Underground Passage
The bead left in the Hougyoku vault room brings the Septima Espada (@eiri-yuki) here, an older passage defending Las Noches. The hall stands empty, the lack of a draft betrays that the exits are sealed off; the Dangai link was severed some time ago. Footsteps close in (@kijin).
"Yes, they are alive for now. You have what we came for?" a voice said, echoing through one of the passages leading into the central hall.
Anastacia paused as she was about to speak, but it wasn't enough to give away the not entirely unexpected presence of the Septima. She had paused on the cusp of outrage on many an occasion - these Quincy were a danger unlike anything she had ever known, and the safety of her underlings was entirely in her hands. She coughed and nodded, eyes narrowed to slits as she held out the Hougyoku in an outstretched hand. It floated a few inches above her grasp and occasionally span on an ever-changing axis; containing all the power of the Arrancar, it was a hefty price indeed to be paying for the lives of her fraccion and her shackled servitude.
Betrayal stung, even with the best intentions. And now with the Septima in play...
She turned on the spot as the cube was taken from her with a snatch, the bare stretch of the abandoned corridor a snake beneath the sands of Las Noches. And there was indeed another snake, slithering closer, and closer...