering.

How he'd missed it before when his spiritual sense was more sensitive to hollows and Arrancar, or 'demons' as he knew them, was anyone's guess, but nonetheless, here one was, in the... perhaps it shouldn't be said 'flesh.' Scales, rather, much like the rogue himself but with a definitively different form... and, lest Drake ever fail to notice, a notable lack of the hollow hole he'd come to expect on any creature akin to himself. Apparently that was part of what 'passing' entailed, along with a partly restored mask and a strange mark along with it.

And, judging by the expression, it wanted the Arrancar dead. Suffice it to say, the feeling was rather mutual, but there were still a few things missing from the rogue's path. Simply put, he didn't yet know precisely where to go for his own trial... so, hazarding a hope, he decided to momentarily forego his waiting wrath and try and find out what he needed.

Then this creature would be ripped apart and die, no matter what things might be said or deal might be made between now and then.

"So you're... 'Persodae' then?" the draconian, rogue Arrancar spoke, his eyes narrowed but otherwise still as he faced down the said Persodae. The creature was similar to him in its reptilian nature, but otherwise definably different. Its scales were smaller than Drake's own large, plated scales, and it lacked his wings or, to a degree, claws; essentially, it was more of a lizard while he was fairly akin to a dragon. Given the similar size and posture, however, those were where the dissimilarities ended, for the most part.

"That'sss right... Arrancar," the lizard-like creature scoffed, as if the name itself was some sort of bane... or perhaps rather that it thought itself better than just a normal Arrancar now that it had progressed.

Meaning this little... conversation probably wasn't going anywhere. Still, Drake pressed on all the same; it didn't hurt to at least try. Whether he'd be ripping this foolish creature apart sooner or later had simply to be seen.

"Where, then? I intend to become one, to rip apart what stands in the Sins' path," the rogue replied. A lie, ultimately, though it was true he'd since become allied with at least one Sin. Still, this creature seemed to be against Arrancar, and since it had... evolved, for lack of any other relevant term, it was likely to have some relation to the Sins, those whom Drake had learned about this power from.

"Sinsss... which?" the creature inquired hesitantly, its tail giving a slight flick in attention. Progress so far... now to take a random stab and simply hope.

"Gluttony," Drake confidently hazarded, on the knowledge that Envy hadn't seemed to have much to say on the subject of this power he sought. The creature's eyes narrowed further, but what it was thinking, the rogue couldn't tell. Thus there was silence, for a few moments, both Persodae and Arrancar alike remaining completely still, lifelessly so. Until...

"...come," the Persodae submitted, slowly turning to begin to walk away while keeping an eye on the Arrancar it was apparently set to guide. 'Twas clear that Drake wasn't trusted, but the rogue didn't need anything like trust; only the way forward. Everything else was unimportant... save setting his spiritual sense forward as far as he could as he walked. A gathering of those... 'togabito,' he felt. A trap, possibly, though Sloth had suggested he'd have to kill at least one. If the place he was being led was there, and it turned out to be more than one he'd have to bring down, then such was just how it was. He was still going to crush this Persodae one way or another what chance he got... only after he was led to the place he needed to be.

After all, no point ridding himself of a useful pawn, regardless of what his wrath desired... especially when it was a living reminder of that which he currently sought. Of course, he didn't know yet what entirely that entailed, but the mark and the absence of the hollow hole were surely pieces of it...

...but for now, he wasn't concerned about anything in particular, save moving onward.

"Here we are. Now... you survive."

Such was what was spoken by the Persodae after the relatively short time it took to bring the Arrancar to the apparent point of the 'trial.' Just as Drake had felt, there was indeed a gathering of togabito, some strong, some weak... all distinctly malevolent. Black, red, white, their robes' colors varied but they were all the same size, the same height, bearing the same masks with a bizarre grin patterned into them. For all intents and purposes, besides those little differences of color and apparent spiritual power levels, they were all the same.

