Re: [HERO QUEST] One step closer....

Sun Aug 21, 2016 3:09 pm

Darkness take you!

Enter Henrex Astillon:
The Broken Raven
暗闇の天使

Artist: RWBY | Song: Cold | Word Count: 1040

_______________________________________________________________________________

Henrex had been broken. Broken in body and spirit. That is what Cirno Iramasha had done to him by showing him his past like that. He had tried so hard to keep everything to himself. Bottle it in. Never let anyone see him in this state. However, now...it had been released. With all of this happening, Henrex had been entirely unaware of the one thing that he always dreaded to do. Make someone else cry. As the darkness within the Angel of Ice surfaced, Henrex could not only see it, but feel it. He could see the Angel's hair reduce, and her eyes change from a beautiful ocean blue to a sinister crimson red.

The black that stained the woman's dress....and finally, the reduction of her body size. With her body reducing to the size of a child, Henrex was left staring in both emptiness in awe. How the two mixed was entirely unknown. Perhaps that it was his heart that felt awe, but his eyes showed emptiness? His head tilted to the side, wondering why Erna had shown up. Wait...how did he know the name? It seemed to have simply came to him, as if it were a dream. Was it....the link that Cirno had connected them with? It would be the only explanation on how he acquired the name of the vengeance of Cirno's justice.

As the child form struck the gave of his mother, the empty gaze changed to one of fury, and he ripped the Zanpakutō from it's sheath, priming to attack.

"HOW DARE YOU!!!"

Leaping forward to prevent anymore damage from being done to the grave of his mother, Henrex was immediately knocked onto his back from the combination of red, black, and white energy that shot forth, causing light and darkness to come together, merging into Henrex's inner world. The young Shinigami stared at the beautiful, golden sky. It was like staring into the gates of Heaven. However, the rest of the earth below remained as black as midnight. As the body of the Broken Raven lay there, staring at the angelic skies of his inner world, he felt it.

The power surging through his veins, and causing his Zanpakutō to glow with a black and purple glow, and Henrex lifted to blade from his side, holding the sword in front of him, and his eyes slowly started to close, before he heard them. Footsteps. The quiet steps of his Zanpakutō Spirit stopped directly beside him, and Henrex looked at the one who lived within his sword. He saw something out of place for the spirit. The smallest of smiles on his spirit's face. Henrex's eyes went from blank and narrow, to wide and awe-filled.

"Chiya...."

The spirit's eyes slowly closed as Henrex's eyes went back to the sword. Just looking into his eyes was enough for him to tell him to try using Shikai once more. Henrex's eyes seemed to be lost from staring in the blade. Whispering a small phrase, Henrex's eyes would close and he would slowly point the sword towards the heavenly sky.

"Pierce the heart....and sever the soul....Chiya...."

As the boy finished the phrase to release a Shikai, the katana in his hand would begin to change it's shape. The blade and hilt would begin to stretch as the end of the blade would start to curve. The hilt of the new weapon quickly became heavier, and the new blade was much lighter than before. The scythe that Henrex's Zanpakutō had transformed into began to radiate a black and purple aura. Not only that, but the inner world of Henrex's Zanpakutō was changing, as was Chiya himself. The world around him faded to black, and soon came back into view.

A moonlit grassy field. Grass flowed within the cold, but gentle evening wind. Trees that As the grass gently pressed against Henrex's face, before releasing and flowing backwards in the wind, Henrex's eyes were no longer on his weapon. They were on the moon in his inner world. Staring at the light that came from the darkness, Henrex's eyes began to close. His heart felt at peace....but yet.....why did he still feel pain? Even with Erna consuming most of the negativity coming from the boy, she wasn't able to take it all. He didn't know why....but he still felt the smallest of spiritual pain.

While Henrex's eyes were closed, trying to understand and comprehend this pain, he heard more footsteps. The sound and the echo of little Erna's footsteps. Hearing them stop behind him, Henrex's eyes soon shifted behind him, seeing Erna Iramasha extending her hand to him. Slowly reaching his un-scarred right hand up, his pale, cold fingers gently wrapped around the Violent Hero's, and his arm would pull himself up, allowing the boy to land on his feet, and his wings to lower down to the ground. Not touching the ground, per say, but rather pointing more towards the ground. The single black, dead eye of Henrex stared directly at the Violent Hero, before his eye would face downward. Everything she said had registered.

"New....family? Guild Of....Heroes? Never....be....alone? You....my...sister?"

