Canto 1: The Journey Begins

Aki stretches and spins her key while walking in. "well bye everyone! See you hopefully when the world is restored!" she says laughing an runnin in. This was exciting but at the same time a bit of a burden. Though like any otter it was most certainly a adventure game.

*watching as they all vanished one by one, Virgil could do no more to help them, but to sit and watch*

~ and now it will be up to them... Their choices will affect the outcome of everything... I hope he made the right choice sending those keys to them... ~

Into Purgatory, Suu

Spoiler:

Darkness and the sound of...waves? The warm rays of light touched Tenju's skin as his eyes slowly opened to the blinding radiance of the sun. Reaching up to cover his eyes Tenju squinted as he sat up straight, sand falling from his hair and uniform as he did so, "What kind of power is this?" He spoke aloud thinking he was still in the middle of a battle for his life. Looking around however Tenju realized that this was no illusion, it was too real yet something felt off. Lingering reiatsus were in the area however one was unmistakeably familiar, the Espada Kyouga was here and not too long ago.

Quickly Tenju got to his feet and reached for his zanpakutou, "Cascade unto thy self endlessly! Muge-" Suddenly Tenju realized that the spirit inhabiting his very soul which gave power to his blade was no longer with him. His eyes shot open with horror as the reality came crashing down on him, despite finally bonding with his zanpakutou now it was gone from him and he was somehow in a strange place. One thing stood out however, the gate and it's keeper.

Quickly Tenju walked towards the man but stopped a good distance away keeping his hand cautiously on the hilt of his now spiritless blade, "What are you?" The question was quick but had deeper meaning than asking 'who' as Tenju felt neither shinigami nor hollow power from the stranger, "...and while I'm asking questions there was a man with a mask here not too long ago named Kyouga. Where is he?"

*Looking at the young man, Virgil can only say*

"A Mask? I've seen a couple of guys with masks pass this way lately;
I'm sure they won't be the last.."

*resting on his walking stick, he continues*

"As for where they have gone; if he was among those already here, he is gone into purgatory, through this door."

*using his thumb, he motions toward the giant door beside him*

"So if you're looking for him, you'll only be able to catch him on the other side; as for me, I am the watcher of the gate, Virgil, and I am waiting on the last key bearer to step up."

Tenju listened to the man and weighed his words carefully as he closed his eyes yet did not visibly relax at all. He learned little other than that Kyouga more than likely was here and he had gone through the mysterious gate this strange man kept. Tenju still had yet to learn what he was but it was seeming that such a matter was trivial in this place. The old man could be a being from another dimension and it wouldn't change things one bit so Tenju decided not to pursue the mans origins any further. Instead Tenju's hand tensed around his zanpakutou hilt and opened his eyes harboring a calm yet furious glare, "What of Mugen No Ryu? What has become of my partner?" Tenju feared the worst but something told him all was well despite the anger of having half his soul taken from him so soon after bonding with it for the first time.

Another question soon came to mind following his first as he realized if he were to find Kyouga Tenju would have to cross through it, "How do I open the gate and once I'm through how do I find the man I'm looking for?"