Lord Amago (solo)

Everything was dark. It felt like he had been asleep, but Stratus knew better than that. That what had woken him from his slumber was a monstrous spiritual power. He was surrounded by them. The moment he opened his eyes he expected a very bad situation. Unfortunately he found something much worse. It would seem he was in a large cavern. What had started as a natural cave had been altered. Proof of that was the thick stone pillars that decorated the chamber. They were crudely made, but it was obvious someone had put them there. There were luminous crystals strategically lining the walls. He he had to be underground. After living in the in the tunnels beneath Hueco Mundo he recognized the light giving crystals. Together with the pillars it was a perfect mix of light and shadow. Stratus could see main parts of the room but the darkness held in the corners. He found himself in the middle of the chamber with the large pillars looming on either side of him. There wasn't much to see in the room, but still Stratus took some time look. In the end his eyes came to the end of the hall. There was dais against the far wall and upon that was a chair. No, not a chair, a throne. It too looked hand carved, but it was made of a black stone Stratus had seen only deep within the Menos Forest. At first he had mistaken it for a shadow. So dark it almost looked like a spot the light could not reach, but little he could make out the shape. This focus came only because the spiritual power he felt was coming from that spot. Despite his efforts he couldn't see anything, and yet he knew that something was there.
Slowly he got to his feet, and the crushing reiryuko seemed to diminish at this point. Still he kept his breathing shallow. Whatever it was waiting for him would have little trouble killing him.

"Finally awake?" the voice echoed stating the obvious. Someone was sitting in the chair. He didn't move an inch instead he tried to look for an exit. There was nothing visible so he could only guess that it was hidden by the dark areas that clung to the walls. The figure in the chair moved separating itself from the ebony throne and it's shadow. While he expected a monster, he saw instead a man. A muscular man leaned forward from the black throne. His elbow came to rest on the arm of the chain while his head resting on this palm. A human, no. There was something that that stood out; the half mask on his face. The familiar white of a bone mask came down the center of his face. Looking directly at him it was like a wedge giving him a hawkish appearance. Of course it had to be an arrancar. That made sense with the huge spiritual pressure he had felt. Yet there was something different from the arrancar he had seen in Las Noches. "They were tracking you across the sands before the bird picked you up."
"Tracking me, huh?" Stratus replied his eyes still searching for the way out. Now he remembered the giant shape coming down on him from the sky. "I guess I have to thank you for rescuing me, then."
The arrancar chuckled at the comment and clicked his tongue. "Rescue is a strong term; I'd prefer to say I've granted you a slight reprieve." the man's voiced dropped as the said the last part. It was then that Stratus noticed the man's attire as he shifted in the seat. Rather than the arctic white there the man was garbed in black. No wonder it was hard to distinguish him from the throne.
"Thanks anyway, but why bother saving me if you're just going to kill me?" he snickered in response. He had narrowed down the avenue of escape being one of the walls on either side. Moledale had taught him that how to move quickly, but the arrancar could probably do that same. He just needed to time it perfectly. A second or more was all he needed. "It's a waste of your time."
"Normally, yes." the arrancar responded with his other hand tracing the edges of his seat. "But we don't get many visitors from Las Noches." Stratus froze. The man had said they were tracking him, but that far back. Another thought slowly occurred to the hollow then; what was an arrancar doing outside of Las Noches? And why would they need to watch him? "So, first question: Are you a spy?" His other hand had stopped moving and the index finger was pointed directly at the hollow. A small ball of purple was floating in front of the finger. With barely thirty feet or more between them dodging could be tricky.
"Spy?" Stratus stammered "I was only out for a walk." It seemed stupid to lie, but he couldn't figure anything else he could do at this point.
Telling the truth would be far worse. Saying he was was sent here by a spy for the rules of Las Noches didn't sound that great in his head.
He took a step backwards and halted. Something was behind him. There wasn't a wall there a moment ago Stratus was afraid to take his eyes off the arrancar. Keeping his eyes on the man might give him a better chance of dodging. It was only when the voice spoke out that he realized someone was behind him.

"Mi Lord" came the deep voice. "I shouldn't have to warn you about discharging you energies in this chamber. " The arrancar on the throne looked annoyed as he narrowed his eyes. "There are other methods to get the answers." Stratus was about to comment when he sudden found himself staring at the ceiling. This view didn't last long as he was slammed into the ground quite viciously. Even as the breath was knocked from his body a boot found it's way onto his chest. As he lay upon his back he gazed up at his attacker. A large bald looking man with large tusks like a walrus jutting up from his both sides of his face. Another arrancar, but this one was looked less human than the one on the throne. No human was the big and muscular. From the strange angle the second man looked well over seven feet tall and perhaps just as much wide. How had someone of his stature gotten behind Stratus without being detected. The big man's foot pushed hard on Stratus' chest. Sounds of his armor breaking filled room. It wasn't long before the hollow felt the pressure from the larger arrancar. The armor was completely useless before the large foot pressing down upon him. Shards of the torn armor dug into his flesh. As he grunted in pain he tried to move the massive foot off him. This proved to be impossible for him. He couldn't get any leverage against the tusked being. His efforts only encouraged the arrancar to press harder. Stratus felt his back being pressed into the ground as his fingers clawed at the leg crushing him. There was no way for him to push the other hollow away. Fuck it He grabbed at the foot and heaved with all his might. As he focused his strength he tried to focus his energies. A small green orb sprang to life.
"Oh?" the arrancar on the throne said rather surprised at Stratus' desperate ploy. "Looks like he has some bite Madoka" There was not need to warn the other arrancar as he pressed harder breaking the hollow's concentration. Stratus felt his organs being compressed as more force was applied. In utter agony he screamed, but Madoka didn't let up.
"Tell us what you're doing here, and you suffering will end." the huge man said. If Stratus wasn't under duress he would know that telling the truth would only result in his death. At the same time not talking was going to kill him. A no win situation.
"I...I'm...a spy." he struggled to get out." The arrancar on the throne nodded. Madoka pushed down even harder. It felt like all of Stratus' innards were moving toward his throat.
"So you are a spy" Amago said enjoying the show before him, but still wanting more information. "Who sent you? Nao? "
Stratus struggled breath. How did anyone expect him to respond when his lungs were being flattened?
"Mo.......Mo......Moledale" he manged to say after much effort his voice barely above a whisper. The pressure on his chest diminished.
"Moledale?" The stone faced Madoka said looked to Amago. "He say Moledale sent him." The arrancar's facial expression changed. He waved his hand for his for the other to move away. As the huge foot left Stratus took deep painful breaths. It still felt like he was being crushed as his body slowly healed. His body was slightly embedded into the ground.
"So why did my servant send you here? A progress report?" The arrancar's words lit Stratus' mind ablaze. Moledale was this arrancar's spy? He had thought the hollow as a spy for Las Noches. If so why had he sent him here? For the moment he didn't know how to respond, nothing made sense to him anymore.