If simply this was the trial, then it was certainly something the rogue Arrancar could get behind. Still, even then it seemed somewhat... lacking. He'd torn through numerous hollows to get to his current level of power and eventually become an Arrancar after a few had managed to all but destroy his mask, and now this? 'Twas simply the same, only that the targets and location were different entirely; minor points, ultimately. But he'd no time to question it, or complain; as if on the Persodae's cue, a few of the nearest stepped forward to lash out with claws that had until that point been hidden beneath the long, baggy sleeves of their robes.

Foolish, foolish creatures if they thought a simple mindless, though numbered, assault would mean much to he who had survived all too many of them. 'Twas at the point that barely a thought was needed in striking right back, and for the first of the current three, some of the weakest that he could feel amongst those that were now surrounding him with a decent berth, he'd the perfect weapon. Whether or not the Persodae had noticed during the little walk was uncertain, but all the while the rogue had been casually charging a cero, and only now was it unleashed, right at one of the togabito's heads. So fueled by even the extra power he'd gained in his time in Hell with Envy, the cero left nothing behind where it touched, only burnt edges at the creature's shoulders and where was before the base of its neck... and it promptly fell.

One down, however many to go... and if the fact that his reiatsu flared heavily wasn't any indication, the Arrancar most definitely felt he could do this all day, or at least as long as this little ordeal took. And for now, the second and third were up, neither of which were given much of a care. He even let them try and cut through his tough hide, only for them to leave the most minor of scratches upon his plated, mostly white scales. After all, if there was anything he had a fair bit of pride in, it was durability.

"Try harder," he growled, fairly certain that they wouldn't understand him in this form... then again, they probably wouldn't even care. The two remaining in this first wave hadn't time to one way or another, not with his gaping maw assailing one while his sharp-tipped tail made to impale the other. 'Twas precisely that which happened; togabito #2, as he referred to it right now, was run through with his tail, while togabito #3, like #1, lost its head. Only this time it was via being bitten clean off, rather than being fried off by his pure white cero.

"Come, then... all of you," he challenged. And there was... hesitation. Deciding whether to still go, or deciding who to go next? 'Twas something Drake briefly wondered, but with the opening left by it, he didn't particularly care; there was still the target of his wrath to deal with. Persodae or not, the creature was still a type of hollow, and while there had been only the slaying of evil in his will to destroy and consume them before, now there was rage. One of their own had taken that which he cared about, and thus all of them were involved by association; therefore, all of them would die. Brutally so, were it up to him, and so far it most certainly was. "If you're not coming... then it's your end," he growled, turning his eyes suddenly to the Persodae in question still visible through a gap in the togabito's rank.

Said Persodae visibly flinched. 'Twas all that was needed for a certain feeling of... satisfaction knowing he could inflict any sort of fear on such a creature. More, far more would be feeling it soon enough, but... for now, with a simple and swift sonido, the draconic Arrancar literally pounced.

"You... traitor! Traitor!" the lizard-like Persodae hissed as it found its head driven into the ground by a rather strong, clawed hand.

"I'll live," Drake simply spoke, to likely the only one that could understand him or would even care. Thus his gaping maw descended on the struggling Persodae, tearing cleanly through its neck with teeth very much suitably sharp for the Arrancar's draconic form. Thus it went limp, and the Arrancar felt a rather more painful claw than before dig partly into his back, letting out a slight grunt. So the togabito weren't completely foolish and at least knew how to take a pot shot at an opponent that wasn't strictly paying attention... good, then. The remainder of his meal could wait, for now... it seemed he had certain other things to take care of first.

So the actual trial continued.

Nine. Nine remained after the presumed weakest three of originally twelve, and it seemed only one of those had yet set itself to attack the rogue Arrancar who had just downed his Persodae guide in this second wave, of sorts. Maybe they were fools; he couldn't completely tell, though he at least had to give a little bit of credit to this one for striking his back. Credit that would be soon paid in a quick, easy death if Drake had anything to say about it, but besides the still barely living togabito that had been impaled by his tail, perhaps that was not so different from his treatment of two of the three others in this little trial before.

