A voice sounded deep from within the Menos Forest, persuading the towing Menos Grande to gather around. They formed a circle around where the figure was, and there were six dead bodies placed on the ground in front of them. Each was turned over and unrecognizable, but the Menos Grande knew they were full of spiritual energy, and their maws opened hungrily. The figure held them off with a single wave of a hand.

     "Listen, if you are intelligent enough to do so," the figure shouted, and every head turned to him. Even a few Adjuchas lingering in the forest came closer to hear the strange man. "There are Shinigami out who killed our companions! If we sit any longer, we will have the same fate," the man growled in a strangely persuasive voice," With your help, we can revive our companions and fight back!"

     A few Hollows grumbled with agreement at the words, and even the Menos Grande's eyes flashed with ferocity. The man laughed at their aggressiveness, even though they were low-class Hollows. Before he could further explain his plan, an Adjuchas shouldered its way through the crowd.

     "Do you honestly think we will believe your lies? There is no way that you could possibly revive your companions, even with our help," the Adjuchas spat," You just want our spiritual energy for yourself." The mysterious man shook his head and pointed to his dead companions lying on the ground.

     "Life is not about doing the possible," the man said," It's the impossibilities that you can turn into a reality." He laid a hand on the first body, slowly uttering a chant under his breath. The wounded flesh began to knit back together until the body was unblemished. Chant after chant, he continued with no apparent progress, and the forest was suddenly silent. Each creature was curious as to what he was doing, and the Adjuchas that had stepped forward glowered at the man condescendingly. A gasp broke the silence, and the body began to stir on the ground.

     "I told you, young one," the man chided. The body writhed in the dust before slowly standing to its feet. It was the body of a Vasto Lorde with a feline mask and golden fur. Its eyes met its reviver, and it bowed in thanks before standing back to its feet. A small uproar began in the crowd at the amazing feat, and even the skeptical Adjuchas was taken aback. However, the man silenced the crowd with another wave of his hand.

     "What shall we do with them?" the feline Vasto Lorde asked the man.

     "Nothing for now. They are no threat to us," the man replied as he moved on to revive the next fallen companion," But, I will need to harvest their energy eventually." The Vasto Lorde looked up in confusion.

     "Harvest?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. The man nodded and sifted through the pocket of his black cloak. He held out his hand to reveal a small marble-shaped gem the color of the night sky. It had an eerie light about it, rather, it reflected no light at all. A large amount of energy sept from it, as if it were a sentient being, and the Vasto Lorde could even sense its consciousness.

     "It demands more souls to feed it, and it shall grant my wishes," the man explained," The Hougyoku at its ultimate form." The name of the jewel brought back a wave of nostalgia for the Vasto Lorde as he remembered the man who possessed the first of its kind. Aizen Sousuke. He had only been a newly formed Vasto Lorde when Aizen ruled, but he could still remember the carnage brought upon the Shinigami at that time. It brought a sinister smile to his face as he envisioned himself slaughtering his enemies.

     "So this was all a part of your plan, Sagino," the Vasto Lorde conjected. Sagino's silver eyes met his and he grinned. His spiritual pressure rose to immeasurable heights, and the last of the dead bodies began to stir as their souls were forced back into them. Once they had stood to their feet, they turned their eyes to their king, an unwavering loyalty in their gazes.

     "Of course, it was," Sagino hissed, his tongue flicking between his teeth.