"So that's where you ran off to?" Urahara asked rhetorically, cooling himself with his fan. "What'd you find?"

"A place to look. The file says I went missing near this forest." You pointed at the paper and his eyes followed. "Can I search there?" You ask.

"I'll allow it, it's a step closer to solving the puzzle." He smiled.

"You're not the one who gives the orders." Hitsugaya reminded him, joining the rest of you at the small table. "We have to get permission from the head captain."

"Then let's get going." You said.

"To save time, we can all go with them." Orihime suggested. "We'd be like detectives." She giggled, imagining everyone wearing old timey clothing and holding magnifying glasses.

"That'll work, but remember to stay together. There has been an increase in hollows." Hitsugaya warned us.

"So what, we search for their dead body that's most likely deep in the ground?" Ichigo asked, watching the others get up to leave. "We don't even have a plan on what to do when we find it!" He argued, but everyone carried on.

"Since when did you need a plan?" Urahara laughed. "If you're truly concerned, Kurotsuchi can analyze the body and find out the cause of death, no matter what's left of it."

~

"What ever made me go to a place like this?" You wondered, walking through the deserted forest. The trees were bare, the leaves scattered across the damaged paths. A fog was spreaded throughout the area, making it hard to see so far. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if it turned out that you died because you couldn't find a way out.

"This place is depressing." Ichigo noted.

"Many people say it's haunted." Urahara added.

"Why is that?" You asked, not thinking it was true. You moved a log that was blocking the narrow path.

"They say at night you can hear a man begging to be found." He explained. Orihime moved closer to Ichigo, holding onto his arm. "He calls out to the people around telling them he wants to be released." Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, feeling as if he was building fear to set up a prank. "Until you've heard my sin, my life cannot begin. He would say, hoping someone will set him free." As if he summoned a spirit, a moan of agony is heard throughout the forest. All of you stopped, looking around to search for the owner of the broken voice. No one was there, but the sound continued to grow.

"He was telling the truth." You sighed. Hitsugaya led the way, following the sound. It led you guys to the entrance of a mausoleum made with dark marble. There was a sentence carved into the structure, but it was in a language unfamiliar to all of you. Hitsugaya opened the door, causing the cries to become louder. It was almost unbearable, but you stepped through the entrance, not letting it scare you away. As you walked through the hall, you passed by statues of mothers carrying their children. Each one was carved in a way that gave the mother an expression of pain, fear, or anger. When you reached the end of the hall, you ended up in a large room with a casket laid in the center. While you lightly ran your fingers over the slick material, you noticed someone lingering not too far from the coffin.

"Show yourself." You demanded.

A man stepped forward into the lighting, his features becoming clear. He was like nothing you've seen before. His hair was a midnight blue and his eyes were a piercing grey that seemed to glow. A pair of horns were settled at the top of his head and the texture of his face was sharp. It was as if needles forced their way in the skin, but stopped at the last moment. A green liquid that slowly seeped from his mouth, resembling a venom of some sort, finished his grotesque form.

"Hear my sins, so that my life can begin." His voice was monotonous when he spoke as if he was growing tired from waiting.