No matter; whatever way he killed these creatures, he would kill him. Such seemed to be what he needed to take a step further right now, though he still had the feeling that there was yet something beyond. Whatever it was was, for now, out of sight and out of mind; he'd other things to deal with.

Another claw strike lashed out from the togabito, green-clothed where the first three had been the red-clothed of the bunch, and with his eyes now turned to it, Drake could actually react this time. Even now growing slightly impatient to see whatever the true trial likely was, he simply let the togabito leave another scratch on his scales, this time on one of his front legs. 'Twas the only bit of glory the creature would get from that point onward, beyond being another meal. Taking advantage of the togabito's slightly hunched position after its lower strike, Drake lashed out swiftly with his long neck, bringing his sharp teeth once again to bear. Precisely those he brought down upon the poor creature's head... and with a horrible crunch, the deed was done, and the limp body fell sans that very head. As one of the togabito's heads before, this one spent little time in the draconian Arrancar's maw before his sharp teeth had ground it down and afforded him the ability to easily swallow.

Four down, twice that to go.

"Hold him," one of them spoke, visibly surprising the Arrancar. Intelligence, enough at least to speak; already he could say he hadn't expected it from these creatures. The one which spoke was the sole figure cloaked in white, and if the rogue's spiritual sense didn't defy him, the strongest of the bunch. Perhaps the leader, as well, as the rest wasted little time in acting upon its order, practically pouncing toward their present foe. A few of them even hissed threateningly; which, like their act of holding down his limbs two to a leg, save one back leg, and forcing him down with a little grunt on his part, went largely uncared for by him. He didn't even try to fight back, not yet; after all, there could be things to be gained, and he'd confidence in his ability to crush them all in a few moments' notice if the need arose. No... for now, he'd see what exactly was happening, then act accordingly.

"Die," the orange-garbed figure simply spoke, causing the Arrancar's crimson eyes to narrow quite threateningly. So much for the idea that this might be a step forward, it seemed... now to... hm... annoying. Struggle though he might, the grips of the togabito holding him down were not so easily broken as he might have thought; though perhaps that was simply due to a lack of suitability in moving his legs the way he wanted them to move right now? Who knew, but it was certainly a minor annoyance. Which was precisely the thing... minor. They held his legs, but they paid his tail and neck no regard, and it was something they would most certainly pay for. Soon.

"Not yet... certainly not until I get what I'm after," Drake hazarded speaking, even though he was certain the creature wouldn't even so much as understand him. He had to at least try, even if it was a long shot. "What do I really have to do to become a Persodae?" he inquired.

"Die," the white-garbed figure repeated, further malice leaking into its voice. Well, that idea certainly didn't work, and in no way could that have been a response to his question... could it? No, he couldn't afford to die one way or another, not yet. These creatures would be the ones to...

...mirrors? Where... bright... cursed thing!

With a loud screech, the draconian Arrancar quickly freed himself, tearing off a few arms holding his front left leg with his teeth and utilizing its new freedom to push himself steadily up, enough to shake off the rest.

Now he was upset, now the lead togabito seemed to have conjured mirrors to direct light into his eyes into a seeming attempt to blind him.

"Burn up, Brilliante Dios."

Such was the command, with one clawed hand resting on the hilt of the otherwise useless zanpakuto at his waist... and so it responded. Around him his wings suddenly curled, extending even beyond their normal size to cover him completely from view, and thereby shield whatever the actual event of him transforming actually even looked like; he wasn't certain, nor could anyone else be, and it simply didn't matter. Nor too did it matter where the power had truly come from, only that it was undeniably useful to him, fashioning him as the Arrancar that controlled light itself, so long as there was enough to be found. And here, with the columns of flowing lava from place to place, casting their heated light on the otherwise black plains?

There was definitely more than enough light to be found.

