Entering her inner world, Asuka had intended to continue doing spars with Annie while Ichigo explored the town. But when she saw Annie she knew what was coming.
"Don't bother. Let's just get with it."
"No Asuka. I'm letting you just brush this off. I thought we already had a talked about you hiding things from others."
"Yeah. We did. And look what happened."
"How many times must I tell you this Asuka. What happened to Amelia was not your fault."
"Annie. I already told you. I don't want to talk about it."
"I can't say I care much about what you want Asuka. I only care about what's best for you."
Asuka pursed her lips hearing Annie's words. But then, she a smirk grew on her face.
"Best for me? You really expect me to believe that?"
"What the hell are you talking about? Of course I do Asuka."
Contra began oozing out of Annie as her anger and annoyance at the girl also grew.
At first she remained standing tall without backing down, but soon reconsidered on elaborating. She let out a sigh and continued to speak.
"Never mind. Let's just get back training please."
Annie wanted to retort but looking into Asuka's eyes, she decided to let it go.
"Fine," she said rolling her eyes.
Annie then stretched out her arm and a dark black blade formed in her hand. Asuka then in return unsheathed her blade and flared her anima.
~
Far away in a cursed land, a lone figure walked in a cold, dark waste where no light could reach. A land untouched and forsaken by the holy ones. Where even the most maleficent creatures are brought to their knees. But this demon is one of the exceptions. Slowly making its way to the top of a mountain, this demon did not express any emotion of exhaust or fatigue despite the many days it had walked.
It was a couple more hours before it had reached the summit of the great mountain where it plateaued into a massive flat land where a colossal structure lay. It was a marble palace capable of housing thousands of beings. Approaching the massive two door gate, horned statues on either side began opening the gate. A large sound erupted from the ground as the door ground against the rocky floor. Only when the doors came to a halt fully opened did the creature walk inside.
On the inside, large pillars act as support for the palace. On the pillars, corpses can be seen hanging on them with chains binding some of them by their hands or upside down by their feet. Some of them are even being pierced through various spots on their body pinning them to the pillars. Most of the corpses have had their flesh eroded, but a good amount of them still had skin clinging onto their bodies.
The creature continued to leisurely take its time walking through the hallway. Soon it reached two more marble doors. It stood in front of the door for a few seconds before they began to move, opening into a large room. Inside the room, five rows capable of containing hundreds in each in a circular shape descend towards the center where seven thrones on top of platforms surround a giant skull. The skull had ten horns in large hook shapes circling around on its head. In its center a single throne faced away from the demon.
The demon made its way down to the center where it bowed to one knee before it spoke.
"O great sovereign, I have returned from my mission."
There was a long silence before foot steps could be heard coming from the other side of the skull. The demon looked up and an expression of annoyance appeared on its face seeing the human walk out. But this human had eight horns sprouting from its head. Two sprouting from the back of its head curving to the front like a halo and three smaller horns growing from each of the two in front of the demon's face like a veil.
It was wearing a black dress with a cape hanging off its shoulders.
"Let me guess. He couldn't be bothered?"
A small smile appeared on the face of the demon who appeared.
"You did take quite a while Virgo. You should know our sovereign isn't known for his patience."
"Well, at least I can get out of this hideous transformation."
In almost an instant, the two horns on the side retracted and the five on its head turned into long lustrous black hair. Its eyes turned white while the pupils remained blood red. Its black skin turned an ethereal white and its lips flushed pinkish color. It stretched its body showing off its supple and gracious figure.
But instead of being awestruck by the beautiful sight of Virgo-
"I thought I had instructed you against parading around naked my dear. It's unsightly."
"But mother, how can it be unsightly if its all everyone wants to see of me," Virgo replied in a mocking tone.
Virgo's mother rolled her eyes with a look of disappointment and turned away from her daughter.
"You're lucky you're as powerful as you are. Otherwise I don't know what would've happened to you by now."
"Enough with this idle talk mother. What is it our sovereign would like to know?"
She simply sighed at Virgo's nonchalant attitude.
"Does she have potential?"
Virgo gave a wide smile at that question.
"More than even me. Maybe even you mother."
Virgo couldn't see but her mother gave a small frown at that answer. But she soon turned around with a small smile instead.
"Excellent. The sovereign would be glad to hear this. At long last, the final member has been found."