The idea of never being alone was something that Henrex's heart longed. He had been alone for so long. Would it...help him? Would it...be right? But....the one thing that Henrex was doubtful about...was the finding of the souls of his deceased. His mother had been dead for over 800 years. The "Soul-Link" that the Astillon group shared was something that alerted the family where they were, if they were alive, and what their emotions were. However, with Henrex, Kitarune, and his mother, Nikora, dying, the link had weakened. As of then, he only knew one thing. His sister was the only one surviving. He could feel it. The link was weak, but it was there.

"My mother....has been dead for hundreds of years....my father and master....I don't know....the only one that I can tell is alive....is my sister. Would you be able....to help me find her?"

It was a long shot, but if Kitarune was alive, he wanted to find her. If he could just get his precious little sister back....it would mean the world to the young Shinigami. He would do anything to get her back. But would the dream come true?

Or was it just the hopes of a hopeless dream?

I walk a path...with no end....

Coding In Template By: [THEFROST]

Fri Sep 02, 2016 12:20 pm

[PLAY POSTING MUSIC]

ENTER THE DEPTHS

Artist: Renegade Five - Song: Shadows

Everything was breaking apart within his soul, but Erna didn't care about that one bit. A person had to be destroyed again and again to refine, enrich and empower the depths of their positive and negative aspects. To obliterate ones ego, to destroy their persona and to make them feel pain is to give them a choice to find their wings. Through this heartache and pain, a hero could be born to rise above it all and to have that instinct needed to want to prevent others from enduring that harsh pain. That is the lesson which The Fallen Angel seemed to be interested in embedding within Henrex's soul as she watched his inner world contort.

Though, with a gaze of her crimson eye, Erna could see the emptiness laying behind the boy's eyes. Yet -- did she care for such a sight? No. Not even in the slightest. In fact, it made her chuckle because that was the exact state of being he needed to be in. Once one's soul is empty, the wholeness of a new life can fill the ashes and void of the old and consume it with new life, light and energy. Therefore, she would shake her head and laugh at the male getting knocked back and screaming "HOW DARE YOU" at her when she was only trying to help him achieve the training he so desired.

"How dare I? Hahaha, don't joke around, Henrex. This is what you wanted me to do. All of what is happening now is so you can have the tools to get a decent chance at fighting against the evils of this world. Do you think a few kind words, a few gentle prayers and some warm love is going to prevent the sadistic, monstrous and chaotic monsters of this world from tearing you apart from the inside and outside? Not likely. Ripping you apart, throwing your world into chaos and finding your own peace and balance within the storm is needed to keep your sanity in an existence of turbulence, Henrex."

Erna couldn't help but grin that brutal smirk of hers as she stood upon the graves of Henrex's most precious loved ones. If he wasn't strong enough to stand on the pillars of his pain, then the fires of this world would grab him by the ankles and cast his entire being into hell. In the mind of The Fallen Angel, it was better to have this done by someone with the best of intentions such as herself rather than a truly villainous foe waiting to capitalize on his mental, spiritual and bodily limitations.

So, it is why she watched with utter delight as Henrex started to channel into the powers of her most wicked prayer to find strength in this heartache. After all, if he didn't learn to embrace that pain, then this whole inner world would be filled with even more tombs of those who he failed to save because of his own stubbornness and lack of ambition to grow. One can't stay stagnant and idle in a world like this; it only leads to ruin, dismay and death. Thus, as Henrex started to learn this lesson, Erna could do nothing more than give him a clap of applause for his efforts to thrive in this most uncertain circumstance.

"That's right. Sever that soul of yours, Shinigami. It's fine to feel pain, but don't forget why you embrace it: it's to help others not go down the path we've found ourselves on. We are nothing but monsters, yet that doesn't mean we can't let our experiences save and change the lives of others. It's why we are given this gift and it's why my other self saw in you."

At this point, The Fallen Angel was beginning to ease her crazed persona and beginning to shift into a more earnest tone of voice as she took the hand of Henrex. With a steady gaze into his eyes, though, she could do nothing more than cackle once more and flick his nose.

"Come on, now. This is a lot to take in, but don't lose your head. Of course I am your sister so long as you stay the path of light and good. Stray from that path, though, and I'll be your worst enemy!"

With a giggle, Erna would then have a blob of black energy form into a dagger and phase through Henrex's chest. It wouldn't cause him harm or anything, but it was more to emphasis her point that she didn't want to see him go down the path of a villain or to be consumed by this world's infection of corruption. It had a way of turning those who were once so filled with justice into deplorable and loathsome creatures. 'Tis why Erna herself was even created to begin with.

