Monarch's Corruption

Footsteps echoed through the dimly lit halls of the Shadowstorm fortress. A monster in the flesh of a man wandered the premises, eyes shifting from one corridor to the next as their walk continued. With the soon-to-be mark of the Hollow's rise to power to take place in the coming days, the creature thought it fitting to begin addressing the few members of the Monarchy that were already enlisted prior to his correlation as the sub-factions leader and second to the throne. He never opted to make big news out of the events or flaunt his newly-given rank, but it remained important that he ensure the quality of his new underlings and bring out the peak in what they could be under his hand. It wasn't even sure the entirety of the branch was aware of the transformation about to take place with the Monarchy under their new commander, but that was the purpose of this slowly-approaching meeting with one very such soldier of Shadowfall put under the ranks of a formerly dead branch.

The nameless parasite took on the form of a tall, lean-built Arrancar. The body they inhabited was very well developed, formerly belonging to an Adjuhas turned Arrancar that once worked for Shadowfall. They stood at an imposing six and a half feet tall, a blue-grey cloak flowing behind them with each step. The man's hair was a vibrant red, moving behind him in a manner resembling a long trail of flames. It stretched down to the shoulders, each lock tightly knit together and giving it the unorthodox well-kempt look. Their eyes resonated with charm and passion, twin black irises looking onward to the darkness ahead.The remaining traces of the man's mask took the form of a thin, smooth texture around their right-eye and the right side of the nose. Ruvik had taken this body from a large selection of potential candidates locked away for their rebellious or treasonous behavior. For being a prisoner, they were turning out much better of a host than expected. The energy coursing through them restored the body to peak conditions and showcased the refined features the soul once had at their best. An ample supply of energy also poured into the parasite from the Arrancar's soul, feeding it and gradually solidifying the grasp it had over the forsaken being.

The Viceroy stopped beside an iron door, the echo coming to an end. From what it had heard, one of the more promising subjects resided in the very room at this time of the eternal night. Twin candles lit the entryway, the creature turning to the structure and gently tapping his fist against the metal. Multiple raspy knocks sounded through the hall and the room hidden behind the metal obstruction. If no answer followed, three more knocks would strike the iron, the next louder than than those before it. The unseen beast's malefic mind pondered what he would meet this time on the other side of the passage. A ravenous hunger filled its being, not one for blood, but for a new source of energy to attribute to its own evolution. In time, it intended the same for all of the future Monarchy and superpower it will become.

In addition, the Hollow had come to bring change, to ensure the strength of the group it now grasped between its stolen palms matched up to the reputation the fiend desired. Whether good or bad, it intended to bring about serious change to the more prominent members of its subjugation. The Arrancar waited, the clock ticking seconds at a time. In truth it could simply force the door open and begin things from there, but the Hollow did have some degree of class and patience abive the traditional acts of their kind. Were nothing to happen in the next minute, it would resort to the more common practice; a hand pressing against the metal and pushing it forward with great force. Any locks in place would crack and shatter in a moment's notice, the metal making various loud and obnoxious bending noise and rattling from the force of the puppet's strength.

In either case, the Monarch would come to see another locked away in the confines of the chamber. He smiled, offering a few words to the one he was told was Kor-tatha. A focused, almost predatory presence exuded from the figiure, eyes scanning over the pink-haired Knight and getting a reading for the way they carried themselves and their nature from the most immediate context clues presented at his arrival. The parasite's voice took a new light under this host, a deceptively mellow and warm tone that contradicted with many of the other signs presented by their very existence. Ruvik asked a question plainly, followed by a brief introduction and the short reason for why they had come here.

"Kor-tatha..My sources say that should be you, correct? I've come to be known as Ruvik and have been placed in charge of the Monarchy and making it a more respectable union. We have a few things to discuss, if that isn't too much trouble." Whether it was or not, he intended to carry on with his plans. Though putting up the guise of politeness and options, the true nature of the fiend was very determined on getting the best results it had in mind with every minor goal it could think of by any means necessary. Everything else was nothing more than a formality. Its act was flawless though, perfectly matching the reality of a soft-spoken soul even on the most complex levels with the one, but obvious exception of the dark feeling that resonated from their core.