Thus, there he stood, cloaked in white and quite human in appearance save the partly-covered hole in his chest and the wings on his back... and the crimson eyes, lest anyone fail to notice. In mere moments, a claw of yellowish light had coalesced around one of his hands in some replacement for the claws he had in his normal form, shining with its own faint glow.

And then, of course, there was more light; something that would very soon prove to be, for the first time in the rogue's time of using it, an actual bad idea. Not that he could have truly perceived what would happen, but perhaps he should have seen it coming all the same. The first indication, most notably, being the strongly reflected light from the few small mirrors that yet lingered under the white-clothed togabito's control (or so Drake presumed, at least).

Still, failing that particular notion at the time, for now he formed a number of small orbs of light in his otherwise free hand; a little trick he'd picked up not long ago. Up they flew from a simple flick of his wrist, practically hovering in the air, so generally weightless and affected little by gravity were they. One touch, one minor little touch from anything but mere air and microscopic dust particles and they would be set off; that much Drake knew, which was precisely why he firmly shut his eyes before the next act. The agent for their reaction? As per a norm for him, a simple, thin ray of light from a small flick of a finger, setting off one only for the small explosion to set off the others. With that little act, the area was flooded in bright light and a loud crackling noise for but a few moments; enough to blind and somewhat deafen any near enough.

Including in this case, despite his precautions... Drake himself. He cursed at himself for not noticing it before, but those highly reflective mirrors of reishi most certianly did their part. Regardless of his eyes being closed, he was still most definitely blinded thanks to them pointing the better part of the light they reflected right back at him, and with his hearing cut down as well... this was going to be more difficult than he'd expected it to be after how easily he'd brought down the first four, suffice it to say. Then again, practically none of this was following his expectations, not least of all meeting a Persodae to guide him here... turning this whole thing into one big nuisance. Now wasn't that just perfect.

"You..." he growled, cursing inwardly as he felt a set of claws rake across one arm. Even in this form without scales safe the cloak, which didn't cover those arms, his durability served him well, but blood was still drawn, and would be drawn in kind. They had blinded him, but they still only seemed powerful enough on the whole to be annoyances rather than threats, and his claw cleaving cleanly through the latest to assail him stood as some proof of that. Five limp togabito bodies now sprawled on the black ground, staining it with some red, and he was certain there was hesitation in some of them to attack him; most specifically, those he'd taken the arms of earlier.

"Come, then... I'll crush all of you, even if I can't see," Drake threatened. So far as he could gather, the togabito could see, perhaps thanks to the mirrors redirecting so much light... or perhaps it was just other senses? No matter, if they weren't stripped of sight before, they most certainly would be now as the space around the Arrancar turned dark. His claw faded away in the process of pushing all the light out of that area, but that was a minor thing; he'd still his strength that served him well when it was needed.

Now, so far as he was determined, it was time for the rest of these things to be crushed so that he could move on properly.

With just that determination, Drake was intent on seeing this through in a clear shot to the end; and with his strength and speed to back it up, it didn't feel as though this would be a problem. Sure, he'd miscalculated a few things, taken a few small blows and gotten himself blinded by, in part, his own power, but such was how it went.

Firmly caving in the skull of the nearest togabito he could feel with his knee driven down from above, too, was simply how it went. He could feel the togabito go limp, and with that it was five down, seven to go; almost halfway finished, thankfully enough.

"Kill... kill him!"

So he barely heard another order from that white-garbed togabito, and a certain... pressure. Apparently there was about to be more to this than just overpowering things that otherwise wouldn't stand much of a chance, but it also made things easier; their reiatsu become more defined even in his generally sightless state. Yet, lest he enlist in any further foolish endeavors, so he did; with light returned to the area he was in, he wasted no time in drawing some of it into his palms to fashion a fist-sized orb each. These he set at the two most defined of the presences he felt, one of which was the white-clothed togabito still hanging back... and shortly thereafter paid for it.