"Besides, do you have any idea who I am? I make miracles happen and I'm not too shy about making that known. So long as you have that belief in your heart that things can get better and you use that power for good, I will make sure the heaven's hear your cries and I'll use these broken and ruined wings of mine as messengers to deliver your desires to the gods themselves. Even if I need to force that forsaken god to listen with these fangs and claws of mine and send him falling down into the realm of mortals."

There were so much powerful wording that was being thrown around by the likes of The Fallen Angel, but it isn't as if she didn't mean every bit of it. For it was their reality and the power of her ruined blessings could cause it to be true. So, it is why she would begin to pull her hands together as if she was praying and invoked a spell into reality. What was this spell going to do? Simple: with the power of Erna's Holy Aether, she could induce a miracle to send a distress signal to the halls of existence itself.

In this way, now that she understood the feel, frequency and pulsation of his family's auras, Erna would send waves of her energy throughout the Soul Society, Earth, Hueco Mundo and so on to constantly search and monitor for any activity that might indicate the presence of their reincarnated or living spirits. This is all done in the effort of a mass prayer to help Henrex put the final seal in the coffin of his regrets, past and torment. Now, the results may not come today; they may not come next week and they may not even come within the next month or year; but so long as this ping existed in the universe, it would always search and it would eventually bring back the results needed to find his loved ones.

Thus, Henrex, through his telepathic bond with Erna, would understand just what she did and grasp just how far Erna was willing to go to finish the job.

"It can be done. I don't care about probabilities in a world of fractured logic, Henrex. If there is a will and a desire, it can be born and made to happen. As your sister, I give you my promise so long as you don't break my trust and confidence in you."

And with that said, Erna would then place her right hand upon his forehead and begin the final process of transforming him and bringing his power to a proper standing. All of these values were being consumed and empowered within his holy seal that Cirno marked his body with. And, through that seal, a miracle would be born to continue to further Henrex's power at an alarming rate so long as he continued to better himself and the world around him. That is all they cared about at the end of the day. So, if Henrex could do that, then the gods would continue to bless him with more and more power until he could slash through any foul spirit which comes his way. That was their promise and assurance.

Wed Sep 07, 2016 7:10 pm

Henrex Astillon

The Broken Raven

Descend Into Darkness

My....sanity? What more of it do I have left? I don't feel sane....I feel empty....

The empty eyes of the Raven seemed to stare into the infinite abyss of nothingness as he continued to simply lay there. Lay there....and fade away....that seemed like something that wouldn't bother him too much. His hand slowly lifted from his side, before reaching towards the sky, his fingers outstretched. Curling them back, Henrex's arm soon retreated to his chest. Right now....everything was simply...blank.

The world seemed to simply rotate around him, leaving him lost to simply sit there and allow time to go by, gently dragging him along, like the tide. All these words that she spoke....swirled around in his head, sending echos of the words throughout his mind while his head still stared at the moon-filled sky, his pale, cold fingers twitching ever so slightly. The words of Erna nearly meant nothing to him. He didn't ask to be broken. Shattered like a mirror. But yet, that is what happened.

The black wings of the Raven gently curved around his body, and Henrex found himself sitting up. As his dead eyes stared into the infinite lands of his inner world, Henrex's ears soon were greeted by the sharp sound...of clapping. Why was she clapping? Was it because of him utilizing his new strength to change his inner world and use his Shikai to it's fullest? Why...would anyone be clapping...at pain? A gentle breeze flowed across the boy's pale skin, sending shivers down the boy's spine as he felt the cold touch of the wind against his skin.

But, then the rest of what Erna had said registered into his head. Nothing....but monsters. That is what this world was. Monsters. But...what kind of "gift" did he have? Nothing. He had nothing that would be considered a gift. His eyes rose towards Erna, before they lowered. The Broken Raven then felt her hand take his icy fingers, before a quick flick to his nose was issued. A flicker of pain caused the boy to quickly cover his nose from the sheer shock of it. However, something that Henrex was not expecting next was the laughter that the girl emitted. Even after all this, Henrex's head still lowered.

"....What would Cirno see in me? All I am...is a kid who's trying too hard...."

