That´s price we pay...

Slowly the figure walked over the sands. With cloth mainly white with hints of black he did not put out much from the white desert, nor did his personality seem to do.
Desolace Grimoire was his name, #7 of Espada. That was his name this days yes, not that he remember his old ones no.
Not that he cares. He never do.
With a thud, a lesser Hollow with the apperence of a large bat, landed beside him.
"Did you find anything Clawfinger?" Grimoire did not see on the hollow, who shook his head.
"No master, nothing to the east either. Gonna check west and north also." he growled, and looked around, checking the surrounding. "Where is Malachi and Morrowind?"
Grimoire stopped in his step, wich made Clawfinger immediatley to gulp hard.
"I-Im sorry master, Im on my way!" he barked and flaxed hard with the wings and to off again.
Slowly Grimoire started to walk again.
Humans as hollows. Always asking stupid questions.
Yet, it was a question he had but did not had any answers to. What is the 'Ankokuseiun'?
The old files that he had found in the forgotten parts of Los Noches, stated about an old power that was sealed named 'Ankokuseiun', that was lost in the White Sands.
Both interesting of it´s nature as it´s power, Grimoire had started to search the desert of any clues, with some of his servants.
Problem would be if Espadas like Melchior would find it out...

It was not so much that he found out, as he actually merely happened to walk by.
Long, flowing hair that seemed made of gold, his eyes piercing through the white desert like everything was clear. Melchior never hid any bloodthirst, and it was always prescent. His aura could be discernt for miles. Suddenly, his gaze shot up, captured a flying hollow in his golden hues. His spear clattered as he raised its tip skyward, he could feel his power whelling up before the sand suddenly exploded around him.
He wasn't holding the spear anymore, the hollow fell to the ground, dead as a doornail. Melchior was by it with only a step.
One of Grimoires, right? He recognized it. How pathetic, what was that maggot doing around here, hm?

As Melchior appeared beside Desolace, the sand shot up around them from the speed that the blonde one had been traveling in. He had moved from one place to the other in an instant, knowing how quick Grimoire would be to understand his scout had died, and thereby get away himself.
Blood trickled from Melchiors chin, the hollow had been a good meal, and as he wiped it off, he looked sideways at the other espada, his gaze uncaring but a slight wave of sickening hate emminating from him.
"What are you doing, Desolace?..."

Grimoire could feel the slightly disturbens of his servants death. Useless to the end, and the apperance of Melchior did not suprise him a bit.
Of course it was one of those coinsidense, when you think about something that you dont want to happen and it happense.
If he went down to it, he could probably find a explanation for it and a well crafted theory.
"I am researching the White Sands." The voice was as usually monotonues, did not show any feelings what so ever. "There is no fully understanding of it, and it has many hidden secrets."
It was a chance, but maybe he could use Melchior for his own winning. The 'hidden secrets' probably was tempting enough for luring him into a worded trap.
Yet Melchior was far from stupid, and it was a dangerous bet that could easy backlash on Grimoire. But well, that will be the price he pay.

Melchior didn't smile, he never did, but in his eyes a slight fire burnt slowly, like a flame made of sadism, slowly burning the flesh of your bones.
Languidly he leaned the long spear against his shoulder, its feathers fluttering in the wind.
"And... What If.." He looked up at the constant moon, making his pale skin seem to glow. "I decided I thought you were lying. You think everything is trash, why would sand interest you, huh?"
Melchior closed his eyes and shook his head, for a moment he seemed unprepared. What if Grimoire would take the chance and attack him?
Or was it a trap?

No, attacking Melchior was not a part of Grimoire´s planing, cause at this point Melchior was stronger then him with about 30% of shown abilities.
So at least for now attacking Melchior was not planed.
"I said 'many hidden secrets'. Who would be interested by sand, when it the things beneth it that is far more interesting?" The subdued voice of Grimoire was hardly to hear cause of the increasing wind that started to whip up the sand around them.
"But since you killed my servant, this will take even longer to uncover."
He started to walk again, seem to walk aimlessly.
"Even secrets #0 would gladly kill for..."

Melchiors eyes seemed as ever to pierce Grimoire like the spear he was holding, like the other espada was merely air or an insect. Hatred lied beneath the cold demeanor, boiling slowly, ready to kill at a moments hesitation.
But, Grimoires words had been interesting indeed, so, there was something that could grant him an edge over the Cero? That bastard, whom one day would feel Melchiors spear trhough him? Well, that would be interesting, and if Desolace tried to trick him? He could easily dispatch of the lower espada.
"Tell me." Was his final words, not even looking at the Hollows that were conregating around them.

If Grimoire could smile, he would, and it would not be one of those friendly smiles.
"Beneth this sands are old hidden artifacts, holding vast powers." Grimoire looked down on the sand. "To obtain it should easily double the amount of power we have, probably even more."
The slowly walking pace came to a halt, when Grimoire pointed out to the desert.
"My servants have been over most parts of the desert, looking for old ruins where the entrance are supposed to be. But one of my servants seemed to have found something, but as he contacted me, he was slain. Probably the old defensive system of the ruins."
Of course it could as well been another Hollow or something that killed Riptide, but IF it was there, then it probably still had some highly interesting defensiv system, and what was not better to use to break them down then using a poor soul like Melchior?

So, the little bastard had found something interesting indeed? Well, that could be fun. The golden-eyed espada turned his gaze towards the horizon, silent for a long time.
"I see, Desolace, and you cannot waste a couple of more hollows to tire out the defenses?" He looked at the hollows waiting to report to Grimoire. "Very well. I can help you, of course to the price of half of what you find.."
Suddenly, there was the sound of the soundbarrier breaking, Sonido, as Melchior stood close to Grimoire, behind him. One hand lifted over Grimoires shoulder and his fingers around the others chin.
"And if you try to trick me, You'll be dead in a flash."

"Of course I could do that. But who knows how long it might take. Not that Im in a rush, still I dont want it to take to long so Zero-san might learn about it." Grimoire calmly replayed.
Good, Melchior would indeed be of use, in many ways.
"And half of it is the deal."
With the bang, and Melchior instantly standing behind him, fidling around as he usually did when he was serious about things.
"You cant kill me in a flash. You would probably win in a encounter yes, but it would probably be a fight that stretch about a day or two." It was the calculation at least.
He had calculation into tiniest bit, but yet, with creatures like Melchior and himself, you could never trust it to 100% cause of you never learn about there full powers.
Maybe Melchior could kill him in a flash, but from what Grimoire have studied, it would take roughly a day, almost two, with him at the losing end.
"Shall we?" he asked, and started to walk, each step in matching sound and flash as Melchior, taking huge leaps through the desert.