Ah, right... the accursed mirrors again. In retrospect, he really should have expected them to reappear to rebound his light rays right back at him, too quickly for him to properly respond. Burning, searing; so this was how it felt to take on his power then, was it? And then, before he could do much further, a crushing blow came straight to his face from one of the togabito still near, sending him tumbling back a short ways.

"This is getting tiring..." he muttered, letting out a light sigh. Tough they were, but he'd come from taking blows from Envy herself, for one; the blow he just took was light in comparison, even though it still hurt. As did the next surprisingly speedy blow to his chest, though that was a mistake in itself; plate-cloaked as it was, it hurt less, and allowed him plenty of time to react, whether or not it left a dent. "Die," he growled, lashing out quickly with one hand and gripping the togabito firmly by the neck with one hand. With a little 'snap,' the soon claw-augmented hand ended the creature's life. Halfway there, and sinking steadily into wrath mode, such as it were... indeed, the conflict wasn't to last that much longer. Scratches and dents lingered behind from the blows he carelessly took, and he was breathing somewhat heavily, but he tore through the togabito like a beast on an unstoppable rampage much as he had attacked that Espada that took the one he cared about from him.

And then, on either side, there was one.

"K-kill..." the remaining, white-clothed togabito growled lowly, finally lunging forward after hanging back for so long. The perfect enemy to the light-wielding Arrancar, in a way... if only that were all he could do. But it wasn't, and under the force of his claw, the mirror rose in defense promptly shattered, leaving the togabito to be stabbed cleanly through the chest.

"Now to finally find this..." Drake muttered, before pausing, feeling something... strange over his arm. Not blood; it felt too thick and slow-moving for that. And the togabito seemed to be shrinking as more of it poured out, over his arm and the ground below. The rogue couldn't help but flinch slightly at the burning sensation that began to work its way into his arm, beginning to shake it off before, again, pausing. Sloth had mentioned a judgement to pass, and... honestly speaking, that ability of the togabito melting into goo to conjure mirrors was an appealing prospect, no doubts there.

Fine, then. He'd already prepared himself to do anything to gain this power and make himself into a better protector, so... so be it. There he knelt, clearly somewhat hesitant for a few moments before forming a claw around his other hand and scooping up as much of that goo as he could with some assistance from the togabito's robe left behind, only to pour it over himself, essentially drenching himself in the stuff. He shuddered lightly at the feeling, grumbled a little as the burning sensation began to course through his entire body... then flinched upon a loud rumbling noise nearby, and a heat washing out from that same direction. Curiously he glanced over it, like a soft blaze within iron... and likely enough the last part of this trial.

So there he walked, without the slightest bit of further hesitation; such were his steps forward, calm and determined. He could feel the blazing heat come closer and closer, but didn't back down for even a fraction of a second, not even when he was in the middle of it and the world seemed to close around him.

And there was pain. Miserable, burning pain coursing through the entirety of his body, likely only fueled by the goo that still covered it for now but was slowly burning off. 'Twas all he could do to keep properly on his feet but think of what he was pushing toward, even as he could feel the telltale signs of his body reverting back to its normal, draconic form and reshaping slightly. The first he could feel was the hollow hole in his chest working itself closed, then his mask itself steadily reshaping into a further semblance of what it once was. He was practically out cold from the pain, from how it seared into him and reshaped some of his body and even his reiatsu itself, before a loud 'slam' alerted him that something had happened.

Grumbling lightly in protest to his body's lingering pain, the rogue walked steadily out of the hole now left in his temporary prison, immediately going for a little... test. Reaching out with his reiatsu experimentally, he attempted to shape it into a mirror, that which he'd seen that togabito do before before it was reduced to goo... and succeeded. A little uncomfortably so, at that, as he'd unintentionally pointed it straight at him. Letting out a little 'hrmph' sound and shaking his head quickly with eyes closed, he let the mirror depart, only to feel triumph.

Perfect. A Persodae he was... and this particular step forward for him was concluded.