After hearing everything that Erna had said then, Henrex knew that he wanted to remain on the path of a hero. But...would his mind be tainted or seduced by evil? That is something he feared. He didn't want to lose someone, or multiple people he cared about again. His eyes looked down towards the ground, before they would slowly raise. The keen senses of the boy perked up, and his eyes would widen upon the black irises of his setting their gaze on the dagger that had formed itself from nowhere.

Will this....kill me?

Seeing the sharpened black dagger zip towards him, aiming for his chest, Henrex's eyes began to close. Time seemed to slow around him as his mind became lost in thought. Maybe....if this killed him....would it free him of the everlasting pain in his heart? His eyes traced the dagger as it flew through the air, before the moment that the cold blade touched the skin of his chest....it was gone. Seeing the weapon phase through his chest, Henrex knew that Cirno...or...Erna wouldn't kill him after all of that.

Erna's voice rung out with the same confidence as she always had. A...god? What god was there? Even if there was a god...why would they have forsaken him? Why would any god with any sense of good, or any sense of kindness ever make him go through the hell he had? Stabbed to death, then left to burn? Losing everyone he'd ever cared about directly in front of his eyes? Why would any god allow this to happen?! No matter what happened, it seemed that fate was always cruel to him.

Turning his sights back to the Fallen Angel, Henrex's mind and eyes were shocked by what she was doing. Seeing the Angel fold her hands together, and the telepathic link that connected the Angel of Ice and the Broken Raven allowed the boy to instantly know what she was doing...and what extent she was willing to go...for someone like him. His head slowly faced the ground, and his mind was trying to wrap around everything that had just happened.

The realization hit him.

He would finally, someday...see his sister once again. However, there was no time to rejoice. Feeling the girl's hand on his forehead, his eyes soon lifted towards the small girl, and his eyes widened from what was currently occurring within his body. With his eyes closing, the angelic energy that Erna had placed within him in the form of a seal flowed through him like a river of power.

Shaky breathing left the boy as his entire body was shaking from everything that had happened. His eyes slowly closed, but the void of an eye that set on the right side of the boy's face slowly started welling up with tears. Falling to his knees, the young man's hands slowly rose to his eyes, and the boy was crying.

But not painful tears.

Tears of joy.

His heart was still filled with pain. The pain that would never leave him. It would stay there until the day that he died. However, the pain that he felt failed to be as strong as the joy that was filling his heart. He was happy. For what? Oh, for so, so much. The list was far too long to be able to placed. But Henrex Astillon....for the first time in six hundred years....was feeling happy. His hands lowered, and the mismatched eyes of the boy faced Erna Iramasha, the smallest of smiles upon his normally saddened face.

"Thank you....Cirno....Erna.....thank you...."

Sat Nov 19, 2016 3:08 am

[PLAY POSTING MUSIC]

[HERO QUEST] One step closer.... - Page 2 6EdIfMt

ENTER THE DEPTHS

Artist: Mogeko Castle - Song: MaouDamashii Town10 - Word Count: 1109

While there was an emptiness trying to erupt from the depths of the male, he would constantly find himself becoming full and heavy time after time again. Why was this happening? Why was he not descending into the abyss? Simple: Erna was a Fallen Angel who devoured others sins. Therefore, she was absolving the weight of his guilt and allowing him to lead a life where he is not chained and defined by events that occurred in his past. In this way, he could have the potential of a greater future and be able to prevent that pain from anyone else who might fall onto his path.

Ergo, by providing this source of light and positivity in the world, Erna could use her body that had long since fallen to the depravity of sin to deter others from falling into her life's mistakes. That was the simple instinct and will of Cirno while in this alter-ego state. This was a way for her to function and cope with the wrong deeds and blood that had drenched the innocence of her essence. Therefore, when the boy asked what The Angel of The Ice saw to him, Erna had a quick and prompt reply because of this in-depth thought swirling around the reddened abyss of her consciousness.

"A warm love~! That is what Cirno sees in you. You have a lot of love to give, but you are too dumb to realize that because of this nihlism. So we both want to free you of that and allow you to move on from it."

Sure, her words were crude, but they were the honest truth. In a sense, the boy had a lot of passion and wanted to share his feelings with the world around him. The only problem was that it was too turned into the polar opposite direction of positivity. It was dwelling, festering and thriving on the abyss of negativism. Something which this world was filled and consumed within and easy to find one's self lost in. Without that mist clouding his soul, he was free to acknowledge the sorrows of his past, but also understand there is hope and optimism to be had so long as he is willing to make that change take action with the blessings which have been bestowed upon him by the heavens.

Why else would someone such as The Angel of The Ice come across his path? Angel's were designed and made in order to guide souls who were lost in this world towards the light, the right path and towards fixing their spirit. It is what brought them fulfillment, serenity and a sense of strength and power. So, by committing this act, Erna could feel even her fiery soul beginning to calm and cool itself with relief. As it was quite happy to see the chains of his own internal enslavement beginning to erode, shatter and break into nothingness so that the wings of his brightest self can open and fly away from this abysmal pit of dejection and woe.

Thus, The Fallen Angel would allow him time in order to process, internalize and incorporate these thoughts into his very being. As, when he was able to perform these feats, the values of his zanpukto and inner world would change. They would infuse the transformation of his soul and transcend the limits of his mortal body now that he had taken up this holiest creed for The Celestial of The Ice. Therefore, Erna couldn't be more proud of him for deciding to take this path and stick wholly to it! Since that is all Cirno ever wanted for him to begin with.

Ergo, as the boy started to cry tears of joy, Erna could do nothing more but embrace him, pet his head and begin to absolve his tears into her body. What need was there to cry anymore? All that mattered was release and finding that calling which this life bestows upon you. So long as he had that, this warmth would never leave him and she would always stay by his side as a worthwhile sister and his guardian angel.

"That is what Angel's do. I am a Fallen Angel and it is embedded deep within my blood to want to dissolve the depths of sin, guilt, and negativism from your body. It is why Cirno created me and it is what helps to keep and myself sane. So it's alright, Henrex. Truly...it is."

There would then be a soft sigh as the gruff tone of demeanor and speaking would ease from the golden-haired child; seeming to embrace this intensity of emotion, understanding, and empathy so that the two of them could advance from their own hells. It is why she then began to break down, turn into particles of light and spread throughout his inner world; signaling the release of her influence from his spirit and the summoning of her mind back to the material world.

"Well? What are you waiting? Your spirit has morphed and changed, Henrex. You may now release your shikai in the physical realm. After you do that, we can rest and allow some time for the seal to stabilize before we begin anew."

And with that, the embodiment of Erna would be felt leaving his inner world. However, before doing so, the deep depths of his soul's shadows would be purged and cleansed. By performing this act, the rising dawn of a bright sun could once again arise in his world and signify the start of a new era for the boy.

Which is why when Erna returned back to her living vessel, there appeared to be a heavy amount of tears streaming from her face. However, the Fallen Angel's facial expression seemed quite numb and detached from it. As if she did not want to embrace this melancholy and ecstatic feeling. It was a conflict between pleasure, duty, sadness and remorse for everything that occurred within her own life allowing someone else to move on with hers.

It was a powerful ability to be able to change spirits, but the iron-clad of Erna's will did not desire to be overrun by sappy emotions. She only wanted to see the results of her training finish up and for her job to be done in the name of Cirno. Once these things were achieved, she could allow the wheel of consciousness within her body to be returned to The Angel of The Ice and she could rest once more. Content -- and pleased with her work.

Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:13 pm

Henrex Astillon

The Broken Raven

Descend Into Darkness

Why....

Why do I still feel empty?

Those words kept repeating over and over in Henrex's mind, while his heart continued to produce this tasteless emotion within the confines of his body, forcing it to spread and corrupt more of his being. But yet, it never lasted long. The vanishing of the emptiness only caused him to feel more and more strange. If he was not to feel empty, then what was he to feel? Happiness? It seemed right, but his heart could not fully grasp what he was happy about. Why..? Why was his mind and heart so conflicted and torn over what to do?

Soon, a strange fullness encompassed Henrex's heart and soul, and his mismatched eyes blinked multiple times, tilting his head to the side, and he soon took in a quiet inhale, filling his lungs with air, and then exhaling. Two more blinks. As Erna told him what Cirno saw in him, as he always did, he doubted it at first. But soon, his thoughts turned to that of Kuro, his Captain. To Zen, his friend. Even back as far as his family. He cared so much about them, and he did everything he could to make sure that they knew that he loved them, and cared about them.

However, his mind then turned to what he had been feeling such a short time ago. The corrupting sadness that had been corrupting and breaking apart his mind for so long. What had it felt like? Cold. It felt like ice had been surrounding him, and chilling him down to the bone. A small shiver came from the male as his body jerked for a moment, and then his eyes closed, and the tears continued to fall. As his eyes opened again, and the back of his hand wiped his eyes to clear his vision, he felt a gentle embrace wrap around him, and gentle touches to his head.

The cheeks of the Raven turned the lightest shade of pink for a moment, before the wind brushed through his inner world, sending small needles of pain through his eyes, and causing more tears to form on his face, with him wiping his eyes once again. Then, Erna spoke about how it was the job of Angels to purge and drive out sin from one's body, as well as guilt, and negativity. His mind swirled with thoughts as she spoke, before hearing the small sigh from Erna.

Turning to face her, he watched with dull and blank eyes as she began to turn into particles of light, leaving his inner world, and returning to the material realm. His icy cold fingers gently gripped the newly improved weapon that lay at his side. As Erna's body vanished entirely, Henrex's eyes now found themselves staring into the equally blank eyes of his Zanpakutō's spirit, with him nodding briefly, and Chiya's form began to dissipate and dissolve. Soon, after a short time, it would be as if nothing was in these moonlit plains.

So, with his eyes closing, Henrex could feel his body becoming increasing lighter, and his senses began to dull, before his body began it's own return to the physical world.

The gentle bite of the icy wind of the Summit of Heroes is what caused him to awaken from the dream-like state that Cirno had induced upon him, and he slowly stood. Turning around to face Erna...or Cirno, he saw the amount of tears streaming from her face, and he could also see that she did not seem...affected by it at all. So, he slowly approached her, before embracing the girl, then breaking it mere moments later. As his hand drifted toward his Za/npakuto, he drew the weapon from it's containment, before staring deeply into the blade.

Pure white snow tapped against the pale skin of Henrex, and his eyes closed. Sheathing his sword, his mind was more clear than it had ever been. "Thank you...again...sis..ter..." Henrex said, his quiet voice dry and raspy from the events of the day. There had been pain and sadness. But, the thing that had shined the brightest in the land of blackness was the improvement that had been made upon Henrex's mind and soul.

And that was the goal, now wasn't it?

Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:26 pm

[PLAY POSTING MUSIC]

ENTER THE DEPTHS

Artist: Ryo - Song: Truth - Word Count: N/A

Foreign, foreign, foreign.

That word looped again and again in the mind of Erna as she felt the hug of Henrex began to embrace her cold skin. Really, there was no way for her to properly just yet to this response as it felt painful to accept the embrace of another person. Despite the fact that she was an angel fulling her holy duty to guide the spirits of this world toward the light, it still felt agonizing to accept happiness, kindness and all things warm and sentimental; even if she herself understood, yearned for and dealt those same things out to the existence around her.

So, rather than feeling tender at first touch, the body of Erna clenched up and increased its grip on the boy. In fact, he may find himself being rather taken back by the sudden amount of force. However, after a few immense moments, the hold would ease and The Fallen Angel would try to absolve the last of his sins into her heart. And, in doing so, a gentle pale fluid started to escape down the sides of her eyes.

'Huh...? I'm crying...?'

The blinking wouldn't end as Erna tried to figure out just what was going on in her most conflicted essence. These tears were churning, rushing and overflowing like a dam that had just been broken. So, in response to these emotional stimuli from her body suddenly being released, the heart rate of The Fallen Angel could be felt accelerating and thumping with the utmost of speed.

'Ah.....I can't accept his feelings, can I?'

Despite that contrasting thought, the now sniffling Erna would simply -- hug him back. It did not feel right to her at all, but another part of it felt it was her duty to proceed forward with this action. So it caused her heart to feel as if daggers were churning about it and ripping apart every inch of it's beating red essence until nothing but chunks of a shattered organ were left.

"You are welcome, brother."

There was no need for a mouthful of words to be expressed in this moment. Instead, there could only be a small and content smile given by Erna as she let these emotions run its course. While she could overreact, sob and give way to a hysteric fit; this was not her moment -- it was his. So she respected that and composed herself despite the flood of tears which flowed down her face.

'Why does it hurt so much to see my work change someone in such a wonderful way....? Even if I've fallen, am I still not an angel....?'

This hold couldn't last forever and eventually, Erna gradually let go of Henrex as a result. As she wiped away the still streaming tears from her face, she'd give a nod of her head and motion for him to do one last thing:

"Now, please, let us put this work to an end and have you release into your shikai. We have to see just how far we've come with this training, brother...."

And with that, Erna would grab her chest and give a tender smile towards Henrex

'....why does that hurt to say? Don't I want to love and care for him?'

Accepting the feelings of others, understanding the circumstances of others and sharing that feeling -- why was being empathic so foreign and hard?

...

Erna didn't have an answer.